As we’ve discussed in our article on the Ayurvedic Perspective on the inner intelligence - we find Ayurveda presenting a nuanced “personality” for this inner intelligence: a 3 - fold intelligence.
One way to understand how an Ayurvedic assessment occurs - is in the context of an assessment of the condition of these 3 fundamental intelligences. These intelligences, as we will explore together in these articles, have many manifestations, associated organs, specific functions, and an altogether nuanced relationship with many facets of our existence.
This short series on the 3 Doshas is looking primarily at the nature & function of these intelligences. There will be other other articles contextualizing their manifestations in individuals as constitutions and also one’s discussing their relationship with imbalances more thoroughly.
For now, let’s explore the first of the 3 Doshas:
Vata Dosha:
This intelligence - associated with the Space & Air elements - is often referred to as the Royal Dosha. It is the controller, the overseer, the manager. It’s 3 Primary functions are:
Transportation
Movement
Communication
All transportation, all movement, all communication - biochemically, neurologically, hormonally, cardiovascularly, respiratorily, mentally, spiritually - nearly all dimensions of your being where any of these 3 functions have a role - are handled by this subtle, energetic intelligence that we call Vata Dosha.
We find this intelligence functioning primarily in the Channels of the body - or the Srotas in sanskrit. This intelligence, governing all the processes of transportation, movement & communication, logically functions primarily in the channels of your mind/body system. Most imbalances related to these functions - anxiety, heart complications like imbalanced blood pressure, compromised nervous system functioning etc. - can often be related to the condition of Vata Dosha.
With this view on the primary functions of this intelligence, let’s see what the literature has to say about the predicted outcomes of a balanced state of Vata Dosha:
“When Vata is in its normal state, it expresses itself in the form of enthusiasm, inhalation, expiration, movements, normal metabolic development of tissues, and proper elimination of excreta.”
Charaka Samhita, Sutrasthan, 18.49
Form
Let’s take a look at the locations of the 3 Doshas in the human physiology. This will further along our sense of and relationship with these subtle, energetic intelligences.
Vata Dosha is generally located from the waist down. Specifically, we find its expression in the following parts of the human physiology:
Colon
Bladder/kidneys
Anus/rectum
Waist
Legs
Feet
Bones
Of these locations, the colon is said to be the main “house”. This brings up a few revealing insights into the operation of these intelligences. Firstly - each of the Doshas is said to have a main “home” in the human physiology. This indicates a level of organization in the functioning of these intelligences. The colon handles many important functions in the physiology - a significant portion of the microbiome of the gut resides there, handling a range of functions related mostly to Vatas’ primary functions of Transportation, Movement & Communication. Absorption of water and nutrients into the body, elimination of waste and an overall resolution of the process of digestion takes place in this very important part of the body.
The other locations of Vata in the body can be intuitively connected with Vatas’ primary functions - the legs, bones & feet help the body move. The anus and rectum are involved in the elimination of wastes (considered a process of moving things out).
That being said, we find the following expression in the Ayurvedic literature:
“Though present all over the body, Vata is found mainly below the umbilicus; Pittais found mainly between the heart and umbilicus; and Kapha is found above the heart.”
Asthanga Hridayam, Sutrasthan, 1.7
This description shows us that while these intelligences are indeed beyond the physical, they do have what we might consider as “anchors” in the physiology which give expression to their core functions.
For Vata Dosha specifically - we can also see it’s form in the structure of the Nervous System. This N.S. handles communication on a massive scale - between all major and minor systems, organs and functions in the human physiology. This system is a clear manifestation of this intelligence - the N.S. operates through countless channels in the physiology - carrying information in the form of very subtle and refined electrical charges. As we know, Vata functions primarily in the channels (Srotas in sanskrit) in the mind/body system. In this way we have another glimpse into the material manifestation of this non-material intelligence.
Nature
Looking more deeply into the nature of this Intelligence - we can start to explore the textural aspect of it. According to Ayurveda there are a series of universal qualities - or Gunas in sanskrit - that are associated with each of the 3 Doshas. These qualities are more than associations, though, and give us a textural insight into the form and function of this intelligence.
Let’s explore exactly what this means for Vata Dosha:
Vata Dosha is said to have the following Gunas (qualities):
Dry
Cold
Light
Subtlety
Movement
Clarity
Coarseness
These are the qualities which allows us to have a textural experience of the form and function of this intelligence. Thinking back to the 3 main functions of Vata Dosha - Transportation, Movement & Communication - we can begin to associate particular qualities of Nature with those functions. For movement to take place, lightness - as opposed to heaviness - would be suited to fluid movement; dryness - as opposed to the encumbering influence associated with oiliness - would be a useful quality.
Vata handles transportation, movement & communication in the countless channels of our mind-body mechanism. What is the primary thing that is transported, moved & communicated? Information, knowledge, energy. On the gross level we find more manifest compounds being moved, but ultimately even that is the expression of a more subtle intelligence.
The truth is that to really know the relationship between the Doshas and their qualities, one must practice the Ayurvedic Pulse Reading technique. But intellectual study can also be useful - for that, let’s take a look at the expression of these qualities in the human physiology.
Vata Dosha Qualities in the Physiology
Quality / Manifestation in the Physiology
Dryness / Dryness in the skin, joints, stool
Coolness / Coolness in the body / temperature
Lightness / Lightness in weight
Subtlety / Subtlety in thinking and body
Movement / Excitement, activity, instability
Clarity, Non-sticky / Clarity or looseness in body/joints
It is important to remember that these intelligences ultimately are non-material, all pervading energies which manifest in both form and function throughout the human mechanism. It is the condition of this non-material dimension to these intelligences which is one of our primary concerns in the field of Ayurveda.
