Foundations
Kapha Dosha
Kapha is the dosha that holds things together. It is the structure of the body and the steadiness of the mind, the principle that builds, binds and keeps in reserve.
- Sanskrit
- कफ
- Quality (guna)
- Heavy, slow, cool, oily, smooth, dense, stable (guru, manda, shita, snigdha, slakshna, sandra, sthira)
- Action (karma)
- Gives structure, lubrication, strength and reserve
- Effect on dosha
- Composed of Prithvi and Apas (earth and water)
- Best known for
- The principle of structure, stability and lubrication
Overview
Kapha is the third of the three doshas. It is formed of earth and water, prithvi and apas, and it carries their heaviness, coolness and cohesion. Kapha is the principle of structure. It is what gives the body its solidity and form, what lubricates the joints, what holds moisture and reserve, and what lends the mind its steadiness and patience. Where Vata moves and Pitta transforms, Kapha builds and holds.
In its healthy state the texts equate Kapha with strength itself. It is the body’s reserve, drawn on in times of need.
The qualities of Kapha
Kapha is heavy, slow, cool, oily, smooth, dense and stable. These qualities are its gift and, in excess, its problem. In balance they give endurance, calm and resilience. In excess the same qualities become heaviness, sluggishness, congestion and a resistance to change. Because Kapha is heavy, cold and damp, it is settled by the opposite qualities: the light, the warm, the dry and the stimulating.
The five divisions
Kapha divides into five, each seated in a region. Kledaka sits in the stomach and moistens food for digestion. Avalambaka sits in the chest and supports the heart and lungs. Bodhaka sits on the tongue and gives the perception of taste. Tarpaka sits in the head and nourishes the senses and the brain. Shleshaka sits in the joints and lubricates them.
Kapha in the seasons and the lifespan
Kapha gathers quietly through the cold of winter and rises highest in spring, when warmth melts the accumulation, the season of colds and congestion. It is also the dosha of childhood, the building years of growth. The classical regimen meets the Kapha season with light, warm, spiced food and plenty of movement.
Frequently asked
What does it mean to be of Kapha constitution? Each person carries the three doshas in a proportion fixed from birth, the prakriti. A Kapha-predominant person shows the qualities of Kapha: a strong, solid build, calm and steady temperament, good stamina, and a tendency to heaviness, slowness and weight gain when out of balance.
Why is Kapha called strength? Because in its healthy state it is the body’s structure and reserve. The texts say that well-regulated Kapha is stability, immunity and endurance; it is only in excess that it becomes a burden.
Kapha, in its normal state, is strength; deranged, it becomes the waste it once nourished.
Classical tradition, after the Ashtanga Hridayam
Frequently asked questions
What is Kapha Dosha?
Kapha is the Ayurvedic principle of structure, composed of the earth and water elements (Prithvi and Apas). It gives the body its form, stability, lubrication, strength and reserve. Of the three Doshas it is the heaviest and most steady, holding the body together and providing the moisture and mass the other two lack.
What are the qualities of Kapha?
Kapha carries the qualities of its earth and water make-up: heavy, slow, cool, oily, smooth, dense, soft and stable. In balance these give strength, calm, endurance and good lubrication. In excess they show as heaviness, sluggishness, congestion and holding on. Understanding these qualities is the key to keeping Kapha steady.
What are signs of high Kapha?
When Kapha grows too high, the tradition describes heaviness, slowness, excess mucus and congestion, water retention, a feeling of dullness or attachment, and reluctance to move or change. Because Kapha is cool, damp and heavy by nature, its excess shows as more of the same. Warm, light, dry, stimulating living is used to settle it.
How do you balance Kapha Dosha?
Kapha is balanced by its opposites: warmth against its cool, lightness and dryness against its heavy dampness, and activity against its stillness. Ayurveda favours light warm food, the pungent, bitter and astringent tastes, regular vigorous movement, early rising and stimulation of the senses. The guiding rule is simply that like increases like and opposites bring balance.
What body type is Kapha?
A Kapha-dominant person typically has a solid, well-built frame, good strength and stamina, smooth skin, thick hair and a calm, steady temperament. Being of earth and water, Kapha types tend to gain weight easily and move and digest slowly, but they are known for endurance, patience and a grounded, affectionate nature.
References
- Ashtanga Hridayam, Sutrasthana, on the qualities and seats of Kapha.
- Charaka Samhita, Sutrasthana, on Kapha as bala (strength).
- Sushruta Samhita, on the five divisions of Kapha.