Balancing Your Doshas

When we are living in balance, we are able to express our unique talents in a way that creates happiness, harmony, and love for ourselves and all those around us.

Ayurveda teaches that the secret to enjoying this inner clarity and abundant health is our digestive power, our ability to metabolize all aspects of life. This includes not only the food we eat, but also our experiences, emotions, and sensory impressions.

The metabolic power responsible for extracting nourishment and releasing toxicity is known as agni – a Sanskrit word meaning fire. When our agni is burning brightly, we’re able to digest food efficiently and easily assimilate our daily experiences. We absorb what is nourishing and let go of that which doesn’t serve, enabling us to make healthy blood cells, muscle tissue, bones, and nerves.

When our agni is weak, however, we can’t extract value from even those substances and events that are potentially nourishing. Instead, our body begins to accumulate the toxic residue that is left behind when our digestive power is poor. This residue, known as ama in Ayurveda, blocks the flow of energy and information throughout our body, making us feel dull and listless.

In fact, Ayurveda considers the build-up of toxins the underlying cause of all disease. A common example of this is the accumulation of saturated fat and cholesterol that is beyond the body’s capacity to metabolize. Over time, this leads to the blockage of the blood vessels and arteries and – ultimately – to heart attacks.

Emotional Agni

While it’s easy to understand agni in terms of food, it’s important to remember that your mind and heart are continually digesting energy and information as well. When you’re introduced to a new concept or idea, your mental digestive powers work to break down the idea into components your intellect can assimilate. In the same way, your emotional agni processes your feelings and experiences, including the embrace of a loved one, unexpected criticism from your supervisor, or the excitement of a new relationship.

If your emotional agni is strong, you are able to extract whatever is nourishing and eliminate the rest. The inability to metabolize emotions, on the other hand, produces just as much toxic residue as undigested food.

Tending Your Inner Fire

The secret to perfect digestion is living life more consciously, making choices that nurture the flow of life energy, while minimizing those that deplete it. When faced with a decision, ask yourself what advice you’d give to someone you love. Consider the example of a conscious, loving mother who only wants her child to eat healthful food, engage in loving relationships, and avoid unnecessary distress or pain. If you treat your own inner child with this same loving intention, you will naturally be drawn to experiences that bring you more peace, freedom, and joy.