We all have all three doshas, because all three doshas are required for the maintenance of life. However, one or two doshas are usually predominant in a person's constitution (prakruti).
When your doshas are balanced, their positive characteristics are enhanced. But imbalances of the doshas lead to symptoms.
Vata dosha is the principle of movement. As such, vata, which describes the functions of the air and ether (space) elements, governs all bodily movements. We can identify vata through it’s qualities of being light, dry, rough, mobile, subtle, clear, and cold. An example of vata in nature is the wind, which shares these same qualities. So vata is somewhat like our own, internal wind that keeps things flowing.
Because it’s responsible for all bodily movements, the functions of vata include:
circulation
movement of food through the GI tract
movement of impulses through our nervous system
movement of thoughts through the mind
speech
communication
respiration (breathing)
sensory perception
If there’s a disturbance in any of these bodily functions, vata is usually involved.
Because of its mobile quality, vata dosha is the easiest dosha to go out of balance, and thankfully it’s also the easiest dosha to bring back into balance, once we determine the root cause of the imbalance and remove the cause.
Swipe right to learn more about Vata Dosha, the principle of movement.