The word "Ayurveda" translates literally as the "science of life" (Ayur = life, Veda = science or knowledge).
What are Doshas?
Dosha means elements. There are 5 elements that everything in the world is created from. These are Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth. In Ayurveda we group elements together to only mention 3. Ether/Air, Fire/Water, Earth/Water. These are called Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Your body and mind’s health are determined by how balanced your elements are and how much they move around. The more balance of air, fire and earth you have the more health you will enjoy. Here is a short explanation of Dosha traits.
What are Gunas?
When an Ayurvedic practitioner diagnoses a patient’s conditions and health, they will use three doshas to determine how best to proceed with achieving and sustaining greater health in the body. While this tradition assigns three doshas to our bodies and constitutions, it also assigns three different qualities to the mind. They are known as Gunas, and while doshas relate to our basic nature, gunas relate to our thought process and the qualities of our mind. The three gunas are rajas, tamas, and sattva.
