It's a Pitta Party!

Summertime...the light-hearted season that makes you want to get up in the morning, go outside, run around and have some fun in the sun. But if you have a naturally hot and active constitution, like those with a Pitta dosha, you can easily get overheated, overworked and need some help getting back to your naturally balanced state.

Wait, what's a Pitta? No, it's not a fun shaped bread pocket you use for falafel, that's a pita (with one "t"). What's a dosha? It's also not a delicious type of bread, that's a dosa (Indian crepe, no "h"). Pitta dosha is used to describe a particular type of constitution in Ayurveda. What's Ayurveda?! Ayurveda is a holistic healing system that's been around for thousands of years and is called "The Science of Life". Within this system, there are patterns of energy made up of physical, mental and emotional combinations. These patterns of energy are naturally in balance, but internal and external factors (ie: emotional state, food, weather, physical trauma, work, family, relationships) can disrupt that balance and affect us based on our individual constitution.

The three basic types of energy, called doshas, are Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, which each relate to two of five different elements, Ether, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. These energies also relate to the energies of the seasons, Summer being Pitta (fire + water) season. The qualities of fire are hot, penetrating, sharp, and agitating. The qualities of Pitta are oily, sharp, penetrating, hot, light, mobile, and liquid. Notice any similarities? It is the energy of digestion, metabolism and transformation, creating warm bodies, penetrating ideas, and sharp intelligence when in balance. Pitta dominant people have strong constitutions and strong appetites. Summertime is heat time, and as we get to the height of the season, Pitta energy (in anyone) can accumulate and cause inflammation, agitation, insomnia, distractedness.

To counteract this accumulation, we can incorporate daily practices that soften and cool and tap into our heart energy. Roots & Space's Emilie Berger suggests, "Softening the heart and surrendering intentionally to a place of kindness, compassion and love is necessary for Pitta imbalanced individuals, but it can be challenging to move into that place, and you might notice resistance to slowing down, doing less or considering empathy and compassion towards yourself and others."

As with any holistic modality, we look at all areas of our liv