GUNAS

The Gunas is Sansktrit word which translates as attributes or qualities. According to Charaka, one of the fathers of Ayurveda, everything in nature as well as thoughts and actions have specific attributes. These Gunas are categorized in 20 opposite pairs: heavy/light, slow (dull)/sharp,  cold/hot,  oily (unctuous)/dry,  slimy (smooth)/rough, dense/liquid,  soft/hard,  static (stable)/mobile (spreading),  subtle/gross, clear/cloudy (sticky).

The following tables list the attributes of the 3 Doshic types (from Dr Vasant Lad’s book “Textbook of Ayurveda”, Volume 1, chapter 2).

Table 5: The Attributes of the Vata Individual

Attributes	Manifestations in the Body, Mind& Emotions
Dry	Dry skin, hair, lips, tongue; dry colon, tending toward constipation; hoarse voice.
Light	Light muscles, bones, thin body frame, light, scanty sleep;underweight
Cold	Cold hands, cold feet, poor circulation; hates cold and loves hot; stiffness of muscles.
Rough	Rough, cracked skin, nails, hair, teeth, hands and feet; cracking joints.
Subtle	Subtle fear, anxiety, insecurity; fine goose-pimples; minute muscletwitching, fine tremors.
Mobile	Fast walking, talking, doing many things at a time; erratic; restless eyes, eyebrows, hands, feet; unstable joints; many dreams; loves travelling and does not stay at one place; swinging moods, shaky faith,scattered mind.
Clear	Clairvoyant; understandsimmediately and forgets immediately; clear, empty mind,experiences void and loneliness.
Astringent	Dry choking sensation in the throat; gets hiccoughs, burping; loves oily,mushy soups; craving for sweet, sour and salty tastes; tendency toward constipation.
Brownish-black	Dark complexion; dark hair and eyes; color of vata ama, e.g., dark coated tongue

Table 6: The Attributes of the Pitta Individual

Attributes	Manifestations in the Body, Mind & Emotions
Hot	Good digestive fire; Hot strong appetite; body temperature tends to be higher than average; hates heat; gray hair with receding hair line orbaldness; soft brown hair on thebody and face.
Sharp	Sharp teeth, distinct eyes, pointednose, tapering chin, heart-shaped face; good absorption and digestion;sharp memory and understanding; intolerance of hard work; irritable;probing mind.
Light	Light/medium body frame; does not tolerate bright light; fair shiny skin, bright eyes.
Liquid	Loose liquid stools; soft delicate muscles; excess urine, sweat and thirst.
Spreading (mobile)	Pitta spreads as rash, acne, or inflammation over the body or affected areas; pitta subjects wantto spread their name and fame all over the world.
Oily	Soft oily skin, hair, feces; may not digest deep-fried food which can cause headache.
Sour	Sour acid stomach, acidic pH; sensitive teeth; excess salivation.
Pungent	Heartburn, burning sensations in general; strong feelings of anger and hate.
Bitter	Bitter taste in the mouth, nausea,vomiting; repulsion toward bitter taste; cynical.
Fleshy	Smell fetid smell under armpits,mouth, soles of feet; socks smell
Red	Red-flushed skin, eyes, cheeks and nose; red color aggravates pitta; does not tolerate heat and sunlight; color of pitta without ama.
Yellow	Yellow eyes, skin, urine and feces;may lead to jaundice, over production of bile; yellow color increases pitta; pale yellow coloringis normal pitta, but dark yellow is color of pitta ama.

Table 7: The Attributes of the Kapha Individual

Attributes	Manifestations in the Body,Mind & Emotions
Heavy	Heavy bones, muscles, large body frame; tends to be overweight; grounded; deep heavy voice.
Slow/Dull	Slow walk, talk; slow digestion, metabolism; sluggish gestures
Cool (Cold)	Cold clammy skin; steady appetite and thirst with slow metabolism and digestion;repeated cold, congestion and cough.
Oily	Oily skin, hair and feces;lubricated, unctuous joints andother organs.
Liquid	Excess salivation; congestion in the chest, sinuses, throat and head.
Slimy/Smooth	Smooth skin; smoothness of organs; smooth, gentle mind,calm nature.
Dense	Dense pad of fat; thick skin, hair,nail and feces; plump roundedorgans; firmness and solidity of muscles; compact, condensed tissues.
Soft	Soft pleasing look; love, care, compassion, kindness and forgiveness
Static	Loves sitting, sleeping and doing nothing.
Sticky	Viscous, cohesive quality causes compactness, firmness of joints and organs; loves to hug; is deeply attached in love and relationships.
Cloudy	In early morning mind is cloudy and foggy; often desires coffee as a stimulant to start the day.
Hard	Firm muscles; strength; rigid attitude.
Gross	Causes obstruction; obesity.
Sweet	The anabolic action of sweet taste stimulates sperm formation increasing quantity of semen; abnormal function may cause craving for sweets.
Salty	Helps digestion and growth, gives energy; maintains osmotic condition; abnormal function may create craving for salt, water retention.
White	Pale complexion; white mucous; white coating on tongue; color of kapha ama.

Using the Gunas to balance the Doshas

One of the most important principles of Ayurveda is the principle of “likes increase likes and opposites balance”. So if we know which Guna is causing the Doshic imbalance, we can generally try to use this principle to return to balance.

For example, Vata cold quality which is prominent in cold climate, cold weather, heavily air conditioned rooms, would aggravate the vata dosha – particularly in a Vata dominant person. To balance this person needs to use the hot quality to balance such as hot teas, soups, spices, hot baths, warm clothes, heavy cover, et., you get the idea.