What is Ayurveda?

Ayurveda, and Astrology

Ayurveda is the system of Indian healing that has been practised in India for thousands of years. Long before our era began, there were universities in India where ayurveda, among other subjects, was taught to tens of thousands of students. Ayurveda, as Vedic astrology, originates in the Vedic traditions.

In the Veda's (the holy scripts of the Hindu religion) we can find descriptions of the methods of Vedic astrology as well as ayurvedic healing. No one need be surprised at the relationship between the two.

13.1 THE THREE DOSHA'S

Ayurveda is based on the three constitutions, the three dosha's. These three dosha's are called vata, pitta and kapha. Vata corresponds to air, pitta to fire, and kapha to earth and water. The astrological signs can then be divided as follows:

• Vata : Gemini, Virgo, Libra, Capricorn and Aquarius. Virgo is placed here because it is ruled by Mercury, which is an air planet in Vedic astrology. Capricorn is mentioned here because it is ruled by the vata planet Saturn.
• Pitta : Aries, Leo, Sagittarius and Scorpio. Scorpio is pitta because the classic ruler of Scorpio is the fire planet Mars. In Vedic astrology, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are not used, and so Mars remains the ruler of Scorpio.
• Kapha : Taurus, Cancer, and Pisces. These are the earth and water signs not assigned to vata and pitta.

There are several methods which can help us to decide the constitution of a person, such as the pulse diagnosis, a urine test, face reading and the general impression a person makes.

SEVERAL TYPICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DOSHA'S

• A vata type is generally slim (thin), has difficulty concentrating, feels the cold and has a great urge to be quickly satisfied in his needs. He eats quickly, chews his food badly and eats at irregular hours.
• A kapha type is often corpulent, slow, and has a calm, thoughtful character. He eats a lot and enjoys his food.
• A pitta type has a well-balanced figure, likes action and can be hot tempered. Because his life is so busy, he may feel food is not very important.

13.2 ASTROLOGICAL ESTABLISHMENT OF THE THREE DOSHA'S

Astrology can also play a role in establishing the constitution or dosha. Naturally, we must use a Vedic horoscope for this and not a Western horoscope, although there are astrologers who define the dosha via a Western horoscope. This is wrong, because both ayurveda and Vedic astrology have their roots in the same Vedic tradition. This tradition forms a unit. The various methods rooted in this tradition supplement each other and re attuned to each other.

• To define the constitution, we do not use the Sun; we use the ascendant and the lord of the ascendant. If the ascendant is Aries a pitta sign), and the lord of the ascendant (Mars) is in Scorpio (a pitta sign), it will point to a pitta constitution.
• Planets in the first are also important, especially if they are close to the ascendant degree. Suppose someone has Saturn in the first, this is a strong indication for a vata constitution. If a person has Jupiter in the first then that person tends to gain weight and may have a kapha constitution (however, if Saturn aspects that Jupiter this tendency may not surface)
• We also need to know which planets are in the sixth house and where their lord of the sixth house is placed. If Mercury is in the sixth house and in Pisces, that points to either a vata (Mercury is a vataplanet) and/or a kapha (Pisces is a kapha sign) constitution. Furthermore, Jupiter is a kapha (but somewhat pitta) planet, the Sun is pitta, Mars is pitta, Saturn is vata, the Moon is kapha and Venus is kapha (and somewhat vata).
• Another factor that plays a role in the analysis is the position of the Moon. The Moon, because she gives shape to earthly matters, is an important influence on the human body. The questions we have to ask here are in which sign is the Moon placed and is the Moon in conjunction with other planets.
• The strongest planet in the horoscope is important. Often this concerns a planet placed in its own sign or is exalted and placed in a house where it can develop its energy (for example houses 1, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10 or 11). If a certain planet in the horoscope is prominent, then that planet will colour all the aspects of the life of the person involved, including his constitution.

Actually, this is a complicated analysis, which seldom gives an unequivocal answer. This is not a catastrophe, because most people are mixed types. So we can have a vata-kapha type, a pitta-kapha type, etc.

DIAGRAM 19: ASTROLOGICAL FACTORS AND DOSHA'S

VATA

element: air

signs: Gemini, Virgo, Libra, Capricorn, Aquarius

planets: Mercury, Saturn, Venus (secondary), Rahu.

KAPHA

element: earth and water

signs: Taurus, Cancer, Pisces

planets: Moon, Venus (primary), Jupiter (primary) Saturn (secondary),

PITTA

element: fire

signs: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius, Scorpio

planets: Mars, the Sun, Jupiter (secondary), Ketu.

Our example is the Kennedy horoscope

John F. Kennedy 29-5-1917 GMT: 20.13, 42.20 N., 71.07 W.

7th Pisces	8th Aries Mars 25.43 Mercury 27.53	9th Taurus Jupiter 0.21 Sun 15.09 Venus 24.04	10th Gemini Ketu 18.29
6th Aquarius	Rasi	Chart	11th Cancer Saturn 4.27
5th Capricorn	John F.	Kennedy	12th Leo Moon 24.36
4th Sagittarius Rahu 18.29	3rd Scorpio	2nd Libra	1st Virgo