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| Western Herbalist's Use of Ayurveda in the Clinic - Page 6
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KAPHA
Kapha means "phlegm" and "that which holds things together." Kapha provides the substance and support for our body. In other words it is the bulk of our tissues. Emotionally, Kapha is the love and support we receive in life and governs the feelings of compassion, devotion, modesty, patience and forgiveness. Negatively expressed , it is greed, attachment and self pity. Kapha is the physical and emotional "home" in which we reside.
Kapha (water) governs:
- solidity of the body
- storehouse of energy
- stability
- lubrication
- holding together of the joints
- form
- fluids in the body
- the sense of taste
Kapha rules the emotions of:
- patience
- forgiveness
- compassion
- love
- deep sense of satisfaction
- sense of being grounded and belonging
- attachment
- greed
- mentally stuck
- dullness
Kapha's main locations are:
- the chest
- the throat
- the head
- the pancreas
- the sides
- the stomach
- the lymph
- the fat
- the nose
- the tongue
- Its primary site is the stomach
Kapha in the chest or lungs produces moisture for these areas. Kapha also moistens the throat, head, sinuses and the nasal passages. In the mouth and tongue kapha produces saliva. The tongue is the organ of taste, which sensory quality belongs to the water element. Kapha creates the fat tissue which stores water. It is also contained in our sides that surround the abdominal cavity in the form of the *peritoneal fluid. An excessive amount of Kapha will produce an overabundance of mucous and thus congestion.
*peritoneal fluid - the thin membrane that lines the walls of the abdomen and covers the organs in it.
Kapha gives support to vata and pitta and gives stability to the body functions. It is the conserving, consolidating and restraining force for the other two humors. Kapha helps to ground and control the active and consuming natures of Vata and Pitta. Without Kapha the other two humors will disperse and disintegrate their energy; like a candle that no longer has a wick or wax; the fire and air will soon dissipate.
Attributes of Kapha:
- heavy
- dull
- slow
- cold
- liquid
- dense
- thick
- soft
- stuck
- cloudy
- oily
- damp
Kapha Rules:
- constructing of form
- anabolism (building up of substance)
- the tastes of sweet/salty
- childhood years
- morning and evening
- winter and late spring (damp, cold season)
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