Pitta—the Principle of Transformation
Pitta is the combination of fire and water, with fire as the predominant quality of this dosha. Pitta translates as “that which digests.” Its most characteristic quality is that of transformation. It is most readily apparent as the energy creating body heat. Those persons who are seemingly unaffected by winter’s cold and wear T-shirts year round have strong Pitta in their constitution. Pitta imparts the necessary heat for the individual’s constitution and regulates metabolic transformations to keep up the radiance of the body. Pitta not only nourishes, it also senses the breakdown of tissues as they are transformed back into waste material (ama). Ama is a malfunctioning digestive problem. It represents undigested food and the waste tissues formed as feces, urine and sweat. Pitta regulates the cycle rotating between nourishment and waste.
Pitta manifests as our hunger and thirst to stimulate and provide nourishment. Pitta allows material and information to be changed into substances that are beneficial for the Life Force. It digests information and changes it into experiences and data that we can utilize. It governs digestion, assimilation, and nutrition. In the mind, it manifests as enthusiasm, vitality, interest, curiosity and love of life.
Pitta governs the region from the diaphragm to the top of the pelvis. Its home neighborhood is the abdominal cavity and its seat of balance is the small intestine. It is responsible for absorption of nutrients in the small intestine. This is the primary form of Pitta and manifests as the digestive fire. It moves outward, distributing nutrients to our tissues. It also has a discriminating function that separates beneficial nutrients from those that are not healthy. In normal function, it destroys that which is not beneficial. Pitta creates the ability of the mind to realize the true self. It directs us toward fulfilling personal goals and on the higher level for spiritual development. Pitta is responsible for visual acuity, perception of depth, color, size, and shape. When functioning well, vision is clear and the eyes are lustrous.
Pitta is responsible for the digestion of food. If the Agni is low, other tissues and the mind suffer from lack of the ability to transform intake into useable products. Then, ama or waste products begin to accumulate which can damage the tissues by creating sluggish function, obstruction to the movement of fluids or loss of body heat.
The Ayurveda practices for balancing Pitta energy promote a good appetite with strong digestive fire, heighten our enjoyment of live, and maintain the stability of our vitality. Therapeutically, these practices are used for inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, ulcer, colitis, acne, and sciatica. The psychological applications include conditions of anger, excessive self-criticism, dissatisfaction with life, and jealousy. Thai Yoga Therapy works by calming the agitated dosha, restoring balance and returning the dosha to its home site.
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