Kelsey Page
Kelsey is a Faculty Instructor, Intern Supervisor and Master Teacher at the California College of Ayurveda where she teaches classes including Ayurvedic Pathology, Anatomy and Physiology. She graduated from the California College of Ayurveda with her Doctorate in Ayurvedic Medicine and Marma Therapist certifications. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Nevada Reno with an emphasis in Ceramics and Art History. She has been practicing yoga for over 15 years and has completed a 200-hour yoga teacher training rooted in Tibetan Buddhism. Kelsey is enthusiastic about the Ayurvedic lifestyle and believes Ayurveda to be evolving and timeless. Read More
As Ayurveda becomes more widely recognized, many people are becoming familiar with the three Doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Ayurveda also teaches that everything in nature, including the human body, is composed of five elements: Ether, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth.
These five elements combine to form the three Doshas:
- Vata is composed of Air and Ether.
- Pitta is composed of Fire and Water.
- Kapha is composed of Water and Earth.
As interest in Ayurveda grows, there are now many online tools designed to help people identify their Dosha or Ayurvedic constitution, known as Prakruti: your original nature or constitutional makeup.
But understanding your Dosha is only the beginning.
What Are the Subdoshas in Ayurveda?
Each of the three Doshas is further divided into five subdoshas, creating a total of 15 subdoshas in Ayurveda.
Each subdosha maintains the same elemental composition as its primary Dosha. For example, all five subdoshas of Vata are composed of Air and Ether, just as Vata itself is.
What makes the subdoshas particularly important is that each one is associated with a specific location and function within the body. Some, such as the five Vata subdoshas, or Vayus, are also distinguished by the direction and type of movement they govern.
This allows Ayurveda to move from a broad understanding of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha into a much more detailed understanding of how these energies function throughout the body.
Why Are the Subdoshas Important?
The authors of the classical Ayurvedic texts, which are among the earliest surviving medical writings, sought great precision in their understanding of the human body, health, disease, and treatment.
The subdoshas are an important part of that precision.
Each subdosha has a particular location in the body that can be thought of as its primary “home.” Each also performs specific physiological functions.
When symptoms or disturbances arise, an Ayurvedic student or practitioner learns to consider not only which Dosha may be involved, but which subdosha may be affected as well.
This provides a more detailed understanding of where an imbalance may be occurring and how it is expressing itself physiologically.
For students of Ayurveda, learning the subdoshas creates an important bridge between Ayurvedic philosophy and the practical study of anatomy, physiology, assessment, and treatment.
Learning the Subdoshas at California College of Ayurveda
At the California College of Ayurveda, students are introduced to the subdoshas very early in their education.
The topic is taught in the Principles of Ayurvedic Medicine (PAM) program as part of Anatomy and Physiology 1 in Module 2. Students therefore begin working with this foundational concept near the beginning of their Ayurvedic studies.
Learning the subdoshas becomes part of the foundation upon which much of their later education is built.
As students continue into more advanced coursework and clinical internships, the subdoshas remain central to understanding the location, function, and nature of an imbalance. This knowledge continues to guide Ayurvedic assessment and treatment in both academic and clinical settings.
Students learn that every subdosha has its own location and function. When a symptom appears, part of the work is to determine both the Dosha and the subdosha involved.
This is one of the aspects of Ayurveda that I find so meaningful. The system encourages us to look closely, to understand not only that an imbalance exists, but how and where it may be expressing itself in the body.
Many former students have told me that learning the subdoshas was one of the most enjoyable and memorable parts of their early Ayurvedic education. It is detailed, fascinating, and remarkably useful as their studies progress.
If you are interested in learning more about the Doshas, subdoshas, Ayurvedic anatomy and physiology, and the foundations of Ayurvedic medicine, I encourage you to enroll in the Principles of Ayurvedic Medicine program and study with me.
With love,
Kelsey Page, MAS