Ayurveda identifies three basic types of energy or functional principles that are present, in varying degrees, in everything and everybody.
KAPHA is associated with earth or water.
Kapha combines water and earth. It is the energy that forms the body’s structure, the glue that holds the cells together. Kapha also supplies the liquid needed for the life of our cells and bodily systems. It lubricates the joints, moisturises the skin, helps to heal wounds, and maintains immunity.
Body type: Kapha people are blessed with strong, healthy, and well-developed bodies. Their chests are broad and expanded, and they have strong muscles and large, heavy bones. With their larger frames and constitutions dominated by the water and earth elements, Kaphas tend to gain weight and have difficulty taking it off. To complicate matters, Kaphas generally have slow digestion and metabolism. As a result, they tend to carry excess weight and be on the chubby side. A Kapha person may even do water fast and gain weight!
Hair type: Their hair tends to be thick, dark, and plentiful. The hair porosity is low and has lustrous, coarse and moisturised tresses.
Skin texture: Their skin is soft, smooth, lustrous and thick, and it tends to be oily.
Eyes: Their eyes are large, dark, and attractive, with long, thick lashes and brows. They have large, strong, white teeth
Body Temperature: Generally cold with a slow metabolism.
Appetite: Individuals with a Kapha body type have a steady appetite and thirst, though digestion is slow. Because of their slow metabolic rate, Kaphas maintain health and balance. However, if Kapha dosha is allowed to become aggravated, the person is likely to become obese.
Sleep pattern: heir sleep is deep and prolonged.
Movement: Kapha dosha is slow and steady in every way. These individuals move slowly and talk slowly. They eat slowly and are slow to decide and slow to act. They move slowly and gracefully.
Personality traits: Kapha individuals are blessed with a sweet, loving disposition. By nature, they are peaceful, patient, tolerant, caring, compassionate, and forgiving. They love to hug people. They are stable, solid, and faithful. Their spiritual or religious faith is deep and abiding, and their minds are calm and steady.
One of the dominant qualities of Kapha is softness, which manifests as soft skin, soft hair, soft gentle speech, a soft nature, and a soft, gentle, loving look.
Kaphas can be slow to comprehend, but once they know something, that knowledge is permanently retained. They have excellent long-term memories.
Emotionally, when Kapha becomes unbalanced, these individuals may suffer from greed, attachment, envy, possessiveness, lust, and laziness, leading to Kapha-type depression.