“Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.” - Buddha
The 2021 summer solstice arrives on June 20 at 11:32 am. Regardless of the weather, the solstice can initiate a subtle and welcome shift in energy as our schedules change, vacations are planned, and we head to the pool or the beach. We may experience a surge of ambition and start projects that have been put off for too long, or perhaps we shake away the mental cobwebs with a renewed sense of clarity and motivation. We may associate this surge of energy with the season’s warmer weather and plentiful daylight, but, in Ayurveda, it is attributed to the characteristics of Pitta, the dosha that predominates in the summer.
The Pitta dosha is composed of the elements of fire and water. Its characteristics are hot, sharp, light, liquid, mobile (spreading), and oily. In Ayurveda, fire is the element that is responsible for transformation; “Pitta” translates as “the power of digestion or cooking”. Ayurveda identifies Pitta’s hot, sharp, and spreading qualities as the energy that drives transformation in nature—from photosynthesis in plants, spectacular sunrises, the emergence of a butterfly from a cocoon, to the digestion of last night’s dinner. Whereas the air and ether elements of the Vata dosha gets things moving, the heat of Pitta is what creates a change in form.
Pitta dominates between the hours of 10 and 2. This time has the greatest amount of sunlight, which fuels our energy and encourages productivity. Generally, we are task oriented at this time of day, focused on work and getting things done. Nighttime brings a different dynamic, especially if we fall asleep while ruminating about a problem. Pitta tends to “cook” these ruminations, especially at its peak between 10 pm to 2 am. Ayurveda tells us that this is what causes us to wake up in the wee hours of the night and not be able to fall back to sleep. The productive Pitta energy that helps us check things off the to-do list during the day can keep us wide awake at 2:00 in the morning.
Representing the fire element in the body, the Pitta dosha rules our metabolic system. It is intricately related to the liver, governing digestion, the absorption and assimilation of nutrients, energy production, and temperature—essentially all the bodily processes involving transformations. Pitta is what gives us our appetite, processes our food, and fuels vitality in life. It is concentrated in the small intestine and stomach, as well as our sweat and sebaceous glands, blood, and lymph tissues. Its sense organs are the eyes; burning, red, bloodshot eyes, light sensitivity, or a yellowish tinge in the whites of the eyes are all signs of excess Pitta. Its motor organs are the feet, where it can manifest as gout, tingling, or numbness. Generally, any form of inflammation is related to excess Pitta, including high cholesterol, anemia, rashes, and several autoimmune disorders.
On a mental level, Pitta governs our intellect, influencing our ability to digest impressions, emotions, and ideas. Pitta provides us with a keen sense of discrimination that helps us to concentrate, form insights, and make good decisions. A deficiency in Pitta can create attention issues, malaise, and an inability to think clearly—it is hard to focus when you are hungry or exhausted. When balanced, Pitta nurtures feelings of self-worth, providing the awareness necessary to identify and communicate our needs. It imbues us with the self-confidence necessary to plan and execute our goals, and, when faced with obstacles, supports us with courage and tenacity.
Those with a predominance of Pitta are usually of medium build and weight with sturdy, stable bodies. Pitta body types tend to have more muscle than bony Vatas, and many enjoy competitive sports as either participants or spectators. Their skin is soft, oily, and warm and they perspire easily. They may have lots of freckles and moles, and are prone to rashes, acne, and bruises. Pittas sunburn easily and generally have an aversion to hot weather, sunlight, and heat. Reddish or blonde hair is a feature of Pitta, and frequently they are prematurely bald, or have excessive hair loss. Their sensitivity to heat and tendency toward thinning hair underscores their tendency of being “hot heads”.
Whereas Vatas are likely to be found in creative endeavors, Pittas, with their sharp wit, ambition, and sense of determination, are attracted to positions of leadership. Their ability to distill information makes them excellent decision makers and speakers. Compared to Vatas, who spend endless hours gathering information, contemplating, and communicating about an issue, Pittas become impatient with too much thinking. They crave action, asking “What’s next?”. They want to drill down to the essentials, using information as a means of deciding what to do. They are task oriented, always solving problems (including those you did not know you had), endlessly figuring out how things work, and improving processes--even when things seem to be going relatively well.
When in balance, Pitta is ambitious, has a fiery nature with abundant energy, and a strong appetite. Those with a predominant Pitta dosha are extroverted, passionate, and tend to dominate the conversation. However, don’t seek out a Pitta if you want a shoulder to cry on; their need to solve problems will have them providing lots of suggestions on what you should do while completely ignoring your need for comfort. They are the perfect resource, though, when you need strategies or an action plan that will move things forward.
If your feelings are easily bruised, be on guard when you are with an imbalanced Pitta, as their fiery nature can cause them to be short tempered and argumentative. They usually control their emotions but when they are running “hot”, they quickly become irritable, angry, and judgmental, especially when they are under stress. They have a low tolerance for hunger or heat, so their generally even disposition can quickly turn sour when they are hot or “hangry”. A sure sign of increasing Pitta is impatience, criticism, and jealousy. They are also prone to perfectionism and can develop a generalized sense of dissatisfaction, even gravitating toward obsessive compulsive behaviors.
With its ambitious energy, Pitta is predominant in our mid 20’s, lasting throughout our 50’s. This is the time of life when we are focused on careers and accomplishments, establishing our finances, and building our lives. Pitta helps us to make decisions that will steer us down the right path in life, setting us up for security and good health in our later years. When the fire of Pitta is burning properly, it helps us to make wise and prudent life choices that will have a positive influence on both our physical and mental health as we age.
In yoga, a Summer Solstice practice that features sun salutations is used as a symbolic offering to ensure the return of the sun after its long descent toward winter. The very nature of this practice is centered on building heat, so it can easily stir up the Pitta dosha. Additionally, the number of salutations can be quite high in some practices (as many as 108!), and transitions are typically done quickly, which stirs up the competitive and perfectionist qualities of this dosha. But there are ways in which we can salute the sun that both creates and releases heat to keep our Pitta energies balanced. Salutations generate heat by using large body muscles to move us rhythmically through repeated flexion and extension, with challenging poses such as chaturangas, backbends, and lunges. However, side bending poses—characteristic of Moon salutations—increase our energy without overheating. They are less stimulating than Sun Salutations. Interspersing side bending poses such as Goddess, Triangle, and Half Moon in between the heat of sun salutes can balance the hot emotions of Pitta, calming the mind and restoring balance.
We welcome summer by weaving side bending into Sun Salutations to keep our fire of intention at a slow burn while we celebrate the solstice. Keep in mind that each of us has elements of all three doshas. Even if Pitta does not dominate your constitution, it still endows you with the positive traits of intelligence, courage, and vitality. Come to your mat to salute the sun and welcome the arrival of the Pitta season. Our practice will generate the heat that sparks motivation with the warmth of a steady and even flow of energy. Summer is here—let’s celebrate its vibrant Pitta energy!
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