Like Increases Like

In Ayurveda there is a fundamental law which states that like increases like. When similar qualities come together, their quantitative expression increases. For example, the summer season has attributes similar to those of Pitta — hot, liquid, light, mobile, and penetrating — therefore, in summer, Pitta in the body will be increased. Vata is light, subtle, dry, mobile, rough, and cold, so in the fall season, which also exhibits these attributes, Vata will tend to be increased.

This principle is the basis of Ayurvedic pharmacology, therapeutics, and food preparation. Through understanding and applying the actions of the attributes, balance of the tridosha can be maintained. Conversely, opposite qualities decrease each other — this is the therapeutic principle used to restore balance when a dosha has become aggravated.