Are You the Fire That Warms, or the Fire That Burns?
Updated: Jun 30
"You have a fire in you" – many of us have heard it before. But what does it really mean?
It means we are driven and passionate.
It can also mean we are at times emotional and quick-tempered.
I generally don't believe in "good" and "bad" personality traits. It is a spectrum. In moderation and under control, a fiery personality is full of energy and passion. In excess, it flares up into anger and aggression.
Does this sound familiar to you? Then chances are that the elements governing your physical and emotional landscape – and thus your leadership style – are fire and water, which ayurveda combines into pitta.
Wondering if you might be a trailblazing pitta leader? Take my leadership dosha quiz to find out.
Pitta is commonly described as hot, light, sharp, oily, liquid and mobile. A fundamental principle of ayurveda is that "like attracts like", meaning that foods and activities with these qualities increase pitta dosha, and for those of us with a predominantly pitta constitution, too much of these can lead to aggravating this dosha.
Read more about ayurveda and leadership here.
The Strengths of a Pitta Leader
🥇 Pitta leaders are highly motivated, goal-oriented and competitive. As long as their inner fire is burning hot, they keep moving full steam ahead.
🌟 They have high expectations of others and inspire them to strive for more. This makes them like torches, lighting the way forward for everyone else to follow.
👑 They are innately strong, courageous natural leaders. Not afraid to get burned, pitta leaders are willing to take risks, trusting their strength to overcome any obstacles.
💡 They are quick learners and confident decision-makers. On one hand, this comes from their ability to take in the details and quickly connect them in their head into a big picture. On the other hand, they are more concerned about standing still than about the risks of a potentially rushed or suboptimal decision.
⚡ They brim with energy and thrive on a good challenge. The more you feed their fire, the hotter it burns.
What Happens When the Fire is Too Hot?
😡 They get irritable, and their hot-headed, fiery nature takes over. They lash out at those around them, easily hurting them with their angry comments.
⚒️ They become workaholic and perfectionist, feeling they can take on more than they actually can handle.
😤 Their tenacious nature can lead to conflicts, as discussions can spiral into arguments, shifting from the subject matter onto the people involved.
❗ They get impatient and overly critical with others. It's genuinely hard to keep up with a pitta leader, when they are matching full steam ahead. They in turn feel that others who move slower are holding them back, leading to frustrations on both sides.
How to balance pitta so that our internal fire keeps feeding our momentum without scorching the ground around us?
According to ayurveda, "you are what you digest", meaning that health and wellbeing start with a balanced diet.
People with a pitta constitution tend to have a strong metabolism, so regular, nourishing meals are essential, otherwise we can quickly become 'hangry'.
🤢 Foods to avoid, or eat with moderation:
Pungent (spicy): hot peppers, garlic and onions
Sour: citrus fruits, tomatoes, vinegar and fermented foods
Salty: salts, celery, seaweed
Foods with heating quality: buckwheat, corn, yeasted bread
Oily foods, such as most nuts and seeds
😋 Foods to favour:
Sweet: fruits and most grains
Bitter: dark leafy greens
Astringent: Legumes, lentils, cauliflower and some fruits (like apples and pears)
Cooling foods like cucumber and courgette
Calming herbs and spices: cardamom, coriander, fennel and mint
😴 Maintain a consistent sleep routine.
Aim to be in bed by 10pm to benefit from the most nourishing sleep time during the pitta period (10pm to 2am).
🧘♀️ Choose calming activities
Engage in soothing activities, such as slow yoga, tai chi or swimming to prevent the accumulation of excess heat in the body. For those like me who still crave more vigorous exercise, opt for the early hours or the evening, when the temperature is cooler, to avoid overheating.
😤 Take time to slow down and cool down
Make meditation a daily habit. Pitta's dual nature of fiery energy combined with the water element's constant motion mean that it can be challenging for us to still still and quiet our mind. This is completely normal, so if this sounds like you, know that you are not alone. Precisely because of this restlessness, regular practice is essential, and over time you will notice both progress and tangible results.
Practice cooling pranayama, or breathwork, for example the sitali breath, to help soothe your body and calm your mind. This is especially important after vigorous exercise.
The fire and water elements of pitta grant us the energy to keep our beautiful momentum and create truly amazing things around ourselves. Not afraid to step up and lead, people with a predominantly pitta constitution can be true trailblazers in their professional setting. But when in excess, both elements can be devastating to ourselves and our environments, so finding ways to slow down and create moments of calm are crucial to keep these elements under control.
The key is harnessing the power of water and fire without letting them run wild in our body and mind.
❓Which quality of balanced pitta — the strength, confidence or decisiveness — does your leadership need most right now?
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Thank you for reading, and have a wonderful week ahead.
The light in me honours the light in you.
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