Looking for love in all the wrong places? Been burned too many times by what seemed like an astrological sure-thing? It might be time to turn your eyes from the heavens to the ancient scientific practice of Ayurveda. At least, Lissa Coffey thinks it's a good place to start.

Coffey wasn't always "The Diva of Dosha," as she calls herself. She majored in sociology at UCLA, worked in television, and started her own company after she had kids. But as her interest in holistic health increased, she felt drawn to study with Deepak Chopra. When she learned about Ayurveda, she had an "Aha!" moment.

By combining her sociological background with the 5,000 year old science of Ayurdveda, Coffey considers the ways in which doshas - the personality types described in Ayurveda -impact romantic relationships. Enter another "Aha" moment. The Dosha Diva was born. Coffey's book, What's Your Dosha, Baby? explores the ways in which Ayurveda can be applied to relationships.

LIME sat down with Coffey and tea (Earl Grey) to discuss her unique approach and matchmaking in general, the Dosha way.

LIME: So can you give those of us unfamiliar with Ayurveda a general overview?

COFFEY: The word "Ayurveda" is Sanskrit, and it literally means "the science of life." The practice is over 5,000 years old and explains the nature of the universe. Through Ayurveda, we get hints about everything, including our health and, as I see it, the health of our relationships. In India, you'd never just do yoga without Ayurveda, or meditation without Ayurveda. They blend together beautifully to enhance each other's practice. We just have yet to catch on here in the West.

LIME: And when did the practice start?

COFFEY: About 5,000 years ago, in India. The first Ayurvedic practitioner was named Dhanvantari, and actually, it's not clear if he was a real person or a legend, but he's often referred to as the Hindu God of Medicine.

LIME: So is Ayurveda religion-based?

COFFEY: No, Ayurveda has nothing to do with religion at all. Vedanta was the prominent religion in India at that time, and that led to Buddhism and Hinduism, but both are separate from Ayurveda. From Ayurveda came Greek medicine, and from Greek medicine came our current form of Western medicine, which is called Allopathic medicine. Ayurveda has always been practiced in India, but many in the West are just getting to it now. Now that yoga and meditation are becoming more popular—those two being the sister sciences to Ayurveda—people are seeing how it works and wanting more. In India, all three are practiced together for maximum benefit.

LIME: So I know Tantra was first brought to the West when Richard Burton mis-translated the hell out of it, and Yoga found its way here in the '60s, but how did Vedic medicine find its way to the U.S.?

COFFEY: Actually, Paramahansa Yogananda brought Yoga to the West in the 1920's, but yes, the '60s was when it really took off. The Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was the person that the Beatles studied with. He also founded Transcendental Meditation, and was Deepak Chopra's teacher for awhile. The Maharishi has a line of Ayurvedic products, but really, it's Deepak who's most responsible for bringing Ayurveda to the Western audience.

LIME: So this really is relatively new to Americans.

COFFEY: Old to the rest of the world, new to us. Deepak endorsed my book, by the way, and Dr. Vasant Lad, who founded the Ayurvedic Institute, wrote the forward to it. I've gotten a lot of kudos from people in India who are impressed that an American woman is talking about Ayurveda and relationships.

LIME: Well, let's get to that. Your central idea is that we all fall into these three categories, called doshas, and the better we understand our own and others' doshas, the more we can improve our relationships.

COFFEY: Yes, doshas are central, so you've got to have a good understanding of them.

LIME: And how do you determine your dosha?

COFFEY: Ayurveda says there are 5 elements in nature: air, space, fire, water and earth. Each dosha is a combination of these elements. Vata is air and space. Pitta is fire and water. Kapha is water and earth. Since we have all 5 elements in our physiology, we have all three doshas in our physiology, just in different proportions. Our dosha is like our fingerprint, unique to us.

LIME: But each of us has a dominant one, and that's the general category we fit into?

COFFEY: Yes. For example: Vatas are lean, lanky - you can see the bones in their wrists and their collar bones. They have cold hands, and often, their skin and hair are dry. They're often nervous or anxious, so they may bite their nails. Since they're so dry, and Vata is seated in the colon, they often have constipation.

Personality-wise, they're really creative, talkative, funny, often the class clown. They think really fast, they're impatient, they get bored easily. They also get worn out easily. They love activity and being in new places, but the actual traveling part is difficult for them—because of the movement there's too much air and space and they get out of balance, they get anxiety and nausea.

They can be hyper. A lot of times when people have ADHD, it's a Vata imbalance. Vatas are really unorganized. They start projects easily but have a hard time finishing things up. But they have a lot of enthusiasm. They say "yes" a lot, probably too much!

LIME: Who's a Vata? Someone we all know?

COFFEY: Cameron Diaz, for example. She's such a Vata.

LIME: And Pittas?

COFFEY: Either average build, or muscular and athletic. Many athletes and politicians are Pittas, they're determined and goal oriented. They're logical, and visual. They've got a lot of fire in them, so they're "hot" in more ways than one! They're passionate, as in good lovers. And they're also passionate about work, and can be workaholics. That heat can turn into anger, and they are often judgmental and critical. Highly intelligent, though - they love to debate and argue. Pitta is seated in the stomach, so Pittas may be prone to ulcers and stomach problems, like acid reflux.

With Pittas you can see red in their hair or skin, often they have fair skin and freckles - they sunburn easily and need to be careful in the sun. They often have grey hair or are prematurely bald. Usually have light eyes. They're ambitious, sometimes to a fault. They have warm hands. They're organized, businesslike, professional.

Justin Timberlake is a Pitta. So is Michael Douglas.

LIME: What about Kaphas?

COFFEY: Kaphas are heavier set, bigger boned than the other doshas. They have soft smooth skin, often thick, dark hair - thick eyebrows and eyelashes. They look younger than they are. Kapha is seated in the respiratory tract, so Kaphas have a tendency to have allergies, bronchitis, sinus problems, things like that. Congestion.

There's a sweetness to Kaphas, they are very loving and caring. They are concerned about the environment, they want to take care of people. They make good teachers, doctors and parents. They have rich voices—very musical in quality.

Kaphas are very loyal, they have friends for a long long time. They have a hard time getting things started, but they have great follow-through. They're responsible. But when they get out of balance, they can be depressed, unmotivated. Kaphas don't like change, even though change and stimulation is the best thing to keep them in balance. They are homebodies, they love to have people over, they love to "nest." Angelina Jolie is a Kapha.

LIME: And this is this fixed, like your star-sign?

COFFEY: Exactly. You're born with it. And if you get out of balance, by working too much, eating the wrong foods, becoming overtired, you get out of balance. When you are in balance, as you were the day you were born, you're happiest and healthiest. So Ayurveda recommends certain lifestyle routines to keep in balance.

LIME: And how does this work with dating? Don't Indian matchmakers use astrology to make their matches, or do they use this too?

COFFEY: Doshas are definitely used by Indian matchmakers! They also use Jyotish, which is Indian Astrology, based on the moon rather than western astrology which is based on the sun. Of course, these days, couples get the matchmaker info and still decide themselves whether or not to marry.

LIME: But it is part of a tradition.

COFFEY: Absolutely. The doshas affect our personality, so they affect how we deal with people and what kind of a temperament we have.

LIME: So when someone reads your book, what are they going to learn how to do?

COFFEY: I've got whole chapters on how the Ayurveda can help us with all the relationships in our life. The first thing you do is identify your dosha. The whole point of Ayurveda is self-discovery, learn about yourself, discover yourself. Once you've done that, you can look for a partner that will blend best with your dosha.

Ayurveda teaches us to love and understand "what is" rather than what we think "should be." It teaches us how to get along with people better because we're not trying to change them. We understand their nature, and our own nature, and work with what we've got. It makes life a lot easier, a lot more pleasant! It works really well with parenting. We give up our unrealistic expectations and focus instead on a child's strengths, so everyone in the family is happier! With work, Ayurveda helps us choose careers that are suited to our personalities. And it helps us to get ahead in our careers by showing us how to work well with the people around us.

LIME: So it's a way to choose people who might be best suited to you, or to pinpoint the ways in which you're likely to be dreadfully different.

COFFEY: Right. It doesn't mean you can't date people, but paying attention to your Doshas can give you a leg up on likely problems.

LIME: So if Brad Pitt is a Pitta and Angelina Jolie is a Kapha...

COFFEY: They're actually a better match. Jennifer Aniston is also a Pitta. They both wanted to be the boss and they were competitive with one another. There was no real leader. And Jennifer Aniston also hooked up with a Kapha, Vince Vaughn.

LIME: And you mentioned Cameron Diaz ...

COFFEY: And Justin Timberlake is a Pitta. They're a good pair. Catherine Zeta-Jones is a Kapha, and Michael Douglas is a Pitta. Another solid matchup.

LIME: So back in the real world—how can I tell what someone else's dosha is?

COFFEY: Sometimes you can tell just by looking. As you get to know someone, you can find more cues. Nothing is absolute, as I said, we all have pieces of all three doshas in us. But watching for the physical cues is a great way to start.

LIME: So what happens if I really fall hard for another Kapha? Does that sound the death-knell for the relationship?

COFFEY: Oh, no. You just have to know what you are getting yourself into. You have to know how to stay in balance yourself, and how to stay balanced within the relationship, and correct for your differences, compensate for them. The point is to be aware of the pitfalls so you can avoid them.