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February 17, 2015Quiz: What’s Your Ayurvedic Dosha?
Ayurveda gives us a way to understand our inherent nature so we can harmoniously align ourselves with the world for a healthy, happy life. This inherent nature, determined at birth, is called our prakriti.
Just as the world around us is made up of all five elements—air, space, fire, earth, and water—all five elements also exist within us.
These five elements harmoniously unite in pairs to form the three doshas: the subtle bodily energies. From air and space comes vata. From fire and water comes pitta. From water and earth comes kapha. All three doshas operate within each of us to maintain the proper functioning of our bodies and minds.
But the doshas come together in various proportions—explaining why we don’t all look and think the same. Understanding these proportions is key to determining our Ayurvedic mind/body type. We each have one or two dominant doshas. It’s our unique combination of the doshas that determines our prakriti.
Once we understand our own prakriti, we can understand which foods and lifestyles are best suited for us. We can also understand which diseases we’re more prone to and how to prevent them. We have an invaluable tool for understanding our own nature so we can maintain our own personal state of balance.
Determine your dosha
The quiz below will help you to determine your prakriti by examining both your physical and emotional attributes. While it’s ideal to have someone well-trained in Ayurveda determine your prakriti, this serves as a good start.
Even though we experience many different physical and mental states throughout our lives, our prakriti remains the same. Keep this in mind as your answer these questions. Base your responses on your life-long tendencies, not how you feel in this moment alone.
For some questions, you might fit into more than one category. Check all boxes that apply. For other questions, you might not fit into any of the categories. Leave those blank.
| Features | Vata | Pitta | Kapha | V | P | K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skin Texture | Rough, dry | Soft, normal or oily | Smooth, thick, oily | |||
| Complexion | Darker | Pink, reddish | White, pale | |||
| Body Temperature | Cold | Warm | Cool | |||
| Body Weight | Thin, difficult to gain weight | Moderate, easy to gain and lose weight | Heavy, difficult to lose weight | |||
| Muscles | Wiry, stiff | Medium, flexible | Firm, well-developed | |||
| Veins | Very prominent | Somewhat visible | Not visible | |||
| Hair Texture | Dry, thin, frizzy, brittle | Straight, fine, shiny | Thick, oily, wavy | |||
| Eyes | Small, gray, brown or unusual color | Medium, penetrating, light brown, green or hazel | Big, sensual, black, blue or dark brown | |||
| Teeth | Small, crooked, protruded | Moderate, straight | Regular or big, very white | |||
| Appetite | Variable, unpredictable | Good, intense | Low but steady | |||
| Thirst | Changing, irregular | More | Less | |||
| Digestive Power | Variable | Fast | Slow but good | |||
| Elimination | Irregular, dry, hard, easily constipated | Semi-solid to regular, often more than once a day | Regular, smooth, bulky | |||
| Sleep | Light, easily disturbed | Moderate, sound | Long, deep | |||
| Eating Speed | Fast | Moderate | Slow | |||
| Walking Pace | Fast | Moderate | Slow | |||
| Physical Endurance | Fair | Good | Excellent | |||
| Weather Preference | Aversion to cold and wind | Aversion to heat | Aversion to cold and damp | |||
| Mental Activity | Quick, restless | Sharp, aggressive | Stable, calm | |||
| Reaction to Stress | Fear, anxiousness | Irritability, aggressiveness | Calmness, indifference | |||
| Goal Achievement | Easily distracted or changing | Focused, determined | Slow, steady | |||
| Competition | Doesn’t like competitive pressure | Natural competitor | Deals easily with competitive pressure | |||
| Moods | Changes quickly | Changes slowly | Stable | |||
| Relationships | Many, casual | Intense | Long, deep | |||
| Memory | Learns quickly, forgets quickly | Learns quickly, forgets slowly | Learns slowly, forgets slowly | |||
| Dreams | Flying, fearful, running | Fiery, violent, intense | Watery, sensual, romantic | |||
| Speech | Fast, talkative | Clear, sharp, decisive | Slow, clear, smooth | |||
| V | P | K | ||||
| Totals |
Tally up! The highest number determines your predominant dosha. The runner up is usually your secondary dosha. And very rarely all three may be equal, making you tridoshic. So, you might be vata, pitta, kapha, vata-pitta, vata-kapha, pitta-vata, pitta-kapha, kapha-vata, kapha-pitta, or tridoshic.
References:
- Tiwari, Maya. Love Your Body Type The Ayurveda Way. New York: Mother Om Media, 2012. PDF file.
- Frawley, Dr. David. Ayurvedic Healing: A Comprehensive Guide. Twin Lakes: Lotus Press, 2000.
