Our Prakriti constitution also known as Profile, Constitution, Dosha or Energy, is our inherent nature, as determined from our past karma and gifted to us through the forces of nature. The proportion of the elements in the form of the living biological forces called doshas determine our fixed constitution at the time of conception. From that point onwards, our true health and wellbeing lies by living in accordance with our Prakriti nature.
There are many ways to determine our Prakriti constitution. For some individuals, it may be more challenging to find than others. For some, it may seem Kapha one day and Pitta the next. It may seem like it is fluctuating here and there. For others, it may be so apparent and obvious. It is important to remember that the Prakriti never changes throughout our lives. It is the Vikruti, the current state that is constantly fluctuating on top of the underlying blueprint; the Prakriti.
We may be so familiar with our current or chronic state (including many imbalances that we take as “normal” ) that we may mistake this as our true nature. Some people feel very shocked when they realise that their inherent true nature is completely different to their current (and chronic) state of being, often because it has been so long since they have felt like themselves! The truth is, most people are living with an imbalance that inhibits them from experiencing the full potential of their Prakriti. Therefore, stripping away the layers and understanding what it really is, can be a challenging process.
Finding an authentic ayurvedic physician or specialist is the best way to determine your Prakriti. They are trained to sense the Prakriti of a patient and can do so just by being in your presence for a short period of time. They can check your pulse and examine your eyes, hair, nails, skin etc. They use physical and physiological indicators to determine ones Prakriti because they are more reliable. They do not lie, unlike the more complex mental and emotional tendencies. For example, heat and intensity of Pitta tends to attribute pinkness and tenderness to the tissues, hair and nails etc,
whereas Vata tends to strip away excess bulk, resulting in brittle, dry, irregularly shaped tissues. Kapha on the other hand tends to excessively build, resulting in thick, oily, strong tissues, big, white teeth and thick hair.
Attached is a questionnaire to approximate our Prakriti constitution. The
questionnaire consists of 30 questions, covering the physical/physiological, mental and emotional aspects of our lives. For each question, select which option (either Vata, Pitta or Kapha) best applies. If the Kapha option fits best, add one point to your Kapha score. If more than one dosha fits for any given question, give yourself one point for both the doshas that fit. At the end of the questionnaire, you should have three scores, one for Vata, one for Pitta and one for Kapha. To find the percentage of each dosha, Your Practitioner will calculation the final values.
In order for the test to be as reliable as possible, take the test while sitting quietly in meditation, reflecting on your true nature, how you have always been, since a child in this life. Reflect on how you feel when you are happy and at peace, rather than how you might have been feeling the past couple of weeks. Perhaps reflect on how you feel when you are on holiday; relaxed, balanced and open, not tense, stressed or under pressure. Try to answer each question as truthfully as you can. For instance, what is your mental temperament on a good, peaceful day, not on an unusually stressed and anxious day. We want to discover our baseline constitution, the
constitution that we wish to cultivate more of, into our everyday experience. There is no point in lying to ourselves, for the results will not be accurate and will only confuse us further. This is the perfect opportunity to face our fears and acknowledge aspects of our beings that we may be ready to change.
Before we can understand the nature of our imbalances and begin the process of diagnosis, we must have an accurate idea of our Prakriti constitution. Once we know this, we have the stable reference point by which to measure any current fluctuations against. By understanding how we are meant to be, we can more easily identify how we are not meant to be and eradicate symptoms, habits and behaviours of imbalance from the Vikruti (current state of the doshas in the day to day life).
Your practitioner will name your Constitution based on the percentages of each dosha. For example
TEST 1
1st score – 2nd score
If answer is ≥ 55% , you have a single dosha constitution
If answer is ≤ 55%, GO TO TEST 2
Eg. 50% – 30% = 20% (which is less than 55%) therefore GO TO TEST 2
TEST 2
1st score – 3rd score
If answer is ≥ 15%, you have a double dosha constitution
If answer is ≤ 15%, you have a tridoshic constitution
Eg. 50% – 20% = 30% (which is greater than 15%) therefore double constitution
(Vata-Pitta)
TAKE THE QUIZ AND FIND OUT WHICH ARCHETYPE YOU ARE MEANT TO BE!
Take A Deep Breath 