REVEAL YOUR CONSTITUTION

REVEAL YOUR CONSTITUTION

A person’s constitution is determined by how much of each dosha they received at conception. This affects their body and mind. Knowing your constitution is key to your health, as it is essential for understanding which lifestyle is best suited to you.

Self-assessment questionnaire

The following questionnaire will give you an idea of your constitution. However, it is not intended to replace the expertise of an Ayurvedic practitioner, who can give you a more accurate assessment. For each question, choose the answer that best applies and give it one point. If more than one answer fits, give each half a point. If, for a particular question, you feel that the most appropriate answer has varied during your life, pick the answer that best fits the times when your life was stable or you were in good health.

1. Q) How would you describe your body?
2. a) I have a slender, narrow frame with delicate bones, lean muscles, and well-defined veins and tendons.
3. b) I have a medium frame with defined musculature.
4. c) I have a sturdy, broad frame with large, solid bones. I can easily build up muscle and have a good layer of fat/padding beneath my skin.
5. Q) How would you describe your joints?
6. a) My joints are small. Occasionally they make cracking noises.
7. b) I have flexible joints that are average in size.
8. c) I have broad and firm joints.
9. Q) How would you describe your skin?
10. a) My skin is dry and thin, and can feel rough and cool to touch.
11. b) My skin is soft and warm, and often moist.
12. c) My skin is soft, moist to oily, cool, and firm

Q How would you describe your complexion?

1. a) My skin can have irregular pigmentation. It tans easily.
2. b) My skin has a healthy blush, and I have freckles or moles.
3. c) I have an even complexion.
4. Q) How would you describe your hair?
5. a) My hair is fine and tends to be dry.
6. b) My hair is fine and tends to be slightly oily. There may be signs of early graying or balding.
7. c) My hair is lush, thick, dense, and slightly oily.
8. Q) How would you describe your nails and lips?
9. a) My nails are dry and brittle, and they can break easily. My lips are dry and quite thin.
10. b) My nails are flexible and soft. My lips are pink and soft with a symmetrical shape.
11. c) My nails are thick, smooth, and hard. My lips are pale, soft, and full.
12. Q) Do you perspire much, and how strong is your body odor?
13. a) I sweat very little.
14. b) I sweat easily and in large amounts. My body odor can become strong and unpleasant.
15. c) I do sweat, but I never notice much body odor.
16. Q) Take a few deep breaths and then feel your pulse at your wrist. (For this, it is best to be sitting down without having had any caffeine beforehand, or much stress or excitement.)
17. a) My pulse is quick and soft. It isn’t easy to define a definite rhythm—it moves like a snake.
18. b) My pulse is strong and regular. It is neither fast nor slow, and feels like a jumping frog.
19. c) I have a full, regular, and slow pulse that moves like a swan.
20. Q) Do you enjoy doing exercise, and how often do you feel the need to move?
21. a) I enjoy being active and find it hard to sit still. My movements are quick and I tend to fidget.
22. b) I enjoy a good workout with a set goal and that requires precise and directed movements.
23. c) I’m not always motivated to exercise, and find it easy and enjoyable to sit still for a good amount of time. I prefer to move slowly rather than quickly.
24. Q) How much do you weigh, and how easily do you lose or gain weight? a) I tend to have lower weight than average and can lose weight easily. b) My weight is average. I can both gain and lose weight.
25. c) I have a well-built body. I can easily gain weight, which is then hard to lose.
26. Q) What sort of climate do you cope with best?
27. a) I prefer it when the weather is hot, and I am very sensitive to the cold and the wind.
28. b) I find it difficult to tolerate heat and direct strong sunshine. I prefer cooler temperatures.
29. c) I can tolerate both hot and cold weather. Warm temperatures are best. Dampness and cold can become uncomfortable.
30. Q) How would you describe your speech?
31. a) I’m talkative and likely to speak fast. I’m liable to mumble, and maybe even stutter.
32. b) I can be eloquent, and speak clearly and full of confidence. I have a strong voice.
33. c) My speech is deliberate, measured, and steady. I have been told I sound soothing.
34. Q) How is your sleep, and what time do you wake up in the morning?
35. a) I’m a light sleeper. I tend to sleep less than average and to wake up early in the morning.
36. b) I sleep well and need about 6–8 hours of sleep.
37. c) I sleep deeply and restfully. I like to sleep for a long time, and then find it difficult to wake up.
38. Q) What types of food do you most like to eat?
39. a) I prefer warm food and soups. I enjoy salty, sour, or sweet food.
40. b) I prefer cold, sweet, and bitter food. Sometimes I enjoy salads and raw food.
41. c) I prefer warm food. Pungent, dry, and light food suits me best.
42. Q) How would you describe your hunger?
43. a) My hunger varies, it can be either strong or weak. If I’m distracted, I can easily forget I’m hungry and skip meals.
44. b) My hunger is strong, regular, and frequent. When I’m hungry, I need to eat right away.
45. c) My hunger is regular, but generally weak. I’m often not very hungry, especially in the morning, and can make do with two meals a day
46. Q) How would you describe your digestion, and how do you feel after eating a meal?
47. a) My digestion varies. I can feel full quickly, even though I was very hungry to start with.
48. b) I have a strong digestion. My hunger often comes back relatively quickly after a full meal.
49. c) My digestion takes time, and it’s better when I eat slowly. I can go a long time between meals without feeling hungry.
50. Q) How frequent are your bowel movements and what consistency are your stools?
51. a) My bowel movements often are less than once per day. My stools are dry and hard, and I’m liable to have constipation and gas.
52. b) My bowel movements often are more than once per day. My stools are soft and copious, and they have a tendency to be loose or liquid.
53. c) My bowel movements are regular, and my stools are well formed and in moderate quantity.
54. Q) How do you experience your emotions?
55. a) My mood can change quickly. I have strong likes and dislikes.
56. b) When provoked, my emotions are strong. I can forgive easily.
57. c) My mood is stable. I can sometimes come across as boring. Once I’m upset, I find it hard to forgive.
58. Q) How do you react to being stressed?
59. a) I get nervous and anxious, and I often feel insecure.
60. b) I’m quick to anger and get irritated or impatient easily.
61. c) I usually remain calm and level-headed. It takes a lot to get a reaction out of me.
62. Q) How do you find learning new things?
63. a) I learn very quickly if I focus.
64. b) I have a sharp intellect and a good ability to focus.
65. c) It takes time to learn new things.
66. Q) How would you describe your memory?
67. a) I have a very good short-term memory. My long-term memory is poor.
68. b) I generally remember things well.
69. c) Once I have learned something, I have excellent memory, especially in the long-term.
70. Q) How would you describe your thoughts?
71. a) I can think quickly on my feet and often have many ideas. My attention often wanders and I find it hard to focus on one single thing. b) My thoughts are clear and distinct, and I prefer analytical thinking and planning.
72. c) My thoughts tend to be thorough and methodical. I’m slow to develop new ideas. I like to stay on one topic.
73. Q) How well do you adapt to change?
74. a) I can adapt well to change—it suits my nature.
75. b) I approach change as a challenge that I can master.
76. c) I dislike change and find it hard to adapt. I prefer a steady routine.
77. Q) How are your energy and endurance levels?
78. a) My energy comes easily and in quick, short bursts.
79. b) I have good energy and tend to push myself.
80. c) I’m slow to get going, but have good endurance

Your results

Count the number of marks you gave to a, b, and c respectively; a stands for vata, b for pitta, and c for kapha. The results will give you an idea of which doshas are dominant in your constitution, with the highest-scoring dosha being the most dominant.

Types of constitution

Most people have a constitution (NB not “a dosha”) with two dominant doshas—these are indicated by the two highest scores. Some people have roughly equal amounts of each dosha in their constitution, so will have a fairly even score for all doshas. A constitution where one dosha is completely dominant over the two others (which are both equally low) is very rare.