Are you ready to know your Prakriti? Here is a questionnaire. Under each point, there are various choices. Circle the choices, which describe you over all your life (not who you want to be). We want to know your tendencies.
1. Physical Stature
V) I am a slender person; I hardly gain weight
P) I am medium built
K) I am well built; I tend to gain weight easily
2. Skin
V) My skin tends to be dry, thin and/or itches often
P) My skin looks flushed; I have lots of moles and freckles on my body
K) My skin is smooth and soft. It looks pale sometimes
3. Face
V) My face is oval
P) My face is triangular (I have a pointed chin)
K) My face is round
4. Activities
V) I am hyperactive person, always on the go
P) I always think before I do anything
K) I am steady and graceful. I don’t like to rush
5. Actions
V) I walk fast, talk fast and I drive fast
P) My actions are very thoughtful, and precise
K) I am slow, I like to take my time
6. Sleep
V) interrupted, I toss and turn often, may wake up early in the morning (~3.00 am)
P) I am a light sleeper, If something wakes me up, I can easily go back to sleep
K) I am a heavy sleeper; I sleep like a log
7. Appetite
V) Varies, sometimes I feel hungry, sometimes not. I feel anxious if I don’t eat
P) I always feel hungry; if I don’t eat, I get irritable and angry
K) I don’t feel very hungry; I can go without food easily for a day
8. Bowel movement
V) I tend to constipate, may skip a day or two
P) I have regular bowel movements, sometimes they are loose,
K) I have no problem; I wake up to go to the bathroom
9. Emotions
V) I am a born worrier, I often feel anxious and nervous
P) I often feel irritable and angry, especially when things don’t happen my way
K) I am a happy person, calm and content
10. Weather preference
V) I love warm and humid weather
P) I enjoy cool weather, I hate warm climate
K) I like warm but dry weather
11. Sweating
V) I hardly sweat
P) I perspire easily/profusely
K) I sweat moderately
12. Memory
V) I remember quickly, but forget quickly too
P) I remember what I want to remember, and never forget
K) I am a little slow to remember, but once I do, I never forget. I remember details
13. Planning
V) I never plan, I tend to do things on the spur of a moment
P) I am a list maker, unless I plan, I don’t do anything
K) I don’t like to plan; it is easy to follow others
14. Stamina
V) I like to do things in spurts. I get tired very easily
P) I have medium stamina
K) I can work long hours. I have a good stamina
15. Mind
V) My Mind starts racing often, I get restless
P) I get impatient easily
K) Generally I feel very calm, sometimes my mind becomes sluggish
16. Personality
V) “Can I change my mind”?
P) “Do it my way or the highway”!
K) “Don’t worry, be happy”!
17. Sports
V) I like action
P) I like to win. I am very competitive
K) I like to have fun
18. Health problems
V) My symptoms are mainly pain, constipation, anxiety, depression etc.
P) I often get skin infections, fevers, heartburn, etc
K) I tend to get allergies, congestion, weight gain, sluggish digestion
19. Hobbies
V) I like art, (drawing, painting), love to dance, travel
P) I like sports, politics
K) I am a nature person; I like gardening, reading, and knitting
Good! You finished the major part. Now count all Vs, Ps and Ks.
V ________, P _________, K _________
This proportion of Vata, Pitta and Kapha is your Body Constitution. If you fit in “V” category more, then you may have more Vata predominance. If you circled more “P” choices, you may have strong Pitta, dominating your personality and if “K” choices seem more appropriate, Kapha may be responsible for your looks and likes.
Here are more details about your Prakriti:
VATA PREDOMINANT: Generally slim and slender, either short or tall with prominent bones and less muscle mass. Oval face, small eyes, dry skin, thin hair, small joints (may crack often), and long fingers are the special characteristics of Vata people. Their metabolism and sleep pattern is always variable. They talk a lot, walk a lot and complain a lot. Hand gestures, fidgety movements, rolling of the eyeballs are ingrained in Vata people. They are story tellers. They are good at attracting people with their talking and expressions. They are very intuitive, imaginative and artistic. They are good in writing poems, creating art, or dancing. They love to travel, or to be constantly on the go. The Vata mind is like a busy bee, constantly buzzing around, moving in circles. They are born worriers - worry about everything and anything. Often feel anxious, nervous and worried. Many times their mind is in the future, not enjoying the present moment. They are good at playing "what if" games. Vata's slogan is "Can I change my mind?"
PITTA PREDOMINANT: Medium built and height, with strong muscles. Sharpness is the main characteristic of the Pitta personality - Sharp nose, sharp eyes and sharp chin and (unfortunately) sharp tongue. They tend to have a receding hairline or early graying or balding. Pitta people are good speakers. They speak to the point (no beating around the bush). They are very precise, goal seeking, orderly and tidy. Pitta people are list makers; they can't do anything unless planned. They are always "on time" machines. The Pitta mind is like a bull. Once set on the goal, it is difficult to change. Many times it is in the present, so Pitta people are generally witty. Many times they are also opinionated, criticizing others or telling people what is right and wrong (that is why they create enemies). Pittas get irritable or angry quickly, especially when things don't happen their way. Pitta's metabolism is very sharp. They are always hungry and angry. Their slogan is "Do it my way or the highway".
KAPHA PREDOMINANT: Well built, full-bodied people. Their features are rounded - Round face, round big eyes, roundish nose, and sweet looks. They have long, thick hair. Kapha people are loving, nurturing, caring and are peacemakers. They want everybody to be happy. Their slogan is "Don't worry be happy." They have good endurance and strong immune systems. They are good listeners and speak very little. At times they tend to be shy. Kaphas tend to gain weight very easily and retain water, causing swelling. A bit lazy, Kaphas like to rely on others, and like to follow others. The Kapha mind tends to get heavier, stays in the past a lot - day dreaming about past incidences. Kapha people get attached quickly and have a hard time letting go.
Observe Nature. The Sun, Moon and Wind are the three natural energies in the universe. The Sun represents the source of heat, the moon the source of water and the Wind the source of air. All three are present at all times in different proportions. For example, in the afternoon, though there is some breeze and humidity, heat is predominant. In the evening around sunset, it gets more breezy and cold than hot.
Look around you - Do you see any two people exactly alike, like the "Change of Guards" at Buckingham palace? Or do you notice that people are very different from each other? Observe Nature: Mountains, rivers, trees, birds, flowers - all have unique shapes and sizes. Even two leaves of the same tree are not alike. Two flowers of the same vine have different sizes and shapes. Nature is full of variety and we are no exception. We exhibit diversity both in appearance and personality. This diversity makes life beautiful.