Constitution - Body Type

In Ayurveda, body and mind type combination determine once constitution called Prakriti with unique physical, mental and psychological nature.

Basic Constitution Prakriti & Its Deviation Vikriti

Each person possesses a unique combination of the three doshas; this combination determined by genetics (prakriti – the constitution you get during conception). Your constitution (prakriti) is permanent for your entire lifetime.

Determine Your Mind-Body Constitution (Prakruti)

The prakruti is a guideline to natural state and potential. The emotion and perception tends to fluctuate more than the physical characteristics do, and you need to take the test multiple times to get a true picture. In Ayurveda, a physician would take pulse three times before determining the prakruti.

You may need to go back and think about how you were when younger, even so back as your childhood. You may need to ask your friends and relatives for their impressions about you then and now. You may astonish to hear from your friend/relative a different view about yourself.

Points: When you take the prakruti test, put points based on the intensity and frequency of the symptoms in your childhood.  Use the following points:

• 3 points for strong frequent symptoms
• 2 points for moderate symptoms
• 1 point for weak infrequent symptoms
• 0 points for no symptoms

The dosha with the highest number is the predominant dosha in your prakruti.

Prakruti: Body Characteristics and Functions

Prakruti: Mind-Emotions-Behavior

The prakruti test scores will let you know the constitutional dosha combination. 

1. If the score for one dosha is much higher (twice as higher) than the second highest dosha (e.g. 42V, 82P & 20K – pitta is twice that of vata), you are likely a rare single-dosha type. 
2. If the scores for all the doshas are nearly equal (with some variation), you are a rarer three–dosha type. E.g. 45V, 49P & 50K – vata, pitta and kapha are in equal range; thus the person is tri-dosha type vata-pitta-kapha (VPK).
3. Most commonly, the scores are almost equal for two doshas. This suggests a two-dosha type, with qualities of the two dominating doshas nearly equally. However, one dosha usually predominates slightly; this may be the fine distinction between pitta-vata and vata-pitta. E.g. 60V, 64P & 20K – vata and pitta are almost equal; however, pitta is slightly higher so pitta-vata type. If it is 64V, 60P & 20K – then the person is vata-pitta type. Nevertheless, there is no big difference between vata-pitta and pitta-vata.

For example, a person ‘A’ prakruti scores were:

1. Vata:  26 points from mental symptoms, 16 points from physical symptoms and the total is 42 points.
2. Pitta:  34 points from mental symptoms, 48 points from physical symptoms and the total is 82 points.
3. Kapha: 8 points from mental symptoms, 12 points from physical symptoms and the total is 20 points.

That is, his prakruti is 42V, 82P & 20K; thus, this person has single dosha prakruti of pitta.