by Wendy Saunders
Photo by Lisa Hobbs on Unsplash
What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda is the sister science to Yoga with it’s home in Kerala. Written in Sanskrit, it has been passed on through thousands of generations, and uses herbs and pressure points for massage treatments, along with a number of daily routines and procedures.
Ayurveda and Yoga become a holistic lifestyle, promoting longevity, by working deeply to restore and heal the mind, body and spirit.
Why do we need to know our Doshas?
Your Dosha is your Ayurvedic Constitution.
The first activity to introduce Ayurveda into your life is to determine your Dosha by completing an Ayurveda Constitution survey.
Guidelines for determining your Dosha
Fill out the below questionnaire based on your observations over time rather than your present state
Most of us will have one Dosha predominant, a few will have two Doshas approximately equal and even fewer will have all three Doshas in equal proportion.
| OBSERVATIONS | VATA | PITTA | KAPHA | ||||
| Size at birth | Small | Average | Large | ||||
| Body size | Thin build | Medium build | Large build | ||||
| Body weight | Low | Medium | Heavy side | ||||
| Weight change | Trouble gaining | Can gain but lose quickly | Gains weight easily, hard to lose | ||||
| Height | Very tall/short | Medium | Tall & sturdy/ short & stocky | ||||
| Skin type | Thin, dry | Smooth, combination skin | Thick, oily, | ||||
| Skin texture | Cold, roughness, light color | Warm, reddish, freckles, fair, many moles, soft, lustrous | Cool, pale | ||||
| Hair | Dry, brittle, scarce, gets knotted, kinky or curly, course | Straight, oily, prone to early hair loss or graying, fine, soft | Thick, curly, oily, wavy, luxuriant, plentiful | ||||
| Hair color | Brown, black | Blond, gray, red, | Dark black, dark brown | ||||
| Teeth | Big, roomy, thin gums, irregular protruding/ broken, receding | Medium size, soft, tender gums, yellowish | Healthy, white, strong gums, big, strong | ||||
| Nose | Uneven shape, deviated septum, small, narrow, may be long | Long, pointed, neat, average in size, red nose tip | Short, rounded, button nose, large | ||||
| Eyes | Small, sunken or narrow, dry, active, dull, frequent blinking | Sharp, average, intense, piercing, sensitive to light | Big, calm, prominent, warm, attractive | ||||
Once you have determined your Dosha, whether it be Vata, Pitta or Kapha, your unique Ayurveda lifestyle can be created.
This is the first in a series of articles on Ayurveda. In our next article, we will explore what the Doshas mean and how we can balance yours!