Prakrti - A Body-Type Questionnaire

Of course the best place to start when learning anything is with ourselves. Our doshic makeup is called our Prakrti. Prakrti means ‘nature’.

You may have seen a questionnaire like the one below before, if you have been interested in Ayurveda for a while. It is a Prakrti questionnaire. A prakrti questionnaire is designed to highlight the Guna/qualities within your body/mind. It also tells us how your body uses Prana when it is in good health and gives a very good idea of what you are like, generally, physically, mentally and emotionally. Every person in the world has a unique body make up (a bit like each snowflake is different) and it is your job to keep the body as close to its natural state as possible as you move through your life. You will notice now that the questions are worded to give an idea of the general Guna/qualities apparent within your body and mind.

Remember to fill out the questionnaire below based on how your body is the majority of the time AND when it is healthy. We will do another questionnaire later called a Vkriti Questionnaire. This later questionnaire will be designed to pick up how far your body/mind has moved away from its natural healthy state.

If all of the answers are sometimes true, please tick only the first answer. If none of the answers are appropriate, please tick none of the boxes. If two of the answers match your view of yourself, please tick both.

QUESTIONNAIRE

I am:

• flexible, optimistic

• ambitious, practical, intense

• calm, peaceful, solicitous

I consider myself:

• lively, intuitive

• motivated, perceptive, warm

• resilient, content, loyal, slow

Acquaintances describe me as:

• enthusiastic, changeable

• friendly, independent, courageous, discriminating

• deliberate, relaxed, compassionate

My memory can be described:

• quick to remember and forget

• average, clear, distinct

• slow to remember, slow to forget

My thinking style is:

• restless, quick

• organized, efficient, accurate

• slow, methodical, exacting

I process information:

• quickly

• medium speed

• slowly

My creativity level is:

• filled with ideas, tend to follow through poorly

• inventive with good follow through

• best in field of business

Under stress I:

• anxious, insecure, sigh and hyperventilate

• aggressive, angry, irritated, get headaches and nausea

• lethargic, dull, go into denial

My dreams at night are of:

• activity, run, fly, frights

• violence, anger, fire, passion, sun

• romance, sentimental, snow, water

My speech is:

• fast, talkative, excessive, imaginative

• precise, convincing, clear, detailed, organized

• slow, monotone, melodic, soothing, moments of silence

My voice is:

• high pitched, fast, dissonant, weeping

• medium pitched, sharp, laughing

• low pitched, melodious, slow, pleasant

My lifestyle can be described as:

• highly active

• active

• rather inactive

My spending is:

• wasteful, can’t save, spend impulsively/frivolously

• moderate, can’t save, spend on luxury

• thrifty, accumulative, high spend on food (eat out, entertain, luxury food items)

My sex drive is:

• changeable, either high or low gear

• moderate, passionate, domineering

• infrequent, cyclic, constant, devoted, loyal

I:

• dislike - cold, wind, dry, like heat

• dislike - heat, strong sun, perspire easily, like winter

• dislike - cool, damp, tolerate extremes

My decision making process could be described as:

• unsure

• quick and decisive

• deliberate

Emotionally I can be described as:

• worrier, anxious, moody, emotional

• angry, irritated

• calm, complacent, slow to anger

I love these things:

• travel, art, esoteric subjects

• sports, politics, luxury

• good, food

If threatened I feel:

• fearful, anxious

• angry, irritable, like fighting

• indifferent, withdrawn

My tendencies are to:

• question, theorize

• judge, be artistic

• be stable, logical

I eat:

• quickly

• moderately

• slowly

My sleep is:

• interrupted

• sound

• deep, long, slow to waken

I am sensitive to:

• noise

• light

• odours

My learning could be described as:

• quick, multi-tasker, can lose focus

• focused, discriminating, finish what start

• take my time, methodical

People describe me as:

• vivacious, lively, active, spirited

• determined

• easygoing

I learn by:

• listening

• reading

• associating by memory

My relationships with others can be described as:

• I easily adapt to others

• I am interested in people’s values and opinions

• I am slow to make friends, forever loyal

My family would prefer me to be:

• More settled

• More tolerant

• More enthusiastic/do more

I have (compared to others my height):

• small bones

• average bones

• larger bones

My height is:

• above average or below average

• average

• average to tall

My muscles are:

• wiry

• developed

• stocky, solid

I:

• lose weight easily

• lose and gain weight easily

• gain weight easily

If I gain weight it sits:

• at my waist

• all over

• on hips and thighs

My skin is:

• dry, flaky, thin, rough, cool

• delicate, sensitive, freckles, moles, warm, glowing

• oily, thick, smooth, good complexion, soft to touch

Within my facial complexions I have:

• darker circles under eyes/shadows

• reddish, ruddy, freckled, yellowish complexion

• oily skin but clear, smooth and healthy looking

My hair is:

• brittle, dry, thin, course

• fine, straight, reddish tones, graying early, balding early

• oily, thick, wavy, curly, luxurious

My eyebrows are:

• thin, dry

• medium

• thick, large, bushy, oily

My eyes are:

• small, darting, dry

• sharp, bright, sensitive to light

• big, calm, loving gaze

My teeth and gums are:

• crooked, big or small, thin gums

• medium, tender gums, bleed easily (gums)

• strong, white, healthy gums

My nose is:

• uneven, small, thin

• long and pointed

• short, round, oily

My lips are:

• dry, thin, dark

• soft, pink

• oily, smooth, large, thick, pale

My veins are:

• prominent

• somewhat visible

• not visible

My shoulders are:

• narrow, sloping

• medium

• broad, firm

My hips are (for my frame):

• narrow

• medium

• wide

My hands are:

• small, dry, cool, small, long fingers

• medium, moist, warm, pink

• oily, large, cool, firm

My joints are:

• thin, small, crack (clicking sounds often in joints even when young)

• moderate, soft, loose (I'm naturally flexible)

• large,strong,well-lubricated (My joints feel strong and stable)

My nails are:

• dry, brittle, break easily

• flexible, pink, shiny

• thick, smooth, hard

My perspiration is:

• scant

• heavy, odourous

• moderate, not unpleasant

My appetite is:

• irregular (I forget about meals and I'm not bothered if I do)

• strong (I can’t skip meals, if I do I become irritable and shaky)

• constant (I can skip meals and not have ill effects but I don't want to)

My sleep is:

• irregular

• sound and even

• prolonged and deep

My energy can be described as:

• comes in spurts (changeable)

• fair but I can push self too much

• good

My stools are:

• hard, dry, constipated

• soft and loose

• heavy, slow and bulky

YOUR RESULTS

The first answer represents VATA.

The middle PITTA and the last answer is KAPHA.

How many do you have in each?

There is a completely unique combination of Vata, Pitta and Kapha dosha is your ‘Prakrti’ or Body-Type

There are seven general categories of Prakrti:

SINGLE DOSHA PRAKRTI

Vata – Movement of Prana dominates

Pitta – Digestion/Transformation of Prana dominates

Kapha – Holding Prana dominates

DUAL DOSHA PRAKRTI

Vata/Pitta – Moving and digesting Prana dominates

Vata/Kapha – Moving and holding Prana dominates

Pitta/Kapha – Digesting and holding Prana dominates

TRIDOSHIC PRAKRTI

Vata/Pitta/Kapha – Evenly, moving/digesting/holding Prana

Visit your local Ayurvedic practitioner to learn the best ways to support your body-type with massage, herbs, diet, lifestyle and Yoga!