Understanding Your Constitution

Prakriti and Vikriti - knowing your nature and current state

One of Ayurveda’s most practical contributions is the recognition that each person has a unique constitution. We are not all the same, and what works for one person may not work for another. Understanding your particular nature is the foundation of personalized health care.

Prakriti - Your Constitutional Nature

Prakriti means “nature” or “original creation.” In the context of Ayurveda, your prakriti is your baseline constitution - the unique proportion of vata, pitta, and kapha established at conception. For a deeper exploration of prakriti, see Understanding Prakriti.

This constitutional proportion is determined by:

Once established, prakriti does not change throughout life. It is your nature, as fixed as your height or bone structure.

What Prakriti Determines

Your constitution influences:

Physical characteristics

Mental and emotional patterns

Preferences and tendencies

Understanding these patterns helps explain why you are the way you are - and why general health advice often doesn’t work for everyone equally.

The Seven Constitutional Types

While there are infinite variations, Ayurveda describes seven primary constitutional types based on which doshas predominate:

Single Dosha Types

Vata Prakriti Thin frame, dry skin, variable digestion, enthusiastic and creative but prone to anxiety and scattered thinking. Benefits from routine, warmth, and grounding practices.

Pitta Prakriti Medium frame, warm skin, strong digestion, sharp intellect and strong drive but prone to irritability and inflammation. Benefits from cooling, moderation, and non-competitive activities.

Kapha Prakriti Sturdy frame, smooth skin, slow but steady digestion, calm and nurturing but prone to attachment and lethargy. Benefits from stimulation, warmth, and varied activities.

Dual Dosha Types

Vata-Pitta or Pitta-Vata Combines qualities of both - often thin with good digestion, mentally active with intensity.

Pitta-Kapha or Kapha-Pitta Strong build with good digestion, driven with underlying stability.

Vata-Kapha or Kapha-Vata Can have thin frame with tendency toward coldness, creative with grounded qualities.

Tridoshic

Sama Prakriti Equal proportion of all three doshas - rare, and considered ideal for maintaining balance.

Vikriti - Your Current State

While prakriti is fixed, vikriti - your current state - is always changing. Vikriti describes which doshas are currently elevated or depleted relative to your constitutional baseline. Understanding the doshas in depth helps recognize these patterns.

When vikriti equals prakriti, you are in balance. When they differ, imbalance is present.

For example:

What Causes Vikriti

The doshas increase due to factors that share their qualities:

Vata increases from:

Pitta increases from:

Kapha increases from:

Why Both Matter

Treatment in Ayurveda always considers both prakriti and vikriti:

Prakriti tells you:

Vikriti tells you:

Sometimes they align - a vata person with vata imbalance needs vata-pacifying measures across the board. Sometimes they differ - a vata person with kapha accumulation needs kapha-reducing treatment even though that wouldn’t be their long-term maintenance diet.

Assessing Constitution

Curious where you fall? Our free Prakriti Quiz can give you a starting sense of your constitutional tendencies - which doshas appear strongest in your nature.

True constitutional assessment requires skilled evaluation, ideally by an experienced Ayurvedic practitioner who examines:

Online quizzes can provide a rough idea but often mislead because:

If you’ve been imbalanced for a long time, your current symptoms may obscure your underlying constitution. Someone who has been anxious and depleted for years may appear to be “vata type” even if their underlying constitution includes significant kapha.

Working with Constitution

Once you understand your prakriti, you can:

Make informed food choices

Design appropriate routines

Understand your patterns

Communicate with practitioners

Beyond Typing

The constitution system is a tool, not an identity. “I’m a vata” can become limiting if it becomes a box rather than a lens.

The goal is not to identify with a type but to understand patterns well enough to work with them skillfully. Everyone has all three doshas - what varies is proportion and tendency.

Moreover, constitution is just one factor among many. The same constitution manifests differently based on:

Use the framework to understand yourself better, then let go of the labels. What matters is not which type you are but whether you’re moving toward or away from balance - and whether you know what to do about it.

Discover Your Constitution

Ready to learn your constitutional type? Take our free Prakriti Quiz for an initial assessment. The Personalized Prakriti Guide provides a comprehensive report with detailed guidance for your specific constitution.

For deeper understanding, explore Understanding Prakriti and Understanding Vikriti. Learn how to observe your own patterns over time to refine your understanding.

Know Your Constitution

Understanding your Ayurvedic dosha balance is the foundation for applying these teachings. Take the free quiz to discover your type.

Take the Prakriti Quiz

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