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The Body-Type Questionnaire
The body-type questionnaire that follows should be filled in to help ascertain your predominant
Ayurvedic dosha or body-type. Tick any attributes, abilities, conditions and states of mind or afflictions
that apply to you. If you are unsure about any of the questions you may wish to consult a friend who
knows you well and can perhaps be more objective. In reality the questionnaire is more likely to reveal
the particular doshas that are out of balance within your physiology. This is especially so if the bottom
half of the Vata, Pitta or Kapha questionnaire pages are ticked in preference to, or as well as, the top half.
For a more thorough understanding or your body-type it is best to consult an Ayurvedic practitioner who
will also read your pulse.
The questionnaire will also help you understand the traits and physical and mental characteristics of each
body-type. Each of us has a unique body-type, usually with one type (dosha) very prominent and one
close behind. Thus, a person with many Vata traits (lots of boxes ticked), fewer Pitta traits (less boxes
ticked) and very few Kapha traits (few boxes ticked) would be deemed a Vata/Pitta body-type. In this
example it could also be that the Vata traits show up mainly in the physical characteristics of the person
(right side of page) and the Pitta traits show up mainly in the mental or emotion side of the person (left
side of page). Each and every one of us has characterises of all three doshas in our physiology but one or
two of the doshas usually show up more predominantly.
Vata is composed of the elements of ether and air and governs the principle of movement and
communication in our physiology. Pitta is composed of the elements of fire and water and governs the
principle of energy and transformation in our physiology. It allows us to digest, absorb and assimilate
food, liquid and ideas. Kapha is composed of the elements of water and earth and governs the principle of
cohesion or structure. It is the ‘glue’ that holds or binds our physiology together.
It is our unique combination and percentage of each dosha; vata, pitta and kapha, that governs how we
interact with the rest of the relative universe. Our unique body-type gives us absolute individuality and
once we intimately understand, not only our own but other peoples, bo d y-t yp es we n atur ally beh ave mor e
tolerantly and become more gentle, more forgiving and less critical both of ourselves and others. With
this understanding comes not only the will and courage to adapt to our own strengths and weaknesses but
the ability to keep them in balance and functioning optimally.
Once you have filled in the body-type questionnaire and ascertained your unique Ayurvedic body-t y p e
you can then follow the recommendations that follow to help stay balanced and healthy. If you have
ticked many of the boxes on the lower part of the vata, pitta or kapha questionnaire pages this indicates an
imbalance in that particular dosha. Even if this is not your predominant dosha (most ticks) you should
nevertheless balance this dosha first by following the recommendations for balancing that dosha.