How do I find out my dosha?

There are two distinct things you might be trying to find: - **Prakriti** — your constitution at birth, your underlying ratio of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. This doesn't change. - **Vikriti** — your *current* state, including any imbalances that have developed. Most online "what's your dosha" quizzes mix these up and give you a confused answer. Let's separate them. ## Step 1 — Find your prakriti by looking at your lifelong patterns Your prakriti is most visible in characteristics that have been *consistent* throughout your life, especially in childhood and early adulthood, before lifestyle aggravations had time to accumulate. Ask yourself: - **Build** — Were you always lean and bony (Vata), medium and athletic (Pitta), or sturdy and strong (Kapha)? - **Skin** — Has your skin always been dry and easily chapped (Vata), warm and prone to redness or breakouts (Pitta), or thick and well-hydrated (Kapha)? - **Hair** — Dry and brittle (Vata), fine and prone to early greying or thinning (Pitta), or thick, oily, and abundant (Kapha)? - **Appetite and digestion** — Variable and irregular (Vata), strong and impatient (Pitta), or steady but slow (Kapha)? - **Sleep** — Light and easily disturbed (Vata), moderate (Pitta), or deep and long (Kapha)? - **Mind** — Quick, creative, scattered (Vata); sharp, focused, intense (Pitta); calm, steady, slow to change (Kapha)? - **Stress response** — Anxiety and overwhelm (Vata), irritation and anger (Pitta), or withdrawal and avoidance (Kapha)? Most people land on one dominant dosha plus a secondary. "Vata-Pitta" or "Pitta-Kapha" are common. Pure single-dosha types are rarer than the internet suggests. ## Step 2 — Notice your current imbalance Your vikriti is what's happening *now*. Symptoms point to which dosha is currently aggravated: - **Vata-aggravated**: anxiety, insomnia, dry skin, constipation, joint cracking, restless mind, feeling cold - **Pitta-aggravated**: irritability, heartburn, skin inflammation, anger, excessive sweating, intense headaches - **Kapha-aggravated**: lethargy, weight gain, congestion, depression, excessive sleep, sluggish digestion You can be (for example) a Pitta-Kapha by prakriti who is currently in a Vata aggravation because you've been traveling, sleep-deprived, and eating irregularly. The treatment isn't to balance Pitta — it's to pacify the aggravated Vata first, then return to your baseline. ## Step 3 — When in doubt, work from the imbalance Many people get stuck trying to perfectly identify their prakriti. Here's the practical shortcut: **work from your current vikriti**. Whichever dosha is most aggravated *right now* is the one to address. Once it settles, your underlying prakriti becomes easier to see. ## A note on quizzes Online dosha quizzes can be a useful starting point, but they have two failure modes: they often confuse current symptoms with constitution, and they tend to push toward tridoshic results that aren't actionable. Treat the result as a hypothesis, not a verdict. ## When to see a practitioner If you've been dealing with a chronic issue, are pregnant, have a serious medical condition, or are about to make significant dietary changes, see an experienced Ayurvedic practitioner. Pulse and tongue diagnosis, in skilled hands, gives information no questionnaire can.