Ayurveda: A Matter Of Balance Part 1 by Michelle Fondin • Herndon, VA

Ayurveda: A Matter Of Balance Part 2
by Michelle Fondin • Herndon, VA

The Ayurvedic Mind-Body Type Test

Please assess each of the following statements as it applies to you, on average, for your whole life. If a statement doesn’t apply to you at all, score it a 0. If it is absolutely you, score it a 5. Score a statement 1 or 2 if it describes you rarely; give it a 3 if it applies some of the time; and score it a 4 if it applies most of the time.

SECTION I

1. I have always had a thin physique. I don’t gain weight easily.	1	2	3	4	5
2. I walk quickly. I’m always at the head of the pack.	1	2	3	4	5
3. I get nervous or anxious easily.	1	2	3	4	5
4. I eat quickly and my family says I should slow down.	1	2	3	4	5
5. My mind is very creative.	1	2	3	4	5
6. I learn things quickly, but I also forget quickly.	1	2	3	4	5
7. I like to pace when I talk on the phone.	1	2	3	4	5
8. When I was a kid, people said I fidgeted a lot.	1	2	3	4	5
9. Constipation is often an issue for me.	1	2	3	4	5
10. My mind is very active and sometimes restless.	1	2	3	4	5
11. When there is a conflict, I ask myself, “What did I do wrong?”	1	2	3	4	5
12. Left on my own, I would eat and sleep at different times each day.	1	2	3	4	5
13. I get bored easily if I’m not constantly on the move.	1	2	3	4	5
14. When I go into a room, I often feel that it’s too cold.	1	2	3	4	5
15. I often have dry, rough skin.	1	2	3	4	5
16. Weather that is cold and windy bothers me more than most people.	1	2	3	4	5
17. Sometimes people accuse me of being “airheaded.”	1	2	3	4	5
18. My friends say that I’m talkative.	1	2	3	4	5
19. I’m a light sleeper; I have difficulty getting to sleep or I sleep restlessly.	1	2	3	4	5
20. I like to start new projects, activities, or hobbies but have a hard time sticking with them.	1	2	3	4	5

Total score for section I: _______

SECTION II

1. My eyes are sensitive to the sun.	1	2	3	4	5
2. I have a medium build.	1	2	3	4	5
3. My appetite is strong. If I want, I can eat a large quantity.	1	2	3	4	5
4. I don’t like to have my time wasted.	1	2	3	4	5
5. I have a strong desire to learn new things.	1	2	3	4	5
6. My days are typically planned. I like to follow an agenda.	1	2	3	4	5
7. When I overeat or am upset, I tend to get acid reflux, heartburn, or a burning sensation in my stomach.	1	2	3	4	5
8. Many people consider me stubborn.	1	2	3	4	5
9. In my actions I’m precise and orderly.	1	2	3	4	5
10. I like to see things in their place.	1	2	3	4	5
11. When there is a conflict, I wonder why people can’t see things the way I do.	1	2	3	4	5
12. If I don’t eat my meals on time, I get cranky and irritable.	1	2	3	4	5
13. I enjoy spending time outdoors. It exhilarates me.	1	2	3	4	5
14. I often feel that a room is too warm.	1	2	3	4	5
15. I have a tendency to break out in acne, hives, and rashes, or I have skin redness.	1	2	3	4	5
16. It’s common for me to have loose stools or to have a bowel movement more than twice a day.	1	2	3	4	5
17. I am quick to anger, but I quickly forget about it.	1	2	3	4	5
18. My friends say I’m intense.	1	2	3	4	5
19. Spicy food aggravates my stomach.	1	2	3	4	5
20. When I want something, I’m very determined in my efforts to get it.	1	2	3	4	5

Total score for section II: _______

SECTION III

1. People say I’m “big boned.”	1	2	3	4	5
2. I walk slowly. I don’t understand why people have to hurry all the time.	1	2	3	4	5
3. If I have a lot of stress in my life, I don’t want to deal with it.	1	2	3	4	5
4. I eat slowly. I’m the last one to finish at the table.	1	2	3	4	5
5. It takes me longer than others to learn things, but I never forget what I’ve learned.	1	2	3	4	5
6. I can just look at a piece of cake and gain ten pounds.	1	2	3	4	5
7. I like to snuggle up on the couch with a good book and stay for hours without moving.	1	2	3	4	5
8. I like to sleep, especially in the morning. I don’t consider myself a morning person.	1	2	3	4	5
9. My digestion is slow. I feel heavy after meals.	1	2	3	4	5
10. I would rather watch sports on TV than participate in athletic activity.	1	2	3	4	5
11. When there is a conflict, I want to crawl into my bed and forget it happened.	1	2	3	4	5
12. I don’t understand people who say they’re not hungry. If there’s food in front of me, I want to eat it.	1	2	3	4	5
13. I need at least eight hours of sleep to feel comfortable the next day.	1	2	3	4	5
14. Weather that is cool and damp bothers me.	1	2	3	4	5
15. I think I’m affected by seasonal affective disorder (SAD).	1	2	3	4	5
16. I don’t like change very much. I enjoy things staying the same.	1	2	3	4	5
17. My friends and family say I’m affectionate and a good listener.	1	2	3	4	5
18. I have problems with mucus, excess phlegm, or chronic sinus problems and allergies.	1	2	3	4	5
19. I have had a weight problem most of my life.	1	2	3	4	5
20. I am slow and methodical in all my actions.	1	2	3	4	5

Total score for section III: _______

Total Scores and the Doshas

Transfer the total scores for each section to the blanks shown below. Then determine which of the three is your highest score, and check the list of possible mind-body types to find the corresponding dosha. If your highest score is more than 85 points, it’s likely that you’re a single dosha type. If your second score is close to your first score and at least 10 points above your third, you are a two-dosha type. For example, if you scored 73 points for section I, 54 points for section II, and 27 points for section III, you would be a Vata-Pitta. Only in very rare instances is someone tridoshic — that is, characterized by a mind-body type composed of equal amounts of all three doshas.

Section I score: _________ Vata

Section II score: ________ Pitta

Section III score: ________ Kapha

The possible mind-body types:

Vata

Pitta

Kapha

Vata-Pitta

Vata-Kapha

Pitta-Vata

Pitta-Kapha

Kapha-Vata

Kapha-Pitta

Excerpted from the book The Wheel of Healing with Ayurveda �2015 by Michelle S. Fondin. Printed with permission of New World Library. www.newworldlibrary.com

Michelle S. Fondin

Michelle S. Fondin is the author of The Wheel of Healing with Ayurveda. She holds a Vedic Master Certificate from the Chopra Center and is a member of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association and Yoga Alliance. She treats clients at her Ayurvedic Path center, speaks and offers workshops. Visit her online at http://michellefondin.com.