Ayurveda like Vastu are sister arts and recognizes five elements.

  1. Earth
  2. Water
  3. Air
  4. Fire
  5. Ether (space)

Ayurveda’s describes these energies & the interaction and balance of these subtle elements in a system, the body, but a home is equally a system, Ayurveda’s articulate language of the elements  can be equally appied to our homes environment which is a system also.

These five elements comprise three doshas: Vata, Pitta, Kapha.

Think of doshas as types of energy that make up all universal energy.

Each dosha has its own flavor and feel.

Dosha: Vata (air + ether) Vata is all about change. Vata is airy, light, dry, lots of movement.

  • Vata is involved in unconscious processes like breathing, digestion.
  • Vata energy tends to be on/off. You have a burst of energy then crash. Energy, crash.
  • When imbalanced, vata energy may be spacey, airheaded, anxious, fast talking, and lack routine.
  • When balanced, vata brings ideas, creativity, enthusiasm, and expression through language.
  • We need vata for ideas and enthusiasm in our change!
  • Vata energy is at its peak in the fall.
  •  

Dosha: Kapha (earth + water)

  • Kapha energy is the most stable. Kapha energy is cold, heavier, holding.
  • Balanced kapha energy, is about stamina, strength, consistency.
  • Kapha is also about love; of people and things and relationships.
  • We need kapha energy for follow-through in completing our change
  • Kapha imbalanced may manifest as attachment, or falling back into old ruts and habits, lack of change inability to move forward. 
  • Kapha dosha is most dominant in winter, although long stints of rain may bring about Kapha.
  • Kapha tends to accumulate in the south west of a home and when in balance with here water to earth ratio it is beneficial  to hold energy. 

Dosha: Pitta (fire+ water)

  • Fire transforms matter, releasing energy, pitta is all about transformation.
  • Balanced pitta handles logistics and gets us into action, critical thinking, logical thought, planning, and organization
  • Imbalanced Pitta may present as anger or agitation. Listen to how pitta shows up in language: “hot temper” and “fiery rage.”
  • Pitta dosha peaks in the summertime. Spring is a perfect time to enlist pitta energy to help you make changes for new growth!
  • Pitta tends to accumulate in the SouthEast of a home.

Ayurveda like Vastu also recognises These three gunas they are called:

Sattva (purity, goodness, constructive, harmonious, light ),

Rajas(passion, fiery, movement, active, confused), and

Tamas(darkness, stale, heavy, sedating quiet, destructive, chaotic). These relate to the dosha’s and the 5 elements they are all ways to describe energy. 

Your Dosha Questionnaire

Determining Your Doshas
 

Your Dosha’s will help determine what may be supportive in a perosnal Vastu environment, ie a study or bedroom  or for those needing more support than others in the family home. Of course for communal areas everyones Dosha’s  needs to be taken into account.   

To help determine your constitution, we’ve provided a brief questionnaire below. We recommend printing out the questionnaire and circling the answers with a pen. For each statement listed beneath Vata, Pitta and Kapha, circle the number that most closely indicates how much it applies to you. Then, add up the numbers to get a total score for each dosha. 

We recommend first answering the questions in accordance with general trends throughout your life. This will give you a better understanding of your underlying birth constitution, or prakruti. Then answer the questions in accordance with how you look, feel, and behave today. For example, if you’ve slept well throughput your life, but just started having sleeping problems, the second set of answers will reflect this current imbalance, or vikruti. It’s also important to remember that most individuals have one primary dosha, followed by a prominent secondary dosha.

A simple questionnaire will not always capture the full dynamism of the doshas. For this reason, we also recommend consulting a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner.

0-1 Doesn’t apply
2-3 Sometimes applies
4-5 Applies most of the time.

 VATA

Physical Characteristics     
1. I am slender and don’t gain weight easily.                                                                                 0 1 2 3 4 5
2. I am taller or shorter than average.                                                                                             0 1 2 3 4 5
3. “Thin” describes many of my bodily features (such as my
hair, neck, fingers, and lips).                                                                                                              0 1 2 3 4 5
4. My energy fluctuates and often comes in bursts.                                                                     0 1 2 3 4 5
5. My appetite is variable (i.e., high one day and low the next).                                                  0 1 2 3 4 5
6. I have a tendency to become bloated, gassy, or constipated.                                                 0 1 2 3 4 5
7. My skin frequently becomes dry.                                                                                                 0 1 2 3 4 5
8. I tend to have cold hands and feet.                                                                                             0 1 2 3 4 5
9. I am a light sleeper and often have difficulty falling asleep.                                                   0 1 2 3 4 5
10. I prefer warm, moist weather to cold or dry weather.                                                             0 1 2 3 4 5
 
Psychological Characteristics     
1. I am creative and imaginative.                                                                                                      0 1 2 3 4 5
2. I enjoy artistic forms of expression.                                                                                            0 1 2 3 4 5
3. My mind is active and often restless.                                                                                          0 1 2 3 4 5
4. I learn quickly but also forget quickly.                                                                                         0 1 2 3 4 5
5. I become “spaced out” quite easily.                                                                                             0 1 2 3 4 5
6. I have a tendency to feel anxious, nervous, and insecure.                                                       0 1 2 3 4 5
7. I speak quickly and use hand gestures.                                                                                      0 1 2 3 4 5
8. I am always on the go.                                                                                                                   0 1 2 3 4 5
9. My lifestyle and daily routine are irregular.                                                                                 0 1 2 3 4 5
10. My dreams are active and colorful.                                                                                           0 1 2 3 4 5
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Add up your total score  for Vata
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
 

 Pita
Physical Characteristics     
1. I have a medium build and gain or lose weight easily.                                                             0 1 2 3 4 5
2. My height is average.                                                                                                                     0 1 2 3 4 5
3. My physical features are sharp or pointed
(such as my nose, chin, and teeth.                                                                                                   0 1 2 3 4 5
4. My energy and activity levels are high.                                                                                        0 1 2 3 4 5
5. My appetite is strong; I can eat large quantities of food.                                                         0 1 2 3 4 5
6. My bowel movements are regular; I occasionally
have diarrhea.                                                                                                                                      0 1 2 3 4 5
7. I perspire quite easily.                                                                                                                    0 1 2 3 4 5
8. My skin is oily and has a reddish tone.                                                                                       0 1 2 3 4 5
9. My eyes are penetrating and light in color.                                                                                 0 1 2 3 4 5
10. I prefer cooler weather & become irritable in hot weather.                                                    0 1 2 3 4 5
 
Psychological Characteristics     
1. I am goal oriented & achieve anything which I put my mind.                                                  0 1 2 3 4 5
2. I have a good sense of humor.                                                                                                     0 1 2 3 4 5
3. I have a strong intellect and enjoy learning new things.                                                          0 1 2 3 4 5
4. I have a natural ability to lead others.                                                                                         0 1 2 3 4 5
5. I am a perfectionist.                                                                                                                       0 1 2 3 4 5
6. I tend to become irritable, impatient, and angry.                                                                       0 1 2 3 4 5
7. I am critical of myself and others.                                                                                               0 1 2 3 4 5
8. Many people think I’m stubborn.                                                                                                  0 1 2 3 4 5
9. I become irritable if I skip a meal.                                                                                                0 1 2 3 4 5
10. I enjoy competition.                                                                                                                      0 1 2 3 4 5
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Add up your total score for Pita
_________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
 

 Kapha
Physical Characteristics     
1. I gain weight easily and lose weight with great difficulty.                                                        0 1 2 3 4 5
2. I am short and stocky or tall and sturdy.                                                                                     0 1 2 3 4 5
3. “Thick” describes many of my bodily features (such as my hair, neck, fingers, lips).         0 1 2 3 4 5
4. I have abundant strength and stamina.                                                                                      0 1 2 3 4 5
5. My digestion is weak and I often feel heavy after eating                                                        0 1 2 3 4 5
6. My bowel movements are highly regular.                                                                                   0 1 2 3 4 5
7. My skin is smooth and oily and tends to be pale.                                                                     0 1 2 3 4 5
8. I sleep deeply and soundly.                                                                                                           0 1 2 3 4 5
9. I catch colds quite frequently.                                                                                                      0 1 2 3 4 5
10. I prefer hot weather over cold or damp weather.                                                                    0 1 2 3 4 5
 
Psychological Characteristics     
1. I have a big heart & prefer to focus on the good in the world.                                                0 1 2 3 4 5
2. I am calm in nature and not easily angered.                                                                              0 1 2 3 4 5
3. I prefer a slow, relaxed lifestyle.                                                                                                   0 1 2 3 4 5
4. I don’t learn as quickly as others, but my long-term memory is excellent.                           0 1 2 3 4 5
5. I become sentimental quite easily; I often think about the past.                                            0 1 2 3 4 5
6. I am methodical in my actions.                                                                                                    0 1 2 3 4 5
7. I am highly protective of myself and family.                                                                               0 1 2 3 4 5
8. I let negative emotions build up rather than addressing them.                                              0 1 2 3 4 5
9. I usually let others take the lead.                                                                                                 0 1 2 3 4 5
10. I am a natural listener and frequently help others with
their problems.                                                                                                                                    0 1 2 3 4 5
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Add up your total score for Kapha 
_________________________________________________________________________________________________