There is an incredible amount of personality tests on the Internet today. We take them to figure out what kind of dog we are, what city we belong in or which character from Pulp Fiction we were in a past life.
It’s fun and silly but can also be overwhelming. When you’re put into a category and told how to behave based on a series of questions, often we feel like we should live up to our personality expectations.
A dosha type is not so much a personality type but a lifestyle. They encompass everything from your hair type to digestion to how you handle stress. You can be a combination of two or all three and are allowed to take bits and pieces from each type and apply their lessons to living a healthy, more balanced life.
Dosha types come from ancient Ayurvedic medicine techniques, which focus on the unique make-up of each individual and are still practiced today. When you discover your dominant dosha type, you can use an array of remedies from the type of food you eat to the scents you surround yourself with to balance out your day.
Take this quiz – http://www.holisticonline.com/ayurveda/w_ayurveda-dtest1.htm – to find out your dosha type. It’s a bit extensive but encompasses all aspects of the human mind and body.
Once you find out your dominant type, there are multiple steps you can take to balance yourself out when you’re having an off day.
When Vata is out of balance, they may feel un-grounded and spacey. Routine and stability help bring relaxation back to the Vata’s physiology.
- Go to bed and awaken at the same time every day
- Wear relaxing fragrances
- Eat three meals per day and favor sweet, sour, and salty tastes
- Commit to a daily yoga or meditation practice
- Perform a slow daily self massage with warm relaxing herbalized oil
When Pitta is out of balance, their fiery nature can fill the body with anxiety and tension. Bringing space into the day with soothing remedies will help bring the Pitta back to a natural temperature.
- Spend time outside and in nature
- Favor cooling tastes – sweet, bitter, and astringent
- Wear soothing fragrances
- Favor cool, soft colors – blue, green, and white
- Engage in non-competitive physical activities
- Eat with full awareness
When Kapha is out of balance, they reside in their connection with the Earth to the point of sluggishness, congestion and dullness. Movement and invigoration will help bring circulation back into the Kapha’s energy.
- Awaken at sunrise
- Favor pungent, bitter, and astringent tastes
- Wear invigorating fragrances
- Clean out your space
- Favor bright strong colors – reds, oranges, yellows
- Exercise daily!
Enjoy your dosha lifestyle and Namaste!