Prakruti is your elemental distribution at birth that remains with you your entire life in this body. (Your personal mix of ether, air, fire, water, and earth) You will stay balanced as long as these elements stay to that distribution.
What this means is that even though you possess all the elements or bhūtas in your physical body (ether, air, fire, water, and earth) it is the elements of water and earth that are more prominent. If you have a Kapha constitution, you likely will have a slow metabolism. It takes longer to digest food and it is relatively easy for kaphas to miss a meal. They have strength and stamina and a more leisurely manner. Kapha’s have a natural resistance to disease. Part of this may come from their ability to be more relaxed, grounded and able to handle stress. Kapha’s take longer to learn things, but once learned, will never forget. They have good comprehension and good memory. They are happy- go- lucky, usually satisfied with whatever comes to them. Whether they love or hate, they will hold on to feelings for a long time. Kapha’s have many loving friends and much material wealth. This may be due to kapha property of accumulation.
Take a look at the different profiles below. This is how Kapha would present itself in different ways:
Mental Profile:
- Calm, steady , stable
- Good long-term memory
- Thoughts are steady
- Can focus for a long time
- Slow to grasp concepts
- Dreams that consist of water, clouds, relationships, romance
- Sound, heavy, long sleep
- Talks slow, clear, sweet
- Has a low pitched voice
Behavioral Profile:
- Eats slowly
- Can easily miss meals
- Prefers dry and warm food and drink
- Is slow and steady when trying to achieve goals
- Gives regularly and generously
- Has long and deep relationships
- Has a strong sex drive
- Works best in groups
- Has aversion to damp cool weather
- Has a slow reaction to stress or being excited
- Financially saves regularly and accumulates wealth
- Tends towards long, lasting relationships
Emotional Profile:
- Steady non-changing moods
- Reacts to stress with indifference
- More sensitive to others feelings
- When threatened tends to make peace
- Relations with spouse-secure
- Emotional trauma depression
- Has inner confidence
Physical Profile:
- Thick hair
- Hair is oily
- Hair color dark brown/black
- Skin temperature is cool
- Has a pale-white complexion
- Large eyes
- Whites of eyes are glossy
- Has medium-large teeth
- Weight is heavy, easy to gain
- Eliminates regularly, heavy, slow, thick stools
- Veins and tendons are well covered
Fitness Profile:
- Has high tolerance for exercise
- Excellent endurance
- Excellent strength
- Not so fast
- Easily deals with competitive stress
- Walks slow and steady
- Has a bulky body with a higher percentage of fat
- Runs like a bear
- Has a large frame
- Slow reaction time
People having kapha constitutions enjoy warm food and enjoy the benefit from spices and pungent condiments. Pungent foods and fasting counteract excessive Kapha, and these people are usually comfortable missing a meal or fasting. They dislike rich, oily, cold and sweet foods, as well as dairy products, because these foods augment the already excessive action of Kapha in their bodies.
If this sounds like you, then you may be Kapha. If you would like an Ayurvedic consultation to confirm this and to learn how you can stay balanced, please contact me. I would love to help you in manage any imbalance you may have.