What Your Body Tells the Healer

An Ayurvedic healer starts reading your personality type as soon as you walk into his room. How does he do that? Well, ancient ayurvedic treatises have lengthy explanations of how your physical appearance is linked to your doshas.

First, your build:

A light, thin frame and unsure gait immediately classifies you as Vata
A medium frame with sharp features and a confident stride—that’s Pitta walking in.
A heavy set, shortish build with a leaisurely gait and a gentle smile: meet Kapha.

So now you’re sitting in front of the vaidya. He is noticing every facial feature. It’s fun (and informative!) to do this on your own, in front of a mirror:

Nose:

Sharp nose: Pitta personality.
Stubby, blunt nose: Kapha dosha predominance.
A crooked, pert nose indicates Vata

Eyes:

Dry, scanty eyelashes and small, muddy-ish eyes are a sign of Vata.
Long, moist eyelashes and sharp, reddish eyes: Pitta
Dark, lush eyelashes and large, limpid eyes: Kapha

Lips:

Dry, chapped lips: Vata
Red lips with signs of inflammation along the corners: Pitta
Thick, moist lips: Kapha

Skin and Hair:

Rough, dry, thin skin and hair: Vata
Light-coloured hair, signs of greying or balding; reddish skin: Pitta
Wavy, thick and lustrous hair, shiny and dewy skin: Kapha

Putting his fingers on your pulse to read the inside story of your body, the vaidya is able to confirm what his eyes have told him. I find it fascinating that ayurvedic healers have arrived at these methods of diagnosis by sheer observation of humans across centuries. Can laboratory research ever stand up against what time and wisdom have tested?

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Wendy M.

3:48PM PDT on May 20, 2013

Very interesting.

May 20
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paul m.

3:05AM PST on Jan 25, 2013

Thanks....

January 25
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JL A.

7:11AM PDT on Aug 1, 2012

good to know

August 1
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Abbe A.

4:27AM PDT on Jul 26, 2012

great

July 26
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devon l.

12:13PM PDT on Jul 14, 2012

I wish we in the west would include the many healing modalities from around the world..and that our MD's were open and willing partners in this as the way to most effectively be of true service to all who they serve... Working together is the only way to be really effective.

July 14
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3:05PM PDT on Jul 5, 2012

a beautiful healing art

July 5
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Silas G.

6:46AM PDT on Jul 2, 2012

Interesting. In a lot of other descriptions I have read, I haven't really fit any of the types, but apparently, I'm rather firmly in the kapha camp.

July 2
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Christine C.

4:25AM PDT on Jul 2, 2012

Thanks

Rachel R.

4:08PM PDT on Jul 1, 2012

I'm fascinated by traditional medicine, but I don't think we should promote the idea that modern scientific research can never understand it! That's what science is also about - understanding, and keeping on trying until we do!