What is Prakruti and Vikruti in Ayurveda?

What is Prakruti and Vikruti? Raise your hand if this is the first time you hear these concepts.

In this post, I will show you what they mean – in simple terms – and why they are so important to really get to know yourself.

In my opinion, knowing this info is the first step to heal, and the more you know, the more control you’ll have over your body and mind.

Let’s get started!

GOING DEEPER ON THE DOSHAS

How well do you know yourself?

Some of you may be able to answer that question only on a superficial level. And that hugely restricts your actions to achieve optimal health. Not knowing where you stand can’t be good for taking the proper decisions about nutrition and lifestyle.

With Ayurveda, you can go deeper in that search and offer a comprehensive answer to that question.

By understanding the concepts of Prakruti and Vikruti you are already taking it a step further than simply saying: “I am Pitta” or “I am Vata aggravated”

Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, the three ayurvedic humors, are at the very core of Ayurveda and they provide great insight as to what is the best course of treatment for an illness, what type of diet best fits your needs, or what form of lifestyle would best serve your dosha.

However, you are not comprised of just one dosha. Saying you are Vata, for instance, doesn’t mean you don’t have within your system the other two humors. This is very important to understand to keep your body in balance. In reality, you have all doshas within you: the unique combination of the principles of mobility (Vata), transformation (Pitta), and structure (Kapha) in your body, is what make you who you are.

WHAT IS PRAKRUTI?

Prakruti is your original constitution. The one that is set at the moment of conception and that rarely changes in one’s life.

You are born with this unique combination of proportions of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha within you, although one of the doshas might be dominating.

In Sanskrit, “pra” means original and “kruti” means production.

Your Prakruti dictates your unique mind & body characteristics when you are in balance.

So, what determines your Prakruti?

• Season of conception
• Season of birth
• Parent’s Prakruti and Vikruti
• Parent’s lifestyle and diet
• Condition of the uterus and reproductive system
• Parent’s relationship

According to Ayurveda, your Prakruti sets the tone for your life ahead. It controls your resistance and tendency to disease, your physiology, psychology, character, emotional tendencies, your likes, and dislikes.

WHAT IS VIKRUTI?

Vikruti is your constitution “at the moment“.

In Sanskrit, “vi” means after and “kruti” means production.

How much have you deviated from your original constitution (Prakruti)? The answer lays on your Vikruti.

If your health is optimal and you have no current concerns, it might be that your Prakruti and Vikruti are identical. You have lived in such a way that you never really disturbed that primordial equilibrium you were born with. That is awesome but very rare to happen.

Most likely, there will be a difference and that may be a consequence of the following factors:

• The foods you eat, the way you cook them, the way you eat them
• Type of work you have
• Stress levels
• Relationships
• Exercise regimen
• Climate where you live
• And more! To be honest, all external factors can affect your Vikruti.

It all depends on the life you live.

Your daily choices can move you closer – or further – from homeostasis.

Often times, when you see an Ayurvedic practitioner, you treatment will be based on your Vikruti which is, again, composed of all three forces of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, in unique proportions. With one dosha in particular being more aggravated than others.

There is also the case in which you are bidoshic. That is, when you have two dominant doshas, like Vata-Pitta, for example. In this case, your prescription should aim to balance the most deranged humor, the one that bothers you the most, or that has the most intense symptoms. Once that dosha becomes pacified, the treatment can move on to the next dosha imbalance.

Oftentimes, your Vikruti changes throughout your life. For example, if you find a new job that is way more stressful than your previous position, move to a new city with a drastic difference in climate, or change your diet to Keto, then you will see significant differences in you digestion, elimination, tissues, emotions, sleep patterns, and energy levels.

But, you know what is amazing? That regardless of your Vikruti, you can still find and maintain true health through simple Ayurvedic principles.

FIND OUT YOUR VIKRUTI

Take the quiz below and find out your mind and body type at the moment.

Frankly, the beginning of your healing journey is determining your dominant dosha right now.

And share it with me!!! We can expand our conversation once we know that result. (DM me on instagram)

P.S. 1) Bookmark this page and take this quiz as often as you change your lifestyle or diet to find out what needs to be balanced and take the best possible decisions for your health.

2) Don’t forget to join my Facebook group for more resources! See you there 🙂

Happy Healing!

Monica Gisella XX