The Ayurvedic model uses the concepts of qualities (dryness, lightness, heat, density, etc.) and their associated functions (mobility, metabolic activity, stability, etc.) to maintain and restore the individual’s health. According to the Ayurvedic model, those qualities and functions are represented within everyone in certain quantities and are part of our constitutional makeup. However, if those qualities become significantly increased or decreased, it creates an imbalance and leads to health issues. Knowing your constitutional predispositions toward specific imbalances helps you avoid things that might aggravate the imbalance and correct the imbalance once it manifests.

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Sequence Wiz allows you to record your findings as you conduct an Ayurvedic Assessment of your student.

How to conduct an Ayurvedic Assessment

1. Identify the student’s dominant dosha(s) through observation and conversation. Observe your student’s physical characteristics, ask questions about their physiological processes, and note their demeanor.
2. Identify your student’s balanced characteristics. Answer the question, “How do I know that the student is vata (pitta/kapha) dominant?” For example, you might deduce that your student is kapha dominant if they have a large frame, thick hair, smooth skin, and appear to be slow, measured, and thoughtful in their temperament.
   
3. Note the main qualities of the specific Ayurvedic type that you’ve noticed in your student. Sometimes the dominant quality is obvious, and sometimes it isn’t. For example, your student might exhibit multiple signs of disorganized movement (the quality of mobility), they might have a very intense, penetrating gaze as well as a keen and engaged mind (the quality of sharpness), or they might have slow speech, methodical movements, and a mellow demeanor (the quality of slowness). The longer you practice, the easier it will be to identify the most prominent qualities.
4. Identify the signs and locations of imbalance. Analyze the symptoms of discomfort that your student communicates and note whether they indicate an imbalance in a particular dosha and whether they have a particular quality in common. For example, your student might be complaining of joint pain while also having dry skin, rigid movements, and stiff, cracking joints. This might indicate a vata imbalance with the quality of dryness.
5. Summarize your observations about the student’s current state. After recording your notes about your student’s constitution, pronounced qualities, and type of symptoms, it helps to summarize your thoughts and formulate a vision of what you think is going on from the Ayurvedic perspective.
6. List your practice recommendations. Based on your summary, you can devise a course of action and outline the strategies to implement into your work with your student. If the system-wide imbalance is prominent, this can become your primary area of focus; if it’s minor, you can use your knowledge of the student’s constitution to better tailor your practice to their temperament and personality.