Kapha Constitution

The kapha constitution expresses through attributes that create a grounded, stable, and nurturing body type. The heavy quality manifests as heavy bones, large muscles, and a large body frame with a tendency toward being overweight and having a deep, heavy voice. Slow/dull produces slow walking, talking, digestion, and metabolism with sluggish gestures. The cool attribute gives cold clammy skin, steady appetite, and repeated susceptibility to colds, congestion, and cough.

The oily quality creates oily skin, hair, and feces with well-lubricated joints and organs. Liquid manifests as excess salivation and congestion in the chest, sinuses, throat, and head. Smooth gives smooth skin, smooth organs, and a calm gentle mind. Dense creates thick pads of fat, thick skin, hair, and nails, with compact condensed tissues and plump organs.

Soft produces a pleasing look and emotions of love, care, compassion, and forgiveness. Static manifests as love of sitting, sleeping, and doing nothing. Sticky creates compactness and firmness of joints, attachment in relationships, and a love of hugging. Cloudy gives a foggy mind in early morning, often creating desire for coffee. Hard provides firm muscles and rigid attitudes. Gross may cause obstruction and obesity.

Kapha's taste attributes include sweet, whose anabolic action stimulates sperm formation, and salty, which aids digestion, growth, and osmotic balance. Abnormal sweet function creates sugar cravings; abnormal salty function causes salt cravings and water retention. The white color manifests as pale complexion, white mucus, and white tongue coating—the color of kapha ama.