Published by Kerry Meath-Sinkin
In my recent blog, Can Your Body Relate to Money, I introduced the idea that our unique body type can influence how we relate to money. The more we can understand how our constitution influences our relationship to money, the more we are able to bring in understanding and balance.
When I tell people for the first that there are unique body types the first question I get is, of course,, “so what is my body type?” To figure out our body types we need to look at our different physical and emotional tendencies. A lot of us may be familiar with different quirks or tendencies we have, but we may not realize how they are all connected. The broader categories of our body types can help us see how these various parts of ourselves tie together.
To help you explore how your tendencies may reveal your body type, I put together a short quiz. This short quiz is designed to give you a starting point. Remember, there are no right or wrong answers, just be honest. Usually your first response is the best one. Circle the response that most applies in each given row, you can also circle more than one column if they both equally apply.
| Observations/Questions | Body Type 1 | Body Type 2 | Body Type 3 |
| When I say the word money what are the first words that pop into your head? | I feel anxious, scared, or out of control | I feel constricted, or tight | I feel overly attached to money |
| Do you enjoy talking about money? | Yes, but I often feel anxious. I also often lay awake worrying about money | I often become critical towards myself or others when I think about money | I often want to avoid talking about money |
| How do you manage your finances now? | I start different budgets, but have a hard time sticking to it | I have a budget and it is working well | I am too overwhelmed to know where to start |
| Do you enjoy spending money? | I love to spend money | I don’t like to spend money | I love to save money |
| What are your shopping habits? | I love to shop and often buy items impulsively | I save for big items I really want | I try to avoid shopping, and hold onto items I no longer need |
| When I go into the store I often… | I always buy something, even if I don’t need it | I will likely only buy something if it was on my list and I have researched it thoroughly | I try to avoid shopping, but when I do I try to not spend very much because I like to save my money |
| If I am planning a friends birthday party I will be inclined to do the following? | Let’s go all out, this is my best friend and whatever I need to spend money on I will | I am super excited to plan a party, and will do a great job, but will also do my best to stay within a modest budget | I will do a good job, but am inclined to ask for help from friends, and am inclined to spend as little as I can |
| Which of the following best describes your appearance? | I am thinner than I would like to be | My weight feels good | I am overweight |
| Describe your digestion? | I feel gassy & bloated | I have acid indigestion and heartburn | I feel tired, slow and sluggish after meals |
| Which of the following best describes your sleep? | My sleep is light and broken | I am having a hard time falling asleep and prefer a dark environment | I feel drowsy, and am having a hard time waking up |
| Which of the following best describes your emotions? | I feel anxious and worried | I feel irritable, critical, and angry | I feel greedy or depressed |
| Which of the following best describes your memory? | I grasp ideas quick, but also forget them quickly | My memory is okay | I may have a harder time understand ideas, but once I do I remember them forever |
| Which of the following best describes your breathing? | My breathing is shallow and mostly in my chest | My breath feels okay | My breath feels slow and stuck |
| TOTAL (count your circles) |
Now that you have finished, tally up your totals. You may notice you have one body type that has more tallies than the others. You may also notice you have two that are relatively equal, either way is fine. In Ayurveda, we generally have one predominant body type, and often a close second. As we said before we are all unique, and even these basic body types are much more nuanced. The goal of this exercise is to help you get started, and begin making some connections. We will continue to deepen and explore these ideas over the next few months.
Body Type 1: Air/Ether
An airy body type will react with more anxiety, or fear when they think about money. They may love starting different budgets, but have a hard time sticking to them over time. They may be more impulsive with their purchases. They may have a more slender body frame, irregular features, have a hard time gaining weight, or an irregular schedule.
Body Type 2: Fire/Water
A fiery body type could feel more constricted and tight with their money. They may love having a budget, and have a need to plan for every detail in regards to a big purchase. A fiery type may have a medium body frame, with very sharp penetrating features, with a tendency towards redness or inflammation.
Body Type 3: Earth/Water
While an earthy type may feel overly attached to money. They may be too overwhelmed to even know where to begin, and want to be overly cautious with spending their money. They may have larger body features, a hard time losing weight, and a tendency towards congestion.
Now that you have a better understanding yourself and your tendencies, take some time to reflect on what you feel like your current state may be. Does it make sense? Were there any surprises? We continue to add layers to help you better understand yourself and your relationship to money.
I hope that thinking about money from different perspectives can bring more insight and ultimately more ease into your life.
**Just a quick side note, a typical Ayurvedic quiz is longer and more detailed and often taken to understand both your constitution and your current state. This quiz is designed to give us a snapshot of where you are now, specifically in relationship to your relationship with money and finances. If you are interested in learning more about your Ayurvedic constitution in more detailed, or meeting with an Ayurvedic practitioner, please reach out to me separately and I can help you understand the best approach.
Kerry Meath-Sinkin is a registered investment advisor and financial planner based in Minneapolis. She graduated with honors from Brown, and works with clients not only in the Twin Cities, but nationwide. Kerry believes in a holistic approach to finance. She works with her clients to develop a practical plan with their finances, while also working on their inner relationship with money. Together, these aspects allow clients to feel healthy, abundant, and free. Kerry also has a passion for healthy living, is a certified Ayurvedic practitioner, and public health educator. Click here to learn more about Kerry.
