One among my Ayurveda mentors as soon as requested me, “What’s Ayuryoga? Ayurvedic yoga doesn’t make sense to me.” I used to be bowled over.
Ayurvedic yoga (additionally known as Ayuryoga) applies the therapeutic rules of Ayurveda to yoga asana. By asking me this, my mentor was difficult the very core of my private yoga apply—I deliberately transfer my physique primarily based on the seasons, my feelings, and Ayurvedic rules. I additionally educate trauma-informed Ayuryoga courses and workshops. I took my Ayuryoga coaching on the Ayurvedic Institute, one of many main faculties in the US.
My mentor’s phrases had been laborious to course of. She added, “Yoga goals at taking us by way of self-realization. All yoga academics should perceive the significance and worth of the appropriate weight loss plan and herbs as yogic instruments and Panchakarma to arrange the physique for yoga.”
What this mentor meant was one thing profound: Yoga and Ayurveda are a part of one another. Ayurveda itself is yoga, and it really works on therapeutic and purifying the thoughts and physique. A real Ayurvedic practitioner should even be a yogi. Research inform us that with out an Ayurvedic view of the physique, Hatha yoga is incomplete. And Raja yoga is incomplete with out an Ayurvedic understanding of the thoughts.
Why Ayurvedic Yoga?
I first turned inquisitive about Ayuryoga after changing into agitated in a summertime Vinyasa class. I used to be wonderful till we acquired right into a headstand; my temper and feelings shifted as quickly as I inverted my physique. Sirsasana heats up the top and blood.
The second of the Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras describes the aim of the yoga apply: “Yogas chitta vritti nirodha.” In English: “Yoga is stilling the fluctuations of the thoughts.” Patanjali teaches us that, by way of working towards this stilling of the thoughts, we are able to create much less struggling and extra psychological peace. In that yoga class, I used to be experiencing the alternative of mental peace: I wished to get out of the pose and really feel much less agitated.
After I was experimenting with completely different types of yoga, I ended up making an attempt sizzling yoga just a few instances. In yoga, due to chitta vritti nirodha, our so-called “monkey thoughts” is meant to grow to be serene and quiet. My thoughts didn’t relaxation. As a substitute, each single time I took a category, I acquired sick and threw up. It made sense; I’m a excessive Pitta particular person, and the overly heated room in sizzling yoga courses aggravated my Pitta.
Ayurvedic Yoga for Every Dosha
Vata
This dosha is delicate, so calming, regular, heat, and grounding actions are finest.
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One among Vata’s many qualities is cala, or mobility, so slowing down and resisting the urge to hurry by way of poses might be useful.
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The seat of Vata is the colon. Apply asanas that emphasize the pelvic area and colon to launch stress from the hips, lumbar backbone, and sacroiliac joint.
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Hold the room heat when you apply.
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Concentrate on stabilizing the inspiration of every pose.
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Lengthen your inhalations.
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Spend extra time on the ground in static poses versus dynamic poses.
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Apply extra pranayama and meditation than asanas.
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Conclude your apply with 20 minutes of corpse pose.
Strive Tree Pose, Warrior II, Mountain Pose, Ahead Fold, Seated Ahead Bend, Supine Spinal Twist, Wind-Relieving Pose, Knees-to-Chest Pose, Butterfly Pose, Bow Pose, Camel Pose, and Little one’s Pose. Solar salutations are warming and efficient in bringing Vata again into steadiness.
Pitta
This dosha is sizzling and sharp, so the strategy to a Pitta-balancing Ayurvedic yoga apply needs to be mild, forgiving, compassionate, surrendering, accepting, and stress-free.
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The apply needs to be cooling and at a average tempo.
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The seat of Pitta is the small gut, so deal with twists and asanas that open the edges of the physique.
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To keep away from stress build-up, calm down between yoga postures and breathe deeply.
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Go away any aggressive perspective on the door.
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Give up, and don’t be crucial about your flexibility or efficiency on the mat.
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Don’t take your self too significantly.
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Apply in a reasonably cool house and at 80 p.c of your capability.
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Concentrate on exhalation.
Strive moon salutations, Little one’s Pose, Facet Angle, Revolved Chair, Revolved Facet Angle, Shoulder Stand, Butterfly Pose, Bridge Pose, Cat-Cow Pose, Half Lord of the Fishes, and Legs-up-the-Wall.
Kapha
This dosha consists of earth and water parts, which make Kapha heavy and sluggish. A each day asana apply builds on Kapha’s pure power and reduces the tendency of Kapha individuals to achieve weight. Asanas which are energizing and a little bit intense might be good. Many Kaphas are inclined to have manda agni (sluggish digestion)—poses that awaken the agni and digestive organs might be useful. Embrace strengthening standing poses and backbends in your sequence.
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The seat of Kapha is the chest, so hold the chest lifted and open throughout apply.
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Hold shifting and hold sweating.
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Apply in a heat house.
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Attempt to discover lightness in your poses.
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Don’t hand over!
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Don’t be caught in the identical routine—change which poses you apply every day.
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Flip the gaze up in your apply.
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Don’t pause too lengthy between poses.
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Simply whenever you really feel you might be achieved, take a pair extra breaths within the pose.
Solar salutations create warmth and mobility and are an effective way to advertise circulation and get the lymph flowing. Kaphas who’re out of steadiness battle stagnation and water retention. Sirsasana (headstand) is nice for Kaphas until they’ve points with neck ache/damage or hypertension; any extra fluid accumulation within the ankles and legs has an opportunity to empty out due to the inversion. Vajrasana, Half Moon, Triangle Pose, Tree Pose, Reverse Warrior 2, Chair Pose, Plank Pose, Chaturanga, Upward-Dealing with Canine, Bridge Pose, and Boat Pose are additionally really helpful for decreasing Kapha.
Disclaimer: The content material is solely informative and academic in nature and shouldn’t be construed as medical recommendation. The data shouldn’t be supposed to be used within the analysis, therapy, remedy, or prevention of any illness. Please use the content material solely in session with an applicable licensed medical or healthcare skilled. If you’re nursing, taking medicines, or have a medical situation, please seek the advice of along with your well being care practitioner previous to the usage of any of those herbs. If you’re in search of recommendation from a educated yogi and Ayurvedic coach, contact Sweta here.
