AYURVEDA

YOGA AND AYURVEDA

Yoga and Ayurveda are often referred to as sister sciences. Both systems have their origins in Vedic knowledge and these two disciplines work together in harmony to bring about health and healing to all levels of our being.

YOGA
Yoga is the Science of Self-realization and is concerned with spiritual practice. Yoga emphasizes the importance of meditation as an aid to move beyond the mundane existence of daily living where we are subject to the conditions of the world and experience the effects of pain and sorrow. According to Yoga all things in life are of a temporary nature, life itself is not a permanent condition, therefore humans are subject to the ever changing quality of life and find it difficult if not impossible to maintain a permanent sense of peace and happiness that is constant and unchanging. Ultimately, all human beings want experience this permanent state peace and happiness as this is the nature of our true “Self”.

Yoga therefore teaches us how to move away from the external world and the ego identity (I-ness) to the inner world of the spirit or the Self that dwells within the heart of all humans. The goal of all spiritual practice is to uncover the true nature of our reality, (the Self) only then can we hope to find permanent joy and happiness.

The question we must ask ourselves is “who am I”? Who is this spirit within me that ignites the power to see the world outside? To hear, to move, to feel! Who is this spirit within me who seems ageless, timeless, never changing? “Who am I?

The goal of all Yogic meditation to inquire about the Self, and to realize that there is a far greater reality than what our worldly consciousness allows us to perceive. Life is a journey, a mystery, we may assume that life will go on in the same manner tomorrow as it did today it may or it may not, we can only hope and assume, we cannot be certain. Likewise we can assume that “I am this body, with this personality”, when in fact we are so much more than this.. Yoga encourages us to take the journey inward to find out the truth of who we really are, only then can we hope to find true peace and happiness.

The purpose of the Yoga asanas is to prepare the body so it will be strong and healthy. The pranayama practices aim to purify the mind, bringing it into a state of stillness in preparation for meditation. The word Yoga means “union” it is the union of the body, breath and mind in the first instance that induces the meditative state, preparing the practitioner to embark on the journey towards Self-Realization.

AYURVEDA
Ayurveda is the science of Self-healing, it is a science aimed at preventing and relieving the disease processes of the body and the mind. Classical Ayurveda is also concerned with restoring wholeness with our inner Self through Self-Realization as it views this type of healing to be the ultimate goal of all healing.

Ayurveda’s prime concern is in alleviating bodily and mental diseases and promoting physical and psychological wellbeing. Ayurvedic healing methods show us how to attain optimum health not merely for worldly enjoyment but to provide a healthy foundation and sufficient energy to undertake the spiritual quest.

From what we have observed so far we can conclude that to return to wholeness we must first heal ourselves at the deepest levels of our being and this can only be done through connecting to our source, our true “Self”.

YOGA AND AYURVEDA WORKING IN HARMONY
Yoga brings about transformation and Ayurveda is the healing power. These two disciplines working together in harmony give us the ability to return to a radiant state of health and wellbeing at the physical mental, emotional and spiritual levels of our being with extraordinary levels of vitality and creativity. The physical side of Ayurvedic healing through the use of diet and herbs is only a small part of the system. Ayurvedic healing methods place much emphasis on the healing of the subtle body and the mind through the application of Yogic techniques.

All Yoga Therapists, Yoga Teachers and serious students of Yoga should enhance their knowledge with the principles of Ayurveda to gain a broader understanding of how these two systems are interrelated and dependent on each other to achieve maximum healing potential. All traditional Yoga deals with the spiritual side of life and Ayurveda deals with both the physical and mental diseases as well as the prescription of healthy lifestyle regimes.

The Five Elements
Ayurveda is a system of the study of nature and the laws that govern the harmony of all nature. If we choose to ignore these laws, then imbalances will begin to appear. These imbalances result in disharmony and in the manifestation of disease in the body and the mind. Through the understanding of Ayurveda, everything is expressed as energy. This is the basic foundation and belief of Ayurveda. The elements that we refer to are:

Ether (space or consciousness)
Air (movement)
Fire (transformation)
Water (universal solvent)
Earth (structure and form)

All of these elements are present in each of us and in nature. Nature is constantly seeking balance, and we are a part of that nature so it is inherent in us also to seek balance. Ayurveda presents us with the idea that we are able to bring ourselves back into balance so we can consciously work with these energies when we begin to lose our sense of balance and harmony. This system of medicine understands our deepest connections with the whole universe and the influences of the energies that make up the universe.

The Three Doshas
Ayurvedic medicine diagnoses the disease process through the imbalance of the 3 doshas that make up our individual constitution. Ayurvedic medicine looks into the individual physical and mental constitution of the person and their lifestyle habits rather than merely treating the symptoms of the disease. Ayurvedic medicine takes a very individual approach to healing, and takes into consideration many factors that may have played a role in the disease process. body composition, mental and emotional nature and our spiritual make up as each of these factors are important in understanding how the disease may have originated.

Ayurvedic Body Types-Prakriti
The Ayurvedic texts provided specific guidelines to help identify the individual’s constitutional nature. These guidelines enable us to live in harmony with nature while taking good care of our health. From the three doshas, Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, seven body types were originally identified. Our body type, which is determined at birth is our constitutional nature, our prakriti. This prakriti is derived from the particular combinations and permutations of the five elements in the sperm and ovum that exist during conception. Once birth has made its elemental imprint, we cannot alter it without adversely affecting our balance.

The human constitution, or prakriti, is comprised of all three doshas. This means that every individual has within himself the dynamic forces of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. The difference between individuals is the degree to which the three doshas interact with one another within each body type. It is important to understand that the doshas are forces and not substances. It is also important to understand that these doshas keep changing all of the time due to their doshic qualities which are influenced the by lifestyle factors, environment, time and season.

Dual Dosha Body Types
Ayurveda defined seven body types namely Vata, Pitta, Kapha, Sama, Vata-Kapha, Vata-Pitta and Pitta Kapha. Most people are influenced by two doshas types and it is rare that anyone is influenced by one dosha type alone. It is generally not common for people to fall into the sama dosha category (all three doshas in balance). It is more common for individuals to display a combination of two doshas often referred to as dual Prakriti.

Doshas and the Elements
Vata air/space
Pitta fire/water
Kapha water/earth
Sama balance of all three doshas

VATA
Physical Constitution
Physically these types of people are very tall or very short, non-muscular, with thin with bony limbs, they walk quickly with short fast steps. Their skin is generally thin, darkish and cool. The hair is fine, dark, coarse and either wavy or curly. The face is usually long and angular, often displaying an underdeveloped chin. The neck is long and thin. Nose is small and narrow though it may also be long, crooked or asymmetrical. Eyes tend to be small, narrow or sunken, dark brown or grey in color, and without luster. The mouth is usually small, with thin, narrow or tight lips. Teeth are irregular, protruding, or broken, and gums often recede. The voice appears to be weak, low or cracked, speech is fast with interruptions.

Mental Constitution
Vata people tend to have restless minds with weak memories. They tend to avoid confrontation, have active and sensitive natures and express themselves through sport and creative pursuits. Vata people are likely to be artistic and creative with a good imagination, they will sometimes overindulge in pleasures. They tend to be very sexually active, they are often fearful, worry too much and become anxious. They like to question things, spend a lot of time theorizing and then tend to over analyze situation. Vata people often become dissatisfied with friendships and are unable to sustain them. They can spend money quickly often on unimportant things. Sleep is often light and interrupted with as little as 5-7 hours per day.

PITTA
Physical Constitution
People have a moderately well developed physical body with strong muscles and walk with a definite, medium type of stride. They often have loud, strong and precise voices with the power of conviction. The skin is often fair, soft, lustrous, warm, and tends to burn easily in the sun. Pitta types often have freckles, moles, and a tendency to develop rashes. Their bodies are hot and sweaty. Pittas often are characterized by fine and soft hair, often fair or reddish/ light brown hair that tends to grey early. The face is heart-shaped, often with a pointed chin. The neck is proportionate and of average size. A neat, pointed, and average sized nose matches the average sized eyes that are either light blue, light grey or hazel in color, with an intense luster. The eyes tend to get red in summer or after bathing. The mouth is of a medium size, with average sized lips and medium-sized yellowish teeth.

Mental Constitution
Pittas have an intellectual and precise disposition due to a very alert, focused mind. Sharp and piercing when angry, they are irritable, jealous and aggressive by nature. Discriminating and judgmental, they are also articulate, learned and proud. With a developed sense of responsibility, they can take decisions and organize affairs well. Argumentative, but with a sense of humor, their posses excellent memories which makes them fast learners. Moderately passionate in their sexual pursuits, they spend money moderately, usually on luxuries

KAPHA
Physical Constitution
A thick, broad, well-developed frame and large, long limbs, Kaphas have a pleasant, deep and resonating voice with low, slow, rhythmic speech. The skin is usually thick, oily, pale or white and cold. They have thick, wavy, lustrous hair which is generally brown/black hair. The face is rounded and full. The neck is solid and well formed. A large, rounded nose, eyes are large and attractive and are blue or light brown or blackish in color. The mouth is large with full lips, with large white teeth and strong gums.

Mental Constitution
Kapha people are calm, steady, considerate - stable, patient personalities. They are slow to anger as they are not easily provoked, once angry they do not calm down easily. They are honorable, true to their word and avoid lies. Loyal, forgiving and understanding, they can be lethargic, even lazy at times if not motivated by others. Learning may be slow but the memory will be strong. They are logical thinkers and take time before reaching conclusions. They enjoy long hours of deep sleep and have a strong enduring sex drive which comes naturally to them. While they do save money, it does get spent on food. They can sometimes display an element of dullness and this is due to the Kapha mind being too content to seek external stimulation.

Click on the link below to determine your Ayurvedic Constitution

Ayurvedic Constitution Questionnaire

Ayurvedic Studies is an integral part of all the Yoga Teacher Training and Yoga Studies Courses offered at Hampton Yoga Centre/Victorian Institute of Yoga Education and Teacher Training. Students are instructed in all of the basic principles of Yogic and Ayurvedic Lifestyle management.

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AYURVEDIC DAILY LIFE REGIMES

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