Ayurveda and yoga are sister Vedic sciences that have been together for thousands of years for the sake of healing the body, mind, and consciousness. Generally speaking, Ayurveda is more concerned with the health of the body, while yoga is concerned with purifying the mind and consciousness, but they actually complement and embrace each other.

The ancient rishis (seers) were the original teachers of all the Vedic sciences. They understood that good health is a great asset on the path to self-realization. If the body is neglected, it can easily become an obstacle to spiritual practice. Anyone who has practiced meditation for a period of time would agree how difficult it can be to sit for long periods of time without feeling discomfort and fatigue. Both yoga and Ayurveda are mutually supportive and offer many ways to prevent and cure various disorders, as well as to cleanse and rejuvenate the body.

In addition to sharing a philosophical foundation, both systems have many similarities regarding attitude, nutrition, diet, hygiene, exercise, cleaning practices, and spiritual practices. Traditionally, a yoga student first lived close to the guru and served him for many years, during which he would learn healthy habits. The basic Ayurvedic principles for health and longevity were passed down in the lineage orally to serve as the basis for a life of sadhana (spiritual practice).

Today, the teachings of yoga are readily available to everyone, and whether we are ready or not, we can jump right into its practice. This has its blessings, in the sense that more people can turn to the teachings, although many times much is lost without the parampara, or a close guide at the feet of an accomplished teacher. With this in mind, modern yoga practitioners would undoubtedly benefit from a basic understanding of Ayurveda to help establish a healthy daily routine and adjust their practice according to constitution, dosha imbalance, season, etc., to prevent disease and promote longevity.

First, let’s take a look at the similarities between yoga and Ayurveda:

* Both are ancient Vedic teachings. Yoga originates from the Yajur Veda, while Ayurveda originates from the Atharva Veda and the Rig Veda.

* Both recognize that keeping the body healthy is vital to fulfilling the four goals of life: Dharma (duty), Artha (wealth), Kama (desire) and Moksha (liberation).

* Both recognize that the balance of doshas (humors), dhatus (tissues), and bad (waste products) is essential for maintaining good health.

* Both share virtually the same metaphysical anatomy and physiology, consisting of 72,000 nadis (subtle channels), 7 main chakras (energy centers), 5 body sheaths, and Kundalini Shakti (energy).

* Both advocate the use of diet, herbs, asana, pranayama, meditation, mantra, astrology, prayer, puja, and rituals to heal the whole being.

* Both promote physical health as a good foundation for mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

* Both share the same vision of psychology. Ayurveda encompasses the six major schools of philosophy, including the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and Vedanta (a non-dual spiritual and philosophical path). They both understand that attachment to the mind-body complex is the root cause of all suffering and that the ultimate state of health is experienced when we remain in our true nature, which is total peace, regardless of the state of the physical body.

* Both use cleansing methods for the body, all of which encourage the elimination of waste products and toxins through their natural routes of elimination. Ayurveda has panchakarma (five cleansing actions) and yoga uses Shat Karma (six cleansing measures).

Ayurvedic Approach to Asana Practice

The use of asana, pranayama and meditation for healing is known as Yoga Chikitsa or Yoga Therapy and has been used for thousands of years by Ayurvedic and Yogic adepts. At Yoga Chikitsa, a group of yogic exercises are chosen that will best support the individual and are practiced on a daily basis. This can be done over an extended period of time in conjunction with an Ayurvedic regimen and herbal and dietary therapies. Yoga Chikitsa also plays an integral role in the Ayurvedic cleansing and rejuvenation process known as panchakarma.

For a well-balanced personal yoga practice, it is important to take into account the individual’s body structure, prakruti (original constitution) and vikruti (current constitutional imbalance). The following are general recommendations according to the predominant dosha.

Vata-dominant individuals should remember to focus on calming down, grounding, calming, strengthening, and balancing while practicing.

Precautions for vata:

* Vinyasa or fluid yoga styles tend to move too quickly from one pose to the next and can aggravate the hypermobile quality of vata over time. Flow sequences can be made more vata-calming if they are not excessively long, the amount of time poses are extended, and transitions are made slowly and consciously.

* Those with lower back problems may find that bending the knees when standing forward can prevent discomfort.

* Backbends should be done slowly, carefully, and within your limits.

Pitta individuals must maintain a calm, cool, and relaxed intention while doing asanas. Pitta types can benefit from trying to cultivate an attitude of forgiveness and giving or offering the fruits of their practice to the divine of those in need of positive healing energy. Because the practice of asanas tends to generate heat in the body, it is best to perform them in the cooler times of the day, such as dawn or dusk. In addition, it is helpful to put some emphasis on postures that help release excess heat from the body, such as postures that compress the solar plexus and postures that open the chest.

Kapha types tend to be sedentary and often dislike vigorous exercise. For this reason, your practice should be energetic, warm, soothing, and stimulating, provided you are physically capable. Vinyasa or fluid style yoga is good for kapha because it is dynamic and moves quickly from one pose to the next, induces sweating and makes the heart beat.

Yoga poses that address specific doshic problems can easily be added to an Ayurvedic regimen and integrated into an existing yoga routine, or can be arranged as a small session with the help of an Ayurvedic practitioner who knows each individual case well and can help. to configure a well balanced program according to the needs of each client.

Ayurveda also offers Yoga Chikitsa, or Yoga Therapy, for specific dosage disorders. It is recommended to consult an Ayurvedic doctor for an individualized regimen.

Ayurvedic approach to Pranayama (breathing techniques).

The ultimate goal of pranayama is to calm the mind and prepare it for meditation. It also has a therapeutic effect on the physical body. It is not essential to do a pranayama practice according to the dosha, but knowing its effects on the body is a valuable tool for managing the doshas. Below is a general list of pranayama and bandha exercises according to the dosha.

Vata: Nadi Shodhana, Kapala Bhati, Agnisara Dhauti, Ujjayi, Tri Bandha, Maha Mudra.

Pitta: Sheetali or Sitkari, Nadi shodhana.

Kapha: Bastrika, Agnisara Dhauti, Kapala Bhati, Ashvini Mudra (hiring and releasing Mula Bandha), Ashvini Mudra, Ujjayi, Tri Bandha, Maha Mudra.

Furthermore, the Four Purifications taught in our workshops is an ancient method of Ashtanga Yoga to purify the gross and subtle body in order to prepare it for more advanced practices. They are tridoshicos and safe for everyone, as long as they are done correctly.

Meditation according to Dosha.

Any of your prakruti can practice these spiritual paths and their meditation techniques. This list is only intended to give an idea of ​​how the dosha can support or influence one’s spiritual practice. Many yoga traditions combine various aspects of the paths listed here.

* Vata: Kriya Yoga or Ashtanga Yoga and other structured techniques help keep Vata stabilized and focused.

* Pitta: Jnana Yoga and Vedanta are good for pitta types because they often have a sharp intellect and a great interest in studying themselves (Atma-vichara).

* Kapha: Bhakti yoga is natural for kapha types because they are often loving and devotional in nature.

Ayurvedic and yogic diet.

Ayurveda is more concerned with food being constitutionally balanced, while Yoga promotes a sattvic (light and pure) diet. A combination of both aspects is the best option for a yogi or anyone who wants to really progress on a spiritual path.

Ayurvedic diet:

* According to dosha.

* Mainly vegetarian (meat is used as medicine, mainly for extreme deficiencies).

* Mainly cooked (raw food in moderation, especially for vata types).

* Contains six flavors.

Yogic diet:

* Sattvic vegetarian diet.

* Easy to digest.

* Simple meals (to limit the desire).

* Both cooked and raw.

* Foods recommended in Hatha Yoga Pradipika consist of rejuvenating substances such as wheat, whole grains, white basmati, corn, raw milk, raw sugar, butter, ghee, honey, dried ginger, mung beans, plain water, vegetables.

* Fruits, roots and nuts.

* Avoid excess hot, acidic, salty, fermented and fried foods.

* Avoid tamasic (opaque) foods such as meat, onions, garlic and mushrooms as a regular part of the daily diet.

Cleaning in Yoga and Ayurveda.

Both Ayurveda and Yoga emphasize cleansing the body for health and supporting spiritual practices. Their methods are similar and work by expelling excess dosha and ama, or toxins, using the body’s natural routes of elimination.

The yogic method is known in the Ashtanga tradition as Shat Karma, or six cleansing measures. These are:

1. Neti (nasal cleansing):

Jala neti (rinsing the sinuses with salt water).

Sutra neti (nasal flossing).

2. Dhauti (washing of the gastrointestinal tract).

Teeth, tongue, eyes, ears and forehead.

Agnisara Dhauti.

Vamana Dhauti (vomiting salt water).

Vastra Dhauti (wash with a cloth).

Varisara Dhauti (wash with water to purge).

3. Basti (enema).

4. Trataka (washing from the front, contemplating the flame of a candle).

5. Nauli (intestinal lavage, abdominal rocking).

6. Kapala Bhati (shiny skull).

The Ayurvedic method for cleansing and rejuvenation is known as panchakarma (pancha karma) or five cleansing actions. This program is usually done for a week or two, but it can also be done for longer periods depending on the case. The five actions of this method are:

1. Basti (Enema).

2. Nasya (nasal application of herbs and herbal oils).

3. Vamana (therapeutic vomiting).

4. Virechana (Purgation).

5. Rakta Moksha (Blood).

It is obvious that Ayurveda and yoga not only complement each other. In reality, both sciences embrace, as they share similarities and fundamental principles on many levels. Ayurveda and yoga must go hand in hand if we are to achieve optimal health, peace and longevity.