Yoga Exercises and Ayurveda - Adjusting Your Pace of Yoga Exercises and Yoga Breathing For Balance

When you know your Ayurvedic constitution you can make important choices regarding your speed and style of practice of yoga exercises and yoga breathing. While Yoga Exercises means a lot more than physical movement, this focus is on the physical aspect of yoga. The principles given here can be applied both while in the yoga pose, and in day to day living to achieve comfort in the body and a quiet mind.

Let's take 3 key qualities of your body mind according to Ayurveda: strength of body, temperature of body, and stability of mind, and apply these to a yoga pose, the basic standing pose, Tadasana.

Strong Body

If you have thin bones, your constitution might be weaker than someone with a stocky build. You may both look the same holding the pose, yet you'll begin to feel tired sooner. What's happening on the inside is totally different. Focus on your connection with the ground and peacefully refocus whenever the mind wanders.

Those with a stronger body can focus on yoga breathing. Yoga breathing is breathing appropriately, filling the lungs from top to bottom, or bottom to top in restful breathing. Ideally everyone would be practicing yoga breathing while holding the pose; it's the focus of attention that is different.

Stability of Mind

If the mind is dull and lethargic, large upward movement of the arms will stimulate the body mind. While standing in Tadasana, raise arms overhead. You may even create a flow of movement, raising the arms on the inhalation and lowering them on the exhalation.

If on the other hand the mind is very active, pick a spot and focus the eyes on that spot to experience some stability. You may also focus the mind on the connection of the feet with the ground. Another choice is to silently repeat a word like "strength" or "peace" on the exhalation. Choose a word that has the greatest impact for you.

Temperature of Body

Always feeling cold? Build heat with stronger breathing during the yoga pose, especially in the cold seasons. Breathe into chest first, then abdomen second. Pay attention that your breathing is smooth and consistent. Use strong breathing to create heat in the body.

If on the other hand your body temperature tends to be hot, avoid over-heating by breathing bottom up, abdomen first chest second. Or you may breathe top down smoothly, quietly and gently. Relax your effort a bit to experience more coolness and less fire.

Learn more about your body according to Ayurveda and do have a safe practice.

And now, I'd like to invite you to claim your free download of guided relaxation, and information on other healing strategies when you visit http://www.yogatogo.com/ and please sign up for our newsletter for more tips for your healing journey.

From Heather Greaves - The Self Care Expert and Body Therapies Yoga Training.

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Yoga Poses to Balance the Kapha Dosha

The term "dosha" arises from Ayurveda and is translated to mean a person's physical and emotional constitutional nature. There are three doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. An individual is comprised of a combination of these three constitutions. When any one of these doshas is out of balance, an individual can experience disease and a general sense of being unwell physically and/or mentally. Both the systems of Ayurveda and Yoga help to balance each dosha for optimal health. Ayurvedic doctors will recommend a combination of Yoga exercises, daily massage, dietary guidelines and herbal medicines to restore a healthy balance and rejuvenate a Yogi or Yogini's overall sense of well-being.

Physically, an individual whose primary dosha is Kapha in nature will have thick hair, glowing skin and large eyes. He or she will also generally sleep regularly and have steady digestion. Emotionally, Kaphas are reputed to be loving, loyal, thoughtful, supportive, steady and kind. Kapha individuals do well with routine. When a Kapha individual is out of balance, he or she may become lethargic and too weighted down with possessions, jobs and relationships that have long outlived their usefulness. Kaphas can be very stubborn and resistant to change, which may prevent the individual from really creating the life of his or her dreams. Kapha individuals are often prone to low energy levels and depression.

Yoga poses that help to balance and invigorate an individual whose constitution is primarily Kapha in nature are vigorous standing poses, backbends, arm balances and practices employing ashtanga-based Yoga sequences. When a Kapha dosha person is out of balance, his or her energy may become stagnant. Practicing Yoga asanas and breathing exercises that generate heat and increase circulation throughout the entire body will help to dissipate the lethargy that Kapha individuals often experience.

Before practicing vigorous standing Yoga poses, backbends or arm balances, it is imperative that a Yogi or Yogini warm-up with several rounds of Sun Salutations, preferably while practicing Ujjayi breathing. There are many online sources that offer detailed descriptions of a variety of Sun Salutations including both Surya Namaskar A and B. After warming up well, a Kapha individual may want to focus on flowing from one pose to the next through a challenging vinyasa practice. Linking the poses together through a vinyasa sequence while practicing Ujjayi breathing will invigorate the entire body, helping to enliven and balance both the body and mind of an individual whose primary dosha is Kapha.

© Copyright 2011 - Aura Wellness Center - Publications Division

Faye Martins, is a Yoga teacher and a graduate of the Yoga teacher training program at: Aura Wellness Center in, Attleboro, MA. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/

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