Four Part Ayurvedic Series:Part Two: Connecting the Dots Between Ayurveda + Yoga

Four Part Ayurvedic Series:

Part Two: Connecting the Dots Between Ayurveda + Yoga

Written by Imani J. Mitchell

Welcome back to Part Two of our Ayurvedic Series! If you're new here, please catch up with Part One first. In this post, we'll dive into the connection between Ayurveda and yoga, exploring how to intertwine the wisdom of Ayurveda with our yoga practices to achieve balance. I’ll also share my experience of unknowingly incorporating Ayurveda into my yogic living at The Sanctuary of the Brown Girl Yoga Tribe with all of you.

Let’s go back in time a bit to connect the dots. Over 5,000 years ago, Ayurveda and Yoga were born from the same ancient science known as Vedic knowledge. This ancient science has been studied and passed down over time to help individuals expand their consciousness and discover their inner truth, as well as their purpose during their lifetime. Each respective practice serves as a guide inward and upward. When applied simultaneously, they pave the way for infinite growth that extends beyond the physical benefits of yoga.

By now, I hope you've taken the Dosha identifier quiz. If not, please follow this link. Based on the results you received from your identifier quiz, you are perfectly positioned to create a lifestyle that incorporates the wisdom of Ayurveda, especially in your yoga practice. The main idea is to understand the key characteristics of each dosha – Vata, Pitta, and Kapha – and then apply methods that possess opposite characteristics to bring forth balance. I want to stress that as you're reading, if a particular imbalance stands out to you, this is NOT an opportunity to judge or criticize yourself. Instead, it's an invitation to pause, draw closer to yourself through introspection, and absorb the knowledge that can harmonize your life.

Connecting Ayurveda + Yoga

First up is Vata. As we learned in Part One, Vata is composed of air and ether elements. In its optimal state, one experiences great joy, tends to be flexible throughout life's constant changes, and expands consciously. On the opposing end of the spectrum, manifestations of an imbalance in Vata can include excessive worrying, muscle spasms, dehydrated skin, scattered feelings, possible bloating, and/or among others. When cultivating your yoga practice to balance out your Vata, it's crucial to complete several rounds of poses at a slower and steadier pace, practice grounding poses (e.g., Mountain, Warrior I + II), focus on increasing your inhalations, stay warm through deep breaths or blankets, avoid overdoing it, and conclude your practice with an extended rest period in Savasana. Some additional poses to include in your practice are Cat-Cow, Child’s, Cobra, Supine Twist, and Seated Forward Fold.

Next, let's explore Pitta, which embodies the characteristics of fire and water. When Pitta is in balance, it brings forth great courage, clarity, understanding, and intelligence. Signs of an imbalanced Pitta can include issues like burning digestion, impatience, criticism, excessive perfectionist tendencies, red or dehydrated eyes, nausea, and/or loose stools. If these signs resonate with you, the goal here is to counteract them with more jovial practices. For example, grant yourself permission to take your practice less seriously and embrace poses that bring laughter or a smile to your face. Avoid practicing in hot environments, use your exhalations to release stress or anger, incorporate more spinal twists and side body stretches, and perhaps most importantly, speak kindly to yourself. A few poses to consider adding to your flows include Revolved Chair, Standing Forward Fold, Side Angle, Moon Salutation, and Half-Boat.

Lastly, the energy of Kapha consists of water and earth. This dosha governs one's ability to feel stabilized and grounded but also aids in one's growth and expansion. When facing an imbalance here, one might feel less motivated, sluggish, prone to sleeping for extended periods, has a tendency to overeat or eat out of emotion, and/or feel mentally and physically weighed down. To achieve equilibrium in this dosha, it is vital to intensify your yoga practice. In contrast to Vata and Pitta, your practice should be more vigorous and intense. This involves challenging yourself with longer holds and poses that generate internal heat, such as Chair, Warrior II, and Downward Dog. Additionally, practicing in warm environments can help ignite your practice externally. Think of this process as if you were training for a marathon. Every movement should be intentional, focusing on form and alignment, and maintaining constant motion with minimal resting poses. You're taking back control of your life—mind, body, and spirit—through an assertive yoga practice. Personally, this hits home for me because I currently feel weighed down, unmotivated, and eager to sleep longer than I need to. The key here is to NOT give up (as I’m saying this to you all, I’m saying it to myself as well). It might be tough and challenging, but that's okay because we can overcome difficult challenges. The rewards we'll reap on the other side will be worth it! If this imbalance resonated with you as well, consider adding Reverse Warrior, Cow Face, Side Plank, Bow, and Breath of Joy to your practice. I recently discovered the Breath of Joy breathing technique and it's a great way to break up stagnant energy.

If you’ve read through the aforementioned paragraphs and realize that two or more of your doshas are out of balance, don’t fret. Instead, trace your symptoms back to the root. For example, if a hectic schedule is causing you to feel anxious and imbalances your Vata, which subsequently leads to emotional eating or overeating, causing an imbalance in Kapha, it’s imperative to start by balancing out your Vata dosha first. Then, focus on addressing Kapha. You can also research ways to simultaneously work on achieving balance in both or multiple doshas.

However, regardless of where you're experiencing an imbalance in your life, it is up to you to make an intentional effort to create a different reality for yourself, and you’re both capable and well equipped to do so. In the next section I’ll discuss my experience of incorporating Ayurveda into my time at The Sanctuary.

Yogic/Ayurvedic Living at The Sanctuary

In August I had the privilege of doing a Yogic Living work exchange at The Sanctuary. Now, I want to preface this portion by saying: although I am a yoga teacher and a life-long student, oftentimes when I’m practicing, I’m practicing with the intent of perfecting my craft as a teacher. As opposed to approaching my practice from a student’s perspective ready to receive. I also don’t typically practice daily, and the time of day varies when I do. Now back to The Sanctuary. Prior to arriving, I had a good idea of what each day would be like and I knew there’d be lots of yoga’ing going on, but you know you don’t really know something until you experience it. During my stay, I had my first experience of Ayurveda and yogic living. Each person that was a part of the yogic living program was prompted to follow a schedule that outlined set times to practice yoga, eat, learn, observe a mindfulness walk, etc. Which is in alignment with the studies of Ayurveda. Based on Ayurveda guidelines, developing and following a daily routine is one of the most important things to improving your overall health and well-being.

Initially, I expected that on the weekends we’d forgo the practice. But to my surprise, that was not the plan, the schedule was set for Monday through Sunday, and it was absolutely amazing. Although yoga has become glamorized in Western culture as a great way to stay limber and in shape, its depth extends beyond the physical. Yoga is a spiritual practice that unifies our minds, bodies, and spirits. It offers us a beautiful opportunity to expand our consciousness, develop stronger relationships with ourselves (and others), on top of creating openness and strength in the physical body.

Including yoga in your daily routine is the perfect moment to ground and nourish yourself each day. To intentionally carve out time daily to experience such a gift as such is one of the biggest blessings each of us can provide to ourselves. To sweeten the journey, when we add in the knowledge of our respective doshas, we can curate routines and yoga practices that seek to empower us and provide us with the best quality of life.

I leave you with an invitation. I cordially invite you to create the life of your dreams through intentionality and routine, that includes yoga of course. And expect greatness on the opposite end.

Until next time.