Yoga for Your Dosa
Ayurveda and Yoga are sister sciences. Ayurveda works with diet, lifestyle, herbs and treatments. In Ayurveda, Yoga can be applied prescriptively but is also used as part of a daily lifestyle to maintain or create balance. The modern world of Yoga is extremely varied. You can take a Yin or Restorative class in the same studio as a Hot Vinyasa class. How do you what type of Yoga is right for your body, mind, senses and spirit? In its classic texts, Ayurveda outlines which forms of exercise are appropriate for each of the three dosas. These recommendations change depending on a person’s strength or illness and with the seasons and climates.
Yes, Yoga can be an exercise, but it is so much more. A good Yoga practice should increase circulation, but should also calm the mind and nervous system. It should not increase rajas, which will stimulate the mind. Some of the popular western forms of Yoga are really rajasic and more exercise than Yoga.
If Your Main Dosa Is Vata
Vata is air + space elements. Vatas should do gentle exercise. Because Vata rules over all movement in the body, Vatas need gentle movement to calm their nervous systems down. This dosa is dry and cold so Vatas need a gentle heating practice that lubricates all the joints. Vata does well with slow repetitive movements which are grounding. A practice that maintains flexibility without over-stretching is good for balancing this dosa. Hip openers, squats and standing poses are great for Vata dosa as its main sites are the colon, hips and waist. Slow mediative practices are good for balancing Vata, although Vatas need some fluid movement at first to be able to focus.
Vatas should avoid Vinyasa Yoga, Hot Yoga, Yoga classes with stimulating or loud music and excessive exercise as this will imbalance them. A Gentle Flow (Vinyasa) class, Moderate or Gentle Yoga is more balancing for Vatas. Restorative Yoga is great if Vata is out of balance.
If Your Main Dosa Is Pitta
Pitta is fire + water. Pittas should do moderate and non-competitive exercise with rest between poses. A Pitta student will enjoy knowledgeable teachers who appeal to their intellect. This dosa needs a cooling and playful practice to pacify the hot quality of fire. Pittas should practice to 80% of their capacity. They should be careful not to turn their practice into a strong workout. As with Vata, a practice for Pitta needs to emphasize mediation and relaxation. Pittas should follow limit the amount of heating poses they do and emphasize cooling poses. Good poses to do are twists, gentle backbends like fish or low cobra and forward bends. Pitta’s main sites are balanced through these poses.
Pittas should avoid Strong Vinyasa, Hot Yoga and competitive classes.
If Your Main Dosa Is Kapha
Kapha is earth + water. Kaphas should be do a more vigorous, heating and buoyant practice. They need to sweat and exert themselves even though they probably will not want to. Kaphas do well with standing poses, vinyasa and backbends. The seat of Kapha is in the lungs and chest, so opening these areas are Kapha balancing.
Kaphas should avoid sedentary practices like Yin and Restorative Yoga.
“Strong persons, and those habituated to a fat rich diet can do a daily practice of exercise up to half of their capacity in cold seasons like Winter & Spring. During rest of the seasons, exercise can be executed with mild to moderate strength.” [A.H.Sutra Sthana-2/11-12] [Su.Sa.Chikitsa Sthana-24/45-46]