From Kundalini to Power yoga to hot yoga, there are various forms and philosophies of yoga that can help with a variety of ailments and human conditions. Each of these kinds of yoga has its benefits, but not every style of yoga is right for everyone. Some may be looking for daily exercise, while others may require Ayurvedic yoga therapy, which can deeply attend to their individual goals and alleviate their suffering.
An example of yoga therapy that centers on the individual rather than a group is Ayurveda yoga. Incorporating Ayurveda into the healing process may be the key to lasting well-being, but what is Ayurvedic yoga, exactly?
I’m Brandt Passalacqua, the Co-founder, Director, and Lead Teacher at Breathing Deeply. I’ve spent decades practicing, sharing, and teaching Ayurvedic yoga. Keep reading to learn more about what ayurveda is, how it relates to yoga, the research on ayurveda yoga, the conditions it can treat, and how to get started either as a client of a yoga therapist like myself or train to become an Ayurvedic yoga therapist yourself.
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Ayurveda is a traditional Indian system of medicine that has been practiced for over 3,000 years. Its name comes from the Sanskrit words ayur (“life”) and veda (“science”/”knowledge”), or “knowledge of life.”
According to an Ayurvedic model, the universe and all its inhabitants, including humans, are composed of five elemental forces: ether (space), wind, fire, water, and earth. These five elements combine within the human body to form three key life forces, or doshas: vata, kapha, and pitta.
In the view of Ayurveda, the body and mind are interconnected, and the purpose of Ayurvedic practice is to bring about tridoshic balance. Everyone possesses a distinctive combination of doshas, typically with one or two being more prevalent, which dictates your personal health constitution. This means you may need to adopt certain changes in your diet, activities, or lifestyle to achieve greater doshic balance.
What are these three doshas in Ayurveda? They are vata, kapha, and pitta, and they correspond to your physiological, mental, and emotional health.
When the three doshas are in balance, congratulations! You’re in good health, both mentally and physically. However, when your doshas are imbalanced, disease and unhappiness can take root in your life.
Ayurveda yoga, in particular, aims to assist with this balancing of your doshas with a customized program of special postures, meditation, and breathing exercises.
So exactly what is ayurveda yoga, or ayurvedic yoga? Ayurveda is considered the sister science to yoga. According to some views, Ayurveda provides you access to the diagnosis of your ills, while yoga provides the cure.
Yoga exercises help mindfully connect you with your body. Ayurveda encompasses more than just exercises, though; in practice, it represents an entire philosophy of life and living.
When you get right down to it, Ayurveda and yoga are really two sides of the same coin. And Ayurveda yoga, in particular, represents the great intersection of these two ancient sciences of life. In short, Ayurveda yoga practitioners have access to diagnosis and cure in one package, promoting a more holistic approach to your well-being.
More popularized forms of yoga offer a one-size-fits-all approach to wellness. You’re in a room with others, and everyone does the same exercises at the same time. But, since every human being is different, Ayurvedic yoga offers a more specialized practice of yoga. It’s based on your own needs, tailored to correcting your own individual imbalances.
Remember the meaning of “Ayurveda?” It’s “knowledge of life.” As for “yoga,” that comes from the Sanskrit root word yuj, meaning “to join” or “to unite.” Ayurveda yoga is, thus, the holistic union of the knowledge of life and the practices of yoga.
Because Ayurvedic yoga must be personalized by its very nature, it resists the typical group yoga class structure. It requires an experienced practitioner to sit down with a client, assess their doshas, and determine an appropriate treatment. This would include holistic changes to your lifestyle, for example:
To achieve this kind of individualized care, especially if you want to address a particular health concern, you should seek the help of a yoga therapist.
A yoga therapist works one-on-one with a client, using yoga techniques to address specific physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual health issues. An Ayurvedic yoga therapist uses their knowledge of the three doshas to guide clients through yoga practices that fit their clients’ unique physiologies and characteristics.
For instance, what works for someone with a vata imbalance will not work for someone of a pitta nature or a kapha imbalance. Great care must be taken in the approach to dosha-specific asana (movement) and pranayama (breathing) practices.
There are many benefits to ayurvedic yoga therapy, but these are a few of the major ones to keep in mind:
On the whole, Ayurveda yoga can help restore balance and provide great relief for those dealing with many issues. Ayurvedic yoga therapy is a mind-body-spirit approach that can aid in getting in touch with, rather than suppressing, your emotions. Ayurveda offers a path to a happier, healthier, and more physically fit life.
Here are just a few of the scientific findings on Ayurveda and yoga:
As the public becomes more aware of Ayurvedic yoga, I expect to see more studies conducted on it and more evidence of its efficacy.
What other conditions or ailments might really benefit from Ayurveda yoga? As an approach that addresses physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being, Ayurvedic yoga can help with a wide range of conditions.
In my experience, mental health tends to be where Ayurvedic yoga really shines, due to its intrinsically individualized nature. But it can help promote healing for a huge variety of conditions, such as:
If you’re looking to holistically improve your health and well-being, consider our Ayurvedic yoga therapy. Led by myself and a hand-picked group of certified yoga therapists, you’ll receive individualized care online over Zoom. Learn more and fill out a form today to see how we can help.
If you want to become a yoga therapist yourself using an Ayurvedic yoga approach, apply to Breathing Deeply. Whether you have already studied yoga as a yoga teacher or not, we have a path for you to become a qualified yoga therapist online under my direction with our Ayurvedic yoga therapy training. Learn more and apply today to start your journey to help others heal.
Brandt talks about common questions applicants have about the Breathing Deeply Yoga Therapy Program. Tune in to get the full program details.
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