Yoga is Perfect for the Vata Dosha
How Ayurveda helps…
The world has become very busy. It is not uncommon for people to feel overwhelmed and somewhat disconnected with all the big issues and demands of modern life. And yet within us all, there is a very strong desire to feel alive, to feel clarity and belonging, a strong desire to make sense and to feel alignment. To feel in line with our true Nature, our true essence and Beauty.
Many have looked to Yoga as a practise to help. It is almost impossible to walk a yogic path without understanding a little about Ayurveda.
Ayurveda is the ‘knowledge of life’ and provides a framework for life that just ‘makes sense’. This is because we are all made up of the elements (ether, air, fire, water, earth) and a combination of each of these appears in every cell in everything and everyone. When combined, the elements form the doshas and when in balance, we experience good health and when imbalanced we experience dis-ease.
By understanding which dosha is dominant, we can make sense of our characteristics rather than be perplexed or even troubled by them … and cultivate a lifestyle that makes the most of our quirks!
Why is Yoga Perfect for Vata Doshas?
I am Vata – without a doubt, predominantly Vata. This fluctuates a little with the season, my dedication to my practise, my work, where I am geographically, my diet… but my dosha is Vata.
…and for this reason Yoga really suits me. Why? What is it about Yoga that complements / eases / heals my Vata-ness?!
Vata combines the elements of ether and air. It is the dosha associated with movement. Vata regulates all activity within the body – mental and physiological, it is responsible for breathing, heart beating and for the workings of the nervous system.
And it is this airiness, this lightness and freshness that promotes a definite leaning towards happiness and joy in my character. BUT – because of these things, Vata is easily blown off course!
Yoga anchors me. The physical postures are the outward medicine – they free up mobility, they aid the various internal systems that support life and they help me focus, they increase my body awareness and keep me rooted in the ‘Now’.
Pranayama
But the magic of Yoga for me is the breathwork, the internal medicine, the Pranayama.
Prana is the vital energy, the lifeforce. By controlling breath, you can control life. Grounding poses and calm breathing will cultivate stillness. This means everything to a Vata.
Practising yoga, especially immersed in the elements outdoors, helps me to go with the flow. Understanding our dosha in our yoga practise invites us to open to our unique wisdom. Harnessing what Nature so generously supplies helps each of us develop a way of Being that truly resonates with our own, unique Beauty. And then just watch this ripple out – to our friends, our families, our communities and beyond.
It’s almost our duty to take notice and dive right in! Find out your dominant dosha you are with the Tea India Dosha test: