14/02/2022
According to Ayurveda we are made up of the 5 elements (earth, water, fire, air and ether/space), which are expressed in 3 Doshas (Kapha, Pitta and Vata). Kapha is water contained in earth, Pitta is fire contained in water and Vata is air contained in ether/space.
Each Dosha is characterized by certain physical and mental characteristics. Every person has a unique combination of the 3 Doshas, thus a unique physical and metal constitution, our Natural Consitution, which is given to us at conception and will remain for life. This is called Prakriti. Prakriti is how we are, and in this constitution we are balanced, the Doshas are balanced. When this happens we feel good, there is no disease and our Spirit can shine.
However, due to different factors like diet, lifestyle, time of year, of life, etc, fluctuations in our Prakriti may take place, bringing the Doshas out of balance. This current unbalanced state of the Doshas is called Vikriti.
When any of the Doshas is out of balance, in particular when they are too high, this may lead to different symptoms and even desease. One way to rebalance the Doshas is through our lifestyle and in particular through our Yoga practice.
For that we can manage the Gunas (our mental and spiritual constitution), which we can change at any time, and follow a Sattvic lifestyle/Yoga practice, by being fully aware of which Asanas we choose, on how we practice them, being fully focused on the Breath and our Drishti.
Each Dosha shows up with different symptoms and deseases when it is out of balance and it needs different types of Yoga practice to help it return to balance.
This week we will focus our practice in re-balancing the Kapha Dosha, both in our Yang and Yin weekly practices. The following week we will deal with Pitta and the week after with Vata Doshas. In all the practices we will use Asana, Pranayama as well as Meditation practices specific for re-balancing each of the 3 Doshas.
