Ayurveda looks at everything we do as either taking us toward or away from balance. It only makes sense that your yoga practice be in alignment with what you actually need on any given day.

How do you know what you need? In Ayurveda the most basic principle of healing is:

Like attracts like, opposites create balance.

(Listen to the podcast episode  or download the free self-inquiry worksheet to learn more about how you can understand and apply this principle to your life)

Everything is nature is made up of the five elements. We are a part of nature so we have the elements within us.

Ether (space) * Air (wind)  * Fire * Water * Earth

They combine to form the three doshas.

Ether + Air = Vata

Fire + Water = Pitta

Earth + Water = Kapha

We were all born with a certain combination of all three doshas. This is called your prakriti, or constitution. Separately, we all have the state of balance that’s currently happening now in our bodies. This is called your vikriti. It could be the same as the way you were born, but it doesn’t have to be.

A current imbalance is actually what Ayurveda is referring to when making suggestions for you dosha.

For the purpose of tailoring your yoga practice, you can assume that the dosha recommendations are referring to what’s happening right now in your body.

Some things that might affect your current imbalance or dosha: the season, the weather for the day, your age, the stage of life you are in, your work schedule, your exercise routine, really anything and everything.

Download the Modern Day Dosha Quiz if you would like to learn more about the way you've always been and what's happening now.

Now that you know the basics, you can begin to make choices around your yoga practice based on what would bring you into balance.

For elevated vata dosha:

• Focus on foundation and grounding down
• Imagine moving through warm water or mud
• From your skin, to your muscles to your bones, HUG IN
• Strengthen but don’t deplete yourself
• Gaze out or down
• Try the mantra: all is well
• Use imagery meditations on water or earth
• Enjoy the tactile sensation of the earth element with wooden or stone Mala beads

For elevated pitta dosha:

• Have fun!
• Soften your gaze down or try closing your eyes
• Allow creativity and freedom
• Work at 80% effort
• Less is more
• Use your exhale to release anything you don’t need
• Try the mantra: Om Shanti
• Meditate on breath
• Focus on softening

For elevated kapha dosha:

• Practice with more intensity
• Gaze up
• Cultivate lightness
• Keep moving
• Create flow
• Pay attention to alignment
• Try the mantra: let go
• Meditate on inner light
• Get moving with a walking meditation

How do you adjust your yoga practice so that it balances you?

Are you a yoga teacher? Would you like to learn more about how you can tailor your classes according to your students' doshas?

The Simple Ayurveda School offers  self-paced courses for Yoga Teachers.