Ayurveda and Heart Wellness
Ayurveda and Heart Wellness
Yoga teachers know first-hand that Ayurveda is a whole-body system of wellness and longevity based on the balance between mind, spirit, and body. Ayurveda seeks not to cure disease but to promote wellness and overall health. Ayurveda has guided meaningful change in the lives of practitioners for over 3,000 years.
Just in time for Prema Yoga Institute’s upcoming Yoga Therapeutics Essentials course (which features an “Introduction to Ayurveda and One-on-One Yoga”), we will take a closer look at ayurveda and heart wellness in today’s blog.
A brief overview of Ayurveda
Ayurvedic beliefs center around the connection between everything in the universe, regardless of life or lack of energy. Five elements in the universe create these connections - air, fire, water, space, and earth. These five elements combine to create three doshas within the body - the energetic life forces within. Everyone has three doshas - kapha, pitta, and vata - in varying degrees of balance. It is usual for one dosha to be dominant to the others.
When the body's natural balance is disrupted, the body has a logical unease. Ayurveda believes that doshas correlate to bodily functions, and illness results from an imbalance in the doshas. Injuries, sickness, seasons, a poor diet, inappropriate exercise, and aging disrupt this balance.
Ayruvedic principles and the heart
The human heart is the center of the body - physically and spiritually. Heart wellness requires sustaining the emotional health and physical health of this life-giving organ.
The heart is the hub of the doshas, and the ojas - the core of immune functions and liveliness. Additionally, srotamsi transverse the heart. These internal channels of waste, energy, sensations, and nutrients also transport blood throughout the body. The body's nadis also integrate through the heart. Nadis are energy paths of the subtle human body that move prana, or life-force energy, throughout.
The heart is also the anahata chakra. This chakra is the energy center for forgiveness, love, and understanding. The heart is truy the center of the body and spirit, and maintaining the heart's vitality is central to life.
Heart wellness with Ayurveda
Yoga teachers with advanced training know that Ayurveda is a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and can exist parallel with modern health care treatments and practices.
To enhance heart wellness, yoga teachers often train to instruct clients to focus on these general principles of Ayurveda:
stress reduction
health via diet
proper and fulfilling sleep
appropriate exercise
creating worthwhile schedules and habits
When the body and mind have a routine and schedule, there is a certainty to the day, and priorities for healing and health will be honored. The daily schedule will address the diet, rest, exercise, and meditative activities that improve the quality of life and incorporate actions that influence positive heart wellness. One’s particular routine should align with her unique doshas. When all of these actions in a schedule align, the body comes into balance.
Ayurveda also suggests that sleep be regular, and one should awaken close to sunrise. Our natural sleep cycles align with nightfall. One’s morning routine should include self-care rituals including voiding the bladder and bowels, practicing dental hygiene, and attending to the skin and sinuses. Using oils for skin health and neti pots for nasal cleansing are suggested.
Incorporating pranayama, movement, and centering meditation into the day is encouraged. All three yoga activities will promote physical and emotional well-being and actively reduce everyday stresses.
Ayurveda also includes the daily consumption of healthy foods. One’s dosha may influence the types of foods and drink that suit a person best. Eating to honor a kapha dosha involves vegetarian meals, the pitta dosha benefits from an alkalizing diet, and the vata dosha enjoys a diet free from sugars.
Dive deeper into Ayurveda and Heart Wellness
Ayurveda is a time-honored and holistic approach to cardiac wellness. With the proper training, there is room in everyday life and modern health care to incorporate these Ayruvedic principles and practices seamlessly with many health treatments.
As a yoga teacher, pursuing advanced teacher training in Ayurveda will is essential. To learn more about this topic, reach out to us at PremaYogaInstitute.com and we will be happy to help! Also, we’d love for you to consider enrolling in our next Online and RYT Accredited course below:
In fact – you’re invited to enroll in our upcoming Yoga Therapeutics Essentials program, which includes:
Introduction to Ayurveda and One-on-One Yoga
Exploring the doshas (body/personality types) as inspiration in practice and teaching.
Adjusting the yoga practice for time of year, time of day, and time of life.
Bringing your practice off the mat in a practical, holistic way.
Using intake to personalize the yoga practice for your clients.
Yoga Therapeutics Essentials program format features:
Convenient self study hours
3 weeks of meaningful live hours with your faculty and cohort
Option to complete online or in person for selected hours at Pure Yoga in New York City
In-person registrants receive one month of complimentary yoga classes at Pure Yoga through February (for non-members only)
LEARN MORE AT: PREMAYOGAINSTITUTE.COM
Prema Yoga Institute is longer limited to New York City and is now available online with interactive trainings through 2022. PYI is an accredited program based in New York city, teaching students around the globe through online classes. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you advance your yoga practice and teaching!
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