Benefits of combining Yoga and Ayurveda

Yoga and Ayurveda are not separate; they are related healing disciplines from ancient India. There are many benefits benefits combining Yoga Ayurveda as a therapy. Each has its unique place and function and overlap into the other on various levels. Ayurveda is a more recent arrival on the Western scene than Yoga. Up to fifteen years ago knowledge of Ayurveda was confined to a small number of people who knew the greater tradition behind Yoga. Ayurveda has gained growing recognition. It has now emerged as one of the most important systems of mind-body medicine in the world today.

Since disease is the end result of living out of harmony with one's constitution, understanding where a person is out of harmony on the physical, emotional & spiritual levels is the cornerstone of Ayurveda and Yoga Therapy.

As the healing aspect of Yoga continues to develop, its Ayurvedic connections must continue to unfold. This is resulting in a new encounter between the two disciplines, in which each is revitalising the other.

Yoga has developed modern approaches through various forms of bodywork, physical therapy and psychology. Consequently these have arisen primarily from an encounter with modern medicine. Now Ayurveda must also reclaim its traditional medical roots. As well as consider how these fit together in the greater picture of its healing potential.

To read more by David Frawley and Sandra Summerfield Kozak in a book titled 'Yoga for your Type'  click here. 

Everyone should be encouraged to reduce stress & cultivate practices such as yoga, pranayama (breathing), meditation and savasana (relaxation), to encourage peace of mind.

Yoga Ayurveda therapy combined provide life-style recommendations for health, longevity, and disease prevention as well as special methods for rejuvenation of body and mind.

Relieving suffering in body and mind

Both Yoga and Ayurveda work to relieve suffering in both the body and the mind, as well as on subtle levels, whether it is heart disease or anxiety.  The relationship between the two disciplines focus is on external supports like food, herbs and cleansing therapies vs. the focus on internal means such as pranayama, concentration, meditation and samadhi.

They also help improve each other. If you practice yoga, your energy will be more in balance according to the science of Ayurveda. If you practice other areas of Ayurveda — like well balanced nutrition and regular meditation — it will improve your yoga practice.

How Ayurveda views asanas

Asanas are vehicles to create and refresh your energy. They are not fixed forms by themselves that will either increase or decrease a dosha. The same is the view of food. Some tastes are more likely to increase a specific dosha we do need to combine all the tastes, sweet, sour, salty, pungent and astringent to some degree. It is the degree and exertion that varies with each dosha with food and with asana. Similarly each practice should contain all the main types of asanas for strength, flexibility and relaxation.

The body is the foundation of all that we do. It should be strong, healthy and pure, free of toxins with a good immune function, healthy appetite and good capacity for exercise. Yoga has been traditionally taught using the terminology of Ayurveda particularly for explaining the physical impact and help benefits of various asana. Similarly, Ayurveda uses the language of Yoga and its understanding of the mind and the subtle body for the psychological and spiritual dimensions of its healing practices.

Discover more about the benefits of combining Yoga Ayurveda here.

Read our reviews how lives have been changed.