How to Practice Yoga Through an Ayurvedic Lens

An introduction to determining your dosha.

As an Amazon Associate, Breathe Together Yoga earns from qualifying purchases.

ayurveda pulse

We come to the yoga mat seeking all kinds of things: balance, exercise, stress relief, and more. What brought you to the mat the first time? What brings you to the mat today? When I first began practicing yoga, it was to heal low back pain. I was a 21-year-old athlete who noticed significant pain while skiing. I’ll admit that I’d been testing the limits of my body for years with dance, skiing, water sports, running, and mountain biking. I didn’t think that feeling older than my age with a painful back felt particularly beneficial or normal, though I had seen my active mom struggle with lower back pain for years to the point where the pain would limit her activities.  

In the early 2000s, I started skipping ski mornings for a yoga class twice a week. In about three months, I felt more ease in my body than I’d know up to that point. Back pain brought me to yoga, which was a catalyst into a holistic lifestyle. A few years later, I brought the sister science of yoga, Ayurveda, into my practice. These days, my yoga practice is catered to my personal constitution via the holistic lens of Ayurveda, which links practice to seasonal, daily, and life cycles. 

Ayurveda is a holistic system of living and healing with roots in ancient India. Some scholars believe that it is one of the oldest recorded medical practices. In Sanskrit, a​yuh​ means “life” or “living,” and veda​ means “knowledge” or “science.” Ayurveda is translated as “the science of life” and is a body of knowledge applied to nature, especially as it relates to human life. Ayurveda is the practice of living and being in harmony with both external and internal environments with respect to health, healing, disease management, and the emotional balance of joy, sorrow, pleasure, and pain. When used properly, Ayurveda is a science that heals and maintains both quality of life and longevity.

Ayurveda utilizes a wide variety of therapies (physical, psychological, spiritual, and herbal) and rejuvenates its practitioner by restoring balance on the microscopic and macroscopic levels. A medicine that combines art with science, Ayurveda emphasizes prevention of disease over curing disease, as well as treating the root cause rather than the symptoms. As with many forms of holistic medicine, the process of Ayurvedic healing is more of a slow simmer than a rapid boil.

Ayurveda was designed for those who want to enjoy the world in good health. Its practice is composed of routines, dietary guidance, and therapeutic techniques designed to maintain optimal functioning. It fosters emotional and spiritual balance between the individual and their environment, with a focus on attuning to and living in cooperation with nature and the natural cycles of the universe. When we directly attune with natural cycles, even simply linking our breath with movement on our yoga mats, it’s important to consider when the most appropriate and beneficial times are for each of us, individually. And, just as with our body shapes and structures, each person has a unique constitution, or dosha, and therefore different ways to harmonize. In this series, I’ll be diving into the three different dosha types – vata, pitta, and kapha – so you might start to consider what yours is (and how to find balance). Stay tuned for my next article all about the vata constitution.

Picture of Bridget Puchalsky

Bridget Puchalsky

Bridget found yoga through a long-ago bout with lower back tension from skiing and biking. It led to a passion for teaching that influenced her career path as an acupuncturist and Ayurveda practitioner. In addition to being a yogini and healing facilitator, Bridget is a listener, herbalist, adventurer, nature love, and environmental protector. She is a Board Licensed Acupuncturist, Master Herbalist, Certified Ayurveda Practitioner, L.Ac. MTCM, Registered E-RYT, and 500 Yoga Instructor.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Shine Your Way to Firefly | Izumi Sato

We aim to improve the flexibility of hamstrings and shoulders, as well as the strength in the arms, thigh adductors, and the core. Variations are offered to develop the sense of balance on the arms. It is an exploration of your own expression in Firefly, whatever stage of life you’re in.

Introduction to the Buddhist Mudras | Izumi Sato

Mudras are highly stylized and symbolized as non-verbal communication. In this introduction to the Buddhist mudras, we will learn five Buddhist mudras and the mudras of the five wisdoms, or five Buddhas. After learning the forms and meanings of the mudras, it’s fun to observe the arts such as Buddha sculptures and paintings.

Chanting Gayatri Mantra With Mudras | Izumi Sato

In this mantra, the 24 Mudras are practiced while chanting the Gayatri Mantra which has 24 syllables. Gayatri Mantra is dedicated to Savitri, a Vedic sun deity. Among various translations of the mantra, I introduce the first line by Tias Little and the rest of the lines by Swami Vivekananda.

How Mindfulness Can Help You Navigate Social Media

Now that social media has become an extension of our own communities, a lot of negative perspectives and habits have made their way from the digital world to our real one. By becoming aware of your emotions and actions, you can get past the bad side of social media and enjoy the company of your social circle.

BREATHE TOGETHER | Fiji

On this Fiji yoga retreat adventure you’ll find yourself in one of Nature’s most luxurious settings. You’ll revel in natural beauty, learn about local culture and explore marine and mangrove biodiversity—all with a daily dose of world renowned Fijian hospitality.

Joy of Yin | Dana Schwartz

Discover JOY by following this slower paced, thoughtfully curated asana flow. This is my curated approach to moving into, staying in, and moving out of longer held poses to promote experiences of grace and peace. Incorporating slow movements that encourage your body to calm and open into receptivity. We’ll use props to assist the process of deepening the opening. I provide guidance through breath practices to enhance the overall Yin experience. Lastly, cues in each posture will serve to assist your breath in finding the calmest ports of call.