Ayurveda + Yoga.

These are ancient, related practices that originated from the Indus Valley Civilization (now Northeast Afganistan, Pakistan, Western and North-Western India) circa 3300-1900 BCE. These practices predate Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and many other religions, and are designed to address the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of wellness of all humans.

Ayurveda is more of a science, in that it addresses the way the world works and what is healthy for us on a physical level. It considers that each of us has our own unique needs. To bring ourselves into a state of balance, where all the systems in the body can function easily, we each need different things from our nutrition, exercise, daily routine, and activities. Once we understand who we are (prakruti or dosha) and what is out of balance in our lives (vikruti), we can focus on making small imperfect changes over time for sustainable improvement towards health. In a world where most medical services are focused on problem-solving, Ayurveda is more concerned with avoiding problems before they happen. Because the mind and body are inseparable, Ayurveda also acknowledges our unique way of thinking and experiencing and how to bring this into balance as well.

Yoga is more of a practice that addresses the mental and spiritual levels of health from an individual and community perspective. The eight-limbed path of yoga is practiced in order to reach samadhi (bliss) or union (yoga means ‘to yoke). Each limb develops a different skill (or skills) that builds upon the one before:

The yama (ethics) and niyama (inner morals) provide a foundation of understanding healthy ways of being and interacting with ourselves and others.

Asana (seated poses) are physical postures that promote the ability to feel prana (primordial life energy) flow within the body, self-study of the mind and body, and prepare us for a feeling of stability and ease in meditation. Originally only comprised of seated poses, asana today encompasses a broader range of standing, seated, lying, and balancing postures. When you take a ‘yoga class’ in the west, or visit a ‘yoga studio,’ most often this is only focused on asana but it may incorporate aspects of the other limbs.

Pranayama (extension of prana) are breath practices that are done with the intention to quiet the mind to prepare for or experience meditation. Some pranayama, like apana kriya, have the additional ability or intention to release certain energies through the breath.

Pratyahara (withdrawal) is the practice of mentally withdrawing the senses to find deeper levels of focus. In a state of pratyahara, we’re not distracted by our five senses and are fully present for the task at hand.

Dharana (holding something) is a practice of focusing on something specific, often something external like a candle, in order to quiet the mind.

Dhyana (meditation) is a state of being in the current moment, fully absorbed in the now without any distractions or concerns.

Samadhi (bliss) is a state of liberation in the knowing of and union with our true self, which can only happen for moments of time unless we are completely free from attachments. If we can free ourselves of all worldly attachments, we reach moksha (permanent samadhi). A yogi is someone who has successfully reached moksha.

When practiced together, Ayurveda and Yoga address all aspects of health and spirituality in an empowering way. We have the ability to cultivate our own wellness and connection to the divine (or inner truth). When circumstances that are out of our control start to bring us out of balance, these practices provide us with the knowledge and ability to bring us back to balance.