Ayurveda and yoga are two common buzzwords currently trending in the holistic health and wellness arena. To a layperson, these disciplines may seem distinct from each other, but they are profoundly interrelated. Both disciplines help maintain a healthy mind in a healthy body naturally. Adopting a holistic approach encompassing both of them can aid in the natural reversal of many lifestyle diseases and promote vibrant health.
There are many connections between Ayurveda and yoga:
- Both originated in ancient India thousands of years ago and they both have their origins in ancient Vedic knowledge.
- In both cases, they focus on the individual’s body constitution, their unique needs and doshas. Depending on this, further suggestions are given.
- Both give considerable emphasis to detoxication.
- Both have the same ultimate goal: to help you become a healthier and more balanced version of your former self.
- They support and complement each other.
What is Ayurveda?
A holistic healing system that originated in the Indian subcontinent, Ayurveda adopts a comprehensive approach to physical and mental health. According to this 3,000-year-old system, an individual’s good health and well-being are dependent on the harmonious balance between the body, mind, and spirit.
While some Ayurvedic treatments aim to heal specific health problems, Ayurveda is more than just fighting diseases. It is about promoting a sense of general well-being.
What is Yoga?
Yoga is a set of physical, mental, and spiritual disciplines that originated thousands of years ago in the Indian subcontinent.
It is a complex practice that seeks to bring harmony between the body and mind. In modern parlance, “yoga” generally refers to yoga asanas, a posture-based fitness technique that provides stress relief and relaxation and gives the body a physical workout. Yoga practices may also include breathing techniques and meditation.
There is a difference between Indian and Western yoga though. Go here to understand what that is and which one is better for you.
And to find out more about Ayurveda Yoga and how to practice it, head over here. In this article, we explain what these two centuries old practices have in common.
Ayurveda and Yoga: What’s the Connection
Both are healing disciplines geared towards holistic health and wellness. While each is unique in its own way, they also overlap in several aspects. And they both believe in the presence of 72,000 nadis and seven chakras (or main energy centers) in the body. Both the systems have eight branches, as elaborated in Ashtanga Yoga and Ashtanga Ayurveda.
Adopting these disciplines in conjunction can go a long way in promoting your physical and mental health.
And when it comes to mental health, see here how pets can help you or your loved ones who are struggling.
Let us try to understand the connection between Ayurveda and yoga.
1. Origin
Both disciplines originated in ancient India thousands of years ago.
While yoga has its roots in Yajur Veda, the system of Ayurveda originates from Atharva Veda. Both these holistic health systems have their origins in ancient Vedic knowledge.
2. Principles
In Ayurveda, the focus is on understanding an individual’s body constitutions and doshas, followed by making some lifestyle changes according to the person’s unique needs. There is no “one size fits all” formula in Ayurveda. Similarly, in yoga, teacher recommend different poses for balancing different doshas. Every individual is considered a unique entity and is recommended poses and exercises best suited for the respective body compositions.
We wrote more about the principles of Ayurveda, its history, diet and benefits here.
3. Detoxification
In both disciplines, detoxification process has considerable emphasis. Both disciplines encourage natural ways of detoxification to cleanse the body. In Ayurveda, Panchakarma (five purificatory therapies) is recommended, while in yoga, the procedures of Shat karma (six purificatory techniques) are followed.
4. Ultimate Goal
Both disciplines have the same ultimate goal: to help you become a healthier and more balanced version of your former self. A person can achieve ideal physical and mental health only when they are in perfect alignment with their environment. One can achieve this through the practice of both Ayurveda and yoga, as both these disciplines have the potential to promote better physical health and emotional well-being by getting rid of the toxins in the body.
5. Overlapping Aspects
Even though they are considered distinct disciplines, Ayurveda is very much a part of yoga and vice versa. Ayurvedic texts mention yoga as an important practice to calm the mind and reduce physical stress.
Under Ayurveda, yoga asanas are considered ideal exercises, owing to their ability to rejuvenate the body and release stress. Similarly, Ayurvedic practices like abhyanga are recommended to yoga practitioners to get the best out of their yoga routines.
Both these systems support and complement each other.
Yoga Recommendations for Specific Ayurvedic Body Types
In Ayurveda, there are three main classifications of body types: Vata (quick, creative, enjoys movement), Kapha (relaxed, steady, loving, nurturing), and Pitta (ambitious, perfectionist, courageous). Yoga recommends specific types of poses for each unique body type.
- Vata: regular, slow, warming postures, including all backward bending postures
- Kapha: twisting postures
- Pitta: heart-opening postures, forward bending postures, slow and gentle movements
What are the Benefits of Practicing Ayurveda and Yoga Together?
While one can still experience good results by practicing either of them alone, it is recommended to practice both together for achieving the best results. The combination of both:
- Detoxifies, heals, and rejuvenates the body
- Calms and relaxes the mind
- Promotes healthy digestion and improves metabolism
- Helps deal with emotional stress
- Gives you clearer and healthier skin
- Promotes better hair health
- Reduces inflammation and soothes aches and pains
- Helps maintain a healthy weight
- Better management of heart health
- High level of energy
- Improves quality of sleep
Closing Thoughts
You can achieve great health with high energy, glowing skin, thick hair, and balanced metabolism by integrating both Ayurveda and yoga into your daily lifestyle. Go ahead and enroll in an early morning yoga class to kick start your day and include 100% safe and effective Ayurvedic products from Baidyanath in your healthcare routine to become a healthier, calmer, and more peaceful version of yourself.
Dr. Rupali Dhote- Guest Contributor, L’Aquila Active
Learn more about Dr. Rupali Dhote by reading her bio below.
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