What is Ayurveda? (And do I need it?)

According to the science, we are all made up of three different types of energies or doshas: vata (air), pitta (fire) and kapha (water). The level of doshas keep changing depending on our physical surroundings, the weather and the food we consume. As a path to health and healing, it’s unique to each individual.

Get started with Shy Sayar’s Intro to Ayurveda talk.

When we practice yoga, certain poses tend to be easy and put our mind at ease while some poses seem more difficult and cause frustration. What is easy for us may be hard for someone else. These differences emerge from our unique dosha (energy) composition. Knowing our individual dosha or energy type can help us pick a yoga practice that adds to our wellbeing.

Try the Self Assess Ayurveda class by Shy Sayar to better understand your unique dosha.

The Vata Yogi

Are you flexible and imaginative? Do you find it hard to stick to a routine and form habits? Then you’re a Vata type. Dominated by the air element, you are active and free flowing but your emotions and habits tend to fluctuate dramatically resulting in an imbalance. You need to ground yourself by recognizing your sensitive nature and gain more control over your mind.

The Vata Yogi would benefit immensely from a more grounded and routine practice. Holding poses for a longer duration and pranayama that helps reduce stress and settle the anxious mind and work best for the Vata type.

Practice with Shy Sayar - Therapeutic Yoga for Vata

The Pitta Yogi

Dominated by the fire element you are high on energy and strong. But do you find it hard to manage your fiery side? Recognizing your power and channeling your energy towards being more productive will help you recenter.

The Pitta Yogi tends to be drawn to demanding asanas. Sounds familiar? While it is ok to seek progress, Pitta Yogis would benefit immensely from a heart opening and cooling class along with practicing pranayama.

Practice with Shy Sayar - Therapeutic Yoga for Pitta

The Kapha Yogi

The Kapha types influenced by the earth element tend to be stable, rooted and methodical. Woot Woot! BUT an imbalance in this energy can cause them to become rigid, stubborn and closed to change. If you are a Kapha yogi then you can benefit by opening yourself to new environments, people and ideas.

It would be beneficial for Kapha yogis  to incorporate classes that are challenging and vigorous. Pranayama that stimulates the mind and body should be included in the Yoga practice as well.

Practice with Shy Sayar - Therapeutic Yoga for Kapha

The Bi-Doshic Yogi

Feel like all three of these descriptions speak to you on any given day? You’re not alone. Most of us tend to be bi-doshic (sharing two doshic qualities) or tri-doshic (having equal amounts of each doshic influence). Try Maria Garre’s - Yoga for All: Vata, Pitta, Kapha to learn more about the practice that best suits you.

Put the Science into Practice

Now it’s time to take it to the next level. Balance your practice at its core. For the first time, we’ve put together a fully customizable 9-part series, Yoga & Ayurveda 101 covering yoga asana, pranayama, meditation, nutrition and lifestyle. The classes are based on the Ayurvedic philosophy of treating each body differently because we are all unique and have different physical and emotional reactions to the same experiences. Having this understanding of Ayurveda helps create more balance in our lives. Understand your individual makeup, and cultivate your best practice yet:

Classes include:

Shy Sayar -  Intro to Ayurveda

Shy Sayar - Self Assess Ayurveda

Shy Sayar - Therapeutic Yoga for Vata

Shy Sayar - Therapeutic Yoga for Kapha

Shy Sayar - Therapeutic Yoga for Pitta

Maria Garre - Yoga for ALL: Vata, PItta, Kapha

Maria Garre - Maria Garre - Balancing the Winds: Grounding Vata Dosha

Maria Garre - Lighten your Flow: Kapha Reducing Yoga

Maria Garre Yoga to Cool The Fire: Balancing Pitta Dosha

About Shy Sayar:
Shy Sayar is a senior yoga therapist and a registered yoga teacher & continuing education provider at the highest level offered by Yoga Alliance. Well into his third decade with yoga, Shy has tens of thousands of hours of experience bringing yoga to students of all levels, treating patients, and training yoga teachers and therapists around the globe. Shy believes in teaching people – not poses, since the practices of yoga are infinitely adaptable to fit the practitioner’s stages of development, and there is no need to push the body into arbitrary shapes. Instead, his Tantravaya yoga method integrates the classical Eight Limbs of Yoga, equally cultivating the body, breath and mind to bring each practitioner to optimal, holistic health.

About Maria Garre:
Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist + Ayurvedic Practitioner + Prana Vinyasa Instructor
A sought after teacher, educator and innovator in the field of yoga + ayurveda, Maria delivers practical and inspirational information that is accessible to all. She brings together over 20 years of experience in biomedical sciences, philosophy, yoga and ayurveda to not only train yoga and ayurvedic practitioners world-wide, but to also lead workshops and rejuvenating retreats. She is the founder and director of the The New Mexico School of Yoga, pioneering educational programming in yoga, ayurveda and the vedic sciences.