A proper understanding of the connections between yoga and Ayurveda is essential for the effective treatment of illness. Classical texts on yoga such as the Hatha-Yoga-Pradipika describes several asanas and enumerates their benefits based on Ayurveda. Ayurvedic practitioners developed yoga as a form of physical exercise that would support diseased internal organs and structural imbalances. Using the concepts of doshas, the same terminology for disease, and the same lists of body qualities and functions, asanas were created.
Most yoga practitioners restrict themselves by stating that an asana can help restore balance among all three doshas or some diseases that are explained in Ayurveda. Ayurveda mentions that all forms of therapy or treatments can be classified under two broad headings: Those that nourish the body, brmhana, and those that remove from the body, langhana. Most methods of therapy suggested in Ayurveda fall under langhana, including both palliative and eliminative methods, because, in both, we are mostly reducing somebody's quality that is out of balance.
One reason is, most treatments in Ayurveda start with the reduction or removal of imbalances that balance in the being is a natural consequence of this process. Another reason is that treatment is dependent on the status of Agni or digestive fire. The importance of Agni is acknowledged in both yoga and Ayurveda. The primary purpose of all treatment and an important goal of practicing asanas, is to keep the agni functioning well. Through both movements breathing is integral to the practice of asanas, breathing is of greater importance than movement in addressing many disorders of the body function such as hypertension or diabetes, or psychological disorders such as depression and anxiety. Therefore, we need to choose a body position in which the person can breathe freely, emphasizing the appropriate component of the breathing cycle.
Breathing is one of the most important aspects of yoga that is directly related to agni rather than specific types of movements. Inhalation helps to increase agni and activates metabolism, similar to fanning a fire's flames. Exhalation, being a natural process of elimination, helps remove toxins and waste that dull the agni, enabling the function of agni to work better. In many functional disorders, it is important to ensure that exhalation is proper, even if inhalation is the component of breathing to be emphasized.
Classical yoga texts explain the connection between the various types of pranayama (breathing exercises) and the three doshas and various other body qualities and functions. Specific types of pranayama can be used in decreasing the qualities of particular doshas when they are out of balance. Also, these texts related breathing to the qualities of heat and cold in the body. They classify the types of pranayama as heating and cooling and also suggest that inhalation through the right nostril is heating, while inhalation through the left nostril is cooling. These specific connections between breathing, and body qualities are one of the most important reasons why breath is more important to the management of health than asanas.
The use of asana, pranayama, and meditation for healing is known as Yoga Chikitsa, or Yoga Therapy, and has been used for thousands of years by Ayurveda. In Yoga Chikitsa, a group of yogic exercises is chosen that will best support the individual and are practiced daily. This can be done over an extended period in conjunction with an Ayurvedic regime and herbal and dietary therapies. Yoga Chikitsa also plays an integral role in the Ayurvedic cleansing and rejuvenation process known as panchakarma. For a well-balanced personal yoga practice, it is important to take into consideration the individual’s body structure, Prakriti (original constitution), and vikruti (present constitutional imbalance). A proper understanding of the connections between yoga and Ayurveda is essential for the effective treatment of illness and Yoga therapy.
Whatever classification of yoga we adopt, a clear understanding of the relationship between body and mind and their relationship between body and mind and their relationship with breathing and food is essential to apply yoga and Ayurveda effectively in the treatment of any illness. Ayurveda and yoga are sister Vedic sciences that have been united for thousands of years for the sake of healing body, mind, and consciousness. Generally speaking, Ayurveda deals more with health and the body, while yoga deals with purifying the mind and consciousness, but in reality, they complement and embrace each other. Yoga stems from Ayurveda, Ayurveda is the science, and Yoga is the practice of the science.
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Disclaimer
The sole purpose of these articles is to provide information about the tradition of Ayurveda. This information is not intended for use in the diagnosis, treatment, cure or prevention of any disease.