Yoga means the union of body, mind and soul. Therefore, the asana practice is more than just a physical exercise and rather an opportunity to bring oneself into harmony.

According to Ayurveda, asanas (postures) depending on how they are practiced can produce different effects on the three doshas.

For example, when treating an out of balance Vata dosha, we must be careful to use the asanas to ground and balance the body and mind while an imbalance of kapha requires invigoratation and upliftment and pitta needs a calming and cooling practice.

More specifically:

For Vata balancing - hold each posture for 4 to 10 deep breaths and move through the asanas slowly and conciously keeping the awareness on your breath. Focus on seated postures and those that create pressure on the navel region.

For Pitta balancing - hold each posture for 2 to 6 relaxed and easy breaths and move through the asanas at a moderate pace, not pushing the body too much, keeping a cool mind. Relax into each posture and let the heart rate calm down before moving to the next. If you feel pressure in the head, transition out of the posture slowly and lighten the effort. Focus on more chest/heart opening postures and avoid inversions.

For Kapha balancing - hold each asana for 1 breath keeping a fast pace. Keep the body moving and feel the postures energizing and heating up the body. Focus more on standing postures.

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