Warm Milk - A Soothing Bedtime Beverage
 1 1/2 cups fresh, organic whole milk (or alternative)
2+ tsp. organic ghee
1+ tsp. cinnamon powder
1+ tsp. cardamom powder 
1+ tsp. fresh grated ginger root
Ashwagandha, optional. (May be recommended by your yoga therapist to calm vata.) 

Heat gently just until boiling, then turn down heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Let cool slightly before drinking.

This is nice to fix for yourself in the middle of the night, too, when you're not sleeping well...
 

Golden Milk - Great Anti Inflammatory Properties (Non Dairy/Vegetarian)
2 cups unsweetened coconut milk (or almond or soymilk)
1 tablespoon peeled, grated fresh ginger root
1 tablespoon peeled, grated fresh turmeric root
2-3 cardamom pods
3-4 black peppercorns
Heat mixture. Bring to a simmer and simmer covered for 10 minutes.
Strain and sweeten with maple syrup to taste (if desired).
From Anti-Inflammatory Golden Milk - Dr. Weil's Healthy Kitchen www.drweil.com/diet-nutrition/anti-inflammatory.../anti-inflammatory-golden-milk/



An intro to the practice of Ayurveda ~ The medical arm of yoga...

Have you ever heard the terms Vata, Pitta, and Kapha?  Any idea what they mean or how they might apply to you?  Well... read on to learn more.

Ayurveda means "The Science of Life". Offering a holistic approach to wellbeing, the practice of Ayurveda helps one consider diet, movement, and breathing practices appropriate for each of us as individuals, and weaves them into an overall lifestyle practice that honors the flow of the natural world around us and its influence in our bodies.

Ayurvedic Doshas are a way of explaining how nature forms into the body.  The belief is that all the elements found in nature comprise the human body, too. Each organ or tissue of the body is comprised of one or more of the essential elements of earth, water, fire, air, and ether and space is the element found all around them. The degree to which these qualities or characteristics are found in an individual is reflected by one's dosha, or essential nature.  Most of us are typically a combination of two of the three doshas known as Vata, Pitta, and Kapha.

Curious? Read on for more information.

More about Dosha:

A dosha defines our separation from the flow of the natural world around us. Each of us has separated a bit from spirit or universal energy as we've come into our bodies... We do this in different ways, and that is reflected in our inherent constitution, or dosha balance. The qualities of dosha are:

Vata - the most subtle dosha is comprised of the elements of air and ether. It is associated with movement (notice your breath, for instance or the flow of fluids in the body). Ayurvedic Physicians tell us that roughly 80% of all disease can be attributed to an imbalance in this dosha.

Pitta - predominantly comprised of the fire element with a bit of air/water mixed in (think blood, heart rate, metabolism), this dosha is associated with our will power, the energy of transformation and intensity. Consider the manner in which you approach life. Does a fire burn comfortably in your belly driving you through activities each day? Or is it raging, or possibly smoldering?

Kapha - from the elements of earth and water, aspects of this dosha are associated with grounding, structure, stability and accumulation (think mucus). The element of love and the act of nourishing oneself and others are influenced by the Kapha (pronounced Ka - Pa) dosha.

Think of it this way: Air and water flow.  Air fans the flames of fire, while water puts them out.  Earth provides a sense of stability to the flow of both air and water.  The doshas are related to the elements found in nature.  The elements also comprise the chakras, energetic centers located at various points along the spine in our bodies that are associated with nerve plexi.  

Each of us has some of each dosha in us. Our teeth and bones represent kapha; our breath and the impulses of our nervous system - vata; our metabolism and the intelligence of the mind are associated with pitta.  When inner harmony and balance are disrupted, bodily systems can fall out of whack. This leads to a sense of dis-ease. Attention to diet, use of appropriate yoga postures and other practices that can inform our daily habits and routines are what can bring the doshas back into balance when things go awry... and we can begin to feel good again. 

As a Holistic Stress Management Educator and Yoga Therapist, Sharon has been steeped in practices designed to promote unity and balance on all levels of our being - body, mind, heart and spirit. She serves as a guide to support you in navigating your personal path toward better health. Email her today for more information or to schedule a private session to explore how you can feel better soon!  ([email protected]).

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Join us each fall for a three-part lecture series on this complex topic. 

Available for groups of four or more: Ayurveda 101 - A Three-Part Series:
Learn about the Science of Life and how it can guide you toward better health

Session I - Getting to know your dosha
Session II - Dosha specific diet and lifestyle choices
Session III - Movement and Breathing practices

Know your Dosha?
(take a quick quiz at Chopra.com)

Read on for an Ayurvedic perspective on body types and yoga practices appropriate for each one...

Basic Dosha Descriptions
and Balancing Yoga Practices

Vata Dosha - Slighter build, grasps new information quickly and forgets just as quickly, tends to worry.  Moods change, energy comes in bursts. The Vata Dosha is equated air and ether elements - space and movement within the body. Vata types tend to have cooler body temper-ature, and a more fluid nature in their bodies and beings.

Vatas tire more easily than other doshas. Let your practice be strengthening, not depleteing or draining. When a vata imbalance arises, exhibited by anxiety and the tendancy to rush through things, the perfect antidote is a restorative practice - a few poses held for longer periods of time to nourish and rejuvenate, as well as applying gentle pressure to the small intestine - the seat of Vata.

Remember, wind (vata) can increase fire or blow it out.  Too much wind dries out the body resulting in creaky joints, dry skin and tiredness. Too little wind allows mucus to accumulate as cellular movement with the body slows down.

Poses that support Vata Dosha include backbends (cobra, bridge), plow, knees to chest, legs up wall, headstand,corpse. 

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Pitta Dosha - Medium build with  strong intellect and strong digestion/appetite. Likes challenges, does not like to skip meals. Experiences anger, and can benefit from learning to let go. A Pitta yoga practice should be flowing and allow one to experience the moment vs. competing with others in the room or needing to be the best. It is valuable for Pittas to learn to take things one step at a time and to remember that yoga is not a competitive sport...  :--)

Pitta in the body is associated with metabolism - the heat of transformation - and is represented by the fire element.

Yoga poses that support a Pitta Dosha include: Forward bends, Twists, Side Stretches, Shoulder Stands and Fish pose, Boat and Bow pose, quiet and cooling pranayamas.

** Breathing into your back body and practicing plenty of twists and lateral  movements to release tension in the large intestine is appropriate. The Large Intestine and Liver are main home of Pitta in the body.



People with a Kapha Dosha tend to have a solid frame and  natrually carry a few extra pounds. They are slow to grasp new information, yet retain it well. They can also be slow to get moving but sustain it longer and more easily than the other two types due to good physical strength, endurance and steady energy. Kaphas also tend to be slow and graceful and experience slower digestion, mild hunger and a calm, relaxed personality.  Kapha personalities are slow to anger, can be complacent and possessive, are affectionate, tolerant and forgiving.

Kapha is associated with our body's structure - the bones and connective tissues.  An imbalance results in mucus formation. Formed from Earth and Water elements.

Poses that support the Kappa Dosha include: Poses that open the seats of Kapha in the body, including the chest and upper back and the stomach such as Lion, Fish, Bow, Half Wheel, Cobra, Breath of Fire.

**There are numerous interesting websites where you can learn more about ayurveda and yoga as well as books, and practioners locally, nationally, and internationally to consult if you have questions. Have a favorite? Please let me know! 

"O.K. - I've completed a dosha quiz, now what?" Here are some tips for balancing your actions and activities... Please know that there are up to 10 various combinations of dosha types, so these guidelines might vary for you. Personal practice is the best guide and a class that balances all three is best.

To balance Vata - A yoga practice for a vata individual should  nourish, warm, and calm.  Cultivate this by:
•Practicing at a slow, smooth and steady pace;
•Using gentle, pulsing  movements that include spinal and pelvic undulation, gentle rotation in the joints, counter-poses balancing flexion and extension - moving as if through deep mud;
• Performing multiple repetitions of a pose rather than holding postures for a long time; 
•Creating a firm foundation by rooting into the earth and moving from the low belly - the area below the navel and above the pubic bone (poses that work the small intestine calm vata dosha);
•Staying focused on your breath by breathing steadily with a slight lengthening of the inhalation;
•Gazing below or at the horizon to calm and hugging your muscles to the bones to support;
•Staying warm.
•Spending plenty of time in a long relaxation posture at the end of your practice.

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A yoga practice that balances Pitta cultivates the qualities of coolness, softness, grace and flow. 

 Do this by:
•Having fun in your poses - not taking yourself, others or the poses too seriously;
•Using your connection with breath to move out of the mind and into the body;
•Enjoying dynamic rather than static movement in poses and allowing yourself to experience a sense of freedom, flow and creativity in your practice - mix it up a bit and have fun;
•Taking a soft, downward gaze in poses, or gazing at the horizon, or try practicing with your eyes closed for more of an inner focus;
•Practicing at a moderate pace - pushing hard and/or practicing in extremely heated spaces aggrivates Pitta;
•Knowing that "doing less actually allows you to experience more" - let go of judgment and let yourself really experience each movement, each breath for it's self in the present moment; 
•Emphasizing your exhalation and allowing yourself to let go and to release stress, anger, frustration, and/or anxiety with every breath out;
*Always rest fully in savasana (10-15 min. is great)
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A yoga practice for Kapha  should stimulate, open and warm the body, mind and spirit.  Kaphas tend to have a cooler body temperature and need to be inspired to get moving and get fluids flowing.

Follow these guidelines:
•Practice at a sustained and vigorous pace (holding poses longer than other doshic types) with focus on the breath and how it can be used to open the body and the mind;
•Practice in a warm space, using a strong, forceful breath to heat the body and hold poses just a bit longer than you really want to in order to get kapha flowing, challenge yourself to keep going;
•Take your gaze up, opening and lifting your chest and shoulders as you practice to create a sense of lift and lightness in your poses;
•Pay attention to the pauses between the inhalations and exhalations;
•Enjoy deep and sustained rest at the end of  your practice.

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I am happy to consult with you on any of this.  Get in touch if you have questions about dosha and it's application to your yoga practice.  Keeping these elements balanced in the body can be done through appropriate diet, daily breathing and cleansing habits, as well as a suitable yoga asana practice. I can guide you toward developing the right approach for you! 

Yours in health,
  ~Sharon Alexander, E-RYT500