Yoga And Ayurveda (Creating Good Health)

By Staff

Friday, June 20, 2008, 13:43

The Vedanta Kesari, p. 381-385, October 2005, Ramakrishna Mission

Good health is created when all the tridoshas are in perfect equilibrium. When there is a disorder in the balance of vata-pitta-kapha, the seven dhatus—Rasa (plasma), Rakta (blood), Rausha (muscle tissue), Meda (adipose tissue), Asthi (bone tissue), Majja (bone marrow, nerve tissue) and Shukra (semen, reproductive tissue) are directly affected. This equilibrium can be achieved by yoga and regulating dietary habits. If one has good health, one will have sound mind, which is essential for concentration and meditation.

According to Ayurveda the practice of yoga is a very important, natural, preventive measure to ensure good health. Ayurveda and Yoga are sister sciences. If Ayurveda is the science of the body, Yoga is a holistic science of the whole system. It is not merely directed to the spiritual aspects of human living. Yoga brings a natural state of tranquility which is equilibrium. All the eight limbs of Yoga touch upon the ethical, physical, psychological and spiritual aspects of human life. The disciplines of yama and niyama are essential for a clear, clean ethical living.

The disciplines of asana and the pranayama have both preventive and curative value. They help to bring natural order and balance to the neuro-chromones and the metabolism and improve the endocrine metabolism and thus provide fortification against stress. At the psychological level both Pratyahara and Dharana help man achieve purity in mind, which is a must for dhyana at the spiritual level. Thus Yoga is a holistic science which aims at a complete transformation of human life, and recreates a new life based on harmony and tranquility.

While practising Yoga, yogis may temporarily suffer from physical disorders because of releasing of disease-producing toxins in the body. Employing Ayurvedic diagnosis and treatments, the yogis may effectively deal with these disorders. Similarly, Ayurveda indicates which type of yoga is suitable for each person according to his particular constitution. For example, a person of pitta constitution should not perform the headstand posture for more than one minute. If he does, it results in mental disorientation. A person of vata constitution should not perform the shoulder stand for a long time as it exerts too much weight on the seventh cervical vertebra.

A person of kapha constitution should not perform the hidden lotus posture for an extended time because it causes direct pressure on the adrenal glands. Similarly, in Pranayama, a person with pitta constitution should perform left nostril breathing, a person with kapha constitution right nostril breathing and a person with vata constitution alternate nostril breathing.
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