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→आसनं प्रकृतिश्च ॥ Asana and Body Constitution: Adding content with reference - to be edited
== आसनं प्रकृतिश्च ॥ Asana and Body Constitution ==
== आसनं प्रकृतिश्च ॥ Asana and Body Constitution ==
Asanas are useful for all body constitutions and help balance the tridoshas in the body.<ref name=":3" />
Asanas are useful for all body constitutions and help balance the tridoshas in the body. Infact, there are specific asanas that relate to particular body constitutions. However, for their benefits to accrue, they must also be performed appropriately and with due consideration to one's level of practice, particularities of individual bodily structure and organic condition.
Asanas done slowly, steadily and gently generally reduce Vata, those done with coolness, diffusion of energy and relaxation are know to reduce Pitta and those done with quickness, heat and effort are known to reduce Kapha. However, the application of asanas relative to different doshic types cannot be reduced to rigid rules and require adaptation. But, though each doshic type requires emphasis on some asanas more than others and practising them in a manner that aims to treat the dosha out of balance, a complete practice should cover the full range of bodily motions and all main types of asanas.<ref name=":3" />
=== Yoga Postures for Vata Prakrti ===
Vata rules over the bones so vata types suffer most from arthritis, particularly after the age of fifty. They tend to be cold, with dry skin and cracking joints, along with poor circulation. They are also prone to scoliosis (abnormal lateral curvature of the spine). Vatas, being somewhat brittle and prone to excessive movement, are also most likely to be injured by wrong practice and' too strong asanas. Vatas must approach as ana carefully as they can easily hurt themselves.
Vatas need to perform asanas in a way that reduces vata, starting with the right mental attitude. Asana practice for vata types should emphasize the pelvic region and colon, the main sites of vata. They should aim at releasing tension from the hips, lumbar spine and sacroiliac joints.
Sitting postures are good for vata, particularly those that create strength and stillness in the lower abdomen like siddhasana (lotus pose) and vajrasana. These postures help develop calm, increase groundedness and control apana vayu.
Since vata tends to accumulate in the spine, making it stiff, vatas should focus on keeping the spinal column supple by practicing spinal bending in every direction. Spinal twists like matsyedrasana are excellent, removing vata from the nervous system.
Forward bends afford immediate relief for excess vata, producing calm and stillness. They are excellent for releasing vata in the back where it builds up as stiffness and tension. They remove excess vata out of the body through the joints. But they cannot remove all vata unless combined with backbends.
Backbends are excellent for reducing vata but must be done gently and slowly to be effective. Backbends, if well grounded and done moderately, strengthen the vata's feelings of centeredness and have a warming effect, strengthening apana and the colon. Small backward bends, like cobra and locust, are the safest in this regard. More complete backbends can be done once profiCiency in these is gained.
Standing postures that emphasize strength, stability and calm are very good for vata, particularly those that aim at developing stillness and balance like the tree pose (vrksasana).
After asana practice, vatas should make sure to rest and relax through the practice of the corpse pose. Vatas should come away from asana practice feeling stable, warmed and calm, with tension released from the lower abdomen.<ref name=":3" />
=== Yoga Postures for Pitta Prakrti ===
Pitta people are often overly ambitious, irritable or driven. Yoga postures should be used to cool them down both on the physical and emotional levels. This helps them direct their intelligence within, where they can use it to understand themselves.
Pittas should perform asanas in a way that is cooling, nurturing, expansive and relaxing. This requires relaxing breaths and quiet sitting between strong asanas to release any stress that is developing.
According to the yogic understanding of the body, the solar principle is centered around the navel, the place of the digestive fire that brings heat to the body. The lunar principle is located in the region of the soft palate, where salivary secretions constantly take place that have a cooling and moistening effect.
The upward moving heat of the sun in the navel works to reduce the activity of the moon in the soft palate. Putting the body regularly into the shoulder stand or plow pose protects the lunar principle from the depleting heat of the solar principle and creates coolness. Such postures help reverse the positions of the sun and the moon in the body, bringing balance. This is naturally beneficial for pittas. Spinal twists, like Matyendrasana, are also very good for protecting the lunar principle without redUcing agni or the power of digestion.
Pitta people are benefited by postures that aim at releaSing tension from the mid-abdomen, the small intestine and liver, where pitta accumulates. Such are the bow pose, cobra pose, boat pose, and fish pose. These postures allow excess pitta to be eliminated from the body, particularly to flow downward through the digestive tract. Headstands create pitta and should not be done unless one knows how to balance out the heat that they create.
Forward bends are generally good for pitta because they bring more energy to the mid-abdomen and have a cooling and grounding effect if done in a gentle manner. Backbends tend to be heating and so should be done only with moderation and followed by cooling postures. Seated twists help clear the liver, detoxifying pitta. Pittas should come away from asana practice feeling cool, content and calm, with tension released from the mid-abdomen. Their minds should be clear and relaxed, their emotions at rest, with no feelings of competitiveness or irritation. Their awareness should be in a meditative mood, slightly diffused and not overly sharp.<ref name=":3" />
=== Yoga Postures for Kapha Prakrti ===
Kapha types possess stocky builds and hold weight easily. However, kaphas must strive to avoid overweight, which is to hold a moderate body weight. Overweight in kapha types results in accumulation of fat, particularly in the stomach and thighs. Kapha also creates mucus in the region of the chest which then moves to different sites in the body, particularly downward. Such excess kapha causes swollen glands, benign cysts, and bone spurs. Many kaphas develop arthritis as a complication of such overweight or poor circulation. As kaphas are prone to heart disease and high cholesterol, care must be taken not to overstrain their hearts in any exercise program.
Kaphas benefit by exercise that causes them to sweat, even profusely, and pushes them beyond what they think is the limit of their exertion (unless they are severely overweight, in which case caution is required).
Sitting asanas, like any condition of reduced movement, causes kapha to increase. Kaphas easily feel tired or fall into daydreaming when holding seated postures. To benefit by sitting postures, which is necessary for meditation, kaphas must practice pranayama of a warming nature.
Vinyasas, like the sun salutation with its constant activity, are stimulating to the kapha constitution. Standing postures in general are good for them, particularly as combined with movement and stretching. Virabhadrasana and its variations are good, particularly aimed at opening the chest, the place in the body where kapha accumulates. Backward bends are generally good for kaphas because they open the chest and increase circulation to the head, where mucus easily builds up for them, blocking the senses and dulling the mind. Forward bends, which tend to contract the chest, are not as good for them except when they are caught up in emotional distress and seek some short term calming influence.
Kapha people usually have slow digestion and low metabolism. To stimulate the digestive capacity, procedures having an action on the navel region (where agni is situated) are very useful (like nauli). The bow pose is the one of most beneficial of yoga postures for them because of this. The plow pose is one of the best for opening the lungs for kapha. Kaphas should come away from as ana practice feeling invigorated, warm and light, with their circulation energized, their chest and lungs open. Their mind and senses should be sharp and clear, with emotional heaviness released and forgotten.<ref name=":3" />
== References ==
== References ==
[[Category:Yoga]]
[[Category:Yoga]]