Ayurveda for Yoga Practitioners

Ayurveda for Yoga Practitioners

Yoga and Ayurveda are two interrelated branches of the same Vedic tradition and form a complete approach for optimal health, vitality and higher awareness. Each has its unique place and function, but each overlaps into the other on many levels.

Yoga originates in the Yajur Veda, while Ayurveda originates in the Atharva Veda.

Both Yoga and Ayurveda are based upon the principles of trigunas (sattva, rajas and tamas) and the panchamahabuthas (earth, air, fire, water, space). Yoga and Ayurveda both have similar understanding of how the body works and the effect that food and medicines have on the body.

Knowledge and use of Ayurveda into yoga practice provides for the full healing application of all aspects of Yoga, providing a diagnosis and treatment in harmony with yoga’s philosophy. Ayurveda provides the appropriate diet, life-style, and herbal recommendations for yoga practice, as it has the same background of healing potential of all aspects of mind body and spirit, as that of yoga. This combination of Yoga and Ayurveda also provides the basis for a real dialogue with modern medicine addressing not only specific therapies but also the real causes of disease and how to maintain health and well-being in society.

Both Yoga and Ayurveda call for the regular practice of pranayama and meditation as well as the use of herbs, body purification procedures, food and chanting of mantras for physical and mental health. In yoga, the body purification procedures have been explained as ‘Satkriyas’ whereas in Ayurveda there are ‘Panchakarma’ procedures for “spring cleaning”.

Yoga and Ayurveda both teach us about the body, breath, senses, mind, chakras and the soul. We also learn methods to work on them through diet, herbs, asana, pranayama and meditation.

Combining Yoga and Ayurveda offers a complete system of well-being for body, mind and consciousness.

If you are a teacher and practitioner of yoga, our workshops introduce you, or provide a refresher for you about how Ayurveda can support you in advancing your yoga practices for self, and help your students.

You may also earn CPE points from some of our workshops if you are a member of Yoga Australia or  ANTA. Please check from us. 

Neerja Ahuja, Director and Principal Consultant, Adv. Dip. Ayur., MA, Grad. Dip. Computing, has been teaching and practicing Ayurveda since 2001, specializing in diet/ lifestyle management and Ayurvedic panchakarma detox treatments, and owns and operates Ayurveda Awareness, a clinic and offering courses in Ayurveda, in Perth, WA. Contact www.ayurveda-awareness.com.au or 08 6262 2274 08 6262 2274