Pitta Dosha
By Claire Gunzel

In Aurveda, “Pitta,” refers to the aggravation of Bile in Tibetan medicine. In actuality, Pitta constitution is made of fire and water. When imbalanced the, “fault,” or “dosha,” becomes evident.
This essay will seek to define what balance and imbalance means for the Pitta and give remedy to the Pitta Dosha. The goal of this Tibetan practice of Ayurveda, as well as with Yoga, is to create balance and wholeness within an individual.

Characteristics of Pitta

The fire of a candle or the fire in a fireplace may be seen; however, the bodily heat, which manifests as metabolism is not visible in this way. Pitta governs digestion, absorption, assimilation, nutrition, metabolism, body temperature, skin coloration, the luster of the eyes, intelligence and understanding. The small intestine, stomach, sweat glands, blood, fat, eyes and skin are the seats of pitta. The corresponding Chakra associated with Pitta is the Manipura Chakra, or Solar Chakra.

Pitta represents the union between fire and water, or rather the Tibetan translation as bile refers to its hot, oily nature. The Pitta predominant person tends to have sharp facial features, sharp intellect. They are generally of medium build and have strong appetites and digestion. They are ambitious people who generally like to be leaders and represent hot, oily, dispersing, sharp mobile and liquid qualities due to the strength of their digestive fire or, “agni,”.

Pitta Dosha

Unbalanced pitta shows lack of interest in life, anxiety, depression, negative thinking and mental dullness. In addition, hormone and enzyme secretions are disturbed. Within their social lives they may easily be frustrated or angered. Spicy and acidic foods often fuel this fiery side to their normally witty intellect. Psychologically, they do have a tendency toward anger, hate and jealousy. Simply because of the sheer capacity they have for creating change, good or not so good, internally (metabolism, hormones, enzymes) it is incredibly important for them to slow down and not over-exert themselves and to eat foods which instead cool these bodily processes down.

Substances, climate and lifestyle choices having properties similar to the pitta dosha will aggravate this energy, whereas those with the opposite qualities will calm it down. An excessive intake of any of the following will prevent pitta dosha from performing its normal functions: hot, spicy or sour foods, fried, oily, fermented, stale and “fast” food, artificial colorings and flavorings, sour or unripe fruits and alcoholic drinks.

Other lifestyle factors that aggravate pitta include exposure to sun, hot weather, indoor heat, chemicals, corrosives and strenuous exercises. In addition, mental tensions, austerities, fighting, fasting, cruelty, competition and greed can cause the pitta energy to become unbalanced.

Remedy For Pitta Dosha

In regard to nutrition:

The Pitta diet emphasizes sweet, cool and juicy items, which Ayurvedic practitioners believe keeps the pitta dosha in balance. A pitta diet should be high in fresh plant foods and low in meat and seafood. Optimal food choices for a pitta diet include all varieties of beans, coconut products, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, vegetables and raw salads, sweet, juicy fruits, grains such as wheat, barley, rice and oats and oils made from coconut, soy or sunflower. Allowable spices include cardamom, coriander, dill, lemongrass, mint, rose, cumin, fennel and turmeric. Cool drinks such as coconut milk, cold water, fruit juice and vegetable juice are embraced on a pitta diet.

In regard to lifestyle and yoga practice:

Pitta individuals should perform gentle yoga poses upon awakening, meditate to regain a sense of peace and balance, wear light-hued clothing rather than red and yellow shades and engage in relaxing activities such as swimming and walking in nature. As far as the style of yoga which best suits Pitta, here are some recommendations…

-Have fun in your poses. Do not take yourself or your pose too seriously.
-Enjoy movement in your poses.
-Soften your gaze downward, at the horizon or even practice with your eyes closed.
-Allow freedom and creativity in your practice. Change it up. Avoid sticking to one style or series of poses.
-Practice in a moderately cool space.
-Focus on the yoga experience in your body, not your brain.
-Work at 80% effort.
-Avoid being judgmental and critical of yourself.
-Remind yourself that yoga is not a competition.
-Use your exhalation to let go and release any built up anger, frustration, stress.
-Practice plenty of twists and side body openers.
-Remind yourself that less is more!

This article was written by Claire Gunzel, a recent graduate of the Feel Good yoga teacher training program.

Shiva… Lord of Yogis… destroyer of worlds
By Sheri Hooper

Lord shiva is ‘shakti’ or power, Shiva is the destroyer, the most powerful god of the Hindu pantheon and one of the godheads in the Hindu Trinity. He is also often portrayed as the supreme ascetic with a passive and composed disposition. Sometimes he is depicted riding a bull called Nandi decked in garlands. Although a very complicated deity, Shiva is one of the most fascinating of Hindu gods.

Shiva is believed to be at the core of the centrifical force of the universe, because of his responsibility for death and destruction. Unlike the godhead Brahma (the Creator) or Vishnu (the Preserver), Shiva is the dissolving force in life. But Shiva dissolves in order to create — death being the medium for rebirth into a new life. The opposites of life and death/creation and destruction both reside in his character.

Since Shiva is regarded as a mighty destructive power. To numb his negative potential he is fed with opium and is also termed as ‘Bhole Shankar’ or one who is oblivious of the world. On Maha Shivratri (the night of Shiva worship), devotees (men in particular) prepare an intoxicating drink called ‘Thandai’ (made from cannabis, almonds, and milk) and sing songs in praise of Lord Shiva while dancing to the rhythm of the drums.

The Maha Mrityunjaya MantraMaha Mrityunjaya Mantra is the powerful mantra of Lord Shiva and a call for enlightenment. Chanting this mantra purifies the karma of the soul on a deep level. The Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra (Mantra of Great Victory Over Death) is one of the most ancient mantras and is well known in the Vedic canon. The mantra of lord shiva goes like this:
“Om tryambhakam yajamahe, sugandhim pushtivardhanam,
urvarukamiva bandhanan, mrityor mukshiya maamritat.”

By Sheri Hooper

Sheri is a graduate of the Feel Good Yoga Teacher Training program. To learn more about Shiva and all things yoga related, join us for our next Yoga Teacher Training program.

Yoga and proprioception
By Almira Haupt

“Understanding how movement affects efficiency can lead to understanding how the body communicates with itself. The strong influence of yoga, martial-arts-based programs and other whole-body programs has swung the door open for more program possibilities. With the new emphasis on creating a connection between mind, body, spirit and emotion, body awareness represents the next frontier of movement education.” ~Suzanne Nottingham

Walk into any yoga studio and chances are you’ll hear how yoga is excellent for refining the body’s abilities in proprioception. Proprioception is the ability of the body to sense where it is, or where its various parts are in space. Specialized sensory receptors in our muscles and joints send information from our internal and external environments to the central nervous system (CNS). Once there, the information is processed, and the CNS determines how to move the body.

Proprioception is an important element in the body’s ability to navigate its way in the world. Exercises that help heighten proprioceptive awareness are incredibly beneficial in allowing the body to become more efficient in its everyday movement. For example, the following exercises and special senses have an effect on proprioception:

• Sequences – such as those found in yoga and dancing – contain a variety of movement patterns, and ranges of motion with different tensions and loads on various body parts;
• Cardio, strength, flexibility and balance conditioning;
• Linear, lateral and rotational movements;
• Vision – used to adjust movements when recovering balance, for example, instead of looking downward, focus ahead to realign the head and neck;
• The inner ear – plays an important role in helping us maintain our balance (equilibrium), and the head and neck must be situated over a balanced spine for it to function properly; and
• Weight changes and motion – our bodies are very sensitive to weight transfers and the motion of our body/limbs that occur when we change positions, such as moving from one yoga pose to another.

Most poses in yoga require balance, coordination, agility and power. Balance is the body’s ability to right itself. It is improved with proprioceptive feedback. Strong abdominal, back and gluteal muscles provide a solid foundation from which all movement originates. Strength is necessary for postural endurance – it is required to maintain a stable core, balance and control. Also, many poses can challenge one’s normal range of motion. During a yoga sequence, the constant repositioning of the body keeps the CNS aware of the external environment. In short, practicing yoga is a great way to train the body’s proprioceptive abilities.

Sources:
1. Marieb, E. Human Anatomy and Physiology, 6th edition. 2004
2. Nottingham, Suzanne. Training for Proprioception & Function: Proprioceptive movements in your classes and training sessions can enhance your clients’ body awareness and movement efficiency. http://www.coachr.org/proprio.htm

Almira Haupt is a graduate of the Feel Good Yoga Teacher Training program. To learn more about all things related to yoga, join us for our next yoga teacher training program. Sign up now and receive a $400 discount!

Yoga for tension headaches

By Almira Haupt

In my twenties, I worked in a downtown Toronto office. My workspace consisted of a two square metre cubicle; complete with a desk, chair, telephone and desktop computer. It was the kind of workspace someone newly graduated from university rarely aspires to, but somehow ends up in. Yup…I was in the workforce, earning a paycheque, and – for the first time ever – suffering from wickedly painful headaches. It got so bad that I went to my family doctor, convinced that I had tumour (or something equally sinister) in my head.

After a fairly thorough exam, I nervously asked, “So what’s happening?” I was fully expecting some dire diagnosis. “Well, it looks like you’re suffering from tension headaches,” my doctor replied, “nothing too serious.” There were days when I could barely see straight for all the pounding in my head, and it’s “nothing too serious?” Needless to say, I was skeptical about this doctor’s diagnostic abilities. In fact, I was starting to feel another headache coming on. Regardless, I asked, “So what’s a tension headache?”

Tension headaches are the most common type of headaches. The pain can radiate from the neck, back, eyes, or other muscle groups in the body. Nearly everyone will have at least one tension headache in their lifetime. These headaches can be episodic or chronic; and can last from minutes to days or even months. However, a typical tension headache lasts 4-6 hours. Unfortunately for me, my tension headaches were of the chronic variety, and tended to last a couple of hours (but honestly felt like an eternity). During an episode, my head felt as if it was being squeezed in a vice.

The exact cause of tension headaches is unknown. However, many medical professionals believe that muscle tension around the head and neck is the main culprit. It is also possible that teeth clenching, which causes a chronic contraction of the temporalis muscles (a pair of fan-like muscles covering the temples), is another major factor in tension headaches. I thought about my job. Hmmm…sitting and staring at my computer screen would certainly cause a lot of tension in my upper body. Then I thought about all my upcoming deadlines, and suddenly I can hear my teeth grinding. “Okay,” I said, “how do I get rid of it?” My doctor had all kinds of suggestions: taking numerous mini-breaks, stretches, massage, and yoga. Yoga?

Well, it turns out that yoga is great for helping relieving, and eventually preventing, the effects of tension headaches. The following poses are helpful to stretch, and open up, the upper back, shoulders, head, and neck:
• Mountain pose (tadasana) allows you to discover your posture, and allows you to focus on areas that need to be stretched and balanced;
• Pyramid pose (parsvottanasana) with hands resting on the sacrum opens the chest, and allows the head and neck to hang relaxed;
• Eagle (garudasana) arms helps relieve tension in the upper back by stretching the rhomboid muscles between the shoulder blades;
• Supported child’s pose rests the upper back, and allows the neck to release tension;
• Downward dog (adho mukha svanasana) provides a fantastic stretch to the upper back and shoulders; and
• Corpse pose (savasana) is a great pose that allows you to relax completely.
Breathe deeply and slowly during all the postures and remember to relax the forehead, eyes, jaw, and tongue.

So I took my doctor’s advice, and over the years I have discovered that when it comes to effectively dealing with tension headaches, nothing beats a daily yoga practice.

Sources
1. Biel, Andrew. Trail Guide to the Body, 4th edition. 2010
2. Marieb, E. Human Anatomy and Physiology, 6th edition. 2004
3. Prousky, J. and D. Seely (2005). The treatment of migraines and tension-type headaches with intravenous and oral niacin (nicotinic acid): systematic review of the literature. Nutrition Journal. 4:3 26 January 2005.

Almira Haupt is a recent graduate from the Feel Good Yoga Teacher Training program. To learn more about yoga and all things yoga related, join us for our next yoga teacher training program. Sign up now and receive a $400 discount.

Breathe, breathe, breathe…
By Almira Haupt

What is pranayama? Pranayama may be translated either as restraint or control of breath. Done while sitting or lying comfortably, pranayama exercises use breathing techniques to increase vitality, provide mental focus, and expand consciousness. Three part breath, victorious breath, alternate nostril breath, and humming bee breath are different forms of pranayama (I have to admit that I am partial to humming bee breath….all that buzzing just puts a big smile on my face). One of the goals of pranayama is to observe one’s breath entering and exiting the body; and how the breath fills and moves around in the body.

Breath…it’s the stuff of life. Actually, it is life. Without breath, we just wouldn’t be alive; and without breathing, we wouldn’t be able to move our breath – the life-giving force – throughout our bodies. An important structure for breathing is the diaphragm, which is the primary muscle of respiration. Unique in design and function, the diaphragm is a broad, umbrella-like structure that separates the thoracic cavity into upper and lower sections. Its muscle fibres are attached to the vertebrae in the low back and the inner surface of the ribs; and converge at a central tendon. As the muscle fibres of the diaphragm contract, the central tendon is pulled down. Since the central tendon is attached to the connective tissue that surrounds the lungs, a vacuum is created in the upper thoracic cavity, which pulls air into the lungs. This is inhalation. In other words, you breathe in. You can accentuate the movement of the diaphragm by belly breathing (expanding your belly when you inhale). On exhalation (when you breathe out), the diaphragm relaxes, which releases the central tendon and the lungs deflate. The air is literally pushed out of the lungs the same way air is pushed out of a deflating balloon.

By the way, did you know that an involuntary contraction of the diaphragm will cause air to rush into the lungs, as well as causing the vocal cords to snap shut? The audible result is a hiccup. (Just thought I would throw that in. You know…it’s always good to have a repertoire of party fun facts.)

Speaking of fun facts…If you really want to impress your fellow yogis, mention that belly breathing while in makrasana (crocodile pose) is a great way to feel how the diaphragm works. This resting position has a gentle backbend, which – during inhalation (and all accompanying action by the diaphragm) – causes your abdomen to expand down into your mat. For many, deep breathing in makrasana creates a soothing abdominal massage. As an added bonus, this posture also allows you to feel expansion along the back of the torso.

Have you ever heard your yoga teacher tell you that breathing massages the heart? The heart is directly affected by the diaphragm’s movement. The tough, fibrous layer of the heart (the pericardium, for the more anatomically-minded) is attached to the diaphragm’s central tendon. That means that the heart actually rides up and down on the diaphragm as you breathe in and breathe out. Your yoga teacher is right – breathing massages the heart!

So the next time you practice pranayama, think about the connection between the breath and the diaphragm; and remember to breathe, breathe, breathe…

Sources:
1. Biel, Andrew. Trail Guide to the Body, 4th edition. 2010
2. Brown, Christina. The Book of Yoga. 2001
3. Moore, Keith; Arthur F. Dalley; and Anne M.R. Agur. Clinically Oriented Anatomy, 6th edition. 2010.

By Almira Haupt

Almira recently graduated from the Feel Good Yoga Teacher Training program!

Feet are a very important part of the body yet they are often overlooked, even neglected. In fact often we do not pay attention to our feet until they give us a reason to, such as pain. We stuff our feet into socks and shoes and forget about them. We abuse and neglect our feet by wearing uncomfortable or improperly fitting shoes. The feet are victims of fashion, especially when it comes to women’s footwear.

Because our feet are hidden in shoes we do not pay as much attention to them as we do to other parts of our bodies such as our hands. Being out of sight it is easy to not immediately notice such things as ingrown toenails, that is until be experience pain. Common foot problems associated with improper fitting shoes include, flat feet, bunions, hammertoes.

Our feet are important; they are our foundation for the body. As the foundation for the weight of the body our feet need to be level, balanced and stable to support the legs, spine, torso, arms and head. When the base is tilted or out of balance the whole structure will be misaligned. The body aligns itself from the feet up. So when a foot goes out of alignment the ankle, knee, pelvis and back will follow. It is also important to note that while our feet are the base for our structure they are not static, they have the added complexity of being mobile with the necessity being flexible and strong.

Our feet and toes are essential to body movement for walking, running and standing. Our body reflects everything we do with our feet, if our feet are tight and clenched then the whole body will mirror the tension. When our feet are tired, the whole body will be tired. Our feet are also referred to as the mirror of our bodily health. Often by examining the feet we can see signs of such things as diabetes, arthritis, circulatory issues and even neurological diseases. Proper foot care is essential not only to our feet but to overall health.

Feet are complex mechanisms and each foot contains 26 bones and 33 muscles (intrinsic and extrinsic) there are 31 joints and over 100 ligaments in the foot. A quarter of the bones in the body are found in the feet, 52 bones in a pair of feet. There are 250,000 sweat glands in each pair of feet these glands release almost one cup of moister daily. That is more sweat glands per inch of our feet than anywhere else in the body.

Thus it is extremely important to care for our feet and one of the ways we can do this is by incorporating specific poses that help to strengthen the feet and the lower leg muscles. Proper alignment of the feet in all yoga poses is an important part of any practice. Because the body aligns from the feet up it is important that we take care and have proper alignment of the feet in all of our yoga poses.

There are particular poses that will help improve foot problems as well as increasing circulation, reduce swollen ankles and create stability in the body. Listed below are specific yoga poses that benefit the feet.

Virasana – Hero Pose
Vajrasana – Thunder pose
Adho Mukha Savanasna – Downward Facing Dog
Baddha Konasana– Cobbler Pose
Squat with Toe Stretch (Knees on the floor)
Squat (knees up, heels on the floor)

It is important to pay attention to the alignment of the feet in all yoga poses, especially in standing poses when the feet are not only the foundation of the pose but also the connection to the earth. Proper alignment of the feet, includes grounding though the four corners of the feet (the big toe mound, the baby toe mound, the outer and inner heel) lifting the arches and distributing the weight equally between each foot.

By experimenting in our standing pose, gently rocking backwards and forwards, side to side we will come to find that perfect place. Finding that place also facilitates finding the neutral posture of the standing body. When you find this place your will experience a sense of weightlessness freedom “Neutral Posture” refers to the resting position of each joint-the position in which there is the least tension or pressure on nerves, tendons, muscles and bones. It is also the position in which muscles are at their resting length-neither contracted nor stretched. Muscles at this length can develop maximum force most efficiently.

By lifting the toes up when standing and reaching them to the sky, spreading them wide then placing them back down, we lift the arches and ground through all four corns of the foot. Yoga poses increase muscle tone and stretch the muscles and connective tissue in the feet. Creating and maintaining good muscle tone in our feet improves overall good foot health. Yoga poses that help flexibility and strengthen the feet, toes and ankles contributes to better alignment of the feet and therefore better body alignment.

Lynda Lafond

References: sun&moonyogastudio
From the Ground Up – Yoga Journal
Feet First – Yoga Journal
WebMD – Pain Management
Foot exercises for PF – Ed Davis, DPM 6/05/04

Lynda is currently in the Feel Good Yoga Teacher Training program.

The Muladhara chakra is also known as the root chakra and is located at the base of the spine. Mula translates to root, base or beginning. Hara translates to centre. When we are balanced in this chakra we will feel grounded, sure, stable, strong and steady. When we are experiencing imbalance we will feel fearful, insecure, fatigued, and unstable.

We can become ungrounded in our root chakra when we are in periods of movement in our lives and don’t have a home base or are in between jobs. Through asana and pranayama, yoga can help us connect to the earth as we draw a deeper awareness to our emotional strength and well being.

As someone who loves to travel, I can relate to having an unbalanced Muladhara Chakra. Over the past few years, I have traveled to several different countries. I would find myself trying to go with the flow of all the changes around me, which helped a little with my day to day life. However, I still struggled to find a sense of groundedness. I felt far away from my family and alone at times, despite pictures of loved ones on my walls and sentimental belongings that I would look at every day.

In retrospect, I realize that this sense of disconnectedness and alienation would be described in yoga as an imbalance in my muladhara chakra. During these times I felt unbalanced, I would have feelings of being alienated slightly from the rest of the world. It wasn’t until I found myself stumble across a small boutique yoga studio in Singapore, that the feelings started to subside.

I started up my yoga practice again and began focusing inward. I started doing daily meditations which helped in making me feel grounded to the earth. They also helped reduce some of the physical problems I was experiencing as a result of my muladhara imbalance. These practices allowed me to begin to enjoy my busy life in Singapore and alleviated my homesickness.

Hatha yoga also helps to balance the Muladhara chakra. All barefoot work and standing postures are excellent for creating a stronger sense of grounding in the mind and body. Simple reminders in a class can help to strengthen root chakra awareness. Pressing down through the palms and feet, grounding the fingers and toes by lifting the pelvic floor, activating the root lock, grounding the sit bones, and finding a neutral spine all help to activate the root chakra.

Kundalini yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual discipline for developing strength, awareness, character and consciousness. Cow pose is particularly effective in strengthening and clearing the root chakra. By working to cleanse and balance the root chakra we provide ourselves with a strong sense of security, connectivity to nature and a sense of abundance.

Seated or restorative meditation is another wonderful practice for nourishing the root chakra. Since it is practiced close to the earth, it establishes a connection to the earth, connects us to stillness and relieves anxiety during periods of stress or uncertainty.

Certain pranayama or yogic breathing techniques are particularly effective in balancing the root chakra. The beeja mantra or seed letter vibration emerging from the Muladhara chakra is LAM. Allow the sacred sound LAM to vibrate through you during your in breath and out breath.

Positive balance in the muladhara chakra is represented by feelings of physical and mental stability, security, comfort and prosperity . Feeling and knowing stable and strong roots can lead to mindful change and growth.

Positive Affirmation: I am safe. I trust more. I fear less.

Amy Papove

Amy is currently a yoga teacher trainee in the Feel Good Yoga Teacher Training Program. To learn more about the muladhara chakra and all things related to yoga, join us in our next yoga teacher training program. Sign up now and receive a $400 discount.

My experience during the Feel Good Yoga Teacher training program over the past 6 months has being truly amazing! I experienced a huge amount of growth from start to finish and was amazed at how differently I felt at the end of the training…my outlook on life has completely changed.

I came into the program with the hope that the program would help me strengthen my personal practice and provide me the skills to teach my own classes…but I am leaving the program with so much more than that! The rich historical background of yoga and the spiritual growth provided through pranayama, meditation and other yogic practices were the most life transforming aspects of the yoga teacher training program for me. I have always appreciated the physical and emotionally calming benefits of yoga, but had never known or understood the deeper layers of yoga and how exploring those deeper layers could change the flow of your everyday life in such a positive way.

I have had numerous big changes in my life recently. I have found that with the practice of pranayama breathing and meditations I have been able to let go of things that I cannot change and change the things I can. Knowing that I can come back to the breath and find that peaceful spot within my meditative state makes me more comfortable and confident in the decisions that I make.

For me, this course has been about finding my true self and letting my inner light shine without all the distractions of daily life. I came to understand the importance of awareness. It is easy to become distracted and lose sense of our authentic Self. Yoga makes us more aware of how we interact with others and treat ourselves. It challenges our minds to become patient, forgiving and gentle towards ourselves and others. Yoga teaches us to breathe and become aware of our breath. Paying attention to the breath is calming… It dissolves away any stress and anxiety.

The benefits of yoga are seen on so many levels and have become particularly apparent to me through the deeper practice provided through the Feel Good Yoga Teacher Training program. I am now graduating…not only with unexpected confidence in my teaching skills, but also feeling much more in touch with my inner goddess. Yoga has taught me how to live well and abundantly on Earth. Every class I teach or go to inspires me in a deeper way!

Roll out that mat and get your yoga on.

Namaste,

Amy Papove

Amy Popove is a currently a yoga teacher training in the Feel Good Yoga Teacher Training Program.

The doshas are an Ayurvedic philosophy based on the qualities of the mind and body. It is believed that health can only occur when all three doshas are in balance. There are three doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kalpha. It is very unusal for anyone to be 100% one dosha. Most people are bi-dosha and a few are even tri-dosha. Understanding your dosha type and any imbalances between the doshas that you may have can be helpful in making you feel better emotionally and physically.

According to all three quizzes I took I am primarily Pitta (6) and slightly Vatta (3).

The Pitta dosha represents fire. Pittas generally have a strong appetite, dislike heat and have a sharp memory. Physically they end to have a medium body frame with fair skin and bright eyes. However, they also tend to be dominating and unwilling to change their opinions on their ideas and principles. This will often lead to arguing and aggression when speaking with people of differing mind sets. When in balance the Pitta has a warm, loving personality with good concentration and speech with good intelligence. When they are out of balance they will be demanding, frustrated, angry, irritable and impatient.

The Vata dosha is responsible for joy, creativity and speech. Physically they tend to have dry hair and lips with rough skin and cracked nails and a thin body frame. They can tend towards anxiety and insecurity and are sometimes thought to be clairvoyant. They are easily exited and are constantly moving around. When in balance the Vata has a lively and enthusiastic personality, they are very alert, imaginative and talkative. When they are out of balance they will appear restless, tired, anxious and worried and may lose weight.

I identify fully with the Pitta dosha and I have felt myself fall out of balance quite a few times usually because of lack of sleep or too much stress. In order to balance my Pitta dosha when I feel imbalanced I should avoid excessive heat, limit my exercise to only during the coolest time of the day and limit my consumption of spicy foods and salt. Because my schedule limits me from exercising in the morning I do usually exercise at 4 p.m. which in the summer can be quite hot. Though I rarely consume any excess salt at all I do love spicy foods and eat them often!

I also identify with the traits I outlined in the Vata dosha. I find I am easily excited and do move around constantly. I’m not sure if I move around constantly because of my dosha though or simply because of the excessive amount of tasks that I take on and feel I need to do each day. I don’t identify much with the imbalanced Vata traits. At first I thought this must mean because I am only Vata secondarily and Pitta first that it is easier for me to remain balanced as a Vata. However, when I looked at the ways a Vata can balance themselves I found that I do almost all of those things on a daily basis (such as eat warm foods, keep calm by doing things like yoga and mediation, continue with my regular routine and avoid frozen or cold foods) and that is most likely the reason that I am usually balanced.

By Kristina Kopplin

Kristina is currently completing her 200 hour yoga teacher training program at Feel Good Yoga and Pilates. To learn more about yoga and other yoga related topics, join us for our next yoga teacher training program.

During my yoga teacher training program at Feel Good, we were lucky enough to have a guest instructor deliver a yoga class for us that was specifically designed for people with multiple sclerosis. It was a real eye opener for me. We approached it as if we had the same challenges, so that we could try to understand what it was like for people with this disease. We were not allowed to cheat and it was really difficult to do the poses as if we had limited movement, balance and breathing issues. Many of us had to be reminded to use our chairs and not to stretch or twist too far.

I came to understand just how wonderful yoga can be for people with physical, mental or emotional challenges. The beautiful thing about yoga is that it also incorporates so many other wonderful elements, not just a concern for physical wellbeing. It had never occurred to me that a class could be tailored to specific needs until this multiple sclerosis class. However, once I began thinking about it, it totally made sense. There are so many levels to yoga. It has been working for thousands of years to treat the person as a whole; physically, mentally and spiritually. It incorporates meditation, relaxation, stretching, strength training, forgiveness, compassion, love, optimism and so much more. What is wellness, but a combination of these things, tailored to our unique set of needs? Now, all that has to happen is for enough people with similar needs to ask for a class to be created for them.

Yoga can be adapted for most people. It cannot force you into anything and it will not discriminate against you. It does not judge and it does not try to change the way you live your life or your religion. The position, from which it operates, is one of non harm. It teaches us to love and respect ourselves and others. It teaches us that we are connected to each other, no matter whom and how we are. What a gift.
– Kat Russell

To learn more about yoga for multiple sclerosis and other specialty yoga classes, join our 200 hour yoga teacher training program.