Ayurveda and Yoga: Why Is It Called the Sister Science of Yoga?

Ayurveda and Yoga – why is Ayurveda called the sister science of Yoga?

Ayurveda is regarded as Yoga’s sister science. This ancient healing tradition began in India thousands of years ago, yet its principles remain relevant today. It takes a holistic view of healthcare, looking at every aspect of a person’s life, with particular attention to diet. Its approach brings together treatments, medicines, nutrition and exercise.

It is also described as a science of longevity. Ayurveda is a broad and far-reaching field, and it considers beauty to be the outcome of outstanding health.

Its enduring teachings offer extensive guidance for living a balanced life physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. They encourage every person to fulfil their potential.

Ayur/Ayus means life or lifespan

Veda means knowledge or science

The purpose of this system is to prevent illness and dis-ease. Ayurveda offers both preventative and curative approaches intended to support optimal health. It holds that all matter carries energetic vibrations, which may be high or low, healthy or unhealthy, strong or weak. The objective is to increase the vibrational quality or energy of an affected area, or to preserve equilibrium for perfect health.

Ayurveda uses Yoga as a therapeutic practice, while Yoga is Ayurvedic in both its theory and its application. A central principle is that everything in the universe is interconnected. Human beings contain the same elements found throughout the universe. A healthy mind supports a healthy body, and the reverse is also true. Physical, emotional or spiritual disturbances, whether alone or combined, lead to dis-ease.

Every individual has their own constitution, encompassing physical and psychological traits as well as bodily functions.

The Doshas

Universal intelligence directs the process of life through three primary life forces. These forces are known as doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. They govern everything that takes place in the mind and body. Each person has a distinct combination of these three forces, which are formed from five fundamental elements.

According to Ayurveda, all that we see is made up of these five elements: Space, Air, Fire, Water and Earth.

Earth comes from water, which originates in fire. Fire could not be produced without air, while air is created through the condensation of space. Space is the sole element that does not depend on another element or factor. It is the most essential element for existence.

People engage with these five elements through the five senses: hearing, touch, sight, taste and smell.

Characteristics of the Elements:

Space

• Present everywhere
• Cold
• Cannot be contained or manipulated
• Without it, we would adhere to one another
• Separates objects
• Sound/ears

Air

• A condensation of space
• Its movement makes air more noticeable than space
• Think of clouds in the sky creating shapes and forms
• May be hot/sticky
• Has a drying effect
• A fan can move air
• A draught may feel cool
• When imbalanced or extreme – tornadoes, hurricanes
• Body – bloating, lung disorders, dry skin, a restless mind
• Skin/touch

Fire

• The sun is its most powerful natural form
• Provides light in darkness
• Supports visual and intellectual abilities
• Can change matter or a situation, for example turning skin brown in the sun or raw food into cooked food
• AGNI – digestive fire
• When imbalanced – heatwaves, destructive fires
• Body – inflammatory illnesses, fever, aggression, heated emotions
• Eyes/sight

Water

• Purifying and cleansing
• Cooling
• Easily absorbed
• It is impossible to survive for long without water
• The body is 80% water
• When imbalanced – floods, tsunamis
• Body – water retention, kidney failure, fluid in the lungs
• Mouth/tongue/taste

Earth

• Hills
• Mountains
• Vegetation
• Heavy and stable
• Sun and rain can interact with earth
• When imbalanced – landslides, earthquakes
• Body – bones, hair, teeth, brittleness, split ends
• Smell/nose

The Doshas in relation to the elements:

Vata – Space and air
Pitta – Fire and water
Kapha – Water and earth

Vata Dosha (air or movement: restless)

As Vata combines space and air, it acts like wind within the body. When considering the body’s hollow areas, including the bones, veins and arteries, these are governed by the Vata dosha.

Because air must move, Vata is responsible for every form of movement in the body. This includes breathing, blood circulation, the movement of nutrients into the body and the removal of waste from cells. It has a central role in the nervous system.

Characteristics of Vata type

• Cold – dislike of cold
• Dry – skin/constipation
• Light – lean body type
• Quick – fast to understand new ideas but also quick to forget them
• Rough – skin, cracking joints, cracked heels
• Subtle – subtle twitching
• Mobile – restless, with a need for physical activity
• Astringent
• Blackish
• Tendency towards anxiety
• Tendency towards light and interrupted sleep

Pitta Dosha – (fire or transformation: fiery)

Pitta is composed mainly of fire, together with some water. Fire is the dominant element and water makes up a small proportion. Heat within the body raises the metabolic rate. Pitta dosha is chiefly responsible for transforming food into nourishment and energy.

The digestive organs are all considered part of the Pitta dosha. The liver and pancreas, for instance, work alongside the digestive system. Every metabolic system is linked to Pitta dosha, especially the function of the endocrine system. The production of red blood cells is also a role of Pitta dosha. Heat is necessary for the production and function of haemoglobin. The spleen filters and repairs red blood cells, either returning them to circulation or removing and breaking them down.

Pitta dosha additionally controls body temperature. Sweating is another of its functions, activating the body’s cooling mechanism through the ideal combination of fire and water. It is worth noting that Ayurvedic medicine uses the idea of digestion in relation to everything, including thoughts, visualisation and external stimuli.

Characteristics of Pitta Dosha

• Heat – dislike of heat
• Oily – skin
• Fluid – adaptable
• Sharp – defined facial features, a sharp memory, intelligence
• Hunger – unable to miss meals
• Thirst – preference for cold food and drink
• Courage
• Quick temper and a tendency towards irritability
• Moderate build
• Sweating
• Digestion and metabolism
• Liver, spleen, pancreas

Kapha Dosha – (earth or structure: calm)

Kapha Dosha is made up of the elements of water and earth. These are the two heaviest elements. Through the binding qualities of water and earth, Kapha holds tissues together and forms structure. It keeps the body compact and moist. Water gives it a gentle, flowing and flexible nature. Bodily functions involving water or fluid are governed by Kapha, including plasma and the immune system. Other bodily fluids include synovial fluid, pericardial fluid and cerebrospinal fluid.

As the lymphatic system is closely connected with the body’s defence system, the lymph nodes and glands are also associated with Kapha.

Kapha dosha is often wrongly understood as simply slow and inactive; in reality, it sustains and protects all organs. It is responsible for growth, nutrition and nourishment, as well as reproductive tissues and organs. Body fat and muscles are likewise functions of Kapha dosha.

Characteristics of Kapha

• Solid, heavier build
• Heaviness – voice, build, bones and muscles
• Coolness – cold skin, a tendency towards colds, slow metabolism
• Softness – soft skin, a kind and caring attitude
• Oiliness – oily skin, hair and nails, flexible and mobile joints
• Sweetness – cravings for sweet foods
• Stability – a patient, relaxed nature, slow to become excited or irritated
• Heavy, long sleep
• Abundant, thick hair
• Strong – physicality and immune system

Balance of Doshas

A core principle shared by both Hatha Yoga and Ayurvedic medicine is balance. This includes balance between the body’s left and right sides, the brain, the nervous system and opposing qualities throughout the body.

The doshas work continuously within the physical and subtle bodies. When the doshas are balanced, the elements are also balanced. Dosha balance changes all the time, following recurring cycles that influence these shifts, such as the cycles of a day and a twelve-month year.

Dietary choices and lifestyle routines can be adjusted to suit the dominant dosha. Dosha balance is maintained through the correct use of the senses and intellect, alongside appropriate attention to the stated times of day, seasons and stages of life.

When a dosha becomes imbalanced, Ayurveda applies the principle of opposites. For instance, if Pitta dosha is out of balance, as in a high fever, it is recommended to use things that soothe the fever. If the skin becomes very dry, oils or moisturisers are applied.

At its most basic, this follows the logic that like increases like, while opposites counterbalance one another. This principle can be used in both diet and lifestyle.

The main ten pairs of opposites in Ayurveda:

Heavy ⇔ Light
Dull ⇔ Sharp
Cold ⇔ Hot
Oily ⇔ Dry
Smooth ⇔ Rough
Dense ⇔ Porous
Soft ⇔ Hard
Static ⇔ Mobile
Cloudy ⇔ Clear
Solid ⇔ Liquid

Potential symptoms when Doshas are out of balance

Vata Dosha imbalances

• Dry skin, hair, ears, lips and joints
• Internal dryness – bloating, gas, constipation, dehydration, weight loss
• Dryness and lightness of the mind – restlessness, dizziness, feeling ungrounded
• Cold – poor circulation, muscle spasms or constriction, asthma, pain and aches, tightness
• Roughness, particularly of the skin and lips
• Excessive movement – anxiety, fidgeting, agitation, muscle twitching, palpitations

Pitta Dosha imbalances

• Red skin or irritated rosacea
• Burning, bloodshot eyes
• Indigestion, heartburn or acid reflux
• Loose stools or diarrhoea
• Inflammation
• Painful menstrual cramps

Kapha Dosha imbalances

• Cold symptoms (i.e. cough, congestion, post-nasal drip)
• Seasonal allergies
• A heavy sensation in the stomach
• Sluggish digestion
• Lack of appetite
• Weight gain
• Water retention, swelling and puffiness
• Lethargy, depression, lack of motivation

The Three Gunas

The three gunas are referred to in the Bhagavad Gita, although the concept originally comes from Samkhya philosophy. These three gunas have always existed and will continue to exist. They are fundamental to Ayurvedic psychology and are generally believed to govern the mind.

The doshas, by contrast, govern the physical body. The gunas are also known as the properties of Prakriti, or nature.

The three gunas are called:

1. Sattva – goodness, constructive, harmonious, associated with Pitta
2. Rajas – passion, active, confused, associated with Vata
3. Tamas – darkness, inertia, chaotic, associated with Kapha

Positive mental and spiritual development is guided by the balance of the gunas. Progressing from tamas to rajas and then to sattva represents spiritual growth. Ayurveda gives priority to balancing the doshas.

Yoga can complement this process through balancing the gunas. Like the three doshas, the gunas fluctuate and are interdependent.

An Ayurvedic diet and lifestyle create a strong mental and physical foundation that supports the path of Yoga. Yoga is said to strengthen the ability to ease mental dis-ease and stress, while allowing the possibility of reaching higher states of being.

This is why Ayurveda is often described as a sister science of Yoga.