CHAPTER
8

Lifestyle Practices for Each Dosha

In This Chapter

I’ve talked a lot about diet to balance the Doshas, but lifestyle is equally as important. Even if you eat the right foods, if you continue to lead a lifestyle that contrasts with what your Doshic needs are, you are going to remain imbalanced.

In this chapter, I share some lifestyle recommendations for each Dosha. I also give you a specific life lesson each Dosha has to work on. Finally, I offer the best yoga practices and meditation methods for each Dosha so you know how to bring yours back into balance, both mentally and physically.

Vata Practices

Vatas can be a bit all over the place—blame it on the excess wind. The air and ether (space) energy within Vatas makes them particularly flighty, overwhelmed, and scattered. This is why it’s important for Vatas to establish a grounding practice that settles their irregular appetite, their digestive system, and even their moods. The one lesson Vatas really need to work on is grounding.

By following these practices, you Vatas can find much more peace and harmony in your day-to-day life. You’ll be less affected by stress and anxiety and become much stronger in your will. Grounding provides the structure you need to see tasks through, and you’ll finally be able to finish all those genius projects you started but haven’t yet gotten around to completing.

Routine provides the awareness to know what’s coming next, which prepares your mind and body for eating, sleeping, digesting, etc. Your mind and body are much more effective at what they do when you know what you’re going to throw at them, and these practices will help build that intuitive awareness.

Establish a Routine

Having a routine does not come naturally for those with a Vata mind. You prefer to take things as they come, and one day may look completely different from the next. To you, routines feel like an invasion of your personal freedom. You’d much rather feel out things.

Now there’s nothing wrong with spontaneity, and some people thrive in less-structured schedules. However, you do need some sort of consistency in your day-to-day life. That doesn’t mean you repeat the same tasks in the same place every day, but you do need to have some sort of daily routine, including self-care and timing your meals, so your body knows what to expect. You function best when you have a routine because your body is prepared to digest, relax, sleep, etc.

Vatas highly benefit from establishing a daily routine, or dinacharya. Here’s an example of a great daily routine for Vatas:

Wake up around the same time each day (ideally at dawn).

Practice morning routine (which I discuss more in Chapter 10): eliminate, brush teeth, scrape tongue, wash face, oil pull with sesame oil.

Drink a hot cup of warming tea, such as ginger, and meditate.

Eat a warm breakfast, such as cooked grains with almond milk and cinnamon.

Begin your day in a peaceful manner.

Eat lunch around the same time every day. Do not snack randomly throughout the day but just have one in the afternoon, if you’re hungry.

Exercise in the afternoon when your energy levels are up.

Eat an early, easy-to-digest dinner like vegetable stew.

Enjoy a nightly warm tonic like turmeric golden mylk, an ancient plant-based Ayurvedic elixir, comprised of turmeric seeped in nondairy milk.

Oil your body with sesame oil, and turn off all technology.

Get to sleep soundly by 10 P.M.

When you have a different routine every day, your body doesn’t know what to anticipate. A routine allows your body to expect certain things at certain times—when you’re going to rise, eat, exercise, sleep, and various other functions—so it can prepare itself for that role. If one day you eat at 9 P.M. and the next day you’re in bed at that time, your body will be confused because it won’t know what to prepare for. Routines do not take away from your freedom but actually give you more of it. You are free when you are healthy, which is why a consistent routine is important, especially for Vatas.

Slow It Down

Vatas tend to go at the speed of light, which causes them to go into overdrive and burn out. The real medicine for Vatas is to slow down. When you go through life slowly, you become more deliberate in your actions and gain awareness. This awareness brings more years to your life and life to your years.

Wisdom of the Ages

In yogic tradition, it’s believed you only have a certain amount of breaths in your lifetime. If you breathe too fast, you’ll move through them quickly and have a shorter lifespan. Take things slow, and breathe deeply and meaningfully as if you were sucking in more life with each breath.

Vatas should practice doing just one task at a time to achieve mindfulness. Rather than multitasking, you should see one undertaking through before beginning the next. It’s especially crucial that you slow down and be mindful while you’re eating because Vatas often eat standing up, while talking, or even when driving. This prevents your digestive system from functioning properly because your body doesn’t know whether it should be focusing on eating or the other activity simultaneously going on.

Slow down. Breathe. Tune in. Take your time. Don’t stress about how many things you have to do. You are a human being, not a human doing. Make your first task being so you better achieve the doing.

Yoga Practice

Yoga is a beneficial way for you to use your Vata body in a way that’s conductive, not destructive. Vatas often have surges of energy they need to release, which causes them to go a million miles an hour and then crash. Yoga teaches awareness and taking things slow—two lessons Vatas dearly need to learn.

Ayurvedic Alert

Vatas also frequently suffer from skeletal issues, such as back pain and popping joints. If untreated, this can turn into arthritis, osteoporosis, and injury. Yoga can teach you alignment and help you strengthen loose joints.

Not all yoga practices are created equally. Vatas must practice grounding, structured, and strength-building yoga postures to counterbalance their flighty, irregular, and highly flexible minds and bodies. Vatas often have no problem winding their way through an active Vinyasa yoga class or stretching into a deep split. However, if they do not build the strength to match that flexibility and movement, they are at risk of getting hurt. Vatas also are often born with abnormalities, causing them to suffer from poor balance. They must take extra precaution to work on alignment and be sure the left and right sides of their bodies are proportioned.

Now let’s take a look at some recommended yoga poses for Vatas.

Sun salutation: surya namaskar, or the sun salutation, is the cornerstone of any dynamic yoga practice. It is considered the “crest jewel of yoga” because of its benefits for the mind, body, and spirit.

The sun salutation is a series of postures that open every channel of your body, heat your internal fire, and prepare your muscles for practice. The sequence is recommended for all Doshas; however, you Vatas should particularly pay attention to your alignment to ensure you’re reaping the benefits of the practice, staying in your range of mobility, and keeping your joints safe. Time your breath with each pose to truly get the best of the practice.

The sun salutation is a series of poses performed in a sequence to create a flow of movement, each pose coordinating with your breath. As a rule of thumb, inhale to extend and exhale to bend.

Warrior pose: The warrior pose II, virabhadrasana II, builds strength, vitality, and grounding in the body. You not only use your leg muscles to support yourself but also your spine to keep your body upright and your arms and chest to remain open. Although this pose may appear like you’re just standing there, it’s actually extremely difficult when done the right way. With warrior pose II, you are teaching your body to be rooted and supported, while still open and expansive.

Oftentimes in weight training, it’s easy to tense your muscles in order to be strong. The warrior pose II gives you the benefits of a muscular workout without even needing to move. It is through stillness that you cultivate true strength. This is particularly difficult for Vatas, who always feel the need to move.

Hold warrior II pose for 1 to 3 minutes, getting deeper as the time goes on. Practicing this pose cultivates true grounding and strength, bringing out the powerful warrior within you.

Warrior II is a standing pose that enhances strength, stability and concentration, commemorating the Hindu mythological warrior Virabhadra, an incarnation of the god Shiva.

Dancer’s pose: The dancer’s pose, natarajasana, is especially beneficial for Vatas for two reasons. First, as you can see, it requires serious balance. Vatas’ minds are often scattered all over the place, but to practice this pose, you must cultivate awareness. One unrelated thought, and you’ll fall out of the pose. This is particularly helpful during times of anxiety when your mind is racing. Instead of becoming overwhelmed with the situation, simply practice dancer’s pose. It will force your mind to become centered, and the more balanced you become, the more you can expand your body. Vatas also are prone to bone abnormalities and muscular weakness and especially need to work on balance to prevent injury.

The second reason this pose is especially effective for Vatas is because it is known as the wind-relieving pose. That means what it sounds like—it allows your body to expel extra gas from your colon. Vatas particularly have an issue with gas accumulation, so this pose can help naturally release any air bubbles that may have been collecting in the colon. Don’t be nervous about doing this pose in public. After some repetition, you will no longer pass any gas with this pose, making it safe to practice in any yoga class.

Wisdom of the Ages

Yoga is not about how high you can hold up your leg or deep you can get your squat. It is about connection with the breath and staying true to your own practice, wherever that is today.

“Nata” means dancer while “raja”: means king and “asana” means pose in Sanskrit. Natarajasana is the “lord of the dance” pose and requires full-body strength, flexibility and focus.

Meditation Tips

If you’re like most Vatas, you have a tough time with meditation because while you’re trying to quiet and center yourself, suddenly your to-do list comes to mind, taking you elsewhere. Because it’s not natural for you, you should practice so you’re more effective at it and receptive to it.

Vatas waste a lot of time worrying about their worries. With meditation, you can come into center and gain the mental strength you need to tackle your to-do list, one task at a time, without becoming overwhelmed by its enormity.

Find a comfortable way to meditate. Because many Vatas have skeletal issues, sitting in cross-legged position on the floor with no back support can be painful, taking you out of your zone. If your body is in pain, you can’t focus on transcending into your highest self—all you can think about is that pain! Vatas really can benefit from a meditation chair, a padded chair placed on the floor with a supported back. That way, you can focus on your growing consciousness, not the growing tension in your back.

Vatas particularly need something to focus on during meditation or their minds will race, so set a focus to your meditation with a mantra or affirmation. We all have something we need to work on—it could be garnering more inner peace or abundance. Meditation is the perfect time to channel this by repeating it in your mind or aloud. Your thoughts turn into your reality, and by chanting your desires, they’re more likely to manifest.

Some people really benefit from chanting in Sanskrit, while others love to repeat positive affirmations in their native language. Ayurveda recommends chanting in Sanskrit because it is considered a divine language. Sanskrit is the first-ever recorded language of mankind, and many Hindus believe it is the “language of the gods.” Even though Hindi is now the spoken language of India, prayers are still chanted in Sanskrit.

Wisdom of the Ages

The Sanskrit language is especially powerful because each word was formulated to carry the specific vibration of its meaning. Linguists call it the perfect language because its grammar and intonation are so well thought out. In fact, the word Sanskrit itself actually means “well or completely formed.” Each word was carefully selected for its vibration.

If you aren’t sure what the “vibration” of a word means, just think about music. Every sound has a vibration, evoking a feeling within you. Similarly, the words we speak also have some sort of vibration. It’s just like how an animal can pick up when you are speaking kind words or mean words, regardless of whether they actually understand what you’re saying. It’s the vibration your tone carries that they decipher. Sanskrit words were carefully created with attention to each letter’s sound. Words in most other languages were just chosen, not based on their energetic effects, but on their derivative.

As the common phrase goes, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” Sanskrit, on the other hand, would say, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will truly heal me.” This is why Sanskrit chanting is so popular around the world. The phrases chanted are called mantras. Mantras cannot be translated because translation alters the sound and they no longer hold the same power.

Wisdom of the Ages

When you enunciate a mantra, your tongue taps certain points of the roof of your mouth, sending signals to your hypothalamus, which regulates the chemical activity of your brain and whole body. By repeating the mantra, these sound patterns become inscribed in your brain and you wake up your dormant, unconscious mind. As you repeat the mantra, you get lost in its echo and your sense of ego temporarily fades. Your sounds carry electromagnetic vibrations and reflect your thoughts, and by elevating your vibrations by repeating sacred Sanskrit chants or positive affirmations, you elevate your thoughts. Mantras enhance your mood, intuition, awareness, compassion, and even immunity. Through mantra, you realize your own inner power and who you truly are.

You don’t have to understand the meaning of a word to chant it as a mantra. In fact, mantras on their own do not have meaning. The power is not in the words but in the sound vibrations they carry. Whether you choose to chant in Sanskrit, English, or any other language is your choice. All that matters is it has resonance for you.

Pitta Practices

Pittas are sharp, determined, and fiery individuals who push their minds—and bodies—to the limit. They are go-getters who know what they want and will work at any lengths to achieve it. They are naturally very organized and thrive in structure. Unlike Vatas, they become extremely stressed if they don’t know what’s going to happen next and enjoy having a schedule to go by. You might see a Pitta have a color-coded calendar organized by each type of appointment, and their schedule is filled months in advance.

Routine and structure are great, but it’s important Pittas aren’t run by them. Pittas benefit from allowing more flow and spontaneity in their lives. Sometimes they have to sit back and trust that everything is going to work out, even if they don’t hold the reins of control.

Pittas must work on chilling out, remaining mindful, and keeping their cool under all the pressure they find themselves. Their yoga and meditation practices should reflect that as well. A Vata’s mantra is to ground down, and a Pitta’s is to chill out.

Chill Out

I mean “chill out” not just figuratively but also literally. Pittas must work on keeping all things chill—mind, body, and spirit. When too much tension builds in the body, you experience heat. That heat accumulates and has nowhere to go. This causes acne, acidity, and even heart attacks and strokes in later years.

Many of us experience this pent-up heat on an everyday basis. Bursts of anger, impatience, or road rage are prime examples. You may have felt a sudden rush of tension overcoming your body that unexpectedly erupted as a rude comment or harsh tone you didn’t really mean. You might not have even known that rage existed within you. It’s stored heat.

It’s healthy to release stored anger, but you must do it in a constructive and controlled fashion. You can exercise to release it, dance it out, or yell into nature to prevent yourself from snapping at another person. Ayurveda believes the best way to balance your anger is to cool it down. Rather than giving in to or fueling it, you must acknowledge its root source and counterbalance it with calming activities like yoga, tai chi, and meditation.

Pittas must learn that self-care and rest are just as important as productivity. They often struggle with work-life balance, so they need to set aside some time in their routine to rest. This does not mean lounging in front of the TV but rather sitting still under a tree, spending time with family, reading a book, playing with an animal, or taking a walk in nature.

Pittas are especially cooled down by the colors green and blue and should spend time near trees or water. Try taking a weekend trip to a nearby beach, lake, or forest. Pittas tend to spend a lot of time in front of the computer, and their eyes could really benefit from the break.

Practice Mindfulness

Pittas’ minds are often full, but they are not mindful. To be mindful, one must be present in the moment. That means putting away your phone, not thinking about your next meeting, or sending emails while eating dinner.

Whatever you do, be completely there. When you’re at work, be totally there (which Pittas have no problem with). But when you’re with your family, be wholly present there. Don’t waste your precious time with your loved ones worrying about work or planning tomorrow’s work presentation. Pittas love their friends and family but sometimes have a tough time showing it. By being mindful, you’ll be able to show them they are fully worthy of your time, presence, and love, which are one in the same.

Mindfulness is the key to mastering mind-full-ness. Your career, personal relations, digestion, and health will thrive if you are able to cultivate mindfulness in everything you do.

Stay Cool

This is the physical part of “chilling out” I was referring to. Pittas need to stay cool because their bodies are so hot. That means avoiding time in the direct sunlight, especially midday when the sun is highest in the sky. Instead, seek shadier spots and indoor activities to keep your body temperature stable.

Pittas become extremely irritable in the heat, which is why they are the type of people who always need air-conditioning. They should wear airy clothes, such as organic cotton, and stay away from nylon and polyester. They also should avoid exercising in the heat because it will make them feel nauseated afterward. The best time for them to exercise is in the morning before the sun gets too hot.

Here’s an example of a great daily routine for Pittas:

Wake up around the same time each day (ideally right before dawn).

Practice morning routine: eliminate, brush teeth, scrape tongue, wash face, oil pull with coconut oil.

Drink a warm cup of cooling tea, such as coriander, and meditate.

Practice yoga, tai chi, Pilates, or another calming exercise.

Eat your breakfast, preferably warm.

Stay mindful with all your tasks, and keep your stress levels low.

Make lunch your biggest meal of the day. If you get hungry again in the afternoon, have a snack.

Take a walk outside and cool off your body.

Enjoy an early, easily digested dinner like steamed vegetables and beans.

Sip a nightly warm tonic, oil your body with sesame or coconut oil, and turn off all technology

Get to sleep soundly by 10 P.M., before you get your second wind of energy.

Yoga Practice

Pittas are often the ones in front of the class, secretly competing with each other for who can hold a handstand longer. However, that competitive energy is the exact opposite of what Pittas need. Focus on the more yin, meditative, restorative aspect of yoga to ease your already tense Pitta mind and body.

Yin yoga is the practice of holding a single stretch for several minutes, allowing your body to release into it. Vinyasa yoga classes take you through many moves within an hour, but yin yoga forces you to really sit in the pose and feel its effects on your body. This is much harder for Pitta types, who always feel the need to perform. They love holding planks and inversions but actually need more flexibility in their tight muscles. Pittas should focus on yoga that opens their hips, backs, shoulders, and legs.

Rag doll pose: The rag doll pose, or uttanasana, is a great release for the head, neck, and shoulders. By bending forward and allowing gravity do its work, you stretch your entire spinal cord.

To practice rag doll, simply bend at your hips, and with your hands, hold on to your elbows to allow your upper body to hang heavy. Slowly shift side to side to release the tension in both sides of your lower back. Gently bend your knees to feel the stretch more in your hips. Nod your head to release any tension in your neck. Let your back really sink into this pose, feeling its deep release.

This pose is great for times when tension has built up and you feel like you’re about to burst. You can practice it any time of day, except an hour after a meal. Rag doll soothes the adrenals, relieves tension headaches, and gets blood flowing back to your brain, giving you a creative pick-me-up.

Rag doll isn’t about how hard you can push but how much you can release. The more you allow yourself to fall into this pose, the more beneficial it will be.

Reclining butterfly pose: This pose helps open tight hip muscles, where Pittas often store tension. It is believed that your hips are where you hold emotional pain. By opening your hips, unresolved emotions may come up. Instead of suppressing them, let them flow through you.

To practice reclining butterfly, or supta baddha konasana, simply lie down on your back, place the soles of your feet together, and feel the stretch in your inner hips. For a deeper stretch, gently press down on your inner thighs. I recommend practicing this pose in bed before you sleep each night. It’s an easy pose to hold while you drift off to sleep. Remember to breathe deeply to allow your tight muscles to expand.

It is entirely normal to start crying during hip-opening poses. You may not even know why. It is just your body releasing any emotional traumas it may still be holding onto. Trust the process, and allow yourself to be vulnerable. This is especially difficult for Pittas, who need full control at all times. They often move past an issue without really mourning it or feeling its full pain or sadness. This causes the emotional pain to linger in the body, particularly in the psoas, a muscle that runs inside your hips. Open hips, open life. By loosening any stored negative emotions, you create space for new positive ones.

Give yourself a few minutes to really fall into this pose and allow the release of your hips. This pose is best performed after a workout.

Child’s pose: This is one of the most universally popular yoga poses because of its immense benefits and ease. Child’s pose, also called balasana, soothes your overworked adrenals and signals to your nervous system to rest. It gives your body the same rested feeling as being back in your mother’s womb, if you could remember what that felt like. It also stretches tight lower backs, which can tense up from hours of sitting. This is an easy pose to practice that requires no physical tension.

To get into child’s pose, simply rest on your knees and sit back on your calves. Slowly bend forward and lower yourself so your upper body is lying over your thighs. Extend your arms forward, stretching your spine. It also feels really great to have someone push down on your lower back to really extend the stretch. Our kidneys are in our lower-back area and can get a really nice massage with this pose.

This is a really great pose to get into when the tension of the day is too high and you just need to unwind. It instantly alerts your body that it’s safe to rest. I recommend keeping a yoga mat in your office so you have a clean place to do this pose because your face will be on the ground.

Child’s pose is considered the resting pose in yoga and recommended between strenuous flows. It is also a great pose for beginning a yoga session to open up the back and soothe the adrenals.

Meditation Tips

Like Vata types, Pittas similarly have a tough time meditating. However, unlike Vatas, who may be daydreaming about travels or stressing about situations that haven’t even happened, Pittas are planning their schedules, thinking of business ideas, and strategizing their next moves. They are very practical thinkers and sometimes have a hard time understanding what the whole fuss is about meditation. For them, they have to see it to believe it.

At the beginning, they may be completely resistant to meditation. Their left-brain rationality doesn’t permit it, and they don’t see the benefit of sitting there and doing nothing. In fact, this sounds entirely counterproductive to them. They would much rather use that time doing something that will get them somewhere.

However, once they begin practicing meditation, they fall in love with it. It becomes the missing piece of their lives that finally enables them to become more deliberate and effective in their every move. It creates space in their chaotic minds and allows them, just for a few moments, to become totally still. This presence becomes addictive for them.

Because Pittas are very hard-working, they often become meditation masters. They practice many forms of meditation, from 10-day silent retreats, called Vipassana, to Osho Dynamic Meditation, which involves screaming, dancing, and jumping.

Pittas often can be extremists; they may go from not believing in something to becoming addicted to it. It is especially important for Pittas to cultivate balance in their minds. They don’t need to trek to the Himalayas, shave their heads, and walk on fire to gain spiritual wisdom. All they have to do is become more present in their day-to-day actions. That means not becoming angry when they’re stuck in traffic, not becoming impatient when someone is taking a long time to learn something, or not snapping when someone asks them the same question for the thousandth time. These are all forms of meditation in practice.

It might sound easy to abandon life and become a meditation master on top of a mountain where no one can bother you. What’s difficult is living in that presence today, when you’re stuck in traffic, missed your flight, or dealing with a broken-down car. This is when you need true meditation most.

I want to walk you through a guided meditation practice for releasing emotions. The visualization method is especially great for Pittas who need something more realistic to envision in their meditation and can’t really grasp things like a white light entering your third eye or Earth’s energy coming through your body.

Before you begin, find a comfortable place to sit. I suggest reading the whole meditation through once before practicing it with your eyes closed, at your own pace. Allow any emotions to arise without judgment. It’s safe to feel all the feelings, and the only way to get over something is to get through it.

Close your eyes, and take a few breaths. Breathe deeply into your heart center, filling your chest with air. Slowly exhale. Again deeply inhale, making your inhale longer and slower. Hold your breath in, and slowly exhale, making your exhale as long as your inhale. Pause and repeat, lengthening your inhale and exhale with every breath. Continue until you feel like you are in a complete state of peace.

Envision yourself walking on a beach, the cool breeze on your skin, the sand between your toes. You stare out into the deep blue water and see the vastness of the ocean. You surrender to its greatness, feeling how small you are compared to its breadth.

Look down at your feet and notice the waves splashing before you, coming and receding with no end. Some waves are stronger and others are more subtle, but they always continue in the same pattern.

Now imagine your emotions are those waves, ebbing and flowing like an ocean tide. Sometimes it’s anger; at other times it’s joy. Instead of identifying with a single emotion and letting it stay, watch it go by. Don’t attach to a single feeling, just watch them, just witness their transition. Sadness can turn into laughter. Fear can turn into love. You are not your emotions but rather the space-holders for them. Different tides will come, but you are as vast as the ocean and can remain still, even when the tides change.

Kapha Practices

Kaphas are creatures of habit. If you are a Kapha, perhaps your daily routine has been the same your entire life. You stick to things you believe work. You’d rather maintain certainty than risk trying something new.

Kaphas often have the same friends and live in the same place as they did in their childhood years. For them, the toughest thing is letting go. Kaphas tend to hold on to the past, which can make them accumulate material possessions, too. Their life’s practice is detachment, stimulation, and forgiveness.

Kaphas benefit from shaking out their routines and stepping out of their comfort zones. Whereas Vatas are scattered and Pittas are overly structured, Kaphas sometimes can be lazy. They often don’t use their time effectively, preventing them from achieving what they want. They’ll look back on a weekend they had so many plans for and yet got almost nothing accomplished. Kaphas must work on stimulating, letting go, and practicing every day so they can become all they were meant to be.

Here’s an example of a great daily routine for Kapha:

Wake up before the sun rises to get your day started bright and early.

Practice your morning routine: eliminate, brush teeth, scrape tongue, wash face, oil pull with sesame oil.

Drink a hot cup of warming tea, such as ginger, cinnamon, and cayenne, and meditate.

Get some exercise. Practice sun salutations briskly to activate all channels of your body.

Wait until you’re genuinely hungry to eat breakfast. Eat something warm and light, like oatmeal with almond milk and cinnamon. Avoid dairy and pastries.

Get your hardest task of the day done in the morning.

Wait until you’re hungry again to eat lunch.

Avoid snacking throughout the day, and wait 4 to 6 hours for your next meal.

Take a brisk walk in nature.

Eat an early, light, easy-to-digest dinner, like vegetable soup.

Enjoy a nightly warm tonic, oil your body with sesame oil, and turn off all technology.

Get to sleep soundly by 10 P.M.

Move Your Body

Kaphas’ true medicine is to move their bodies. Kaphas can become stuck, physically and mentally, which causes them to store weight and emotional pain. The antidote for their heaviness is movement.

The best time for Kaphas to move is first thing in morning because that sets them up for the rest of the day. They’ll be much more active and achieve much more after they’ve gotten their sweat session in bright and early. Their metabolisms will be running faster for the rest of the day, too. However, this may be the last time Kaphas want to exercise. Kaphas like to sleep in and are often groggy for the first hour of the day. To shake out of that rut, it’s crucial for Kaphas to exercise.

Kaphas require the most vigorous exercise of all the Doshas. They should practice an activity that brings their body to a light sweat. It can be a Vinyasa or power yoga class, a brisk walk, an aerobics class, or cycling. Whatever gets them up and moving is the right type of exercise. They also should be sure to vary their routines to keep their bodies in a state of shock and continually burning fat.

Try New Things

Kaphas like to stick with what they know, which is why it is especially important for them to try something totally new. This allows Kaphas to come out of their comfort zones and expand as individuals. If you do the same thing, day after day, year after year, you won’t grow. It is only through that uncomfortable feeling of putting yourself out there that you learn and develop. Kaphas resist that feeling because it is scary for them. But it’s what they need to do for their souls to expand.

Wisdom of the Ages

Every week, think of one new thing you can do. It can be trying a new workout, visiting a local park, signing up for a new class, meeting a new friend, or taking a solo trip. Whatever it is, become comfortable with the uncomfortable. Growth does not happen when you feel safe and secure. It takes some pushing to expand, but it’s always worth it. A butterfly never looks back and says it wishes it remained a caterpillar.

Practice Forgiveness

Kapha types don’t forget. They’ll remember that time you forgot to call them on their birthday 5 years ago. They’ll never let you know, but it stays with them. Kapha types retain emotions, memories, possessions, and even weight. To release that all, they must practice forgiveness.

It’s only through forgiveness that you move on. If you don’t let go of the things that have hurt you, you’ll always be run by those hurts and bring those wounds into future relationships. Forgiveness cuts the cord and allows those things from the past to remain in the past.

Think of all those who have done you wrong, or maybe who you have done wrong. Think of all that miscommunication, jealousy, greed, or anger that got in the way of other, better things in your life. With your whole heart, forgive those people. You can write out a forgiveness note and mail it, or don’t, or you can just say it out loud several times. Whether they ever read or hear it is unimportant. What matters is that energetically you have forgiven them and now you are free to move on.

You will feel lighter in your everyday life because you’re no longer holding on to that anger or sadness. Mental strain becomes physical strain and by practicing forgiveness, you can break those bonds to become free and light again. You may notice that your weight slips off, too, after you’ve truly let go of your past—double win!

Yoga Practices

Kaphas like to take things slow and easy, but their yoga practice should be more dynamic and flowing. Kaphas should open their practices to more active forms of yoga, such as Vinyasa or power yoga. Kaphas have the still and calm part down, but what they need is the strength and vitality. Deep stretches also are great to open tensed muscles and joints, especially the hips.

Chaturanga Push-up: A chaturanga push-up, or chaturanga dandasana, is like a normal push-up but instead of having your arms out wide, they’re placed on either side of your chest with your elbows tucked in alongside your body.

To practice, get your body into push-up position with your arms on either side of you, facing forward. (If this is too intense, you can have your knees down on the floor.) Slowly lower your body with your elbows tucked in, facing backward. Keep your body in a straight line without collapsing your chest or hips forward. Once you’ve reached your maximum point, slowly push your body back up with your arms in the same position.

This movement works your hard-to-reach triceps area, which is where Kapha types often deposit fat. Practice this in your sun salutations to rev up your metabolic fire.

In the chaturanga position, your feet should be approximateily hip width apart. Elbows are bent, but not beyond bringing the shoulders in line horizontally with the elbows. Tighten the thighs, buttocks and abs.

Cobra pose: Cobra pose, also called bhujangasana, opens your chest, tones your abdominal walls, and brings suppleness to your spine. In fact, the ancient yoga text Gheranda Samhita says the serpent goddess Kundalini awakens your spine and brings it limberness when you practice cobra pose regularly, hence the name. Cobra pose is the perfect follow-up to chaturanga.

Cobra pose is a heart-opener, meaning it helps open any stored tension in your heart area and allows you to be more loving, receptive, and open. It also strengthens your pancreas and liver, which helps your body remove toxins and shed fat.

This pose can be practiced anytime, just not on a full stomach because it can make you feel a bit nauseated.

To practice, lie on your belly with your head turned to the side. Press your hands into the floor and breathe out. When you breathe in again, slowly lift your upper body by pushing down on your hands. Keep your shoulders down and your elbows close in, as in chaturanga. Keep your head looking straight. Your lower body below your naval should remain on the floor. Press until the point you feel comfortable. There should be no tension in your lower back but a stretch in your upper and middle spine. If it’s too much for you, remain on your forearms. Just go to your point of comfort and hold it for about 10 seconds. Slowly lower your body back down and exhale, facing your head in the opposite direction. Repeat two more times.

As you practice cobra pose more, you’ll notice your backbend gets deeper and your chest becomes more expansive. You are activating your inner cobra!

Cobra pose is one of the best poses for increasing spine flexibility, opening the chest and strengthening the shoulders. It also opens the lungs, heals asthma, and stimulates the abdominal organs, enhancing digestion.

Abdominal Twist: The abdominal twist, or jathara parivartanasana, helps get things moving, mentally and physically. When you twist your body, you stimulate your digestive system. This helps you digest any rotting food that may have been stuck in your gut. Abdominal twists help wring out toxins, too. They also help strengthen your oblique and core muscles.

There are many ways to practice twists, from lying down to sitting down to being in a lunge. The easiest way involves lying down: lie on your back, and hug your knees into your chest. Slowly bring both knees to the left side of your body. Feel the stretch through the right side of your body, and keep your shoulders on the ground. You should feel an opening in your lower back, side, and shoulder. Allow your body to soften into the stretch, really twisting your internal organs and flushing out any toxins. With each exhale, twist a little deeper. When you’re ready, switch your legs over to the right side and repeat.

This is a great stretch to do after a sweaty yoga class when your muscles need a break. It’s very expansive, but at the same time, it’s healing and supportive, making it a great choice for Kaphas. You also can make this into an oblique exercise by lowering your legs to one side with control, bringing them back up, and lowering them to the other side, repeating back and forth.

The abdominal twist strengthens digestion by improving the function of the liver, pancreas and small intestine. It also stimulates elimination and the reproductive system.

Meditation Tips

Kapha types are patient and sedentary, but that doesn’t mean they’re always in a meditative state. In fact, Kaphas are often too stuck in the past to really be present in the moment. It’s essential for Kaphas to cultivate a meditation practice so they can become emotionally free.

As a Kapha, you might do well with a walking meditation because it gets your body moving but at the same time keeps you mindful. Before performing a walking meditation, first become aware of your breath. Inhale and exhale until you come to a point of stillness.

Feel your feet on the floor. Feel your legs, your hips, your stomach, your back, your shoulders, your arms, your neck, and your head. Feel all parts of your body and their interconnectivity. Once you have achieved body awareness, slowly take one step while inhaling. Allow that step to be as slow and gradual as possible. After you have shifted weight on your feet, take a second step, exhaling. Continue this process, inhaling and exhaling on each step. Allow your movement to become your meditation.

Practice for 10 minutes a day. This helps you cultivate mind-body awareness, which helps you in your exercise routine and everyday life.

Pranayama

Kaphas often have respiratory issues and can really benefit from pranayama, mindful breathing practices.

To practice, sit in a comfortable position on the ground, preferably with your legs crossed and back straight. Place your right index finger over your left nostril and your right thumb over your right nostril. Do not press down; just place them there. Close your mouth.

Now press down with your index finger, blocking your left nostril. Deeply inhale with your right nostril. Fully expand that breath, letting it enter your entire body. When you feel like you can’t breathe anymore, pause for a few moments. Now lift your index finger and press down with your thumb. Exhale from your left nostril slowly and deliberately. Allow all the air you inhaled to release from your nostril, and fully exhale any stale air in your lungs. Pause and repeat again.

With this practice, you are cleansing your lungs, increasing cognitive function, decreasing stress, and improving mood—all with just mindful, controlled breathing. Practice every morning and night for at least 5 minutes to reap the benefits.

As you practice pranayama, you are circulating energy between the masculine and feminine sides of your brain and body.