How does a yoga teacher decide what to teach for a class? In the Vinyasa method it can be almost like a mash-up smorgasbord with so many options and sequences to choose from. Often the sequence is standard, as in Astanga.
From an Ayurvedic perspective we take into account the season of the year, time of day and local climate. Here in Northeastern United States, the middle of February can be a challenging time physically and emotionally. We long for fresh air, warm summer days, natural sunlight, and we may have been cooped up indoors, with stale air, and the cold and flu bugs may have kept us convalescing and isolated, or we may just be in hibernation mode.
Winter time is Kapha time, which means that Winter is associated with the following qualities that comprise the Kapha dosha. Kapha dosha individuals usually exhibit a larger body frame, have thicker layers of skin and fat, thick hair and prominent features, and have the greatest stamina and strength. The qualities that comprise Kapha dosha and Kapha/Winter season are cool or cold, heavy, oily, static, liquid, sticky, and dull. In Ayurveda one of the main protocols is to apply the opposite quality to being balance. For Kapha/Winter season this is a no-brainer. The most obvious one is building heat.
Building heat in the body increases the body’s adaptability to increase metabolism, to help with the “layers” that we can add on in the winter time from inactivity and over-indulgence in oily, fatty, and heavy foods. Create a feeling of energy and motivation, can help shed the feelings of greed, attachment, agitation, frustration and confusion that are signs of imbalance in Kapha dosha.
However because we are also feeling tired, lethargic, and most likely imbalanced, we want to increase the positive qualities of Kapha which are loving, loyal, dedicated and spiritual, so we don’t want to shock the system into a workout frenzy. We want to start the practice in a slow and loving way, reminding ourselves that ultimately the practice of yoga is about accepting ourselves as we are, and nurturing ourselves in a loving and caring way.
The key to a Kapha-balancing practice is lots of standing poses, with a slow and steady breath rhythm. We want to keep heating the body in a slow arc, until we are ready to cool the body and come back down to blissful Shavasana.
Without specifics, here is a basic formula or sequence leading you into Camel, and other backbends which are Ayurvedically balancing for Kapha Dosha and Kapha season.
Start with 5 slow rounds of Surya Namaskar A and B, with devotion to the SUN, as the source. Include lots of modifications such as bent-knee chaturanga, and avoid making your students fully extend the knees in uttanasana and downward dog. Avoid offering child’s pose too many times as this is too cooling, give them cat/cow vinyasa instead.
The objective it to keep them moving up to the point of near-exhaustion.
Move through as many standing poses in a 20-30 minute sequence. Warrior 1, 2, Side Warrior, Side Angle, Triangle, Hi Lunge, etc, and then start to layer in Twists and shoulder openers such as Eagle Arms, Revolved Chair, Revolved Triangle, and Revolved Side Angle.
Always begin with dynamic vinyasas and end with static vinyasas to build the greatest heat. NEVER OPEN A WINDOW, DOOR, or TURN ON FAN OR AC. We are trying to build heat. (Unless the temperature of the room exceeds 90 degrees, use common sense.)
Leg balances such as Eagle, Half Moon and Warrior 3 are also good at building heat.
Avoid moving through more than 3 poses on each side, instead balancing the body with the vinyasa inbetween sets. Always work with kramas, repeating sequences with more advanced variations as time progresses, encouraging people to stay in the basic krama if they need to. Example, “keep your elbow on your thigh in side-angle, and since this the the second time we have visited this asana, feel free to challenge yourself by placing your hand on a block, or inside your front ankle.”
Avoid forward bends, seated hip openers, and inversions in the first half of the class, as they are cooling, save these for after your backbends. Avoid starting the class sitting or lying down. They have been sitting and lying down already all winter!
After about 30-45 minutes depending on the length of your practice you can start working towards Camel, avoiding Bow as it maybe too cooling for the organs, and for your peak pose offer a supported bridge or active bride and those who are ready can enjoy upward bow/full wheel. One to three rounds of back bending should be sufficient.
Now its time to cool. Start with a simple reclined twist after wheel and choose 1-3 forward bends and/or hip openings such as Paschimottanasana and Baddah Konasana, taking care not to cool them down completely.
Offer headstand and shoulderstand as options. These are also cooling in nature. Make sure to help students with the alignment or they need to come down and go back into forward bends. Maximum 5 minutes in Shavasana, because these hibernating Kapha bears have been lazy all winter.
End with 108 rounds of Kapalabhati, to stoke the gastric fire, remove residual volume, and illuminate the skull center. Remind them that while uncomfortable, Kapalabhati helps removes dullness, heaviness and delivers enlightenment. Always chant OM to end the practice with loving devotion to the Source. Feel free to offer a prayer, or mantra.
