If your diet is wrong, medicine


is of no use. If your diet is correct, medicine is of no need. ~Ayurveda Proverb


Te benefits of yoga are heightened


by attention to what and how we eat. In Ayurveda, yoga’s sister science, there is a great emphasis put on food as being the first medicine or the first poison. In order for food to be medicine, Ayurveda suggests eating according to constitution, which is based on a person’s elemental makeup. Tree primary constitutions, Pitta,


governed by fire and water; Kapha, by earth and water; and Vata, by air and space; express qualities that are balanced or unbalanced. “Like increases like and opposites decrease” is an Ayurveda proverb suggesting that fiery


Pitta should not eat too much spicy food; Ka- pha, weighted by the earth element, should not indulge in comfort foods; and Vata, governed by air and space, should avoid raw, dry, crunchy foods. All constitutions benefit from eating whole, fresh foods. Te following page offers a few examples of tea and recipes appropriate for each constitution.


Yoga is the perfect opportunity


to be curious about who you are. ~Jason Crandell


Just as a seed sprouts when met with


the proper conditions, the yoga practitioner blossoms into self-knowledge when met with the right conditions. Right conditions include skillful and appropriate practice, a sense of physical ease, mental clarity, com- passion, equanimity, control of the senses and connection to Self and God/Goddess. While yoga speaks very clearly on the


essence of God and Goddess, yoga is not re- ligion. Yoga is spirituality and relationship. When life, and the relationships held within that experience, is based on the practice of yoga, a more complete feeling of happiness, wholeness and wellness are experienced. Mantra, sacred chanting, is a practice that nourishes relationship. Te mantra Om Shanti Swaroopaha Aham means “I take the form of peace”. When cultivating right


Yoga Guide


Ashtanga Yoga: Founded by Sri Patabhi Jois. Ashtanga is a very active style focus- ing on repetition of a core group of asana (postures) and includes inversions.


Beginner Yoga: Offers an introduction to yoga and starts from the beginning.


Chair Yoga: Students use a chair to sup- port their practice. Appropriate for those who are elder, injured or ill; can be ap- propriate for all levels of practice.


Intermediate Yoga: A higher level class which requires some level of experience and understanding of the postures.


Kirtan: Devotional chanting, yogic mantras such as Om Namah Shivaya and Hare Krishna, cultivates a deep sense of connection and compassion.


Kundalini: Utilizes a series of kriyas, which include physical postures, breath- work, and yogic holds, intended to raise complete awareness. Mantras and medita- tion are oſten included.


Meditation: Guided or unguided, stu- dents sit in an aligned position, oſten us- ing breath or mantra in order to cultivate inner peace and connection.


Pranayama: Focused on breathing and may include many different patterns of breathing. Students should be mindful of contraindications.


Restorative Yoga: A floor-based practice that focuses on comforting the nervous system. Uses props; postures are held for six to 20 minutes each.


Sivananda Yoga: Founded by Swami Sivananda, this is an active style that


relationship, inner peace is a necessity. Only through peace is self-awareness possible. Te experience of a more uninhibited


life-force, a sense of ultimate freedom and even God/Goddess Consciousness become possible for the student interested in having those experiences. For others, a yoga practice will bring more strength, flexibility, resiliency and calm. It is true that yoga encompasses all aspects of life. Terefore, yoga has something purposeful and healing to offer everyone.


Dr. Sudha Allitt, Ph.D., C-IAYT, E-RYT, is the co-founder and director of Kula Ka- mala Foundation & Yoga Ashram, located in Reading. She is also a Spiritual Chap- lain at Albright University. Connect at KulaKamalaFoundation.org.


focuses on 27 postures, oſten starting with headstand.


Svaroopa Yoga: A gentle form of hatha yoga designed to release tension and relax the back muscles to open energy flow.


Vinyasa: Characterized by a flow of poses connected to each other with the breath initiating the movements.


Yin Yoga: A floor-based practice that focuses on fascia (connective tissue) and the release of held emotions. Uses props; postures can be complicated. Slight dis- comfort is expected. Postures are held for three to six minutes each.


Yoga Nidra: Founded by Swami Satya- nanada, this is an intense relaxation prac- tice where students lie down and follow a 50-minute scripted class, nourishing to the nervous system and deeply restorative.


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