Live the Yoga & Ayurveda Lifestyle When You Travel
Whether you are a complete novice or a growing yoga enthusiast, the more you live the yoga lifestyle on a yoga retreat, the more you will discover that it is not only a physical practise but a holistic practise that seeks to balance the mind, body and soul. This is achieved through the inner peace experienced once the person feels in control of their own self. Similarly, Ayurveda (a traditional Hindu structure of medicine) is based on the notion that balance between bodily systems is essential to optimal health. Thought to aid the prolonging of life, the benefits of Ayurveda can be achieved on an Ayurveda spa holiday through Ayurvedic nutrition, holistic spa treatments and wellness activities, such as yogic breathing. Working in harmony together, yoga and Ayurveda both seek to achieve balance and enhance overall well-being.
Whether you are a complete novice or a growing yoga enthusiast, the more you live the yoga lifestyle on a yoga retreat, the more you will discover that it is not only a physical practise but a holistic practise that seeks to balance the mind, body and soul. This is achieved through the inner peace experienced once the person feels in control of their own self. Similarly, Ayurveda (a traditional Hindu structure of medicine) is based on the notion that balance between bodily systems is essential to optimal health. Thought to aid the prolonging of life, the benefits of Ayurveda can be achieved on an Ayurveda spa holiday through Ayurvedic nutrition, holistic spa treatments and wellness activities, such as yogic breathing. Working in harmony together, yoga and Ayurveda both seek to achieve balance and enhance overall well-being.
The Yoga Lifestyle
Discover the calming benefits of yoga
Yoga is a Hindu philosophy which teaches how a person can balance body and mind activity through a series of physical postures, breathing techniques and meditation. The purpose of this practise is to experience freedom and liberation through the realization that these components are distinct from the self. Whilst there are many physical benefits of yoga including increased flexibility, muscle strength and blood flow, there are also many mental benefits. As practicing yogis begin to feel more in control of themselves, they are able to improve their respiration, energy and vitality, allowing them to feel more relaxed, focused and sleep better. Yoga has also been known to boost the functionality of the immune system, reducing the chances of becoming ill.
The Ayurvedic Lifestyle
Heal your mind and body by re-balancing with Ayurveda
Ayurveda’s approach can be understood by its Sanskrit definition, “knowledge of longevity”. This knowledge begins with the idea that an individual is made up of five elements or 'bhuta'. Theses are fire, water, air, earth and ether. These 5 bhutas combine within us to form 3 'doshas' - Pitta, Vata and Kapha. The doshas help define a person’s modality for optimal health and longevity.
Each dosha relates to a different bodily constitution and is said to be in control of different bodily processes: Vata concerns mobility, motion and circulation; pitta concerns transformation and metabolism; and kapha concerns body growth and nourishment. For optimal health, it is important to balance these doshas, possible through a specific Ayurvedic diet, spa therapies and yoga. As each dosha reacts differently to diets, an Ayurvedic health practioner should be consulted to identify your primary dosha before determining which aspects of the doshas may be out of balance to prescribe necessary treatments and an appropriate customised diet.
Yoga and Ayurveda in Harmony
Achieve combined holistic bliss
Sharing the same origins and goals, Ayurveda and yoga both have roots in the Vedic traditions of India which strives to achieve holistic balance and optimal health. More specifically, they equally aim to create union with the self through complete integration of the mind, body and soul. With different yet complementary methods of healing, combining the two practices on a holistic yoga and Ayurveda retreat will complement one another to produce more effective results.
Yoga and Ayurveda benefits
Experience the rejuvenating benefits of Yoga and Ayurveda
- Yoga complements Ayurveda through eliminating physical stress and calming the mind, which is central to ‘dinscharya’, the Ayurvedic routine that rejuvenates the body, improves digestion and reduces stress.
- Yoga also helps to balance the three doshas through its different poses and cleanses the internal organs of toxins which is also one of Ayurveda’s goals.
- Yoga poses all have different effects on the doshas; forward bending postures calm Pitta, twists stimulate digestion and therefore help Kapha and backward bends balance Vata types through the heat these bends produce.
- Ayurveda can also benefit yoga practise as Ayurvedic massages can help remove toxins from the body as well as relaxing the muscles, optmizing yoga practise.
Without any basis in Ayurvedic knowledge, yoga could be seen as pure physical exercise, missing the holistic benefits. This suggests how interdependent the two really are, and that spa retreats using the combination of yoga and Ayurvedic practises would produce much more beneficial results, optimizing holistic health.
Talk to one of our Travel Specialists on 0203 397 8891 or contact us here to discuss tailor-making your perfect yoga and Ayurveda holiday.