If you haven’t read my first blog post on doshas, click HERE before going further.
In these posts, I’m explaining how we might use movement and breath to balance doshas and what kinds of conditions might benefit from these practices.
Balancing Kapha
For Kapha — home is where the heart is!
And the element we associate with the kapha dosha is earth. When imbalanced, kapha energy moves downward from the heart causing issues like depression, inertia, constipation, chronic fatigue and more.
When energy isn’t moving, things slow down both mentally and physically. The kapha energy that stabilizes things when we are healthy, now works against us. We can’t seem to move on from the past, resulting in depression. The systems of the body become blocked – constipation, congestion and respiratory ailments become the norm.
To balance kapha, a physical practice should be made up of:
1) A more vigorous practice that includes Moving and Breathing and then Holding yoga Poses
2) Heart Opening Yoga Poses
To balance kapha pranically with the breath, we might practice:
1) Traditional Kapalabhati to lift energy (and then)
2) Vata Balancing breathing to regulate the system
In all the practices above, the idea is to get the energy moving upward, headed back to the heart. Most common vinyasa and flow yoga classes include these types of practices, but it’s important to understand that working harder is only part of the equation. Moving faster or harder will get things going, but actually shifting energy is a sustainable way is a skill that takes time to develop.
Are you ready to learn? Do you think you could benefit from here practices. Contact me to set up an appointment to get started.
Om Shanti,
Joe Simek
[email protected]
267.885.8512
Doylestown, PA
Joe Simek is a Certified Yoga Therapist, 500-Hour Level Yoga Teacher, and Co-owner of Dragonfly Yoga Studio. Joe has been practicing yoga for more than a decade, using the wisdom of the teachings to lose weight, get sober, and abandon the corporate grind. In 2012, he formalized his yoga education, completing Dragonfly’s 200 HR Yoga Teacher Training. Joe went on to study Yoga Therapy and Peaceful Weight Loss Through Yoga with Brandt Passalacqua of Breathing Deeply Yoga Therapy (where he is now a Teaching Assistant) and Advanced Vinyasa Yoga with Rolf Gates. In 2016, Joe co-founded The Fiaria Project, a non-profit organization that aids foster children. He is also the frontman of Destroy It Up, an indie rock music project inspired by yoga philosophy. Joe holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Arizona State University.