I began this experiment because I was drawn to the word tapas and the concept that heat could somehow change deeply rooted habits, samskaras. As I puzzled over this complex philosophy in the weeks leading up to the experiment, I found myself unable to understand the correlation between a word meaning heat and the concept […]
When I committed to remove caffeine, alcohol and sugar from my diet, I knew that I would need to fill the emotional and habitual void with a new practice. Thus I began practicing the four purifications, a pranayama breathing practice, followed by a period of meditation every morning. This new ritual quickly became one of […]
Through all of my practice in austerity I still find myself experiencing certain cravings. At first this frustrated me greatly and I forcibly shoved the idea of wanting out of my mind. As these urges continued to rise, however, I started to pause and contemplate the pre-thought generating these impulses of desire. Yesterday as I […]
As I look forward in my yogic path, I can see the need to further purify my body and lifestyle so I can maintain high levels of prana energy. I have experienced such profound variance in my ability to calm my mind with even subtle imbalances like a spicy meal and a late night that […]
This Axis Yoga Teacher Training student’s account of applying Ayurvedic principles to daily life is a beautiful example of how simple, yet profound, this system of health can be.
I began my ayurveda experiment with two main objectives. First, bring greater awareness to my physical body and health. Second, work to integrate routine into my life as much as possible. I was not sure what to expect, but I knew that I would have the best chance at witnessing any subtle changes through a […]
As a vata provoked westerner I found the concept of routine extremely challenging upon first glace. The only routine I have had in most of my life is constant change: in my daily schedule, eating habits, etc. I even found a job that exaggerates my tendency toward irregular life patterns, which until now always felt […]
The first day the process was wonderful. It felt great to wake early and practice asana while the sun rose and began to fill my living room. My sadhana practice was deep and I felt a real joy throughout my body – flush with new adventure. Breakfast was a profound experience of oatmeal and nature. […]
I did have some beautiful moments during this experiment, glimpses of the potential for ayurveda to re-route my life to a place of greater health, joy and well being but I also saw the direct effect of many of my habitual actions that weakened my constitution and allowed both my prana to recede as well […]
Ayurveda, this sister-science to yoga, is a journey of personal health. Axis Yoga Teacher Training students have the unique opportunity to apply their Ayurvedic lessons during the program. This student made time for two seemingly small changes but found interesting and lasting results.