The Complete Yoga Community

Modern civilization is governed by the trend of logical thought, but is life always logical?

What about the scientist who spends six days a week analyzing natural laws, and on the seventh day goes to church to pray to some supernatural being beyond the system of science? And the drug addict, who knows he is digging his grave, yet still does not resist? Or the logic of the greedy old man, with one foot in the grave, who still craves millions, though he will not take a cent with him? And so one can go on and on with the illogicality of life.

The Three Main Components of Life
The three main components which cause life to come into being are Vata (wind, breath and movement), Pitta (gall, temperament, fire), and Kapha (water, life fluid or plasma).When these three streams meet at the base of the spine, together they form that which is called life and flow up the spinal cord to the brain.

The Vata Component of Life
First we deal with VATA, the concept of movement, wind and breath. This stream creates the breathing motion, up and down consciousness, (moods), circulation and metabolism. It stimulates the five senses of the mind. It dries up phlegm, expels excrement, controls the movement of the limbs, and is generally the Principal of preservation…….YOUTH.

All of this is handled by the breath and if the breath is tiniest bit out in it’s rhythm, the following illnesses may occur, trembling, emotional and even digestive states, everything related to tension and the absence of relaxation, the aches and pains of rheumatism, dislocations, lameness, cramps, stiffness of limbs, blood circulation and metabolism problems, menstrual irregularities, sterility and even convulsions.

The three main breathing techniques used to ensure harmony are the equalizing breath, where one breathes in, holds for the same ratio of time, and breathes out for the same ratio of time. The neutralizing breath, where the rhythm is to the ratio of 1:4:2.Breathing in for the count of 5, holding for 20 seconds, and breathing out for 10, through alternate nostrils. Lastly, the most advanced breath is KUMBHAKA, where one holds the breath.

The Pitta Component of Life
Now we come to PITTA, the stream of fire within us. The word means gall and temperament, and has everything to with the fire or heat of the body, such as digestion, body temperature, healthy or unhealthy appearance, and the power of the mind.

When one has a very high temperature, they become delirious, and the mind goes haywire. The nerves are also controlled by the temperature of the body. The depth that one experiences fears, nervousness, passion, anger and joy, confusion of the mind, are all dependant on the correct temperature of these areas concerned.

The child of fire is inflammation, and anything wrong here are fever, pus, irritation, perspiration, itchiness, metabolic irregularities, redness, bad odour and taste, and ghastly colour. It is understood that primarily through the heat of the body, one either has fear or courage, anger or joy, passion or hate, and that this does not come about through the mind. So here we get the first inkling that, the mind, as such, only comes into being through and when the streams of life are flowing…. When there is breath, heat and liquid.

The Kapha Component of Life
KAPHA (water, life fluid) is the nectar. It is the fertile water for the play of life; it is the living fluid, the protoplasm that sustains all lifes processes. It is indeed the scaffold of life. It binds the limbs together, and supplies water for the roots of life.

This lubricating action, is the source of the functions of life, which fortify one, nourish and develop the body and mind. The feeling of well being and good health depends upon a “well lubricated”, well-oiled movement and function of the person. When this lubricating action is disturbed, illnesses can arise such as pallidness, colds and influenza, oedema, constipation, diabetes, secretions, cold sweat, swellings and tumors, including cancer.

This very clearly shows the interdependence the yogi attaches to body and mind, and gives a clear picture of the approach a yogi takes when faced with the need to heal illnesses and ailments of a physical, psychological or spiritual nature.

The yogi first considers the three streams which, and their influence at the base of the spine, form together that river called ‘life’. The life that flows up the spinal cord to the brain. Without these three streams, there is no life, as in death.
Without breath ……no existence.
Without fire……coldness of death.
No water……. Immobility of the body.
Drying to dust

By Nandiva
Ishta Yoga Centre