Yoga Therapy for the Subtle: Prana, Tejas, and Ojai
In the practice of yoga and Ayurveda, the subtle energies of prana, tejas, and ojas form the foundation of our vitality, intellect, and resilience. These energies are the refined counterparts of the three doshas - Vata, Pitta, and Kapha - and play a crucial role in our overall well-being.
By understanding and balancing these forces, we can enhance our yoga practice, strengthen our health, and cultivate inner harmony.
Understanding Prana, Tejas, and Ojas
In Ayurveda, prana, tejas, and ojas are considered the three vital essences that sustain life and well-being. Each plays a unique role in maintaining physical, mental, and emotional balance, and understanding their qualities allows us to cultivate harmony through our yoga practice and daily routines. Unlike in some practices -- which only address increasing prana -- Ayurvedic principles suggest that these qualities should be strengthened gradually, and in tandem:
Prana is the life force that moves through us, driving our breath, circulation, and enthusiasm. It is linked to the air element and Vata dosha. When prana is balanced, we feel energized, inspired, and in tune with our surroundings. However, when it is excessive, it can create nervousness, insomnia, or hyperactivity. If deficient, it may lead to fatigue, lack of motivation, and even depression. Yoga and breathwork can help regulate prana and allow it to flow harmoniously through the body and mind.
Tejas is the inner fire, the energy of transformation, clarity, and discernment. It is connected to the fire element and Pitta dosha, giving us the drive and focus to pursue our passions and live with purpose. When tejas is in balance, it fuels intellectual curiosity, self-discipline, and insight. However, too much tejas can result in anger, frustration, and burnout, while too little can lead to apathy or confusion. A steady yoga practice, meditation, and mindful breathing can help balance tejas and cultivate a deeper sense of clarity and purpose.
Ojas is our reservoir of stability and immunity, the protective force that sustains us. It is related to the water element and Kapha dosha, playing a crucial role in maintaining strong immunity, emotional resilience, and a deep sense of well-being. A person with healthy ojas glows with vitality and inner peace. However, low ojas can result in exhaustion, frequent illness, and a sense of emotional depletion. Nurturing practices such as proper nutrition, deep rest, and self-care rituals help build and maintain ojas, ensuring long-term health and balance.
How Yoga Therapy Cultivates Balance
A balanced yoga practice incorporates breath, movement, and mindfulness to strengthen these subtle energies.
To build prana, incorporate pranayama techniques like Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing) and deep, rhythmic breathing exercises. Gentle, flowing asanas and seated meditation allow prana to move freely without becoming erratic. Practicing mindfulness in daily activities also strengthens prana and keeps the mind present and aware.
To cultivate tejas, practice focused breathwork like Kapalabhati (skull-shining breath) and incorporate dynamic movement, such as sun salutations and strong standing poses. Engaging in deep self-inquiry, reading spiritual texts, and studying under a teacher can also enhance tejas. This energy fuels our ability to take action and make meaningful decisions while maintaining inner balance.
To support ojas, prioritize restorative yoga, deep relaxation, and a nourishing diet. Practices such as self-massage (Abhyanga), spending time in nature, and cultivating loving relationships help protect and replenish ojas. Taking the time to slow down, reflect, and nourish the body and mind ensures long-term resilience and vitality.
Integrating Ayurveda into Daily Life
Balancing prana, tejas, and ojas requires a holistic approach that extends beyond the yoga mat. Modern lifestyles often overactivate prana and tejas while depleting ojas, leading to imbalances that manifest as anxiety, fatigue, and burnout. Reducing overstimulation - such as excessive screen time, chronic stress, and multitasking - helps regulate these energies and maintain equilibrium.
A nourishing, balanced diet plays a vital role in maintaining harmony. Eating warm, grounding foods like root vegetables and healthy fats supports ojas, while cooling foods like cucumbers and coconut pacify excessive tejas. Fresh, vibrant foods rich in prana, such as leafy greens and fruits, keep energy levels high and promote overall well-being.
Daily routines, or dinacharya, are another way to maintain balance. Waking up early, practicing self-care rituals like oil massage, engaging in yoga and meditation, and ensuring adequate sleep all contribute to sustaining healthy prana, tejas, and ojas. Simple acts of self-care, like drinking warm herbal tea or taking a mindful walk, can have profound effects on overall vitality and emotional stability.
By aligning our lifestyle and yoga practice with the wisdom of Ayurveda, we nurture a deep and lasting well-being that radiates from the inside out. When we cultivate prana, tejas, and ojas in harmony, we experience a life filled with clarity, vitality, and peace.
Looking to study Ayurveda, Ayurvedic Yoga teaching and therapy further? Check out our annual 100-hour Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy Course.
An Introduction to the Doshas: How Yoga Therapy Teaches Balance
Ayurveda, the sister science of yoga, teaches that our bodies and minds are governed by three fundamental energies called doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. These energies influence everything from our physical constitution to our mental tendencies and emotional well-being.
When they are in balance, we experience health and vitality; when they are out of sync, disease and discomfort arise.
Through the wisdom of yoga therapy, we can restore this delicate balance and cultivate a deeper connection with ourselves.
The Ayurvedic Cause of Disease
Ancient Ayurvedic texts, like the Charaka Samhita, suggest that disease arises from three primary causes: misuse of the senses, failure of intellect, and the effects of time and motion.
Overindulging in sensory pleasures or depriving ourselves of essential experiences can throw us off balance. Acting against our intuition and inner wisdom disrupts our natural equilibrium, while the passage of time, stress, and the pressures of daily life accelerate imbalances.
Yoga therapy serves as a bridge to reconnect us with our body’s intelligence, allowing us to make conscious choices that support our well-being. By integrating movement, breathwork, and lifestyle changes, we can align ourselves with our natural rhythms and maintain overall harmony.
Understanding the Three Doshas
Each of the three doshas embodies a unique combination of the five elements (earth, water, fire, air, and space), influencing our physical traits, personality, and health tendencies. Most individuals have one or two dominant doshas that shape their overall constitution.
Vata, the energy of air and ether, is linked to movement and creativity.
Those with a Vata dominance tend to be quick-thinking, expressive, and energetic, but when imbalanced, they may experience anxiety, restlessness, and digestive irregularities.
A grounding yoga practice with steady, rhythmic movements and deep, calming breaths can help restore stability. Nourishing, warm foods and mindful daily routines further support balance.
Pitta, governed by fire and water, represents transformation and drive.
Pitta-dominant individuals are passionate, sharp-witted, and natural leaders. However, excessive heat can lead to irritability, inflammation, and burnout.
To cool and pacify Pitta, soothing practices like Yin yoga, gentle forward bends, and cooling breath techniques are beneficial. A diet rich in cooling foods, such as fresh greens and hydrating fruits, can also help maintain equilibrium.
Kapha, the energy of earth and water, is the foundation of stability and nourishment.
Kapha types are strong, compassionate, and grounded, but when out of balance, they may feel sluggish, unmotivated, or experience weight gain.
Stimulating yoga practices, like dynamic Vinyasa or power yoga, can re-energize Kapha. Incorporating light, spicy foods and regular movement helps to keep this dosha balanced and vibrant.
Bringing the Doshas into Balance Through Yoga
Yoga therapy offers a personalized approach to well-being by recognizing our unique doshic makeup and adjusting our practices accordingly.
If you’re feeling anxious and ungrounded, slowing down and incorporating deep, steady breathwork can help. If you’re overheated and irritable, cooling postures and meditation can restore calm. If you’re feeling heavy and lethargic, invigorating movement and breathwork can reawaken energy. A trained Ayurvedic yoga therapist can assess what you need personally and effectively -- and also consult how your practice can change according to the season, the time of day, and your time of life for optimal health.
By weaving Ayurvedic wisdom into your yoga practice, you can cultivate lasting balance and inner harmony. Understanding your dosha allows you to make intentional choices that support not just physical health, but mental and emotional well-being as well.
Looking to study Ayurveda, Ayurvedic Yoga teaching and therapy further? Check out our annual 100-hour Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy Course.
The Five Elements of Ayurveda
Yoga is more than physical movement -- it’s a pathway to balance, healing, and deep self-awareness. Historically, yoga flourished within the context and traditions of Ayurveda - one of the world’s oldest systems of health and medicine. At its core, Ayurveda recognizes the universe and our bodies as being composed of five essential elements, or tattvas: space (ether), air, fire, water, and earth.
Understanding and working with these elements can enhance your practice, refine your teaching, and support overall well-being.
In this blog, we’ll talk about each of these elements.
Earth: The Foundation of Stability
The earth element represents structure, form, and stability. Our physical bodies are deeply connected to this element, influencing our weight, posture, and strength.
This is where asana practice has the most visible impact. Standing postures, grounding exercises, and mindful eating all work with the anamaya kosha - the food sheath of our being. Since “we are what we eat,” nourishing our bodies with wholesome foods complements a yoga practice that builds strength and steadiness.
Water: That Which Contains
The water element in Ayurveda represents that which holds and contains. The membrane of a cell, the blood that brings nutrients to our cells, the oil and fluid which lubricate our joints and skin can all be considered parts of the water element.
When affected by movement (the air quality, below), the water element then promotes the flow of energy within the body. In Ayurvedic thought, this element and the air element are effectively experienced through fluid transitions between postures, the circulation of blood, and the movement of synovial fluid in our joints.
A well-sequenced asana practice can improve circulation, oxygenation, and lymphatic movement, creating an internal sense of ease and flexibility. The rhythmic nature of breath-to-movement flows, such as Vinyasa, enhances the body's natural ability to adapt and stay in motion.
Fire: Transformation and Vitality
The fire element, known as agni, governs metabolism, digestion, and transformation. This element fuels motivation, willpower, and the ability to push past mental and physical limitations on the mat and in life.
Within a yoga practice, fire manifests through practices that build heat, such as core work, pranayama (breathwork) techniques like kapalabhati (skull-shining breath) and bhastrika (breath of fire), and dynamic movement. Twists, squats, and inversions also help stimulate digestion and ignite the inner fire.
Air: Breath and Expansion
Air represents movement, breath, and the energy that fuels life. The pranamaya kosha, or energetic sheath, is directly influenced by this element. Pranayama techniques like ujjayi breathing and deep diaphragmatic breathwork enhance lung capacity, create a calming effect on the nervous system, and improve overall vitality.
Leslie Kaminoff refers to breathing as “shape-shifting,” as it changes the way we experience space in our bodies. Working with the air element allows us to cultivate lightness, clarity, and expansion both physically and mentally.
Space (Ether): The Subtle Realm of Awareness
Space, or ether, is the most subtle of the elements, representing the mind, intuition, and the potential for transformation. While physical postures influence the body, space is where true change begins.
The most effective way to shift reality is through meditation, mindful intention, and conscious speech. Yoga and Ayurveda teach that by aligning our thoughts, words, and actions, we create lasting transformation from the inside out.
Integrating the Five Elements into Your Practice
To cultivate balance, incorporate all five elements into your yoga and Ayurvedic routine:
Earth: Focus on grounding postures like Tadasana (Mountain Pose) and Vrksasana (Tree Pose).
Water: Flow through Vinyasa sequences slowly to encourage circulation and flexibility and release the regenerative properties of the water element.
Fire: Engage in heat-building practices like core work, twists, and breath of fire.
Air: Explore breath control and deep pranayama to enhance energy and calm the mind.
Space: Dedicate time to meditation and self-reflection to harness the power of awareness.
By tuning into these elements, you can create a yoga practice that supports not only physical health but also emotional and energetic balance.
Looking to study Ayurveda, Ayurvedic Yoga teaching and therapy further? Check out our annual 100-hour Ayurvedic Yoga Therapy Course.