Yoga of Sustainability (How Would a Ayurvedic Doctor Diagnose Climate Change?)

Whether you practice yoga or not, you’ve heard about the mind body connection and the relationship between “us” and nature. 

In yoga, we analyze a practitioner’s needs, not off the shapes they make with their physical body, but by the energy that surrounds their whole experience. We consider their internal emotions, what they are consuming, their social network, and their relationship to feeling free, amongst many other things. 

We analyze the body, mind, and spirit, and come up with ways we can support the release of blockages to create a deep sense of balance.

We admit there are forces larger than ourselves and recognize that the better a person is at receiving that wisdom without restraint, the closer they are to achieving a life free from suffering.

In Yoga, we call this the science of life, or Ayurveda. 

And I’m pretty sure we can use this methodology to combat climate change.

Ayurvedic Basics and its Connection to Climate Change (Part 1)

Before we can head in any direction, we must recognize where we’re starting from. Prakriti is a Sanskrit word that means just this. It’s the recognition and understanding of where we’re starting from. 

From Prakriti, we begin to identify aspects of our lives that we enjoy, things that we want to shift, and from that, we build an overall understanding of who we are. Vikruti is just this. It’s the recognition of our current state, separate from our starting point, which takes into consideration various factors that have led us to the current moment. 

So, what is the earth’s Prakriti and Vikruti? What is the earth’s starting point in relationship to human development and climate change, and where are we now?

It makes sense to me to say the earth’s Vikruti is the current state of environmental crisis, and the earth’s Prakriti is a period before the industrial revolution. When human society was built and thriving, and relatively contained in relationship to the anthropocentric forces that have led us to climate change today.

To understand an individual’s starting point and current state, Ayurvedic doctors determine their patient’s Doshic Constitution.

A Doshic Constitution recognizes that we all are made up of the same elements found in nature. Ayurvedic doctors utilize a series of tests to determine what the unique balance of elements is in a person. They determine the Prakriti (elemental starting point) and Vikruti (elemental current state) to understand where the imbalances are, and where there is opportunity for intervention.  

Doshic Constitutions take into consideration the Vata Dosha, Pitta Dosha and Kapha Dosha. 

The Vata Dosha is the amount of ether and air one has in their body, mind, and spirit. The Vata Dosha governs movement and resides in the large intestine, pelvis, bones, ears, thighs, and nerves. When the Vata Dosha becomes imbalanced, symptoms of pain in the body and (all puns intended) a sense of air-headedness in the mind can occur. I think the Earth’s Vata Dosha is imbalanced. The amount of people and pollution present in our atmosphere is increasing every day, resulting in higher rates of health problems and a collective overall sense of anxiety. In addition, economic and population growth has exceeded the earth’s capacity to provide, which is leading to a myriad of social justice issues.

The Pitta Dosha is the amount of fire and water one has in their body, mind, and spirit. The Pitta Dosha governs digestion and metabolism, and it resides in the lower stomach, small intestine, the eyes, the blood, the skin, sweat glands, the liver and spleen. The Pitta Dosha is how we digest, process, reshape and reform. When the Pitta Dosha is imbalanced, symptoms of fever and inflammation can occur. The connection between the Pitta Dosha and the environmental crisis is obvious. Humans’ inability to process their own waste and respect the natural systems that maintain survivability has resulted in global warming, ocean acidification, sea level rise, and all the other symptoms stemming from increased global temperatures. The earth’s Pitta Dosha is imbalanced, causing excess heat.

The Kapha Dosha is the amount of earth and water present in a system and the force that holds things together. Kapha is the grounding force that keeps us connected and content. It governs lubrication, structure, growth, stability, and immune strength. The Kapha Dosha resides in the stomach, chest, mouth, throat, head, plasma, and all liquids of the body and synovial membranes. When imbalanced, its chief symptom involves swelling. The earth’s imbalanced Kapha Dosha can be seen through overwhelming amounts of trash, everywhere. Our oceans, landfills, public parks, and most of our natural spaces are covered in the filth we use once and toss away. Our commitment to using disposable goods has created an excess of Kapha. And, while it’s important to feel grounded and content, too much Kapha can leave us feeling sluggish, lethargic, and confused. I’d say the earth is feeling sluggish, lethargic, and confused, wouldn’t you agree? 

It’s my theory that by developing a comprehensive understanding of the earth’s Doshic imbalances, I can better identify areas of intervention, or areas for positive change. Just like I would with a student. By analyzing the earth’s body, mind, and spirit, we can come up with alternative ways for providing support that enhance the release of blockages and creates a deep sense of balance. We could achieve sustainability.

This is just a theory, but I do believe there is a strong relationship between the basics of Ayurveda and how we can approach climate change.