Kapha dosha makes our bodies and minds strong and sturdy. A daily Yoga asana practice builds on kapha’s natural strength and reduces the tendency toward weight gain that can come with excess kapha.
It doesn’t have to take a lot of time -- even 15 minutes in the morning will combat the effects of sedentary living and create enthusiasm for life that will reach far beyond your Yoga mat. Just set your wake up time a bit earlier (start before 6:00 a.m. and you’ll get the bonus of the increased energy that is present in the vata time of morning called brahma muhūrt) and make the commitment to asana as a part of your morning routine.
To balance kapha’s heavy nature, focus on invigorating poses, such as strengthening standing poses and backbends, as we have outlined in the two sequences below. Hold each pose for 10 to 15 breaths if you are feeling sluggish to awaken kapha. If you are feeling fearful, scattered or other signs of vata imbalance, hold each pose for 20 breaths.
Two kapha-balancing Yoga asana sequences
Sequence 1: Use this sequence when you have about an hour for your practice.
Vajrasana (thunderbolt pose)
Bidalasana (cat pose)
Sit down/stand up
Six to 12 rounds of surya namaskar (sun salutations)
Virbhadrasana B (warrior 2), 2 rounds
Trikonasana (triangle pose)
Vrksasana (tree pose)
Sirsasana (headstand) preparation or walk feet up the wall
Setu bandhasana (bridge pose)
Three variations of salabasana (locust pose)
Jathara parivartanasana (alligator twist variation)
Baddha konasana (bound angle pose)
Savasana (corpse pose)
Sequence 2: This sequence will take about 30 minutes.
Bidalasana (cat pose)
Sit down/stand up
Three to six rounds of surya namaskar (sun salutations)
Virbhadrasana B (warrior 2)
Vrksasana (tree pose)
Ustrasana (camel pose) preparation
One salabasana (locust pose) variation
Jathara parivartanasana (alligator twist variation)
Savasana (corpse pose)