TF04: The Vayus as a Framework for Addressing Contemporary Issues in Yoga Therapy

Speaker bio: Doug Keller, MA, C-IAYT

The vayus are among the earliest concepts in yoga related to health, yet they have been largely neglected in favor of the koshas in yoga therapy.

The vayus present practical guidance for therapeutically oriented yoga practice. They describe regulation of the different aspects of vital function in the body under the general umbrella of prana, which governs not only the breath, but all forms of movement, including circulation, digestion, and cognitive function. These functions of prana can arguably include the endocrine and immune systems, key to the autonomic nervous system.

The language of the vayus is sufficiently evocative to guide and focus students in their practices—and to guide the recommendation of yoga therapy practices to promote wellness. In this session, we’ll lay out the framework of the vayus in relation to modern understanding and be specific about how the framework guides applications in practice.

Learning objectives:

1. Understand the autonomic nervous system in relation to the many dimensions of health.
2. Connect information about the autonomic nervous system to the vayus to guide therapeutic applications of yoga practices.
3. Explain common contemporary health conditions as rooted in inflammatory conditions.

Your purchase gives you access to the recorded session listed below (audio/slides)—plus .5 CE credit.