yoga

very driven. They come here and are ambitious
with their agenda. I encourage them to slow
down, to decide from moment to moment
what they want to do. To think deeply about
what they need now and going forward. The
message at Miraval is: This is fun, but we’re
asking you to be present for every moment of
it.”
Indeed, for overtaxed Americans—
particularly those who don’t pursue a daily
yoga or meditation practice—a trip to the spa
can be a spiritual experience, says Jonathan
Ellerby, former spiritual programs director at
Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Arizona. “There is so
much that stands between us and our spiritual
selves—our minds, habits, disappointments,
kids, jobs, taxes,” he says. “People come here
and they slow down and nurture themselves,
sometimes for the first time ever. They may be
having a shirodhara treatment or a massage
and find that the mind relaxes and something
else emerges. They can connect to a profound
sense of peace, open-mindedness, and present-
moment awareness. They say, ‘How come I
couldn’t do this on my own?’ I say, ‘How come
you thought you could?’ We all need support
sometimes.”
And so I took a deep breath. I got some
perspective, and I realized I was angry all the
time. And then, I wasn’t. I began to see how
my life could be a little bit sweeter for me and
for everyone else around me if only I’d chill
out just a little. I would move forward with
a commitment to take better care of myself,
knowing that my life could be not only happier
and healthier, but also more efficient and
productive! And suddenly—from my positively
pitta perspective—an occasional trip to the spa

began to seem very worthwhile indeed.

Hillari Dowdle, former editor of Yoga
Journal, is a freelance writer in Knoxville,
Tennessee.

A THAI YOGA MASSAGE INVIGORATES GENTLY.

what kaphas need

MOVES THAT ENERGIZE

A balancedkaphais a beautiful thing: strong, loving, kind, earthy, grounded. “The

constitutions all have their upside and their downside,” says Jonathan Ellerby, former

spiritual programs director at Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Arizona. “Someone may be a kapha,

and it may help them to be steady and patient at work. But perhaps in a relationship where

there is a crisis, they’re absent, maybe sleeping a lot.”

The kapha dosha is composed of earth and water, which makes it solid, yes, but also slow.

“When a kapha goes out of balance, the person becomes very sluggish and the imbalance is

much deeper than with vata or pitta,” explains Greenspan. “When kaphas are overwhelmed,

they often just shut down. You have to break that cycle of inertia. The way you do that is by

invigorating the body through yoga and diet and treatments that bring blood to the skin

and get the body moving.”

Kapha types who have been on the couch for a while should get moving gradually. “Kaphas

need stimulation, but you have to go gently or they’ll get scared off,” says Korshak. “You

have to help them see the benefit of more vigorous efforts.” The challenge for out-of-

balance kaphas? Weight loss.

To invigorate stagnant kapha, select body scrubs, deep massage such as Rolfing, lymphatic

drainage, detox facials,vishesh(an Ayurvedic deep-tissue friction massage), orudvartna(an

Ayurvedic treatment in which an herbal paste is used to draw out excess fluids and toxins).

Dry-heat saunas and any kind of moving massage therapy are also helpful. Choose safflower

or sesame oils for massage, and add aromatic frankincense, peppermint, or rosemary.

treatment to try

THAI MASSAGE

The perfect marriage of movement and massage, Thai massage invigorates stagnant

kapha types without overwhelming them. A blend of assisted stretching and acupressure

treatment, it has often been described as passive yoga. The therapist uses his or her

weight to take muscles and joints through a wide range of motion. It’s both energizing and

relaxing—and moreover, it’s fun.

WHAT’S YOUR SPA TYPE?To get the most
out of your spa experience, start by
understanding yourdosha(this is your
constitution, according to Ayurvedic tradition).
Learn thebasics by taking the quiz at
yogajournal.com/ayurveda, then try the
treatments recommended for your type.