The Vayus: the Internal Winds of Your Subtle Body
“the internal winds not only regulate physiological rhythms such as blood flow and neurological activity but impact the psychological and emotional body.”
― Tias Little
The mission at Kanda Yoga School is to evolve yoga education. To do that, we honor the roots of the tradition while making the practice meaningful for modern yogis. In classes, we’re embarking on a journey into the Vayus, the 5 “winds” or “currents” of the subtle body.
How do we make that meaningful for modern yogis? How do we make it practical? The answer is in hot sauce. But before we get to the hot sauce, let’s learn a little more about the Vayus.
The Vayus are in the realm of mythic consciousness. A way of describing and discussing that which defies language and evades the rational mind.
The Vayus are part of the subtle body. The subtle body can be sensed but not seen. It’s the animating life force. While science can’t measure it, there is a distinct imprint. For example, at the moment of death the animating force leaves the body and that absence changes everything.
The Vayus are a refined way to explore your inner landscape. Each Vayu corresponds to organs, body parts, actions, emotions and psychosomatic qualities.
To sense this level of the subtle body, we’ve spent several weeks cultivating balance and harmony which is harder than it sounds. Because balance is a moving target. And harmony requires gentleness and presence. These are sattvic qualities.
Sattvic qualities sound nice, but they’re hard to come by in a rajasic society. While sattva is balance, harmony, lightness. Rajas is energy, passion, intensity. Rajas brings desire, ambition, and achievement. There is nothing wrong with rajas… unless it consumes you, which it has a tendency to do. Kinda like hot sauce.
If you put a lot or an especially hot sauce on a dish, the hot sauce becomes the only flavor. It’s all you can taste. It short-circuits your palate.
Similarly, when there is too much rajas in your practice, when you’re consumed by stretch, sensation, the accomplishment of poses, it’s like hot sauce. The intensity and drive is all you can taste, all you can feel, all you do.
Which is fine, if that’s what you want… but what if there is more? What if under the hot sauce, there is some divinely balanced gourmet dish?
This is what yoga promises when you recalibrate your palate. Instead of a single strong overwhelming flavor… you can open up your inner world and experience an array of taste. Yes, balance, harmony and sustainability are subtle, even elusive. What you sense will be refined and delicate, but it’s so. much. more. interesting than just HOT.
This week, can you find more balance in your practice? In every pose? Can you seek harmony rather than intensity at work? in relationships? during exercise? with your to-do list? At first, balance might feel a bit bland. But as your palate recalibrates, you’ll gain a sensitivity that allows you to savor subtlety.
May your practice be delicately balanced,
Alison
