Ayurveda and Polyvagal Theory

Humans have within our biology the capacity to heal, based on millions of years of evolution. In the years since the pandemic I got interested in how Ayurveda and Polyvagal Theory relate. The similarities between the Mahagunas, qualities of mind, and these specific autonomic nervous system parts is striking.

Sattva, openness, Ventral vagus.

Rajas, mobilization, Sympathetic nervous system, fight or flight.

Tamas, immobilization, Dorsal vagus, rest & digest.

I share how you can use Ayurveda and Polyvagal Theory in this free one-hour Powerpoint presentation. Learn more about how you can directly apply these two systems of healing to traumatic or stressful situations in your own life and practice. We work with hands-on experiential techniques including breath, marma, and awareness.

This learning module is based on an online talk I originally gave May 20, 2024 for the California Association of Ayurvedic Medicine on Ayurveda and Polyvagal Theory. It’s followed by fifteen minutes of discussion with participants in the program.

Image: Iza and one of her godmothers, KinTree, 1991. Our friend KinTree has passed, yet Godmama Michele Herling is very much with us and alive and kicking.

Amadea Morningstar, MA, RPE, RYT, works with Ayurveda, Polarity Therapy, and nourishment online and in Santa Fe, NM.