The Yoga of Coffee

Does the aroma of coffee call to you? How can you bring intention and integrity into a habit? Anything you imbibe, according to my understanding of Ayurveda, is either a medicine, a food, or a poison. This depends on your current state, your underlying constitution, and the pranic quality of the substance. So first contemplate..does it heal, does it nourish, or does it deplete you?

I recall that when I first delved into studies of yoga and Ayurveda, I was under the impression that coffee was "forbidden." Kripalu (an illustrious yoga center in Massachusetts) allowed no coffee on the premises the first time I went there. Years later, they opened a little cafe where you could drink your brew in a designated area, but last spring they were full on serving coffee in the dining hall, and the line stretched the entire length of the large room! I first got an inkling that coffee had some energetic whole health benefit when I discovered a prominent Ayurveda teacher selling "Shakti Shots" on his website, which is a combination of herbs and spices, I assume, that you add to your coffee.

First of all yoga is about relationships, so the first place to go with the inquiry is examining how this potential plant medicine fits into your life. Do you take the time to enjoy the brewing process, or even sit down to take in the cup of coffee with your senses, or do you throw it in a cup with a lot of add ins to mask the taste, and grab it on the go (There are days when I look in my cup and wonder how it got empty already). Ayurveda teaches us that digestion and absorption doesn't just happen in your gut. It begins with the subtle signals of smells and taste. Actually, the nutrients and potential for absorption of any substance begin long before it ever comes to the table. High prana (think of it as life force) foods are influenced by the integrity of the seed and soil, and the energetics of those involved in the growing and production, another reason to focus on the source of your food and medicine.

Even if one consumes a high prana beverage, Some people have a tendency toward dissipating energy, and when this tendency is out of balance (high Vata), coffee can be depleting or even poison. Drinking coffee stimulates the adrenal glands, and if you are a stressed out space case, the odds are your adrenals are already maxed out, and you would be wise to reconsider.

For some of us, the opposite is true. If we have a lot of earth element in our constitution (kapha), then moderate amounts of stimulants can energize, motivate, and bring balance. The pungent, sour, and bitter tastes are balancing in this scenario. If you have to mask the taste to make it palatable, either you have not had a well made cup of coffee, or you are turning away from the body's intelligence, and the yogic skills you may have been cultivating on the mat of listening to your body. However coffee is acidic, so it is a good idea to boost it up with some fat (like coconut oil) and foaming it, as well as adding some digestive spices such as cardamon.

In order to remain in balanced relationships, one must step back and reexamine your relationship dynamics periodically. Take breaks every now and again (perhaps a week or two in the spring, and another break in the fall as these seasonal junctures are optimal times to clear the body of substances and patterning), just to ensure that this is not a habit you are leaning on too heavily that may be covering up other imbalances. Shifting away from coffee can be harsh, bringing headaches and other symptoms. I have had some success weaning myself away by substituting matcha (a Japanese green tea powder) for about five days as a transition. Perhaps you will find that the break is a transformation, and you no longer need this helper for now, or perhaps you will return lovingly to your old friend. Either way you have infused your actions and consumption with the integrity of the mind and body.