Drinking coffee seems at odds with yoga practice at HIYC, as it is very clearly a stimulant that affects our energy levels, metabolism, moods and digestion — all things we work to stabilise through our practice.
Drinking coffee seems at odds with yoga practice, as per the Himalayan Iyengar Yoga Centre (HIYC) method, as it is very clearly a stimulant that affects our energy levels, metabolism, moods and digestion — all things we work to stabilise through our practice.
The honest answer is: it depends on your relationship with coffee and where you are in your practice. But understanding why coffee and yoga are at odds can help you make a more informed choice.
What Coffee Does to the Nervous System
Coffee stimulates the sympathetic nervous system — the "fight or flight" response. It raises cortisol, increases heart rate and blood pressure, and creates a state of artificial alertness that masks our true energy level.
Yoga, particularly the Sharat Arora method, aims to calm the sympathetic nervous system and strengthen the parasympathetic nervous system — the "rest and digest" response. In this sense, regular coffee consumption works directly against the goal of yoga practice.
The Practical Reality
During an intensive course at HIYC, coffee is discouraged because the practice itself provides a cleaner, more sustainable form of energy and alertness. Many students are surprised to find that after a few days of practice, they no longer crave coffee in the same way.
For home practitioners, the key question is not whether you drink coffee but whether coffee is controlling you. If you cannot function without it, if it is suppressing a fatigue that your body is asking you to address, then it may be worth examining your relationship with it as part of your overall yoga practice.
Transform Your Practice in the Himalayas
The transformation described in this article is available to you. Join us at the Himalayan Iyengar Yoga Centre in Dharamkot, Dharamsala.
