Yoga to build digestive fire by Tara Lee
Did you know that according to Ayurveda your state of health and even longevity are inextricably linked to your agni?
This sanskrit term ‘agni’ is considered in Ayurveda to be one of the most vital principles influencing wellbeing and the ageing process. In fact understanding this concept is really important if we want to avoid illness and disease and look and feel healthy and vibrant.
Agni is a sanskrit term that translates as ‘digestive fire’ and is related to the strength of our digestion in all aspects of our life and our ability to eliminate what is not needed. On a physical level we need to digest food to absorb nutrients for energy and release waste products and on a mental level we digest experiences in order to assimilate them and release what is not needed.
According to Ayurveda strong Agni helps us with all processes of digestion and is essential for our overall health. If our digestive fire is strong, we are able to create healthy tissues and eliminate waste products effectively. We can then produce ‘ojas' which is like our vital essence so that we can build strength, immunity and clarity of mind. If Agni is weak in the body, we are left with toxic residue or ‘ama’ which leads to the slow deterioration of the body and is seen as the root cause of disease.
Agni may be weakened by poor eating habits and food choices, lack of exercise, negative thoughts and emotions. This slows down our digestion building ‘ama’ and causing disease. Unresolved emotions such as pent up anger and unreleased grief are just as likely to cause ill health as physical digestive issues in the gut.
The good news is that we can strengthen the digestive fire in our body using various techniques and yoga exercises. If you have digestive issues, want to lose weight or have more energy and lustrous looking skin then try these agni building practices.
Breathing brings prana or life force into the body and cleans the body of toxic materials.
Kapalabhati is a breathing technique that helps create heat and build agni.
Rest your hands on your abdomen. Take some nice deep breaths in and out through the nose, feeling the movement of the abdomen under the hands.
After 10 breaths or so, start to emphasise the exhalation and feel the abdomen draw strongly back towards the spine. Let the inhale be an automatic rebound and feel the hands move away as the abdomen releases. Repeat short using sharp exhalations. Practice for about 30-60 seconds. When you finish, sit tall and breathe normally for another 10 breaths or so.
Navasana acts like a key to powerfully switch on the inner fire of prana.
Sit with your feet resting on the floor, knees bent and try to float your feet off the floor, while keeping your chest lifted. Extend your arms away from you. You can keep the legs bent or if you feel strong start to extend them so that the toes are eye level. Hold for 5 breaths, keeping the breath smooth and then rest the feet back down and round the spine as you hug your knees. Repeat as many times as you like.
Side plank helps to generate agni and builds inner fire.
From plank pose, swivel the feet, turning your body to the side, raising one arm either up to the ceiling or over the ear to a diagonal. Lift the underneath waist and hold for 5 breaths. Return to plank and either rest the knees on the floor before changing sides or you can swivel straight to the other side without resting.
Finish resting on the knees or in child’s pose.
Using the ‘bandhas' or locks generates inner fire.
Come up from all fours to down dog and stay for 5-10 slow breaths. With each exhalation feel the movement of the navel drawing back towards the spine. This activates udiyana bandha, igniting the flames and stimulates the energy around the navel centre.
Twists massage the abdominal organs bringing more blood and oxygen to the region helping to remove stagnation and activate the digestive system.
From kneeling sit to the left side of your feet and cross your right foot over the left leg and onto the floor. Wrap your left arm around your right shin and turn to look over your right shoulder. Stay for 5 deep breaths. Change sides.
Other helpful tips for building agni include regular meditation, sipping ginger tea or taking warming herbs, releasing negative emotions, avoiding over eating, eating when stressed or sad, avoid cold foods or cooling foods that ‘dampen the fire’, chewing your food thoroughly and taking regular exercise.
The above exercises are taken from Tara Lee’s bestselling DVD series Elements of Yoga “Fire’
Tara Lee has been practicing yoga for over 20 years and has been teaching yoga for 15 years.
Tara teaches a dynamic flowing style based on her experiences and training from many different teachers and disciplines including Ashtanga, Sivananda and most recently Para yoga (with Rod Stryker).
Tara has been rated one of the top 5 teachers in London by The Evening Standard magazine. She writes regularly blogs for the Huffington Post and has featured in numerous yoga books and publications including Tatler, The Times, Om magazine, Yoga magazine and W magazine.
Tara currently teaches ‘Vinyasa yoga’ , ’Pregnancy Yoga’ and ‘Mother and Baby Yoga’ at The Life Centre, Notting Hill Gate in London. She runs teacher training courses for yoga teachers, is a registered senior teacher on the board of Yoga Alliance UK and is also a qualified Shiatsu practitioner and a trained Doula. Tara lives in London with her husband and two children.
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