Many advanced practitioners in their years chasing after the final pose have discovered for themselves that past a certain stage it becomes clear that the body really is moved by the breath.
The value of the breath in asana and vinyasa is well known throughout the yoga world. In contrast, the digestive fire is rarely talked about as a serious aspect of yoga cultivation though classically this was not the case.
The digestive fire is important for at least two reasons. First, it builds and purifies our yogic body because it is the agent of assimilation and acts in the separation and elimination of consumed food. With a weak digestive fire even the best food and vitamins are only destined to be expensive urine. If it is overactive, our body overheats and we age more rapidly as our body consumes itself.
Second, it gives us a direct way to judge for ourself which foods are really appropriate to our body and we access this by observing our body after eating. Eating is a coming together of the qualities of the food and the state of the body. Is there bloating, tiredness or a heavy feeling? Most people “in tune with their bodies” have a good sense that the right food makes you feel good.
The Sweet Fire
The sweet or gentle fire is praised in Western alchemy as ideal for the highest and most subtle transformational processes. Hatha yoga fans the flames of the inner fire until the body shines and solidifies. As sage Gehranda so eloquently puts it:
“The body is like an unbaked clay pot that easily dissolves in the water of the world. Temper your body with the fire of Yoga.”-Gehranda Samhita
The system of Hatha starts from the physical and pranic base and works its refining magic upwards into mind, spirit and beyond. The digestive fire is an essential part of that base and I believe it should become a more conscious part of how we approach asana, pranayama, mudra and bandha.
This blog is not a scholarly study of prana agni or jathar-agni in Hatha or Ayurvedic literature (which is something I am working on in book form). Instead, drawing on my own background in Chinese medicine and experience in yoga and some of its central texts, I would like to talk about yoga and appetite from a practical standpoint.
Also read: Ahara Vidhi: A Disciplined Dietary Guidelines by Charaka
Appetite
The first sign of a healthy digestive fire is a healthy appetite BUT a healthy appetite must be distinguished from craving. Appetite has long been recognized as a sign of health and vitality whereas persistent craving is often a pathological warning sign that points to imbalance.
Craving is not strictly negative, sometimes our body is telling us what we need. Each person has to decide for themselves when they should “listen to their body” because instinctively we crave something we need. A common example would be the unusual cravings of pregnant women. In a time of massive hormonal and metabolic shift many women feel instinctively what they need to eat through craving.
Obviously, many people suffer from destructive or negative cravings. Let’s characterize destructive cravings. These cravings are directed towards one flavour or type of food like sweet, oily/fried, salty, super spicy, or dry.
These cravings often persist over long periods to the point that they become habitual. Feeding this type of craving does not usually lead to much or any satisfaction even in the case of over eating.
Finally, any cravings associated with strong emotional states, conscious or subconscious, should be viewed as potentially dangerous to our health if they persist over a long period of time. Stress eating is a dangerous habit particularly because in a state of stress our body is not in a harmonious condition to digest. Portions of undigested food will tend to accumulate in the digestive tract and becomes the base for many other problems to sprout.
No Appetite
Following on the previous blog, cold and raw foods, depending on constitution and climate, can often harm the digestive capacity, especially on the long term. For many, the reduction of appetite is seen as a benefit. There are good reasons for thinking this way because so many people struggle with controlling their weight and habitual over eating. It should be noted that there are also many ways to skillfully combine raw and warming elements.
To reduce the amount of food one actually needs is an accomplishment and very much connected to traditional yoga but this highly refined state should not be confused with low appetite due to harming the digestive fire.
Also read: Yogi Or Householder? Thoughts On Diet
Healthy Appetite
So how do we define a healthy appetite? Basically, it is the genuine feeling of hunger felt as an eager, mildly burning sensation in the stomach. Ideally, it should show up in the morning and noon and be less in the evening.
Salivation is a good thing. It was a traditional Taoist method to observe our saliva flow while eating and to eat only so long as the saliva is flowing. This mechanism shows us how much our body can handle in “real time”.
The big problem is that the majority of modern people live relatively stationary lives and a wholesome appetite is something many people don’t often feel. I like to think of experiences of working outside or walking in the mountains, when you exert yourself and feel a real hunger. After eating, even if we ate more than usual, there is no heavy feeling but a feeling like the food has really been processed by the body. The “I needed that” feeling. Our practice can steer our body in that direction so that a healthy digestive fire is kindled anew each day.
Stimulating the Appetite
Ayurveda provides a wealth of information on proper use of spices to stimulate all aspects of digestion, assimilation and elimination and I heartily encourage anyone serious about their practice to begin to work with even one or two of these herbs, matching them to your dosha and begin to accumulate experience on how to work with them.
Also read: Why Two Meals a Day Is Better Than Three?
Conclusion
Greater knowledge of energetic dynamics leads to the place I believe we really desire to be with our practice. To the place where we stand in a more holistic relationship with the wider circle of nature. Opening ourselves to the connections of the micro to the macrocosm is something more people need to experience in this truly digital age. Deepening our understanding of energetics gives us the sophistication to match our practices to season, climate, hour of the day, constitution and even more subtle forces. It enhances our power to guide our practice and the practices of our students.
