The Subtle Art of Digestion
TENDING TO AGNI (DIGESTIVE FIRE) WITHIN THE SUBTLE REALMS
For thousands of years, the medicine of Ayurveda has prioritized agni as an important aspect of health and well-being. Modern medicine is now confirming the truth of what Ayurveda has been saying for thousands of years—digestive health is a key factor in our ability to feel well in our mind-body dynamic. We tend to think of digestion in relationship to the physical body, but digestion actually happens on the mental and emotional levels, as well as being a part of our ability (or lack thereof) to process and release experiences, beliefs, and emotions. If we are to step more fully into our wholeness and truth (svastha), then we are going to have to digest, move through, and release limited mindsets and experiences we hold on to.
WHAT IS HEALTH FROM AN AYURVEDIC PERSPECTIVE?
Let’s back up and take a look at how Ayurveda defines health. In Ayurveda, to be in a state of health is not simply to experience the absence of disease. To define health in those terms is to reduce the totality of what we are to just the physical dimension of our being. The word for health in Ayurveda is svastha, meaning to be situated in oneself or content in oneself. This definition encompasses not just the bodily factors but also our senses, mind, and spirit—conveying a holistic understanding of health. Therefore, we are being guided by Ayurveda to tend to our whole being to nurture health, which means taking care of the digestive fire not just within the physical sheath but also the mental and emotional sheaths.
SO WHY IS AGNI IMPORTANT TO HEALTH?
According to one of the ancient texts on Ayurveda, the Charaka Samhita, a person is as old as their agni. “Agni is necessary for the normal process of digestion, and the subtle energy of agni transforms the lifeless molecules of food, water, and air into the consciousness of the cell.” Agni also exists within the mental and emotional body, helping to transform our experiences through the five senses so that they may be processed and then released. Within the realms of mind and emotions, agni transforms the sensory experience into understanding. Right understanding leads to great discernment (buddhi) and wisdom, which ultimately fuels the path of self-realization as it relates to Ayurveda’s sister science, Yoga.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN AGNI IS IMPAIRED?
When the digestive fire becomes vitiated due to an imbalance in the three doshas, or bodily humors, our food and/or experiences may not be broken down completely, and as a result, nutrients are not absorbed efficiently, beliefs and emotions get stuck inside us, and the cycle of intake, digestion, and release is hindered. This situation can lead to an accumulation of metabolic waste (ama) in the body—physical, mental, emotional, and/or energetic. Ama is sticky, heavy, and foul, and clogs the channels (srotas) of the body, thus impeding the flow of prana (life force energy) and ultimately causing our health to deteriorate from the inside out. When prana can’t flow freely, the intelligence of the body is disrupted, which leads to confusion in the mind-body dynamic. This can result in excess heat—inflammation, stagnant water (water retention), stuck earth (lethargy), chaotic air (dryness and lack of focus), and so on. On a more subtle level, this can result in frazzled energy and unsupportive residue that may manifest as fear and anxiety, anger, self-centeredness, and a judgmental mindset, as well as lead to over-attachment, lack of motivation, and depression. All of these different possibilities prevent our true nature from shining forth and hold us back from experiencing a deep sense of well-being.
BUT TENDING TO AGNI IS NOT JUST FOR THE SAKE OF THE PHYSICAL HUMAN EXPERIENCE.
We must remember that Ayurveda is Yoga’s sister science, and Yoga is the experience and practice of oneness, wholeness, and dissolution of identification with mental chatter and a limited sense of being into the Self. It is our ultimate purpose from the spiritual perspective. While Ayurveda describes a plethora of food recommendations and herbal protocols to support individual constitutions, manage seasonal changes, correct doshic imbalances, and optimize the health of agni, we must also remember that attending to our physical needs can only take us so far if we don’t engage the other aspects of our being—mind, wisdom, and spirit. And I have found that this level of practice usually requires simplicity, presence, and intention.
THREE SIMPLE PRACTICES TO SUSTAIN AGNI THAT NOURISHES YOUR MIND, EMOTIONS, AND ENERGY:
Put away the screens during mealtime—when our mind is inundated by scrolling, reading, analyzing, and engaging with a screen, energy is redirected from the digestive system to whatever we are looking at. But we want energy going to the digestive process to support agni, so focus on one thing during mealtime, your meal. Eat slowly and savor the array of tastes, colors, and textures.
Sit down at the table to eat—when we are walking, talking, driving, etc. while eating, energy is dispersed among these other activities and not focused on the digestive process. Not to mention, this can be aggravating to the vata dosha, which can lead to a host of problems, including gas, bloating, dryness in the colon, and poor digestion. Carve out time in your day that’s dedicated exclusively to meals, and set an intention to eat in a way that nourishes your entire being.
Light a candle when possible—the fire element is the essence of agni, and to physically bring fire into your mealtime environment is a subtle way of strengthening your inner fire. It also brings a sense of sacredness to mealtime, which truly exemplifies its nature. Eating is a time when we consume gifts from the earth as nourishment for our vessel, thus allowing ourselves to have a human experience. When we fail to see life through this unifying lens of gratitude, we miss out on a good portion of accessible medicine and forget that Ayurveda is not just medicine for the physical body but also a healing salve for inner states of disconnection.
Upon waking first thing in the morning, look at the morning sun and imagine your body infused with its radiant light and that radiant light nourishing the agnis of your entire being. Ask yourself this: How am I doing (from a judgment-free zone)? And then follow up with this question: What will feel nourishing for me today? Incorporate and embody the answers into your day.
At the end of each day, take time to reflect on what felt supportive to your well-being that day and what didn’t, again with no judgment. And then offer up these experiences to something bigger than yourself either through journaling, meditation, mantra, movement, or any practice that allows you to release and let go. Imagine the experiences of the day dissolving back into the cosmic ocean from which it arose.
Sometimes it’s in the simple practices we find profound healing.
In wholeness,
Ashlyn