Fire in the Belly
Wildfires, as scary as they are, transform and revitalize the landscape. Stimulate the fire within your belly to digest (transform) food into revitalized personal energy.
Playing with fire can be dangerous; however with skill ‘the fire in the belly’ can be used to regulate the bowels; to improve digestive functions; to stimulate liver and pancreas to better rid impurities;1 and on a higher level transform anxiety into inspiration and joy.2
The Basic Practice - tortoise
respect your limits, modify where needed
Caution: Persons suffering from high blood pressure, cervical spondylitis, ulcer, hernia, or those who have undergone any form of abdominal surgery should not do this exercise3 or proceed with mindful modifications.
posture set-up
pick an appropriate starting position:
sitting in a chair
squatting
kneeling Japanese style
tortoise
This practice is can be found in “Yoga, A Practical Introduction”. 4
bend your arms
make hands into fists
place your elbows against your navel area
bend forward at the hips
press elbows into the navel area
CAUTION: keep pressure light if there are abdominal issues
rest your head on your fists
CAUTION: keep head above heart, if blood pressure and/or neck issues
hold for about three breaths
release and sit upright
repeat two more times
relax and observe your body
Explore the Movement - abdominal massage with fists
This practice comes from The Align Method.5
Find your hip bones.
Make fists, press in lightly just above hip bones.
Create a subtle lifting of your belly.
Exhale and lean foward over your fists while keeping a long back. Breathe here for approximately nintey seconds.
Everyday Living
Use the ‘fire in the belly’ to aid in your sleep. The Align Method recommends before going to sleep to practice five rounds of box breathing (four seconds inhale, hold four seconds, exhale six seconds, hold four seconds).6 However I would also suggest simple belly breathing through the nose to start. Then massage the abdominals as outlined above.
Yoga Practice
The navel area (belly) contains our 'fiery sun charka' and this is the area where we build our inner strength and core.
Discover Amazing
Keep discovering your own inner fire. Allow it to transform your nervousness, worries and anxiety into living from your amazing inner place of strength, joy and revitalization.
Namaste
(the Light in me honors the Light in you)
keep moving; keep healthy movement is our birthright walk, run, dance, leap, hop, squat live with a smile, be a big kid be in AWE of YOU
You are invited - Summer Fun Yoga Class:
Discover amazing treasures in the Archive:
Disclaimer: Be safe, know your limits and move wisely without causing harm to yourself. Information provided in this newsletter is for you to explore and discover how your body works. It is not to diagnose any medical condition. Please consult with a physician or physiotherapist if you have concerns.
https://gulfnews.com/general/yoga-stoke-the-fire-in-the-belly-1.1153643
Lauren Walker, The Energy to Heal, page 108
https://gulfnews.com/general/yoga-stoke-the-fire-in-the-belly-1.1153643
Dr. Svami Purna, Yoga, A Practical Introduction, page 65
Aaron Alexander, The Align Method, page 181
Aaron Alexander, The Align Method, page 181