You Are Only As Healthy As Your “Agni”

By Healthy Ayurveda on May 1, 2016 2 Comments / 1569 views

You Are Only As Healthy As Your Agni
Agni is the fire of transformation. It is responsible for the digestion, absorption, assimilation, and transformation of what we take in (food and experiences) into energy. The well-known ayurved Dr. Lad, defines “Agni” as:

Awareness Governing Nutritional Intelligence.
Your agni can be balanced, too low, too high, or irregular.

Ayurvedic Digestive Supplements
You are only as healthy as your digestion!!

What we feed the agni, and as David Frawley says, “Everything in the universe is food”, determines how our agni burns. Imbalanced agni can mean weakness, poor digestion, poor elimination, internal coldness, compromised immunity, fatigue, or generally a lack of bright, shiny, vitality. Balanced agni looks like strength, vitality, immunity, clarity of perception and mind, proper digestion and elimination, normal body temperature, and a healthy glow that permeates all parts of your being.

The Ayurvedic Connection Between Agni & Ama

So, what are the things that balance and imbalance Agni?

What balances agni:

meal times according to the ayurvedic clock
dosha appropriate foods
warm, well cooked, well seasoned foods
fresh, whole, seasonal foods
warm beverages, digestive teas
adequate rest
healthy energetic/emotional expression
spinal twist asana
agni sara

What imbalances agni:

over or undereating
eating at the wrong time of day
snacking
inappropriate food for your dosha
incompatible food combining
cold beverages
toxins, intentional or unintentional (drink, smoke, other)
seasonal shifts
sleep not aligned with the ayurvedic clock
energetic/emotional imbalance

Ayurveda is clear, if you’re experiencing the symptoms of imbalanced agni, there are many practices available to you to rekindle and balance your fire. Someone versed in ayurveda can help you determine how to best bring your agni back into balance. Make your choices an offering to your fire, swaha!

About The Author

Kara Aubin was called to the path of yoga in 1998, and has been a dedicated student and practitioner since. A lifelong lover of movement, she was drawn in by the intention and pranic wisdom of yogic movement, and the profound and challenging nature of yogic stillness. As a ParaYoga Certified teacher and NAMA Certified Ayurvedic Health Counselor based in Kalamazoo, MI and Albuquerque, NM she weaves the teachings of yoga and Ayurveda into group classes, private sessions, workshops, and retreats. Her mission is to guide students toward their bright inherent potential, as well as their right to radical wellness and balance.