Agni Sara for Better Bowel Movement

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Better bowel movement with Agni Sara

Discussing bowel health and movement, has been a daily occurrence for me for the last 8 years of teaching yoga full time (empty stomachs and bowels are especially important when teaching advanced pranayama and kriyas).  But more importantly, a large majority of students will suffer from some sort of digestive problem that certain poses and breathing exercises can significantly help.  Yoga is renowned for being a full head-to-toe exercise that among many other things, stimulates and regulates your bodily systems, endocrine, nervous, respiratory and digestive. Yes us British are known for our toilet humour, but I’m genuinely hoping this post may help anyone with constipation and general digestion issues.

In India 18 years ago, I was introduced to the practice of Agni Sara by a yoga master.  I was no longer just attending 1 yoga class a week, but had started to develop my own daily personal practice.  With regular breathing exercises, twist poses, forward bends and Agni Sara, my previous digestive issues disappeared and since I’ve had a regular, healthy and happy gut.

The benefits of deep breathing and yoga poses on a variety of digestive disorders has been well documented. But what about this little unknown cleansing exercise from India?

AGNI SARA – Fire Purification

Agni Sara is considered a traditional kriya, or yogic cleansing practice, or rather a more gentle version or step towards practicing Nauli.  It is a more gently version of the latter and therefore can also be practiced on a fuller stomach as an aid to constipation.  Performing a number of rounds of agni sara produces heat or fire in the abdominal cavity activating its organs.

Agni Sara, according to Swami Vishnu-Devananda, ‘stimulates the liver, spleen, kidneys, and pancreas, reduces the abdominal fat, and removes constipation.’   In order to peform Agni Sara, his instructions are this:  ‘The student sits with crossed legs and inhales deeply.  Then with a forced exhalation he empties the lungs as much as possible.  After the exhalation, he keeps the breath out for a few moments without inhaling.  In this condition, his diaphragm is raised naturally to the thoracic cavity and he can manipulate the abdominal muscles.  Again, as long as his diaphragm is in the raised position, he pumps the abdominal muscles inward and outward in a quick succession.  In each round, when he empties his lungs, he pumps 15 to 20 times without inhaling.  This is one round.’ (The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga, Swami Vishnu-Devananda, 1988)

When practiced first thing in the morning as part of your kriya routine, it is traditionally done on an empty stomach and can help induce the emptying of bowels before the more forceful kriyas.  However I have found this extremely effective when going to the toilet isn’t as easy, due to bloating mild constipation.  In 17 years I no longer suffer from esophageal re-flux or IBS, but sometimes I’ll have a naughty meal or have to eat at the wrong time, and I’ll get mild constipation.  Below is a video of exactly what I do when sitting on the toilet, to get things moving around and out! Basically you take a breath and after you’ve exhaled, pump your belly in and out as many times as you can until you have to inhale again. There’s no need to be forceful.  Take a break in between rounds and take it gently the first time to ensure there are no negative repercussions.  Personally it usually achieves the desired effect quite quickly, and 2 minutes later I’m walking out the bathroom!  Again I’m sorry to be indelicate, but please share with anyone it could help and if it helps you, please leave me a comment below 🙂
Charlie's signature xx

 [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

eight limbs of yoga patanjali

The Eight Limbs Of Yoga: Past and Present

The Eight Limbs of Yoga are sequential stages in an individual’s journey through yoga.  According to Patanjali, each step must be understood and followed in order to attain the ultimate goal of Ashtanga yoga, that of liberation of the self.  However, over the last few centuries, as yoga became available to more people, and evolved with the modern world, the strict adherence to perfecting one step before moving on to the next, disappeared.

Read More »
Charlie Stewart-Brown

Charlie Stewart-Brown

Charlie began practicing yoga over 27 years ago as a recommendation for her severe anxiety, and has been teaching for over 15 years to people of all ages and abilities. With over 1300 hrs of training and 22,500 hrs of teaching, she is also the lead trainer on the Indiv Yoga 200 hrs YTT & RCYT Kids Yoga Teacher Training Courses, having certified over 400 students worldwide.  She is the voice of the ‘Yoga and Mindfulness Program’ on British Airways long-haul flights, has spoken at many seminars and corporate workshops, and runs exclusive yoga and meditation retreats during the year.

Originally from London and having worked in New York and Lisbon after her Psychology degree, she has since settled  in Switzerland with her husband, and dedicated her life to expanding her knowledge of the science of yoga, mindful meditation and better physical and mental health.

Over the years Charlie has trained with some of the most renowned yoga teachers around the world (David Swenson, Shiva Rea, Anne-Marie Newland, Leslie Kaminoff, Sadie Nardini, Sonia Sumar etc) certifying in Hatha, Sivanada, Ashtanga, Childrens and Family Yoga, Yoga for the Special Child, & Inner Engineering with Sadhguru. She has become highly respected for her successful work in yoga therapy, especially for Autism, ADHD and other behavioural and developmental syndromes. She has also talked at some of the biggest corporations in Switzerland and the annual SGIS (Swiss Group of International Schools) Conference on implementing Mindfulness in the work place and the education system.

Charlie holds the highest yoga qualifications as an ERYT500 (Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher), RCYT (Registered Children´s Yoga Teacher), RPYT (Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher) and YCEP (Yoga Continued Education Provider) with the Yoga Alliance, and has developed Indiv Yoga™ to bring a more physiological, therapeutic and individual approach to yoga. Indiv Yoga™ Switzerland is a RYS (registered yoga school) and RCYS (registered children’s yoga school) providing Yoga Alliance teacher training certifications of the highest professional standards.

The focus of Indiv Yoga™ is to provide the benefits of yoga to every type of individual, using its teachings to achieve physical and mental balance, and diminish the anxieties of modern life for adults and children.

Read her online testimonials and qualifications for a feel of her knowledgeable and friendly professionalism.

Romantic meditation you tube

Download this FREE 7 mins Meditation For A Better Romantic Relationship