Yoga with Kaya Resources
  • About
  • SRY
    • Online Followup for Teachers
    • Online Followup for Teachers
    • Audio SRY Practice with Kaya
    • SRY Fundamentals Course
    • Sharing SRY
    • Agni and Soma Home Study
    • YTT in SRY
  • Ayurveda
    • Join Agni and Soma Nutrition
    • Tridoshic Food List
    • Ayurveda Application
    • Ayurveda Followup
    • Yogify
  • Māyurveda
    • Māyurveda Intake
    • Early Pregnancy
    • Mayurveda Conception Client Pages
    • Māyurveda Prenatal Client Pages
    • Mayurveda Postpartum Pages >
      • Kids Ayurveda
  • Work with Me
    • Retreat Intake
    • Training / Mentoring Intake
    • One on One Intake
  • Audio
    • Shavasana
    • Bhagavad Gita Essentials
  • Contact
    • Resources

Knowledge Heals

About Kaya

Digest your Food {and experiences} like a Boss! The Five Elements of Healthy Digestion

11/25/2015

6 Comments

 
Picture
You have to digest every single experience you have. All the food you eat, all of your sensory input, and every social interaction must go through a process of transformation. If this doesn't happen, the result is undigested food and experiences floating around in your physical and subtle body... wreaking havoc on your internal organs, hormones, adrenals, and emotional state {to name a few!} 
Every single thing that enters through your eyes, mouth, skin, nose, ears and mind, from the moment of entry into your organism, must go through a digestion process whereby you assimilate is useful and release the waste.

From the Ayurvedic perspective, all transformational processes in your body and mind are attributed to fire. Fire is a single element, but is actually dependent on all the elements of creation for balance. 

Imagine a campfire ~ it is is hot and sharp, dependent on a stable structure, dynamic and full of movement, protected by the keeper of the fire, and requires space.

​So with this metaphor, let's look at the main ingredients {space, movement, sharpness, protection and stability} of a healthy inner fire, in the hopes that you become a great digester ~ of food and experiences. 

 Space {the duh, space element}

If the logs of wood are too close together, a camp fire won't burn. Space is a primary requirement for fire and thus, necessary for transformation and digestion of your food and experiences. To digest food, you require space in the belly. To digest your mental experiences, you require mental space. Each cell in your body only functions because of space.  Here's how to cultivate space for optimal digestion. 

Tip #1 ~ Space between meals.
Don't snack between meals + close the kitchen by 8pm.
Space between meals allows you to digest the previous meal, and prepare for the next one. Don't pick, graze, snack, taste. Give your belly space. Then at meal time, be aware of your hunger-belly ratio! Don't overfill. Your stomach is full when it has 1/3 food, 1/3 liquid and 1/3 space. 

Tip #2 ~ Give yourself solitude, even just a few minutes.
This can be in the form of a Shavasana + Relaxation, Meditation, Yoga practice, or walk in nature. Space in your body through relaxation of tension and space around you in the form of natural surroundings. This allows time to digest the excess of stimulation, conversation, and thinking that can happen over holidays. Give your mind time and space to digest it all, and prepare for the next interaction or stimulation. 
Picture

Movement {the air element}

Digestion is a dynamic process. Stagnation blocks digestion, while excessive or erratic movement can also throw it off. Here's how to work with the principle of movement. 

​Tip #1 ~ Move your Body!
Physical movement or exercise helps keep the movement principle flowing through the digestive tract and organs and prevents stagnation. I recommend daily walking or hiking in nature, cycling, swimming and of course yoga. Do natural, smooth movement on kind surfaces.  Jumping rope or running on pavement can dry out your lymph, assault your nervous system and damage your joints. 

Tip #2 ~ Pranayama {breath work}
A gentle 
Ujjayi Pranayama or Alternate Nostril breathing practice can a direct effect on the mind and nervous system and help clear stagnation in the subtle body from unprocessed emotions and thoughts. 

Sharpness {the fire element}

Picture
The quality of heat or "sharpness". Sharpness is primary to fire + digestion! But how to sharpen the fire in your belly and mind? 

Tip #1 ~ Ginger + other digestive herbs and spices!                                            Sip ginger tea between meals, or even chew on a slice of fresh ginger right before a meal! After meals, try chewing on some fennel seeds or drinking fennel tea {unless pregnant}. Ginger is the absolute best medicine for your belly fire. It warms without overheating. Other great digestive spices are black pepper, cinnamon, cumin and basil. 
​
Tip #2 ~ Wake up {early!} and breathe! 
​
Waking up early and practicing gentle pranayama is a great means to keeping your mind sharp, alert, and calm enough to digest what comes. 

Protection {the water element}

Both the belly and mind require a deep sense of security, safety, support and protection in order to digest. If you are feeling insecure, unsupported, or threatened you'll never be able to assimilate the good and release the yuck successfully. Even worse, the good can turn into toxic yuck in a system that lacks a sense of deep security. Simply put, when we are cultivating protection we are working on the nervous system. 

Tip #1 ~ GOOD SLEEP!
Go to bed by 10pm, and wake up refreshed by 7am. Deep sleep is the time when your body and mind feel totally safe and secure.  


Tip #2 ~ BREATHE LOW
 Breathe down into the lower lobes of the lungs. When you do this, you stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, and thus a sense of deep inner security, protection and safety that is your nature. This response is actually called "rest + digest". Your normal tendency, may be to breathe into the upper lobes, or up toward the clavicles {top ribs}. This stimulates the sympathetic nervous system {the flight, fight, freeze response}, which does not allow for proper digestion. Spend a dedicated few minutes in the morning, to breathing into your low ribs. Then, throughout the day, try to remember to shift your breath down low. Eventually, it will become your new normal! 

Stability {the earth element}

A fire requires a structure to burn. Think of the structures of your life as concentric circles from the inside out... inside are the structures of your body - your muscles, bones and joints, the shape and structure of internal organs such as your brain and stomach, the shape and structure of your digestive tract, nerves, and other important channels. Outside, there is the structure of your daily schedule or routines, the rituals you practice and the structure and stability {or lack there of} in your relationships. An overly rigid structure that lacks flexibility results in a dull or low fire. Likewise, a lack of stability and structure in your body, mind and life will result in an out of control or erratic ability to digest your food and experiences. Here are two tips to stabilize the structures of your body, mind and life. 

Tip #1 ~ Routine, Routine, Routine
A reliable, stable routine in your life regulates your fire. Without being excessively rigid, understand that it is in your nature as a part of nature to live according to the ebbs and flows of the sun and moon. To sleep at night, be wakeful during the day, eat and regular times and so on. Routine is probably the most important thing you can do for healthy inner fire. 

Tip #2 ~ Reliable Relationships
Even just a few reliable peeps in your life help keep your fire ignited and regulated. They keep you laughing, they keep you in check, they keep you from turning into a crazy person! Keep these relationships precious and lean into them. 

That's it!

Picture
​​Keeping your digestive fire {body + mind} stoked and steady is really about lifestyle. It's all the stuff you probably know you would benefit from. When holidays come around and you know you will have MORE to digest {more food, more people, more stress, more interaction, more stimulation}... these things are even more important. 

If you love learning about how the 5 elements of nature effect you and your yoga practice, body and mind, check out THIS article on how the elements relate to Mind Types, and THIS article on how the elements relate to yoga poses. 

Oh, and if you want to see all the things we EAT as long as our digestive fire is good... check our plates out here. 

I'd love to hear how the elements effect your belly, mind and life! Keep me posted on Facebook or in the comments below or shoot me an email. 

Love, 
Kaya

6 Comments
Kathie Bain
11/25/2015 08:36:48 pm

Dear Kaya,
Enjoyed this article; beautiful rhythm and flow. Understanding the yogic teaching around ingestion, digestion, circulation, elimination and integration has been a life saver. Have spent a lot of time in retreat as I continue to 'come back' from what my MD calls 'post viral syndrome'. So much more than that.. Routine has been my anchor. I've been following to bed at 10, up at 6, nothing to eat after 7 and following the rhythms of the day. I am doing much better and understand the blessing of this period.
Your article was like a hug whispering to me - yes, so simple, so powerful. Notice, notice all you are noticing and notice the noticing. You impart so much through an email. xo
Thank you Kaya for all you offer. Hope to see you soon.
Love, Kathie

Reply
Kaya link
11/26/2015 07:48:18 am

Dear Kathie,
What lovely words and depth of understanding {as always} you offer here! It keeps me so inspired in what I do and in the trajectory of a longtime yogi. So so glad the words here reflect the wisdom of your practice and experience. It sounds like you are taking deep awareful care of yourself, and I'm so glad to hear it.
Love to you and your family and hope to see you soon too.
Love,
Kaya

Reply
Wendy
11/26/2015 03:22:57 am

Great Article Kaya!! I loved reading it and this morning I'm very thankful that You and your wisdom are apart of my family!
Take Care and Enjoy!
Love, Wendy

Reply
Kaya link
11/26/2015 07:46:09 am

Thank you Wendy!! SO glad you got to read it... these tips help the kiddies too {of course parents are usually better about these things with them than with themselves!} Happy Thanksgiving! Miss you guys and thankful for you too!
Love,
Kaya

Reply
Christina peter
11/29/2015 04:51:51 pm

Great article kaya I continue to apply the wisdom you share and reap the benefits. See you soon! Love, christina peter

Reply
Kaya link
12/10/2015 02:06:51 pm

Christina, I'm so glad you like it! Sending love to you + happy birthday!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Yoga Therapist, Ayurvedic Practitioner & Mama - these articles are to support your yoga practice with knowledge and inspiration. 

    Categories

    All
    Ayurveda
    For Teachers
    Health & Healing
    Heart Opening
    Home Practice
    Kaya's Story
    Pose Notes
    Self Care
    Sequencing
    Vedic Principles
    Yoga & Mind
    Yoga's Purpose

    RSS Feed

Kaya is the founder of SRY™ which is based in the full spectrum of the Vedic yoga tradition. She has been teaching therapeutic restorative yoga therapy since 2001. Kaya's work is healing, transformative, deeply rejuvenating and empowers her student and clients with wisdom and inner experience. Her trained in the full spectrum of the Vedic Tradition includes Yoga, Yoga Therapy, Prenatal Yoga, Ayurveda, Women's Health, Eastern Anatomy, Sanskrit, Vedic Astrology and Vedanta Philosophy. She collaborates with her husband Michael Manzella, a Vedic Astrologer, to serve yoga students and teachers who are inclined toward depth of inner experience and knowledge.  MORE ON KAYA
  • About
  • SRY
    • Online Followup for Teachers
    • Online Followup for Teachers
    • Audio SRY Practice with Kaya
    • SRY Fundamentals Course
    • Sharing SRY
    • Agni and Soma Home Study
    • YTT in SRY
  • Ayurveda
    • Join Agni and Soma Nutrition
    • Tridoshic Food List
    • Ayurveda Application
    • Ayurveda Followup
    • Yogify
  • Māyurveda
    • Māyurveda Intake
    • Early Pregnancy
    • Mayurveda Conception Client Pages
    • Māyurveda Prenatal Client Pages
    • Mayurveda Postpartum Pages >
      • Kids Ayurveda
  • Work with Me
    • Retreat Intake
    • Training / Mentoring Intake
    • One on One Intake
  • Audio
    • Shavasana
    • Bhagavad Gita Essentials
  • Contact
    • Resources