How to: Agni Sara Breath Demo with Diana Christinson of Pacific Ashtanga Yoga
Today we are going to talk about and demonstrate Agni Sara.
Agni means fire - Sara means essence
This is an abdominal breath practice.
What I’d like you to do is first is listen while I explain - then I will do a demonstration and have you watch the specifics of how we do Angi Sara.
- Helps increase strength of the abdominal muscles.
- Keeps the back healthy.
- Strengthens the digestive system.
- Helps us in the yoga practice by strengthening muscles and utilize
- them while doing yoga.
What I’d like you to do is first is listen while I explain - then I will do a demonstration and have you watch the specifics of how we do Angi Sara.
Ujjayi Breath
The breath we use is the ujjayi breath. - in through the nose out through the nose, constricting through the back of the throat so it is an audible, strong powerful breath.
- When we do the angi sara technique, usually the inhale is a little shorter than the exhale.
- We exhale as long as we can till we have all the breath out, then we hold the breath.
- On retention we pull our bellies in and pull our bellies up so that we feel our bellies hollowed or vacuumed up into our insides.
- We are going to hold that just for a second, then release, and go right into the next set.
We will do 3 sets of Inhale, Exhale, Retention
- When we’re doing the inhales and exhales your belly is hanging out.
- When we hold the breath we pull the belly in and keep the belly pulled in as high as we can get it,
- When we are doing the inhale and exhale you are going to have your back into extension, so flat straight back.
- When we hold the breath we are going to round the back, go to inflection and tuck the head in at the same time.
So let me do a demonstration for you and we can give it a try.
Demonstration of Angi Sara Breath
So your feet are going to be hips distance
Your Knees are bent.
Your Arms are straight pushing into the knees creating a strong frame with which to do the practice in.
As I said, when we do the inhale and the exhale the back is going to be straight.
When I go into holding the breath I am going to round the back and pull the head in.
It will look something like this:
Inhale - drop belly
Exhale - let belly out
Hold - tuck
Your Knees are bent.
Your Arms are straight pushing into the knees creating a strong frame with which to do the practice in.
As I said, when we do the inhale and the exhale the back is going to be straight.
When I go into holding the breath I am going to round the back and pull the head in.
It will look something like this:
Inhale - drop belly
Exhale - let belly out
Hold - tuck
I recommend doing this practice every morning. Your belly needs to be completely empty so it is best if it is 8 hours empty, no food.
I recommend doing 3 sets of 5 every morning to start your day off with breath and energy, strengthen your digestive system, help your back, and strengthen your abdominal muscles.
Namaste.
I recommend doing 3 sets of 5 every morning to start your day off with breath and energy, strengthen your digestive system, help your back, and strengthen your abdominal muscles.
Namaste.