Celebrating the Solstice with the Fire Element
As we enter the week of the summer solstice, when we receive the most daylight all year, we are called by nature to presence this moment on the planet as a time of intense heat, activity and growth. The warmth of the sun is not only helping us to grow food, but spurring activity. It is time when many of us are leveraging the good weather to come together more in community.
The season of summer relates to the element of fire in the indigenous medicine wheel of life. This circle represents balance, connection, and the continuous nature of all of creation. The five gross elements (fire, water, air, earth and ether) are part of our bodies, our minds and part of the planet. Through the understanding of the elements we can feel more connected and knowledgeable about ourselves and the Earth.
In yogic traditions we have the tool of the Koshas to help us too. The subtle energy layer of us, or Kosha, that is linked with the element of fire is Manomaya, our mental/emotional body. The mental layer is a powerful place of transformation that can turn potential ideas into reality. This layer is sharp and discerning: mulling over ideas, creating new ones, and perceives our experiences.
The Chakra that holds the element of fire is Manipurna, the lustrous gem. Manipurna is located at the solar plexus, between the navel and breast bone. The solar plexus is a bundle of nerves that takes it name from the sun, because the electrified nerve fan out like rays of the sun. This area digests, hold and transforms the energy of our ego identity, will-power and self-confidence.
The oldest medical system in the world, and sister science to yoga-called Ayurveda-looks at human’s through the lens of our dominant constitutions. The gross elements are the most fundamental components we are composed from. The dosha, or constitution, governed by the fire and water elements is Pitta. When Pitta dominant people are balanced they are highly intelligent, courageous, funny, joyful leaders and high achievers.
Balance the Fire!
If you have a pitta imbalance it will show up at inflammation, being highly competitive, arrogant and stubborn. If this describes you well, you will want to balance the hotness of the summer solstice. What you need most may be to go on retreat, get a massage or stop using your alarm clock for a while. Cool your system with slow, restorative yoga practices.
From the Yoga Sutras we get the Niyamas. These are personal observances we make to be in right relationship with ourselves. The third of these five principles is Tapas. This is the inner disciple of going into the fire of life. That means we are instructed to build heat physically and psychologically and be present with the discomfort that is inevitable in life, not avoiding it. One of the special qualities of the fire element, agni in sanskrit, is that it distills everything down to it’s essence. It purifies. Fire is associated with transformation and action.
A Yoga Asana to Balance the Fire
Prone Spinal Twist (Jathara Parivartanasana) -jah-thara-par-ee-var-tan-ah-sah-anna - Jathara = stomach; Parivartana = turning
Lay flat on your back with your feet on the floor. Bend the knees into the chest. Breath into the back body allowing it to be broad and soft into the earth. Drop the shoulders towards the floor.
Stretch both arms out onto the floor shoulders height in a T position.
Exhaling, bring both legs together down to one side. Allow the entire leg to rest on the floor.
After the legs are resting on the floor move the abdomen away from the direction of the legs.
Exhale and release the shoulders towards the floor further. Breath into the twist from the low back out the crown of the head. Drop the head away from the direction of the legs.
To come out of the pose lift the legs back to center. Release the legs long onto the floor.
Bring the Fire!
Some ways to stoke the fires of your personal disciple are to do poses that you avoid, get on an exercise routine, change your diet, take on a big project-like writing a novel-or anything that requires the inner discipline of Tapas.
A Yoga Asana to Bring the Fire
Plank Pose (Chaturanga Dandasana) - chaht-tour-ang-ah-dan-dahs-anna - Chatur = the number four; Anga = the body or a limb of the body; Danda = a staff
Lay flat on the floor with the face down. The feet are hips width apart. Tuck the toes under. With bent elbows bring the palm under the shoulders. Plant the four corners of the palm and the fingers into the floor.
Bring the body about six inches off the floor, or to a position where the upper arm is parallel to the torso. Allow the breath to remain fluid and easy.
Extend the legs backward through the heel. With even energy lengthen the spine forward out the crown of the head. Release the shoulder blades down the back, dropping the elbows towards the floor slightly. Let your gaze rest on the floor.
Using the strength of the arms, slowly lower the entire body back to the floor.