Belly heat

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Yesterday during Savasana, a happy warmth started to resonate in my belly. It was a little startling, but it felt wonderful, so I accepted it, and it gave me a kind of euphoria I can’t really describe. It seemed to pulse a little, slowly. I let it go when Savasana ended, but I’m still not sure what it was or how to get it back. I thought about asking my teacher, but he seemed irritated with me, so I let it go. (Besides that, I think I was a little jealous of it - it was this new and wonderful thing and I was afraid he would diminish it or take it away.)

Does anyone know what this is or how to channel it? Other posts talk about heat in the body or belly that is painful or negative, but this was exactly the opposite. I’ve read a little about this sensation in Tai Chi, but nothing from yogis.

In case it helps:
This is my second year practicing yoga, and I practice about three times a week. Mostly, I have a more relaxed Vinyasa practice, but I do Ashtanga once a week. The Ashtanga is new, though (I just started it about a month ago). Could this new sensation might have something to do with that?

#2

Hello Rebecca,

I’ll respond to you in the way I would respond to one of my students.

What you describe could be many things. It could be the movement of prana through nadis, it could be a release in the solar plexus, it could be part of the digestive process, or a residue of this part or that part of your practice (or the entire practice) and so on.

One can observe how it might come and go, how it might feel. However it is best not to get too attached to these things such that one covets it or tries to recreate it - just as one efforts to not wade too deeply into the element of aversion as it relates to the “less desirable” stuff.

So I’m saying “it’s nice but nothing more”. All these things are merely experiences for the soul to have in the physical body. An attachment to it, or an aversion to it are both actually impediments to evolving when the path in question is one of yoga.

gordon

#3

Gordon,

Thank you for your perspective!

I’ll definitely keep this in mind.