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“The fire that warms us can also consume us.” ― Vivekananda
In Ayurveda, Agni is the primal drive that pushes life forward. Representing the fire element, it has hot, sharp, light and dry qualities which form its purifying, penetrating and transformative qualities.
Ayurvedic practitioner Vasant Lad notes that the word Agni shares a root with the Latin word “ignis” which led to the English word “ignite”. “Agni means that which ignites, which is fire. Agni is the main source of life. Without Agni, life is not possible. In Ayurveda, we say a man is as old as his Agni.”
First comes Agni
To ignite implies a beginning — that first spark of life and this is reflected in a series of firsts:
The first hymn in the Rig Veda, considered the oldest sacred Vedic text, is dedicated to Agni. The first word, Agnimile, translates to loving, worshiping, seeking fire or the flame. The invocation of Agni which starts this ancient text implies that this spark promotes all other forms of life.
Spriritual teacher Sri Chinmoy observes another first sign of Agni seen and heard in language. A being the first letter of Indo-European languages (Sanskrit, Hebrew, Greek (Alpha), Latin) and the first sound uttered by a newborn, represents a beginning in our attempt to connect with our environment through oral communication.
Agni can also be seen through our first movements. That first gasp of air dramatically mobilizes the body to start moving and adapting. We then begin navigating the world through the most basic reaching movement. The desire to feed for survival prompts the eyes, neck and mouth to move. The limbs are propelled outward, willing for expansion. This instinctual desire to expand and explore is one of our most elemental qualities and Agni can be understood as the underlying energy that supports these actions.
Then comes ego (Ahamkara)
The initiating movement of reaching eventually leads to grasping. This symbolizes the possessive “this is mine” state. Here the sense of I, which in Sanskrit is termed Ahamkara, in the west could be translated to the psychological concept of the ego, which is a tool for gaining ‘self-possession’. In ayurvedic philosophy, the ego develops with Agni to establish “I” in the world. “Ego is necessary” asserts Vasant Lad. He also places Ahamkara as a healthy function of Pitta (Sadhaka Pitta). Pitta, the dosha which manages the fire element, transforms impressions to intelligence culminating in confidence. We need a sense of “I” to navigate relative to others and the environment.
Robert Svoboda sees ahamkara as a spectrum on one end being extremely self-focused (tight/rigid identity/personality) and on the other being extremely giving, selfless or lost (loose/no identity). As is the rule in Ayurveda, a balanced ahamkara is considered optimal where one is engaging and participating in society while not neglecting personal need for growth and self-exploration. Svoboda writes, “The challenge with ahamkara is that it becomes so proficient in self-identification that we mistake this transient, constructed self for something absolute, when ahamkara is simply a tool for navigating the world.” Agni, although ever-present in all forms of life is not locked in place. It is dynamic and changing based on experience.
One can also observe an evolution or maturation of Agni which is symbolized by fire’s ability to alchemize properties. Thinking back to the nature of those raw desires changing form over time and the transformative quality of Agni is clear. To transform through experience and reflection is Agni’s nature. To the extent to which we are able to digest experiences and learn from them, is the extent to which we are able to direct our raw desirous Agni towards that which is purposeful, intentional and hopefully more balanced (satvic).
The Multifaceted Agni Within
Agni being the symbol of transformative alchemy, being able to purify, destroy and rejuvenate, can translate into many forms and emotions. In the Vedic tradition, the Agni god (Agnideva) is pictured with two heads with one causing destruction and the other sustaining life with a gentler warmth seen through shelter and cooking — the basic needs for survival. Vasant Lad explains Agni Deva’s additional third leg:
“Agnideva has three legs: one leg is the physical body, the second is the mental body, the mind, and the third is consciousness. Thus, agni represents the unified functioning of these various energies and structures. “
It might be helpful to reflect on the dynamic symbol of Agni and how it is expressed internally through emotions, desires, and biological functions like digestion.
Physical body - Metabolic Strength
A first step in
connecting with Agni is with the gut, our primal instincts aka. our second
brain. Ayurveda classifies 4 types of metabolic Agni. Knowing which one we are
prone to hints at how we should manage Agni through diet. Does it need to be
ignited, tamed or maintained? Mental Body - Complex nature of Agni
Can you relate to the two headed symbol of Agni with one side working towards providing basic needs and the other more extreme destructive end of the spectrum? What ignites hot emotions like anger, envy and desire? In contrast, what sooths them or keeps them in check?
Consciousness - Desires and action
Agni can be observed through our desires and the extent to which we realize them. It is also observed through the decisions we take in relation to these desires. (An inability to make decisions and/or act on them reflects an impaired agni). Knowing when the best time is to act and when is the best time to prepare and be patient shows Agni’s evolved consciousness.
Through the lens of a western psychological perspective, we can reflect on one’s egoic tendencies and to what extent it drives behaviour. As psychotherapist and leader of the bioenergetics movement Alexander Lowen notes, “the ego was never intended to be the master of the body, but its loyal and obedient servant”. Similarly, Freud states, “the ego is not master in its own house”.
We can relate this ego with fire by respecting its warming and destructive tendencies. In ayurveda, we ask: what keeps that fire burning? What sustains our drive and motivation to push forward? And most importantly, how do we direct this inner drive? There are many ways to connect to the fire within and to learn how to fuel it, tame it or set it when the time is right.
Sources
Be Here Now Network. (2024, January 8). Lessons from Vimalananda with Dr. Fred Smith & Dr. Robert Svoboda – Living with Reality Ep. 47. YouTube.
Chinmoy, S. (1974) The Dance of the Cosmic Gods. Vishma Press
Lad, V. (2002). Textbook of Ayurveda. Ayurvedic Press.
Lowen, A. (2013). Pleasure : A creative approach to life. Alexander Lowen Foundation.
Svoboda, R. (2024, Nov 18) Possessed by your personality?: Practicing Reality: The senses and the Koshas. Email Newsletter