Yoga for the fire element in Maui
Kindle your inner fire and strength.
Fire classes are themed around agni, the fire element, also called tejas, one of the five great elements of Indian philosophy and yoga. Expect heat in every sense: sun salutations, core work, strong standing poses and fast breathing.
No classes scheduled in the next two weeks.
What Fire does for you
You build heat and then ride it. Repeated sun salutations, core work and long standing holds leave you feeling strong and switched on, and the cool-down afterward feels deserved. Many people come for energy and a bit of grit on a flat day. It is the element class most likely to make you sweat.
It suits you if
- you want to work hard and feel strong
- your energy is low and you want a lift
- you like core work and sun salutations
- you enjoy a bit of heat
Read the full guide to FireWhat a class is like, your first time, history and the words you will hear
What a class is like
Classes run 60 to 75 minutes at a brisk pace. Expect several rounds of sun salutations, warriors, chair pose, boat pose, plank and twists, often with a breath practice like kapalabhati or breath of fire. Facilitators may talk about tapas, the heat of steady effort, and some warm the studio a little. Music tends to be upbeat. You will sweat, and the final rest comes as a relief.
Your first time
- Bring water and a towel, and wear something breathable.
- Eat lightly a couple of hours before rather than right before class.
- Tell the facilitator about any back, wrist or shoulder issues so they can offer options in the faster sections.
Good to know
- Fast breathing like kapalabhati or breath of fire is not for everyone: if you are pregnant or have epilepsy, a heart condition or high blood pressure, check with your doctor first and breathe normally in class.
- If the studio is warmed, drink well beforehand and take breaks, and check with your doctor first if heat is a concern for you or you are pregnant.
Where it comes from
Fire, agni or tejas in Sanskrit, is one of the pancha mahabhuta, the five great elements alongside earth, water, air and ether. Its qualities are heat, light and transformation. In Samkhya philosophy each element arises from a subtle element (tanmatra) tied to a sense, and fire is linked to sight and form. Agni is also one of the central deities of the Vedas, and the Rig Veda opens with a hymn to him.
Ayurveda pairs fire with water to form pitta, the dosha associated with heat, digestion and drive, and speaks of agni as the digestive fire. Yoga has its own word for productive heat: tapas, which the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali list among the core practices and which literally means heat or glow. In the chakra system of tantric texts such as the Sat-Cakra-Nirupana (1577), fire belongs to Manipura at the navel, shown as a red triangle.
Studios use fire both ways round: some schedule it in winter to warm up through the grey months, others in summer to match the season, and many run it as one week of a five-element series. In the Chinese five phases, a separate system some yin facilitators use, fire belongs to summer and the heart.
In Berlin, fire themes show up in stronger vinyasa and power-leaning classes, winter series and workshops built around energy and confidence.
Words you will hear
- Agni
- Sanskrit for fire, both the element and a Vedic deity.
- Tapas
- Literally 'heat', the steady, committed effort of practice.
- Surya namaskar
- Sun salutation, a linked sequence of poses repeated to build warmth.
- Kapalabhati
- 'Skull shining' breath: quick, forceful exhales through the nose.
- Pitta
- In Ayurveda, the dosha made of fire and water, associated with heat and drive.