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These two beneficial practices will certainly help keep diabetes under control: fenugreek seeds and Agni Sāra Kriyā, which we will now learn. Blood pressure and diabetes are the best of friends. When diabetes arrives, blood pressure accompanies it. When blood pressure rises, diabetes follows. They are inseparable companions, just as many things in life cannot be parted. To try to force separation is to lose one's life. The best approach is to harmonize and accommodate. This Agni Sāra Kriyā is best performed only in the morning on an empty stomach. Just as a doctor instructs you to come fasting for a blood test, we should practice this after fasting for several hours—six or seven at least. Twelve hours is ideal; twenty-four yields excellent results, but that is not necessary. Agni means fire, and there are many kinds of fire. Fire requires water; it can only exist within water, or else it vanishes. Consider the cold fire: when you hold snow, it feels cool at first, but soon a burning sensation arises. Similarly, some people have a cold, burning anger. These are different manifestations of fire. One essential fire is the digestive fire, a powerful concept. Whatever enters your stomach is digested by this fire. Without it, digestion is impossible. Even a large python digests its prey through this internal fire, present in all animals. This is called jāṭharāgni—the digestive fire located in the solar plexus. "Solar" relates to the sun. If our digestive fire is strong, all our organs are strong. We can congratulate such a person, for they will have no diabetes, no sugar problems, no headaches, and no issues with excessive weight gain or loss. They represent optimal health. A well-functioning digestive system is paramount, and we must help activate it. When the digestive fire is pure and robust, our eyesight is at its best. This second fire, sūrya (the sun), is the light we see. Light is also fire. As the digestive fire diminishes, the eyes suffer. A poor digestive fire can lead to headaches—sometimes on one side, sometimes the whole head, what is called a migraine. The cause of a headache can be a justifier for some. A good husband means a wife with no headache. If the husband is not good, the wife may develop a headache. When a wife has a headache, the husband should understand he needs to change some habits. Conversely, a wife can be a headache for the husband. Both must cleanse together. Thus, headaches also originate from the digestive fire. Such headaches disturb our nervous system and affect the liver. Disharmony in relationships also impacts the liver. Everything is interconnected. This single fire, if we harness it, is immensely powerful and health-giving. Yogis in their practice call it jāṭharāgni. How long does it take? If practiced consistently, just one and a half to two minutes. If we can gain so many benefits in two minutes, why not? Yet, for some, even two minutes feels too long. "Not today, I'll do it tomorrow." That is the way. Laziness is humanity's greatest enemy. We diminish day by day. If you think you will do it tomorrow, you will not, for tomorrow never arrives. Tomorrow is like the horizon: as you approach, it recedes further. We will never reach tomorrow. We truly have only two days: yesterday and today. Tomorrow we will never see. Our sādhanā—our practice for physical, mental, and emotional well-being—must be done personally and continuously. Otherwise, the opportunity is lost. I often tell people: do not change your spiritual path because someone else practices for twenty minutes more or after many years switches paths. To do so means you have lost your game. More than half your life may be gone. First, you must recover lost ground before moving forward; you may die before succeeding, so you are lost. Therefore, we must keep to our path, our saṅkalpas, our practice, our way of life. Do it continuously. A temporary temptation can destroy us completely. Such a change is like micro-sleep. When driving tired, a single second of sleep can cause an accident. Thus, it is said: be alert, be aware, oh my friend. Returning to Agni Sāra Kriyā: it will keep you up to date. With what? Ah, memory. That's it. For those with failing memory, Agni Sāra Kriyā—the fire—will cleanse everything. Otherwise, calcium and lime can slowly accumulate in the brain. This technique cleanses our blood and joints. It feels beautiful and beneficial. Particularly for men who wish to maintain a good stomach—not too fat—this is a secret, a hidden power for a nice body. Ladies generally have a good shape already. Agnisar Kriyā awakens a fire within your body that burns all excess fat and unnecessary matter. Fire does not discriminate or offer blessings. Whether you bring Australian dollars, New Zealand dollars, American dollars, or pounds and put them in the fire, the fire says nothing; it consumes all. It consumes even living beings, humans. Fire is truth. Similarly, water does not discriminate. All five elements are within our body. This Agni Sāra Kriyā improves memory and balances hormones so that our Vajranāḍī (discussed previously) becomes active. It strengthens the body's immunity. I could talk about this one Kriyā for hours. It takes only about two minutes, though you need time to prepare—to undress, free yourself, visit the toilet, and empty the gallbladder. Then you perform Agni Sāra Kriyā. It is excellent. However, if you have recently had a heart attack, angiography, or stomach surgery, you should not practice it—for six to ten months after stomach surgery, and for two to four months after a heart procedure. Otherwise, proceed. The digestive fire is also called Vīraha Agni, the fire of love. There are two kinds of love. One is love for a person, which may fade. The strongest fire burning in the heart is the longing for God. A devotee, a bhakta who understands life and spirituality, will renounce everything yet remain steadfast on this path. This is virah kī agni. There is a beautiful bhajan by the great saint Mīrā, who lived about two or three centuries ago. Anyone without devotion will feel love for God upon hearing it. It is also a fire. She sang of burning in this fire, becoming as pale as autumn leaves. So fire, agni, is very potent. That was much theory; now we will practice a little. Please remain seated comfortably. Our yoga in daily life is very comfortable, full of knowledge, wisdom, and devotion—all three. Someone will now demonstrate Agni Sāra Kriyā. Madhuram, please come. For demonstration, please remove your shirt and pullover. Stand here. The posture is assumed after using the toilet: bend the knees, support your hands on them, and gaze slightly at the junction of the wall and ceiling. One more caution: if you have a slipped disc, do not practice, as it places significant stress on the spinal column. This is the position: knees slightly apart, feet solidly on the ground to prevent levitation. First, inhale while standing, then exhale and bend down, holding the breath out. With empty lungs, move the stomach. When you need to breathe, come up. It is important not to inhale during the movements. The agni is cleansed thus. There is also a supporting mantra, which I will share tomorrow—a resonance that aids internally. Once more, please: inhale and come up. Thank you. Now you may stand and keep your shirt on. Madhuram, please stay as a model for others to imitate. Practice individually, as everyone's breath-holding capacity differs. Perform one round, rest for half a minute, then repeat. Do not exceed three or four rounds, as the stomach muscles will tire and fail to support the movement. Observe him again. Place one hand on your thigh and the other on your stomach as you bend down to feel if the movement is correct. Do it a little quicker. Very good. Come up. Now you try: exhale, hold the breath outside, relax the stomach muscles completely, and then perform the motion. It is your choice. The key is self-control, ensuring you are doing it correctly. Go ahead. Good. Once more. Perfect. Please be seated. When you try to do more than your capacity, the stomach muscles become exhausted and the Kriyā is not performed properly. Can you show how the stomach acts when tired? It moves only a little, like tired cycling. Thank you, Madhuram. Agni Sāra Kriyā positively affects our kidneys and liver. It burns fat, greatly aids the liver, and improves circulation throughout the body. If practiced daily, after two months, a blood test will show reduced fat levels. A doctor will note the improved quality of your blood and the balanced minerals in your body. This is one exercise. Take five minutes to prepare—visit the bathroom, cleanse your mouth—then perform the Kriyā. A maximum of five minutes is sufficient. If possible, open a window. You may practice in the bathroom, bedroom, or any comfortable place. This is Agni Sāra Kriyā. Some of our students will provide a written copy tomorrow. We will continue this diabetes course then. I wish you all the best.