In today’s age of wellness advice, Yoga is presented as something that can solve all problems. Yoga content also seems obsessed with fitting it into every hour and minute, even after a meal. Good intentions
notwithstanding, are we losing the plot?
Take, for instance, the advice on Yoga poses one can do after meals. It sounds reassuring: do something gentle, twist lightly, and help digestion. Digestive discomfort has become common in today’s lifestyle, where prolonged sitting, hurried meals, and late dinners are the norm. People are looking for ways to feel lighter after eating. The assumption is that movement after eating is beneficial and that Yoga makes it safer.
The truth is, digestion is a complex, energy-intensive process, and Yoga is a subtle process, far more than mere physical movement.
What Yoga Really Says
Classical Yoga talks about when to practice and when not to. Timing is not a ritualistic rule, but important because the body’s internal system needs to be ready. The ideal time to practice is early morning, on an empty stomach, after bowel and bladder evacuation. Since modern life may not always allow early-morning practice, evening practice before dinner is also acceptable.
However, the requirement of an empty or settled stomach is non-negotiable. Yoga teachers advise practising Yoga two hours after a meal, one hour after a snack, and half an hour after a beverage. Even water is avoided 15 minutes prior to practice.
The Postprandial State Is When The Body Turns Inward
During digestion, the body’s internal activity intensifies. The digestive, nervous, circulatory, and endocrine systems work in coordination – and this process needs to proceed undisturbed.
In scientific terms, the ‘postprandial’ state refers to the three-to-five-hour window after a meal, during which digestion and absorption occur. Blood flow is redirected towards the digestive organs, changes in blood pressure occur, and the parasympathetic nervous system becomes dominant. Energetically, attention is drawn inward. This is why heaviness, warmth, and drowsiness are natural.
Why ‘Gentle Asanas’ After Meals Are Still Asanas, And Why Even Pranayama Is Not Allowed
Any Yoga practice involves coordinated effort. Yogic techniques are subtle – with effects on the nervous and endocrine systems – and require effort and control. They are best done when the body is not already engaged in another demanding task.
Asana practice, even if mild, affects abdominal pressure, bodily positioning, and blood circulation. Pranayama, too, is traditionally prescribed two hours after eating, after digestion has progressed. This is because Pranayama is not just lung expansion; it is the regulation of breath and channelling energy (pranic flow), directly influencing the nervous system.
Interestingly, even Trataka (focused gazing), a physically still practice, is discouraged after meals. It demands mental steadiness, which is dulled in the postprandial state as the body naturally inclines towards heaviness and drowsiness.
What Yoga Can Be Done After Meals
The best support after a meal comes from walking for ten minutes, sitting upright in a relaxed position, and practising conscious relaxation.
If one must engage in Yogic practices during this time, the following are generally considered acceptable:
Vajrasana: While not originally designed as a post-meal intervention, it is safe as it involves no movement or manipulation of breath. It is beneficial because the straight back and abdomen ensure that none of the internal organs are compressed. Importantly, because the legs are compressed, circulation is redirected to the abdomen.
Dradhasana: A relaxation pose, performed by lying down on the left side, keeping the arm under the head as a pillow, legs stretched out and aligned, and the right leg bent over the left. Place the right arm on the flexed leg. This position allows free circulation and keeps the organs relaxed.
Anulom Vilom Pranayama: Some teachers allow this after meals, saying it does not affect any of the internal processes.
Mantra Yoga: Mental or vocal repetition of a chant or mantra does not require physical exertion or breath manipulation. When done calmly and without strain, it can coexist with post-meal inwardness.
Breath and body awareness: Without manipulating the breath, simply witnessing it; observing different body parts and consciously relaxing them. Falling asleep may occur – nothing wrong with that, but it is not a state of Yoga.
The Goal Is Valid, But The Nuances Must Be Understood
Yoga does build digestive strength, but this happens over time. Samana Vayu – the functional energy associated with digestion, assimilation, and metabolism – can indeed be strengthened and balanced through Yoga poses, but with regular practice.
However, those poses are not meant to be interventions done immediately after meals. The principle is simple: eat, allow digestion to complete its work, and then practice Yoga once the stomach has settled.
Let’s Not Lose The Wisdom Of Yoga
The popularity of post-meal Yoga lists points to a larger issue: Yoga being reduced to quick fixes in today’s wellness culture. When this happens, things sacred to it – readiness, timing, individual capacity, individual choice – not to mention the intent of equanimity and controlling fluctuations of the mind – are lost.
(The author is a journalist, cancer survivor and certified yoga teacher. She can be reached at swatikamal@gmail.com)
