Chill Out with Summer Yoga

During the summertime, yoga practices focus on keeping us cool, invigorated, and balanced. As temperatures climb, it's vital to integrate techniques that cool the body and quiet the mind. Our inner thermostat may need adjusting, affecting how we adapt to external temperatures and navigate our inner landscape. I often feel eager to engage socially and soak in the vibrant energy, yet it's easy to become overwhelmed by numerous appointments and unplanned interactions, particularly in the Southern Hemisphere where summer overlaps Christmas and New Year. How can we handle all the drama?

I have found certain yoga tools prove especially helpful in summer. Practices like Shitali Pranayama (cooling breath through a curled tongue) or Sheetali Pranayama (cooling breath using tongue against the palate) regulate body temperature, particularly soothing the heart and lungs. Gentle-paced Chandra Namaskar (Moon Salutations) energize without overheating, serving as an active morning ritual. Forward bends like Uttanasana and Prasarita Padottanasana cool the body, while seated variations like Janu Sirsasana and Paschimottanasana soothe nerves, enhancing leg and spine flexibility. And the solace of Savasana offers profound relaxation, resetting the nervous system.

In practice, engaging with these asana and breathwork means tapping into their specific and unique energies, starting from a reachable point and gradually deepening. We each carry limitations, avoidance strategies or past injuries that might affect certain practices, yet exploring these challenges often leads to transformative growth.

My journey in Yoga has taught me that our bodies house a divine spirit, intertwined with breath, energy, and intricate mechanisms. This ancient practice extends beyond mere exercise, offering a profound path to unity, healing, and spiritual elevation. A core sutra from the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, attributed to Sage Swatmarama, illuminates this connection: "The breath is the vehicle of the mind, and the mind is the ruler of the breath. Therefore, the mind, once tamed, ensures mastery over the breath, and through the regulation of breath, the mind attains tranquillity.” 

May our practice cultivate tranquillity, serenity, and peace amidst the summer's heat and guide us into a promising New Year for humanity.