HOW TO FEEL YOUR BEST IN SUMMER
INTENTION: In this seasonal transition from spring to summer, I embrace courage, personal leadership, self-care, and luminosity.
Temperatures are rising, traffic is increasing on Hwy 17, and beaches are busy! If you need a reprieve from all this pitta energy, join INNER CONNECTIONS YOGA & WELLNESS for some yoga classes to calm, soothe, and help you relax from the intensity of summer. You are invited to attend our Summer Solstice guided labyrinth walk at Brookgreen Gardens at 11:30 am on Wednesday, June 21st. Donations accepted.
As the season shifts from spring to summer, our bodies cycle through an organic ebb and flow of change that brings harmony and balance within us. Summer is a time of light and warmth, and the energy of summer radiates at a high vibration.
Seasonal changes such as daylight, seasonal food availability, weather, and seasonal activities influence our state of balance. To balance the heat and energy of the summer season, consider cultivating the opposite environment on the inside of the body - cool and calm. Although the body adjusts to these changes naturally, you can integrate some seasonal changes into your routine to allow the transition to be smoother and easier.
The science of Ayurveda, the sister science to Yoga, teaches that each of three energies (doshas: vata, pitta, kapha) circulates in the body and governs physiological activity. The active dosha during the summer months is pitta which often brings on aggravation for many of us. The hot, moist/oily, light, spreading, penetrating, and pungent qualities of the summer season settle into the body and mind, creating dis-ease. This is especially true if your constitution is primarily pitta. When pitta is in balance, it can bring about courage, leadership, steady digestion and elimination, a good sense of humor, love, and luminosity. Pitta dosha unbalanced may show up as the following:
Skin irritations: acne, rashes, hives
Burning or itching sensation of the skin
Red burning eyes
Acid indigestion
Nausea
Loose stools
Anger
Frustration
Being overly critical
Irritability
Impatience
To balance your pitta dosha, incorporate the following behaviors and THINK COOL!
Avoid the hot sun of midday (10 am – 4 pm is recommended).
Cool your body by taking a plunge in a pool or the ocean.
Practice yoga indoors in a cool, quiet, and calm environment, like the Waccamaw Recreation Center or Mind Body Soul Center. If you practice outdoors, make it before 10 am and after 5 pm. Join us for beach yoga at 8 am on Tuesdays and 6 pm on Thursdays on the north end of Pawleys Island, 2nd and Atlantic beach access.
If your skin is reacting to the heat, apply a thin layer of coconut oil followed by a lukewarm shower. To cool the skin and eyes, keep a bottle of rosewater around you and spritz your face and skin regularly.
Align eating with the summer season. If you’re experiencing acid indigestion, nausea, or loose stools, practice a pitta-pacifying diet. Consider foods that are sweet, bitter, and astringent, such as fresh green vegetables, basmati rice, coconut water, ripe bananas, and herbs like cilantro, mint, fennel, cumin, and coriander are all terrific for cooling the hot belly and reducing pitta dosha. Also include high water content foods like melons, cucumbers, apples, and leafy greens.
Enjoy foods that are not dense and heavy, and ones that you don’t need to cook for very long; perhaps even things you don’t have to heat up at all before eating. Avoid pungent, salty, and sour. Keep away from oily, fried, and spicy foods, including onions, garlic, processed, and canned foods. And steer clear of alcohol and coffee, especially if your skin is irritated.
Enjoy as we transition to another season in a couple of weeks!
Love and light,
Jeanne and John