Wellness Tips for August
Welcome to August! While there’s plenty of summer left to love, we also still have to manage the heat for a few more months. According to Ayurveda, yoga’s sister science, summer is the time for cooling, calming, and gentleness. This is done not only through the physical practices, but also through how we balance the mind. Here are tips for doing both, along with a few more ways to enjoy the rest of your summer.
Practice cool yoga. I know there’s been a trend toward hot yoga, but cool yoga is best for summer. A cooling practice is one where you spend a majority of your time in restorative, supine, and seated poses. It’s especially helpful to also create space in the side body which Ayurveda views as “aerating the digestive organs.” Heat is said to accumulate in the liver, which can contribute to irritability. Side bends create space and allow that heat to dissipate.
Try cooling breath. Shitali Prana yama is a cooling breath that works quickly. Simply make the shape of a straw with your tongue, inhale over the tongue and exhale through the nose. If you’re not sure how to practice Shitali, check out my short tutorial here.
Focus on roses. Ayurveda has long believed in the power of roses to reduce pitta (fire energy). You can use calming roses in a variety of ways. Keep roses by your bed or desk to cultivate a sense of calm. Use rose water to spray yourself or your room. Learn how to make it here. You can also add rose petals to tea and drink in some relaxation. Or, simply add rose oil to your evening massage oil.
Surround yourself in cool colors. Favor cool blues and greens whenever possible throughout the summer. From clothing and jewelry to table linens and pillows, now is the time to choose cool shades. Reds, oranges, and bright yellow are the color of fire, so avoid them for now. You could also carry or wear moonstone which tends to balance.
Think “Gentle” in all you do. Another way to balance pitta is by refraining from competition and anything that seems harsh or harried. There are so many ways to incorporate the idea of being gentle into your day. Take a gentle walk or practice gentle yoga. Watch gentle shows that let your mind stay calm. Listen to gentle music. Eat gentle foods that are easy to digest. Rest on super soft surfaces. Let “gentle” be your mantra until the weather turns cooler.
Meditate on water, in water, or imagining water. Water soothes and cools fiery Pitta energy. If you can get to a body of water, spend time gazing at it and breathing deeply. Let your awareness of the water be its own meditation. The same can be done by getting into water. This could be a pool, lake, ocean, or even a bathtub. As before, spend time being aware of the sensation of water as you breathe deeply. But if you can’t get to water, simply meditate by imagining it in your mind’s eye. Imagine gazing into the surface of a calm lake. Watch as thoughts arise as ripples. Gently release the thought and watch the surface become still again.