Hot days, cool practice: yoga for the summer season
Do you feel like the summer heat is keeping you off your mat? You’re not alone, many yogis feel their energy drop as the temperatures rise. But yoga can actually help you stay cool, nourished, and radiant throughout the summer.
We are nature
According to ayurveda, yoga’s sister science, during summer the fire element is dominant. In nature, and in our own body and mind (because we are nature!). Fire has beautiful qualities. It brings the warmth, light, and lightness we crave during the long, dark winters in the Netherlands. It bestows enthusiasm, clarity and transformation.
However, the fire can easily burn you out. Here are a few things to keep in mind in summer:
The heat tends to accumulate in the hot organs of the body: the small intestine, the liver, and the spleen
The heat melts and eventually dries out our tissues. As summer progresses, our bodily strength decreases.
The light and upward moving qualities of fire can give a sense of ungroundedness and the mind is more easily distracted.
Cold versus cool
To balance the fire, it’s important to be aware of the difference between cold and cool. Cold says something about the temperature, while cool is energetic. In general ayurveda is not a big fan of cold. While cool balances fire, cold tends to disrupt. Cold foods and drinks dampen the digestive fire and make it inefficient. To keep the inner flame in check during summer we incorporate cooling qualities in our diet and lifestyle.
How to practice when it’s hot
Yoga is the balance between sthira (stable, firm, strong) and sukha (ease, gentle, comfortable). Always. When temperatures rise we adjust the ratio in favor of sukha, but we don’t let go of the sthira part of the equation all together. We want our inner fire to burn steadily, not extinguish.
Here are a few tips on how to tame the flame and support your strength:
1.Open and strengthen the middle part of the torso
The summer heat tends to melt our core. You can maintain a strong inner body with poses like chair pose, high plank, elbow plank, and side plank. Allow the body to release heat from the hot organs with backbends, side bends and twists.
2. Avoid excess sweating
Do you know that movie Dune? The Fremen are extremely protective of their bodily fluids. Watch and learn. Keep it gentle. Try not to overly perspire, so that your tissues stay nourished and hydrated. Towards the end of summer, when our bodily strength is at a low point, choose a significantly softer practice.
3. Ground and flow
To balance the fire element, we invite more earth and water on the mat. Where fire is hot, light and moves upward, earth and water are cool, heavy and grounding. You can literally stay close to the earth during this time of year, or emphasize on the connection with the earth. Add fluid movements to your practice to embody water and move with grace.
Don’t turn cold on your yoga practice
Ayurveda teaches us to align with the changes in nature. Instead of abandoning your mat and allowing the heat to disrupt your practice, let the warmth be an invitation to explore a more earthy and fluid practice. By adjusting the pace and postures, you will find that yoga can cool you down and sustain your spark.
Practice with Jorien at Yoga Moves
Jorien Langedijk is one of our regular teachers at Yoga Moves. You’ll find her on the schedule with Vinyasa | Flow classes on Wednesday and Thursday evening. As an Ayurvedic practitioner, she naturally weaves Ayurvedic wisdom into her teachings — from seasonal guidance to subtle energetic cues.
Curious to experience her approach in real life? Step into one of her classes and explore how yoga can help you stay grounded, nourished, and connected throughout the seasons.