Through the lens of Ayurveda, this season is associated with a pitta (fire) energy, attributed to movement, heat, intensity and inner fire. This means that summer is a wonderful time to harness the extra energy to get things done, tap into the joy of socialising and to approach tasks with extra determination. It’s a season of confidence and challenge, a time where you may feel invincible.
If summer is fire energy, let’s imagine a fire pit in front of us. The more wood we place into the pit, the greater the fire gets. Its energy is heightened. But what happens when we put too much into the fire? It can lead to burn out. This is something that we must be mindful of at this time of year. There’s a tendency to want to do as much as we can to make our flames burn as bright as possible. But before long, a feeling of overwhelm may rise where your fiery energy morphs into snapping at people you care about igniting a fear that fuels stress and anxiety.
The ancient Chinese life-force energy is known as “Qi” alternates between Yin and Yang energies. When this life-force energy is appropriately balanced, life carries a sense of ease – mentally, physically and emotionally.
In Yin Yoga during the summer season we work with the heart and small intestine meridians – a Yin/Yang pair of organs. These organs are related to our circulation and digestion, including any inflammation in the body or excess heat. Anxiety, nervousness and overstimulation can represent an imbalance in these meridians which in turn can include disruptions to our digestions and heart rate. When they’re in balance and working in harmony, our capacity for joy, compassion and connection is heightened.
Incorporating elements of yin is how we find our balance during summer;
Slow Your Pace
Summer’s energy is dynamic, fast-paced and at times intense. Finding time to slow down can support us in achieving this balance. Try taking some items off of the to-do list, leave some days empty and find moments of pause throughout a busy day. Even just taking 5 minutes for stillness will bring more ease into your day.
Ground in Nature
Mother Nature at this time of year is magnificent. Try to spend as much time as you can outside, notice the beauty of the plants, the warmth on your skin and the vibrant colours all around you. This will support you to ground and bring balance to any excess fire (pitta) energy.
Connect Within
The beauty of summer is that it offers an outward expression. It’s a time of sharing, socialising and supporting others. The flip side of that means that whilst we are connecting to others, we may feel a little disconnected from ourselves. Taking time to draw energy inward is a great way to find balance and avoid burnout. Carve out moments for self-care, time to be alone and journaling any fiery thoughts onto paper.
Feel into the Heart Space
Pitta (fire) energy likes to focus on the tangible and always looks ahead at what is next. In many ways this is great, however it can also mean that you find yourself agreeing to things that you’re not sure if you actually want to do and struggle to feel present with yourself in the moment. To counter this, it’s important to spend some time connecting to your heart space. Try a heart centred meditation or some gentle summer yin yoga that focusses on the heart energy centre and heart organ meridian lines.
