Tips to practice Yoga in summer

Discover some tips to practice Yoga in summer.

In summer, the practice of Yoga can be somewhat tiring. The heat makes the body heavier. Liquids are retained more often. And although the muscles stretch more easily, the mind can feel more tired.

It is completely natural. The heat tires. overwhelms

But that does not mean that we should stop practicing Yoga . Quite the opposite.

One of the principles of Yoga is to do the things that cost us the most , in order to free ourselves from them. If we run away from what we don't want to do, we will be prisoners of our own likes and dislikes. If we escape when things get complicated, we will never know how to be at peace in the face of day-to-day problems .

That's why it's important to have the courage to experience it all. To do the things we like but also the things we dislike .

There are people who love to practice in the heat. Others feel overwhelmed and fatigued. Neither of the two positions is better than the other; they are just different. And this shows us that what some like others dislike. And therefore, there is no ultimate reality.

So, for people who feel overwhelmed by the heat, we share a series of tips to practice Yoga in summer :

• Get in the shade – Whether in a shala, park, beach or at home, you can always find a shady corner. That will help you feel cooler, less exposed to heat, and more at peace with your interior. The day to day is complicated in itself; We therefore invite you to create or place yourself in a pleasant space to practice Yoga in summer . In the shady corner of your Yoga room, under the treetop, in the coolest room in your house...
• Drink water before starting the practice : a glass or two of cool water, with lemon or cucumber, ginger or mint, can relieve your feeling of heat and lower the temperature inside you.

• Practice Sitali Pranayama – Before starting the asana sequence, you can practice Sitali Pranayama. This breathing technique has a cooling effect on the body . To perform it, place yourself in Sukasana or a comfortable meditation posture (you can lean on a cushion, blanket or block). Keep your back straight and your shoulders relaxed. To perform this pranayama, you must roll the tongue and stick it out like a tube . You inhale through your mouth through your tongue, hold your breath, and exhale through your nose. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds (unless you're pregnant), and breathe out for 4 seconds. Repeat it 10 times and if you feel like it you can do up to 20 breaths in a row with these beads.
• Wear comfortable and ecological clothing : natural materials absorb perspiration better. In addition, wearing loose clothing will help you feel less hot, suffocated or overwhelmed during the practice of Yoga in summer.
• Increase the amount of raw and fresh foods in your diet: following a raw vegan diet in summer can cool the body from the inside, providing more vitamins, minerals and water to the entire body. In this way you prepare it to deal with high temperatures.

These are some tips to make your Yoga practice in summer a pleasant space where you can connect with yourself, discover yourself and enjoy yourself . Remember that feeling discomfort in practice is not bad, but if you have the opportunity to make everything more enjoyable and light, take advantage of it: this way your mind can work on other more subtle and less obvious areas of pain or discomfort.

Mae Knapnougel