In extreme temperatures of summertime, it can be hard to stay motivated in your yoga practice. Most likely you will look for ways to cool down your core temperature rather than thinking about exercise. Before skipping your Sadhana (asana practice) in lieu of an icy treat, here is how you can practice yoga through the hot summer months — and stay cool while doing it.
Cooling Yin Yoga
Yin yoga has a cooling effect on the body and provides a deep stretch for your joints and connective tissue (fascia). Yin yoga is practiced by holding yoga poses from 1 to 5 minutes. While you are holding these long yoga postures, it is easy for your mind to wander and become distracted. Concentrate on relaxing your body and maintaining deep and even breaths.
Chilling Breath
Start your yin yoga practice with the following pranayama (breathing technique), which will help cool your body and release extra heat built up by the sizzling summer sun.
You can practice this breath either in easy pose or while lying down in corpse pose. Curl your tongue to form a little tube to breathe through or make an “O” shape with your mouth. Inhale through your mouth and exhale out your nose. Feel the coolness of the air in your mouth and repeat this cycle 10 times.
Icy Asanas
Because a yin practice has you holding poses for so long, you really only need six poses for a complete one-hour practice. Here is a great cooling summertime yin practice:
Start in “legs up the wall” and practice the cooling breath as you settle into this pose. To add a supported back bend, grab a yoga block and place it under your sacrum. Move from this opening pose into a deep hip opener by removing your yoga block and letting your legs fall away from each other, like you’re doing splits up the wall.
Calming and Cooling Forward Folds
Come away from the wall and find Dandasana, or staff pose. Hinging at the hips, fold forward bringing your lower belly towards your upper thighs, coming into Paschimottanasana. If your hamstrings are tight, sit on a block or a rolled yoga mat to give yourself leverage and increase your mobility.
From this base yin practice, add any of the following poses, holding each one for up to 5 minutes: cobbler’s pose (Bahdakonasana), child’s pose (Balasana) or head-to-knee pose (Janu-sirshasana).
Morning Yoga Challenge
The best time of day to do yoga, especially in the summer, is early in the morning. At an energetic level, it’s the time when the world is awakening and new energy is gathering. At a practical level, early morning is the coolest time of day.
Practicing in the early morning can profoundly change your day. You are given the chance to check in with your body and with your daily goals. You will fully awaken prana (or energy in your body) to maximize your productivity.
Challenge yourself to a morning practice of yin yoga for one week to keep yourself cool and to boost your energy for those exhausting hot days.