Yoga in summer: tips for relaxed summer moments

The days are long again in summer and we enjoy the lightness of summer and the beautiful summer nights. From an Ayurvedic point of view, the time of Pitta - the fire - begins with summer. Not only our activity and zest for life increases, but also the temperatures, which often means that we like to let our yoga practice wander.

However, the summer temperatures are often a challenge for many people and dampen the motivation to do anything at all apart from cooling down extensively. However, gentle yoga positions can have a balancing effect on body and mind and are a blessing at any time of the year. Meditation, Savasana and gentle yoga sessions are particularly recommended for the summer. Any kind of physical exertion raises body temperature and therefore one should avoid engaging in strenuous asanas or yoga sequences. The same applies here as always: self-love and personal responsibility. Only practice as intensely as you feel comfortable with. Especially in summer, the cooler and mystical morning hours are ideal for yoga practice, which yogis recommend anyway. If you practice early in the morning, ideally outside in nature or in a bright room, the hormonal balance is also harmonized when the body comes into contact with natural sunlight after waking up. The evening hours are also suitable for yoga practice in summer.

People with a Pitta predisposition should be careful not to perform a rapid sequence of asanas. In addition, stimulating breathing techniques such as Kapalbhati or Agnisara should be avoided at high temperatures. In principle, one should practice Pitta-reduced in summer , ie a balance of strength, endurance, mobility and sufficient relaxation is very important. Asanas that are held longer should be combined with cooling breathing techniques or simply emphasize the exhalation. Yin yoga and gentle hatha yoga flows are therefore ideal if they are performed calmly and fluently.

Also, reduce consumption of spicy foods, coffee, and greasy, hard-to-digest foods. Eat more cooling foods such as fruits, vegetables, lemon water, or home-brewed peppermint iced tea.

Outdoor yoga: forest bathing, aerial yoga and more

Especially in the period from spring to late summer, the warm temperatures are ideal for moving your yoga practice outside. Find a nice place in the forest and get in touch with nature. The forest and the forest air enriched with essential oils not only gives us uprightness and clarity, but also ensures that our body system regenerates optimally and we feel grounded and balanced. Afterwards, a meditation (e.g. a walking meditation ) is suitable for grounding, or you simply walk barefoot on the forest floor and consciously let yourself be carried by the earth and the forest floor. In addition, it is often cooler under the canopy of the treetops in the forest than in fields or meadows.

Are you in the mood for a little more action despite the summer heat? Then try Aerial Yoga! In aerial yoga, you practice yoga asanas in a special trapezoidal cloth that is attached to the ceiling. Many yoga studios also offer aerial yoga as an outdoor activity. The yoga positions are held and modified in the cloth. You shift your weight more or less into the sling and experience yoga in a completely new way. Above all, the inverted postures, in which you dangle upside down in the sling, are particularly enjoyable and are also feasible for beginners, as the aerial y oga sling carries and supports you. Aerial Yoga gives a feeling of lightness, freedom and joy and above all promotes the Ayurvedic air element Vata.