The Summer is here!! You know what that means . . . big welcome to the New financial year, the New Finance Act, Bank Audits and continued heat of meeting the Due Dates. The nature too continues bring in the warmest season of the Year.
While this is what summer has been all about, lets explore yoga to regulate the body temperature that also helps beat the DUE DATE HEAT in the most effective manner. The human body has all its rescue systems in place to combat adverse conditions. All we need to do is put the body on SUMMER MODE for a little while in the morning and beat the heat through the day.
Yoga gives us ways to fight the heat with a few techniques like asanas (Poses), Pranayama (Breathing Exercises) and Dhyan (Meditation).
A few tips are shared below
The Body
- EASY POSE (Sukhasana)
Easy pose is to sit in any comfortable position in a relaxing space for regulating, not just the heat, well . . . everything. Easy Pose will help you to relax your mind and body, calm the nervous system, and let go of any intruding thoughts you might experience. Being able to sit in a posture easily and comfortably without much effort is the perfect pose to practice pranayama, a cooling meditation or guided imagery.
Steps to practice EASY POSE
- Find a comfortable seated position on your yoga mat, your bed, or in your meditation space
- You will ideally sit here for some time so make sure to support your spine by sitting on a bolster(or a cotton pillow) or resting against a wall.
- Inhale to lengthen your spine upwards and keep your shoulders stacked above your hips, relaxing your hands on your knees or in your lap
- Take a few deep breaths to relax your body and mind
2 Viparit karni (Legs up the wall)
Legs Up the Wall is one of the best cooling asanas you can practice for your body. This pose alleviates stress and headaches, improves digestion, and reduces swelling. Legs Up the Wall sends blood to the core which gives a break to the heart from working hard to pump blood throughout the body. It slows down the heart rate and calms the mind.
Steps to practice Viparit karni
Lie down on your back on your mat or bed
Bring your sit bones as close as you can to the wall. (Option to use a pillow or bolster to help support your lower back)
Lift your legs upward on the wall. Stack your ankles over the knees, and your knees over hips.
Relax your legs should with the soles of your feet facing upwards (toes pointed towards you).
3.Forward Folding Asanas
Forward folds are a good way to cool off the body. Just by dropping your body forward, you will be relaxing your nervous system, and reducing your metabolic rate and body heat.
Asanas like Paschimothanasana, Janusirsasana, forward folded Baddhakonasana, Adhomukha Veerasana and the like immediately switch on the parasympathetic nervous system and so the body begins to cool off.
The Breath
Our bodies breathe predominantly through one nostril at any given point. This changes every 1.5 hrs in a healthy individual. When the body is breathing through the left nostril, the body cools down. Apart from left nostril breathing these breathing techniques are highly effective to beat the heat.
1.Sheetkari Pranayama
Join your teeth, open your lips. Draw in an inhalation through the gaps of your teeth. As the air passes through the mouth, it cools down and as it enters the body, it cools down the body from the inside. Exhale through the nose. In a few minutes, the body temperature drops.
2.Sheetali Pranayama
Extend your tongue and curl it like a tube. Inhale slowly through your curled tongue. Close your mouth and lightly touch the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth. Exhale through the nose. This breath is said to cool the brain, reduce inflammation and fever, and purify the blood.
After practicing a few asanas and pranayama techniques conclude the practice with savasana.
The Mind, body & breath
Savasana I
Lie down on your back on a mat in a completely neutral and comfortable position. Let your toes turn out to the sides. Arms are away from the trunk with palms facing up. Close your eyes and relax your jaw, eyes, and forehead. Just rest. Let go of the breath. Let the thoughts pass through your mind like fish swimming past you in a lake.
Savasana II
Try lying belly-down for Savasana, allowing the core to connect to the mother earth. The cooling, grounding qualities of the earth relax the mind, breath and body, and alleviate tension in the abdomen. Stay in Savasana a bit longer to give the mind and body time to unwind, settle, and fully cool down.
In Savasana, invite cooling imagery to picture refreshing water streaming through your body from head to toe. This will regulate the body temperature faster.
Have a pleasant Summer time !
