Staying Cool in The Heat of The Summer
For most of us, summer is a time for being outdoors, wearing flip flops, leaving work early on Fridays, and going on vacation. Unfortunately it can also be a time of stifling heat, sweating on subway platforms, and feeling irritable. The negative effects that our body feels as a result of the summer heat is referred to as Pitta. In Ayurveda (the ancient science of healing originated in India) Pitta is the element of fire and water and is usually manifested in the body as acid. It balances and aids our metabolism and digestion and is responsible for the mini-furnace that lives within our body, maintaining a hot 98.6 degree temperature.
When in balance, Pitta gives the mind clarity and focus. Those who are pitta-dominant tend to be intelligent, sharp, and inquisitive. They are natural leaders and can concentrate easily. However, when there is an excess of pitta, that same individual can become short-tempered, impatient, and angry. In contrast, those who are deficient in pitta tend to be passive, inert, and timid. Luckily, the science of yoga helps us to restore homeostasis. Therefore, when we find ourselves sweltering from the heat, we have certain tools at our disposal to bring us back into balance.
A pranayama, or breath technique that is extremely helpful in reducing excess pitta is known as sitali breath. This breath can be done anywhere and at any time. I have found it especially helpful on humid days when waiting on the subway platform with limited ventilation: not fun! This breath can be done in a comfortable seated or standing position. Close your eyes and curls the sides of your tongue up towards the roof of your mouth, so that you make an inverted dome with your tongue. Breathe in through the space that your tongue made, close your mouth and pause, retaining the breath for a moment, and exhale out through your nostrils. Can't curl your tongue? Then simply open your mouth and show your teeth (think: fake smile) and breathe in all the way, pause at the top, closing the mouth and retaining the breath for a moment, and then exhale out through the nostrils. Repeat this 6-9 times, or until you feel adequately cooled down. Take a few moments to feel the effects of this practice. This can also be done if you are feeling over heated in your mind and are getting worked up over a thought or an idea, or even if you are experiencing acid indigestion. Just a little bit goes a long way.
As for the asana or physical postures, forward bends and seated hip openers are generally calming and cooling. Restorative postures such as legs up the wall or goddess pose on a bolster can also eliminate excess heat in the body. If you are at the office and start to feel your pitta rising, simply bend your knees and fold forward over your legs, clasping opposite elbow with your hands in a gentle ragdoll position. Notice how this changes your reaction to whatever it is you are experiencing and see if you can bring that same awareness into the rest of your day.
The profoundness of yoga is not only in our ability to restore balance in our mind and our body, but in our ability to demonstrate that sense of balance to those around us. The heated subway platform only becomes a bad day when it causes the person next to us to say something unpleasant, which causes the other one to push and so on and so forth. The real teachings of yoga are not necessarily in the words we speak or in the mastery of the postures, but in the energy we put out. If we remember that homeostasis is not a fixed formula, but rather a constant reassessment of the 'now,' then we can make the right decisions for ourselves in the moment. And can help us keep our cool, even when the weather is not.
