Ayurvedic tips to stay calm, cool, and joyful this summer.

by Monica Limon / RYT500, E-RYT200, YACEP

bahiyoga.com / monica@bahiyoga.com

The heat is on...summer is here...so enjoy these long lazy days with Pitta pacifying morning yoga poses to strengthen digestion and metabolism. Begin with a slow, cooling, heart-opening yoga practice to balance the fiery element of Pitta. Walk away feeling more calm, cool, and joyful.

Pitta Dosha Balancing Act

Pitta is one of the three Ayurvedic doshas or biological energies found in the body and mind and derives from the elements of fire and water.

During the summer, pitta can accumulate as inflammation in the stomach, liver, gallbladder, spleen, and small intestines. The key to pacifying pitta is to remain cool, calm, and peaceful. When pitta is in balance, your digestion and metabolism are strong and you feel passionate, joyful, and courageous. When it’s out of balance, you might arouse aggression, irritability, anger, hatred, judgment, criticism, and jealousy.

Tips for Pacifying Pitta

Here are some practical suggestions for balancing the pitta person during the seasonal changes that occur in summer and early fall:

ASANA

Early morning yin-style asana practice, including the Moon Salutation, Tree, Bridge, Locust, Triangle, and gentle abdominal twists. The emphasis throughout your practice can be on surrendering, forgiving, softening, and being gentle with yourself. Pittas should come away from an asana practice feeling; cool, content, calm, released tension in mid-abdomen, a clear mind, emotions relaxed, and a tendency toward competitiveness and irritation should be subdued.

PRANAYAMA

Practice Shitali pranayama or left-nostril breathing to cool and calm the hot quality of pitta dosha.

MEDITATION

A regular meditation practice assists in quieting the active pitta mind, releasing anger, and allowing the sense of control to dissipate. Meditation should leave one feeling cool and calm in both mind and heart.

MASSAGE

Give yourself a slow and loving full-body massage before taking a shower. As a base, use sunflower or coconut oil, which is cooling and nourishing. Essential oils of rose, sandalwood, jasmine, or lavender can be added to further enhance delight and healing.

TEA

Drink a tea of cumin, coriander, fennel, and rose to pacify the hot quality, improve digestion and calm the mind.

FOODS

Eat foods that are cooling and calming; sweet, bitter, and astringent. Coconut, cucumber, watermelon, steamed greens, mung beans, and basmati rice are excellent choices. Sipping cool (not iced) water throughout the day keeps pittas fires at bay. When the hot and sharp qualities are acute it is best to avoid spicy, salty, oily, and sour foods such as chilis, pickles, french fries, and citrus fruits respectively. Due to pitta’s raging appetite, it is in their best interest that they never miss a meal!

CLOTHING

Wear clothing of light texture and color. Excellent choices would be cotton, linen, and silk of white, blue and green. Red and yellow shades tend to increase the fire that is already present.

NATURE

Enjoy regular, relaxing, peaceful walks in Nature to calm the inherent intensity that a pitta person may experience. Other activities to please pittas senses include swimming, gardening, and walking in the moonlight.