Cooling Yin Yoga for the Summer months
Hi yogis, how are you handling the rising heat?
It seems that summer is upon us all of a sudden, temperatures are rising and the lure of closing the laptop to play outside is strong. In Chinese Medicine, Summer is the most Yang season. It represents outward energy, expansion, movement, and activity.
Unsurprisingly, fire is the element of this season and the heart is the organ we associate with the sun. Just like the organ that rules the pumping of blood and therefore life, summer is the time when we truly come alive. We wake early, sleep late, and are buoyed up by the emotion of joy. Laughter and connection are abundant and we tend to have plenty of activity to keep our chi flowing.
But, we must also balance the dominant yang with some cooling yin, both in the physical sense - by practicing yin yoga to calm our nervous systems - but also by eating cooling, hydrating foods that clear some of the heat; like salads, fruits and smoothies.
Here’s some yin yoga postures you can also practice at home to help to balance all of that fire…
Supta Baddha Konasana (reclined butterfly)
Open up the hips by bringing the soles of the feet together and the knees apart. If your hips are tight, you can also use blocks underneath the knees for some added support. Make this a heart opener too by placing a bolster underneath your back to lift the chest and drop the shoulders.
2. Chest opening stretch
Lie on your belly with your right arm out to the side in line with your shoulder and the palm facing down. Turn your right cheek to the mat and then use your left hand to press into the ground as you slowly roll your body to the right. Legs can be stacked on top of each other or, for a deeper stretch, place the sole of the left foot behind the right knee. Repeat on the left side.
3. Low lunge with a deep quad stretch
You’ll need a wall for this one. Take your left shin up against a wall and then step the right foot forward into a low lunge. You can use yoga blocks or your bolster underneath your hands to support your body and to keep the heart lifted. Relax the shoulders, neck and jaw and breathe gently into the front of the body.
4. Sleeping swan
Take your left knee to the left outside edge of the mat and bring the left shin forward (aiming for a parallel line with the top of the mat, but not forcing). Reach your right toes towards the back of the mat and fold forwards, resting your forehead on your hands. You can also use a block under the left glute if you find this posture hard to hold.
5. Sphinx pose
Place your forearms on the floor, with your elbows positioned underneath your shoulders and the palms of the hands facing down. Energetically draw your heart forward. Relax the shoulders, the face, the glutes and the legs. For a deeper back bend, you can also try placing your forearms on a bolster.
If you’d like to be guided through a relaxing and restorative yin yoga class in the comfort of your casa, join me on the mat every Thursday for Lunar Yin Yoga. I’ll talk about the cycles of the moon as well as our own cycles of ebbing and flowing, whilst you relax and let the esoteric wisdom wash over you. You can also book a private 1:1 yin yoga class in Barcelona, which includes essential oils and sound healing for a truly personalised experience.
