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Summer solstice salutations fellow yogis and yoginis!
As we are now in full Pitta season we hope you too are enjoying the long warm days and the delicious fruits and veggies available in abundance in this season of Agni.
Agni from the Sanskrit, meaning fire or the root of the English word "ignite," represents the elemental force of transformation. Not just the transformation of food into energy, but also the transformation of experiences into wisdom. A healthy Agni translates all we ingest through our five (for some of us six) senses into love, compassion, wisdom, insight, creativity and of course the physical body.
Ayurveda encourages us to tend to our inner sacred fire by taking time to still the body/mind through meditation, asana practice, eating vital, satvic foods ("live" or fresh food), entraining our biological rhythms with the rhythms of nature through regular sleep cycles and engaging in activities that make us feel joy and passion for life.
As we are enjoying the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer we remain aware that this time of excess heat can create imbalances in our physical bodies that can lead to illness and dis-ease. This is true especially if your dominant Dosha is Pitta (fire).
Each of the three doshas, or mind/body constitutions (if I lost you here please click on Ayurveda on our website and take the quiz) is attuned to a particular kind of sensory experience. Vata Dosha (air) is especially sensitive to sound, Pitta is visually oriented and Kapha to smell and taste. All three can benefit from color based exercises to restore balance. Vata tends toward coarseness and dryness when out of balance, and responds favorably to colors that are warm, soft and soothing such as yellow, gold, orange or light green. Pitta, when out of balance creates extreme heat in the body and responds well to cool, calming colors such as forest green, blue and white. Kapha is the water dosha. It tends toward stillness but can be stimulated by dramatic displays of color. Viewing a sunrise or sunset can be very beneficial to Kaphas. In addition to keeping your body in balance with nature, surrounding oneself with an environment that is pleasing to the eyes can bring order and peace to your life. As we are so fortunate to live in such a beautiful, temperate climate, where things grow and thrive with little effort year round, take care to stop and take in this amazing beautiful world with all your senses.
We are getting excited in the anticipation of the new Joyful Yoga Studio in Bonita Springs. The walls are going up and the scheduled opening date remains the same, August 1st. We have a tentative date of August 11th for the Grand Opening. (Keeping our fingers crossed!) The studio itself will be the largest in Florida (to our knowledge) with space to accommodate 70+ students. This will enable us to bring some very well known speakers and Yoga Instructors for you to study with here in S.W. Florida.
A warm Namaste. Tess and Jackie.
Ayurvedic techniques to cool the body:
Breathing
A cooling breathing technique for this Pitta season is Shitali Pranayama This will very quickly provide an evaporative cooling effect to your entire body. To practice, curl your tongue into a tube. Inhale slowly through the curled tongue, swallow, and then exhale normally through the nose, keeping your mouth closed. You will feel the incoming air cool your saliva, tongue and mucous membranes. If you can't curl your tongue, lightly clench your teeth and draw the breath through them slowly, swallow, then exhale normally through the nose. Practice for 5-10 breaths.
Massage
Rub 5-6 ounces of coconut oil or sunflower oil on your body in the morning as part of your daily routine before bathing. Coconut oil is especially calming and cooling to the skin. Coconut oil rubbed into your scalp and soles of the feet before bedtime also have a dramatic cooling effect on the body.
We want to thank all of you for your continued support in the growth of Joyful Yoga and as an expression of our gratitude we are offering a special to our beloved residents who remain here year-round.
For the months of July and August a monthly-unlimited pass is available for $100 per month! This is a $40 savings! So for those of you looking for a way to make the most out of the summer months, come join us for some Yoga fun! You are able to use your pass at both studios, offering a wide variety of teachers and classes.
In Gratitude~
Om Shanti
Tess and Jackie
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