## Introduction
Summer is here, and with it comes soaring temperatures that can make it challenging to maintain your yoga practice. However, don’t let the heat deter you! In this article, we will explore six cooling yoga poses that will help you stay cool, refreshed, and energized during the hot summer months. Whether you’re a seasoned yogi or a beginner, these poses will regulate your body temperature, calm your mind, and provide a sense of relief from the scorching heat.
Easy Pose: Find Your Relaxation
One of the most fundamental yoga poses, Easy Pose, or Sukhasana, is perfect for maintaining a cool and relaxed state. It helps calm the nervous system, release tension, and promote a sense of tranquility. To practice Easy Pose:
- Find a comfortable seated position on your yoga mat, bed, or meditation space.
- Support your spine by sitting on a bolster or resting against a wall.
- Lengthen your spine upwards, stacking your shoulders above your hips.
- Relax your hands on your knees or in your lap.
- Take deep breaths to relax your body and mind.
Pro Tip: Enhance the cooling effect by practicing Sitali Breath (the Cooling Breath). Curl your tongue like a taco and inhale through your tongue, adding moisture to your breath. Sitali Breath helps balance Pitta dosha, which tends to be imbalanced during summer.
Supported Fish: Open Your Heart and Cool Down
Supported Fish is an excellent pose for opening the chest, relaxing the shoulders and neck, and cooling the body. This pose also calms the nervous system and counteracts the effects of the fight or flight response. To practice Supported Fish:
- Lie on your back and place a pillow, bolster, block, or rolled-up yoga mat under your shoulder blades.
- Recline over your prop, lifting your chest towards the sky.
- Choose a comfortable arm position – alongside your hips, in a “T” shape, or overhead with the back of your hands resting on the floor.
- Relax your legs completely.
Cat/Cow: Release Tension and Regulate Body Temperature
When you’re feeling overheated, tension tends to accumulate in the body, particularly in the neck. Practicing cooling asanas like Cat/Cow can help release tension and open up your energy centers, allowing for better regulation of body temperature. To practice Cat/Cow:
- Begin in a tabletop position with your knees in line with your hips and your shoulders in line with your wrists.
- Inhale, dropping your belly down and lifting your tailbone for Cow Pose.
- Hold this position for a breath.
- Exhale, rounding your back and tucking your chin towards your chest for Cat Pose.
- Hold this position for a breath, then repeat the Cat/Cow flow for several breaths.
Pigeon: Release Hip Tension and Unblock Energy
Holding tension in the hips can block energy flow and trap heat in the body. Practicing hip-opening poses like Pigeon can release negative energy, unblock the flow of positive energy, and cool down the body. To practice Pigeon:
- Begin in Downward Dog.
- Inhale, raising your right leg.
- Exhale, bringing your right leg forward and bending your knee, resting your outer right shin on the mat.
- Adjust your right heel closer to your body for a gentler stretch or parallel to the front of the mat for a deeper stretch.
- Flex your right foot and extend your left leg behind you.
- Square your hips forward, keeping them close to the floor. You can use a pillow or block under your right hip for support.
- Inhale, lifting your torso.
- Exhale, folding your torso over your right leg.
- Take slow, deep breaths for as long as you feel comfortable, then repeat on the other side.
Legs Up the Wall: Rejuvenate and Cool Your Body
Legs Up the Wall is a favorite pose for many yogis as it offers numerous benefits, including stress relief, headache alleviation, improved digestion, and reduced swelling – common issues during summer. By redirecting blood flow to your core, this pose gives your heart a break, slowing down your heart rate and promoting a sense of calmness. To practice Legs Up the Wall:
- Lie down on your back on your mat or bed.
- Position your bottom as close to the wall as possible. You can use a pillow or bolster to support your lower back.
- Lift your legs up, stacking your ankles over your knees and your knees over your hips.
- Relax your legs with the soles of your feet facing towards the sky.
Knee to Chest: Relieve Stress and Aid Digestion
Eka Pada Apanasana, also known as Knee to Chest, is an effective pose for relieving stress, strengthening your core, and aiding digestion. In the summer, our diets may include sugary or harder-to-digest foods, leading to increased body temperature and discomfort. By massaging the digestive tract, Knee to Chest can help keep your digestive system running smoothly. To practice Knee to Chest:
- Begin by lying flat on your back with your legs straight out in front of you.
- Interlace your fingers beneath your right kneecap and bring your right knee towards your right armpit.
- Hug your right knee while keeping both feet flexed and engaged.
- Repeat on the other side.
- You can also hug both knees into the chest simultaneously for a deeper stretch.
Bonus Tip: Watch Your Diet
In addition to practicing cooling yoga poses, it’s essential to watch what you eat during the summer months. Some foods can increase body temperature and cause inflammation, making you feel even hotter. To keep your body temperature regulated, incorporate foods that are cooling and hydrating, such as nuts, leafy greens, fish, and fruits. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day.
