Yoga beach

 

By Melody Lima

There is Satya—truth—in the air during these lazy, hazy, Pitta days of summer.

I get restless with summer. The beach, sand, humidity and sunburn challenge me, especially in these last weeks of August. I look forward to cooler weather, long sleeves and soup-making afternoons. My Pitta-self is cooked.

In Ayurveda, Pitta is the dosha with characteristics of spicy, high energy, heat and sharp. For balancing Pitta, we need more cooling, calming, sweets, quiet, cucumbers and shade.

However, these days of August before the back-to-school September frenzy begins, are a great time for peaceful and reflective practices.

Many of us are outside where the inspiration is endless. Journaling can be very reflective, inducing clarity and insight. Simply write what you see with descriptive words.

For example: crisp ocean, hot sand, blue sky, happy dolphins, storytelling clouds, aggressive rain, schools of fish, dusty trail, green leaves, tall trees, giggling kids, fun and tasty BBQs, baseball games, cold beverages, refreshing pool, tan oily skin, bright bathing suits, friendly deer, pesky mosquitos, colorful fragrant gardens, loving relatives, vacationing families, etc.

Keep it simple and fun without worrying about grammar, punctuation or any of those tasking rules.

Explore your asana practice away from home, wherever you are. Most of us are out of town, on vacation or in a different routine during the summer months. You may find your practice in the sand, on the grass or after a hike on a mountain path. Get creative and experience shapes, sensations and situations outside of your habitual sequences. Try the no rules approach or the not remembering what your teacher offers, flow with your breath. You may find that your breath leads you to quiet and restorative practices.

Escape to a cool, shady spot and read those last few books on your summer reading pile. The non-work related, just for fun, silly, feel good summer, even trashy books are perfect to get lost in when there is no schedule, deadline or commute looming over you. In our house, someone is always declaring, “I’m reading a book.”

Catching up with old friends or faraway relatives is all about sharing stories and letting some truth be told. Express yourself to someone near and dear on a porch, a long dock, a shady spot or an exposed peak, simply chat the night away. Purging those feelings allows room for the new, positive, healthy emotions and stories to grow.

The biggest, most important part of chatting is the listening!

You will get to hear some amazing stories, be a shoulder for someone who needs it or learn a fun fact. If you are chatting with relatives, it may even be about you.

The meditating, daydreaming, contemplating, intention setting, soul searching, life reflecting moments during this time is endless. Do what comes easy and natural; stare at the ocean, watch animals in the forest, feel the warm breeze, walk barefoot, tend to your garden, listen to music, dance openly and Laugh Out Loud.

The truth is, we are all in transition, of some kind, and the unknown future can stop us in our tracks. Let’s jump in, observe ourselves and savor these quiet, reflective dog days in August.

 

 

Photo: boneyardbeauty/tumblr

Editor: Dana Gornall

Comments

comments

Latest posts by Melody Lima (see all)