Whew, it's been a hot and steamy summer so far where I am.  How about you? 

Summer time is always challenging for me.  While I love feeling warm, the extreme heat and humidity often leave me feeling depleted.  What I've learned over the years from my yoga trainings is that I tend toward a Pitta quality and that I get out of balance quite easily in that way.

Ayurveda, which is a sister science to yoga, teaches that there are three main energies that create everything.  The three energies, called doshas, are:

• Vata: based on air 

• Pitta: based on fire, but water too

• Kapha: based on earth

The doshas correspond to the seasons. Summer is considered a pitta season: both share the qualities of heat and humidity/moisture.

When pitta is in balance, we feel super focused, clear, insightful.  But when it is out of balance, we might feel irritable, angry, impatient.

One of the things that brings pitta out of balance is excess heat. That heat could be caused by any number of things like the external heat of summer or the internal heat created by pushing or forcing ourselves to do too much, or even over-scheduling ourselves.

Pitta’s home is in the abdomen, governing digestion. In the Ayurvedic teachings, opening the abdomen allows pitta’s heat to disperse and is one way to cool and calm pitta, bringing it back to balance.
 
We can rebalance pitta through our yoga asana practice. Practicing backbends helps to open the abdomen as do poses that side-bend us.  These are excellent ways to cool and balance pitta’s fire. Restorative poses are another way we can calm pitta.  They teach us and let us experience the art and gift of consciously doing less.
 
In our asana practice here are some things to consider:

• Move with the breath – invite flowing with grace and ease to soften pitta’s intensity and “get-to-it” attitude.

• Emphasize fluidity – how smooth can your movement become?

• Direct your attention to your feet on the ground – emphasize rooting.

• Surrender to a place of enjoyment – keep your practice joyful, playful.

• Notice where you feel heat. If you feel too much heat in your belly or head, or you feel overheated in general, take a break.

 
Breathing practices can also balance our doshas.  Focusing on the exhale is a powerful tool, particularly for balancing pitta energy.  The exhale is the more calming, cooling aspect of the breathing cycle.  It’s linked to the idea of letting go: with each exhale we can release  - release our judgment, release our need to push or force, release our perfectionistic tendencies, release anything that doesn't support us feeling calm, easeful, present. Plus, our heartbeat actually slows down on the exhale; slowing things down is important when we are feeling out of balance.   

And if you are looking for a specific pranayama practice to balance pitta, Sitali Breathing is great way to cool down. 
 
Meditation practices that encourage observing the breath or using a mantra like om nama shivya  (with great respect I honor my divine) can be simple, yet powerful tools to restore balance to pitta.
 
No matter what practices we explore to rebalance pitta, an important factor to consider is how we approach whatever we are doing.  Can we bring a sense of fun and enjoyment to what we are doing, rather than agitation or pressure?
 
And of course, this is just a part of how we can balance pitta.  The foods we eat, the spices we use, when we eat, when and how much we sleep can all affect how we feel.  So keep these things in mind, as well, when you are considering how to bring yourself back into balance.

Have fun with all of this and let me know how it goes.