July Theme 2026
Balancing the Summer Energy
By Sue Hargreaves
My favourite time of year is Spring, when we start to feel vitalised by the thought of new growth and want to make plans for the year ahead. Summer is the time to put these plans into action, when we are feeling energised by the light and longer days.
In a morning try to get outside in the sunlight for 5/10 mins and let the light have a positive effect on your body, before you move into your daily routine. You can take your early morning cup of coffee/ tea / hot water- whatever you usually drink first thing. Use the long days in summer to be outside for your practice, as much as you can.
For morning practice use your favourite Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar) to harness the energy and decide if you wish to stoke the inner fire by focusing on Manipura Chakra as you move through a dynamic practice. You can continue with this Chakra focus by using Boat Pose ( Navasana) and Plank (Khumbhakasana) Or you may wish to approach your Sun Salutation slowly with an easy breath and moderate holds, making it effortless as you surrender to the flow.
In Ayurveda summer is the season of high Pitta , when we can feel over hot and irritable, Ayurvedic texts like the Ashtanga Hridayam say to be
‘Happily in the company of friends engaged in pleasant games, pastimes and storytelling , in forests and gardens which have cool breeze from the south, with plenty of reservoirs of water all around. ‘
This can be difficult to find , but you can try to adopt this by being in a shady woodland, or in the garden, or near water.
So at the hottest time of the day try to balance the humidity and heat with your choice of practice.
Consider using Wide-Legged Forward Fold (Prasarita Padottanasana), and Supported Fish (Matsyasana) and your favourite cooling twist.
Pranayama practice of Curled tongue breathing (Sitali Pranayama) to physically cool down the body.
For a shady area and/ or near water consider standing postures of Crescent Lunge (Ashta Chandrasana) Gate Pose (Parighasana), Tree Pose (Vrksasana), Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II), and Half Moon (Ardha Chandrasana). Whichever you choose, try to be non critical, cool and effortless in your approach.
Having moved through your practice, complete it by lying in a supine pose. You may just wish to go straight into Savasana or consider lying in supine with arms out at shoulder height , inhaling lift arms to vertical, exhaling lower arms overhead, inhaling back to vertical, exhaling back to shoulder height on floor. Repeat whilst focusing on the breath and not the movement.
Finally coming to rest and gazing at the movement of the clouds in the blue sky above you. Connecting with Mother Earth and the wonders around you.