June Theme 2026
Peaceful Seasonal Energy
By Julie Berrie
We look forward to the month of June with its longer days, bluer skies and warmer temperatures. This time of year brings a wonderful feeling of opportunity and optimism.
Many cultures mark the Summer Solstice on the 21st of June as the true beginning of summer, celebrating the sun’s strength and vitality. In the northern hemisphere, it also marks the longest day of the year.
The United Nations International Yoga Day is also celebrated on this day. The official theme that has been chosen for 2026 is Yoga for Wellness, Wisdom and World Peace. Let’s hold this theme in mind during our own personal practice.
Ideas for a summer home practice
Something I love to do at the beginning of my practice is to take a pause.
Begin by sitting quietly for a few moments (take a block or blanket or whatever you need to get comfortable).
With the eyes closed, let the body come to rest and the mind fall still. By taking a pause it helps to create a natural reset and brings us into the present moment feeling refreshed from the very start.
On warmer days or where energy may be depleted, we may wish to remain in a seated or kneeling position, staying close to the ground.
Gently move and stretch the body and notice how the breath feels with each movement. We can give each part of the body our mindful attention and keep the movement fluid and free, without any sense of rush. Let’s be creative…
Come onto all fours and enjoy moving the spine in all directions (visualise a snake slipping and sliding through the long grass). Balancing table pose with opposite arm and leg extended can be held for a moment, as we connect with our breath and feel steady. Experience the length we are creating through the whole body, from the fingertips all the way through to the heel. Continue onto the other side, adding cat/cow in between sides. Here we can experiment with different breathing patterns and try something new…
Dog head down can be practised in many ways too, depending on energy levels and personal preference. Hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart can give the posture a more restful feeling. It’s always nice to finish with child pose or a similar resting pose…and then come to sit and take another pause to refresh, before we continue with the day.
On more energetic days we may begin from standing position. We can still take a moment to pause here and notice the position of the feet, posture, breath. How does it feel to be in your body?
Tree pose with its variations is great for checking how our balance is today.
Then taking a slow controlled step back into warrior I with arms towards the sky. We can notice how the breath feels with arms raised.
Testing our balance further, we may come forward on to the front leg into warrior III perhaps choosing to modify arms to bring hands together at the heart. We may bend or straighten the supporting knee. Notice which feels the most steady and stable.
Moving into a forward bend and repeating all on the other side can be followed by coming down onto all fours. Again we can be creative in the way we reach the floor….. always moving in a way that feels good and taking some mindful breaths in places we may wish to hold steady or settle into. Incorporate a twist here like thread the needle? Now notice how the body feels. And when you’re ready, come into a resting pose. Use any props you may have around you to really allow yourself to come to rest comfortably. And take another pause before you enjoy the rest of your day.
Namaste