Celebrating Summer

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Don't know about you, but I love summer! The sun, the heat—I love everything about it! Summer makes me happy, more energetic, alive, and free. It's here! Time to relax a little, play a little—a time to feel like you're on vacation even when you're staying home.

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With this time, though, comes responsibility—a responsibility to ourselves to find the balance between work/play, energy/rest, and heat/cooling.

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In yoga, we can find this balance in many ways. To create heat, we can do a series of sun salutations to wake up and warm up the body. We focus on the Manipura Chakra, the third chakra, whose element is fire. This involves focusing on our personal power and inner strength. Physically, it includes poses like the Warrior poses and core-focused poses.

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To balance the heat and cool down the body, we turn to moon salutations, using imagery of water for fluidity. Using mindfulness also cools and calms the body, as well as incorporating breathing techniques and restorative yoga.

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Incorporating mindfulness into your summer fitness regime also allows for more balance. Listen to your body and avoid overheating. Try working out earlier in the morning or choose to work out indoors. Opt to shorten the length of your workouts or make them a little less intense—and always stay hydrated. The key is awareness and allowing for proper rest and recovery.

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So go ahead—make the most of the wonderful summer months! Remember to remain mindful, take responsibility for your own well-being, and most importantly, be grateful for each and every moment of the next couple of wonderful months ahead. Smile!

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​Namaste​​​​​​

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