Yoga: Officially summer is here you might find yourself feeling overheated, frazzled, and frustrated. Regular workouts will get difficult – so here are some Soothing, grounding yoga poses that can help you cool your body along with exercising
Sitali breath
Sitali breath
In Sanskrit, the word sitali means “cooling,” and this breath has an immediate cooling effect. Inhaling into the moisture of your tongue makes your mouth and whole body feel a nice inner breeze. Sit in a comfortable position with a tall spine. Breathe in and out, and pay attention to the flow of your breath at the tip of your nose. Stick your tongue out and roll the outer edges together so it looks like a hot dog bun. Take a long inhalation—to a count of three—in through the tube in your tongue. Retain the breath for a beat. After inhaling, draw your tongue back into your mouth, close your lips and exhale through your nose, long and smooth, for a count of 3. Try it for a least 10 rounds, working up to 50 breaths for more complete cooling.
Sun breathe
A full Sun Salutation will create heat in the body, so try this Sun breath to calm the mind without creating much sweat instead. From Tadasana, inhale to reach your hands up overhead and place your palms in Prayer. As you exhale, bring your hands down through Prayer and hinge at the hips to fold over your legs. Inhale, lengthen your spine for a halfway lift. Exhale, fold back down. Inhale, rise up to stand as you reach your hands up and out to the sides, finding a Prayer overhead. Come back to Tadasana, hands by your sides. Repeat 5 times.
Anjaneyasana
Anjaneyasana
Anjaneyasana, a low lunge, works to lengthen your muscles while opening your heart. There’s a quality of surrendering to this pose, as if you’re finding peace with the weather—and the world—exactly how it is right now.
From Downward-Facing Dog, step your right foot between your hands. Place your left knee down on the mat. Bring your hands to your right knee or sweep them up to the sky and hook your thumbs. Slide your shoulders down your back as you relax your forehead and jaw and look up slightly. Lift from the back of your heart, from the thoracic spine, to find a small backbend. Stay for 5 full breaths. Bring your hands back down to frame your right foot, tuck your left toe and step back to Down Dog. Repeat on the left side.
Viparita Karani
Viparita Karani
From, seated bring one side hip as close as possible to the baseboard of the wall, swing your legs up the wall until you are reclined on your back with your hips close to the wall. Extend your legs up the wall. You can bend your knees slightly, especially if your hamstrings feel tight. This posture is good for low back pain and revitalizing the body. Optional prop: A folded blanket can feel really great under your sacrum. Remain in the pose for 5-20 minutes.
Anantasana
Viparita Karani
Lie on the floor on your right. Press actively through your right heel, flex the ankle, and use the outside of the foot to stabilize the position. Bend your right elbow and support your head in your palm. Slide the elbow away from your torso to stretch the armpit. Externally rotate your left leg so the toes point toward the ceiling, then bend and draw the knee toward your torso. Step the left foot outside of your right knee.
On an inhale, extend the leg up toward the ceiling. Hold the pose for 1-2 minutes, then repeat on the other side.
Savasana Variation
Savasana Variation
Prepare to lie on your back. Place a bolster under your knees. This prop placement can help make this pose more soothing for some people who experience lower back pain when lying on their backs. If you need head and neck support, you can place a folded blanket underneath the back of your head. Relax and release into the pose for 5-20 minutes