Tomorrow is the summer solstice here in the U.S. It’s the longest day of the year and the first day of summer. For my fellow Cancerians, it’s our birth month, the time when the sun enters our zodiac sign, shining blessings upon us. 🦀 🎂
All this sunshine and the resulting heat can easily tip us out of balance if we don’t take care. For me, irritation is very close to the surface this time of year.
Especially when I see temperatures in the high 90s when it’s only June! 😖
Given the choice of suffering greatly while feeling wilted and like a volcano ready to erupt or taking action to alleviate the excess heat, I choose prevention.
I enjoy the cooling effects of sun tea made with fresh mint leaves. Making cucumber water is as simple as dropping a few slices in a jug and letting the flavor infuse the water and has the added bonus of feeling fancy.
I’m especially fond of a pranayama practice called sitali breath. It’s sometimes called “taco breathing” as you make a shape like a hard taco shell with the tongue. No worries if you can’t do that (I recall a 9th grade biology lesson that says some people are genetically incapable of doing so); there’s a modification.
If you find yourself getting overheated just thinking about stepping away from the air conditioner, this can really help. Add a cool, wet towel to the back of the neck if you’re very heat averse or tend to generate a lot of internal heat.
https://yogainternational.com/article/view/beat-the-heat-sitali-and-sitkari/
The AC is cranking here at my office if you’d like to come have a treatment in the cool air.
Luminous Heart Reiki & Massage 