“The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.” — Plutarch

Weekly Focus: Pitta / fire

Pitta is one of the three Ayurvedic doshas and is the element associated with Summer. 

We all contain pitta within us, but some of us carry it more strongly than others. Pitta controls the metabolic system, temperature, heat and transformations of the body and mind. Individuals dominated by Pitta are strong willed, dominant, ambitious, determined and decisive.

We don’t all need to be pittas, but we can inspire ourselves to tap into those energies to help us become successful in achieving our goals, or creating transformation in our life. This week we are inspired by the abilities to take action and to be self-determined, allowing the inner layers of ourselves to blossom wide. 

We can all get a little”burnt out” on our goals sometimes. Let’s focus on how to stimulate and keep that internal fire burning hot, but not burning away.

Feeling burnt out? Here are a few ways to reset + rekindle:

1. It may seem counter intuitive, but your inner fire may need space to rest to stay steady and burn bright. If you haven’t given yourself permission to rest in a while, give yourself one hour this weekend to simply sit. Read a fictional book, listen to gentle music outside, try to be settled and under-stimulated for 60 min and see how you feel after.
2. Sometimes we lose momentum to reach our goals. If the path ahead has become foggy, sit down and write down the WHY behind your goals. Ask yourself WHY [5] times, and get deeper with the answer each time. The fifth WHY, that is your answer. Create a mantra for this goal and write it down somewhere you can view it every morning.
3. We have more drive when we are having more fun. Make simple tasks fun and light-hearted. Dance to your favorite music while you clean the house. Meet up with a friend for a weekly workout. Make meal prep a family affair.

Passive Pose of the Week:  Sitali Pranayama (cooling flow)

pronunciation CLICK HERE

Summer is hot, and pitta is just as hot! Bring balance to your practice with this cooling breath

•  Come to a comfortable seat either in a chair, on the floor against a wall, or sitting on a cushion.
• Become aware of your breath, focusing on the sensation of the breath at the tip of your nose. Notice it’s temperature.
• Begin to inhale slowly through the nose.
• As you exhale, make a small “o” with the mouth, as if you are drinking from a straw. 
• Repeat this breath for [2] minutes. Sit and notice any differences or changes once finished.

This is an excellent breath to take right after a workout, or in the midst of an intense workout. It will slow the heart rate and cool the body / mind. However, it’s usefulness reaches beyond this obvious use! Ever feel lightheaded or overheated in crowd? Sit down and take some sitali breaths. Ever feel overwhelmed by an uncomfortable discussion or meeting? Prepare before with this breath and use it after to decompress. What other ways can you think of to utilize sitali?

Active Pose of the Week: Vashistasana (side plank)

pronunciation CLICK HERE

 Vashista is one of the oldest and revered Vedic rishis or sages and is known for his immense knowledge, wisdom and powers. 

It is great to balance pitta with side body openers and playful expression in practice — find both of those in your side plank this week.

• Begin in a tabletop pose with your shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees.
• Tuck your toes and extend the legs away from you for a high plank position.
• Begin to shift your weight in the right foot and start to roll onto the outer edge of the foot. As you do let your left hand come to your hip.
• You may either stack your feet one atop the other, or let the left foot cross over the right for a wider base of support on the floor.
• Once you feel stable, you might reach the left hand to the ceiling.

Side plank bears a lot of weight into the supporting hand / wrist. If you struggle with discomfort in the wrist, try dropping down to the elbow and forearm of the supporting arm rather than the hand. Press into the forearm to keep your hips from sagging down low. This variation is awesome because it will remove pressure from the wrist and invite the side of the body to engage a bit more.

Join us in class this week to ignite your inner fire! See the fulll schedule HERE.