Cooling practices
Do you want to feel flower fresh this summer? Cooling practices like Yin, Restorative, and Meditation can help you not only cool down your body but also your mind.
The use of props in both Yin and Restorative allows you stay in a pose for longer periods of time. As you rest in your pose, your breath becomes calmer signaling your body to calm down. The physical effects are many but among them, your blood pressure lowers causing your body temperature to lower. Your parasympathetic nervous system is stimulated allowing to relax and restore.
Meditation practices have also the same lowering effect on your blood pressure, lowering your heart rate and improving blood circulation.
Cooling yoga poses
Can you guess what the most cooling yoga pose?If you answer relaxation pose (savasana), you are right! Although physically it is not taxing, it is one of the most demanding if your mind is wondering a thousand miles per hour. So combining with mindful breathing or any breathing exercise at the beginning can help you settle nicely in this pose for a while.
After savasana, the most cooling poses are seated forward bend. These poses are very difficult on the physical side for more most of the population. However, the benefits are worth making the effort. With the use of props, you are bound to find a variation that works for you.
Mindful meditation
Mindful meditation is one of my favorite cooling practices. As you focus on your breath, your mind is busy on this one task only and stops wondering. Use the following gatha (verses) to keep your awareness on your breath. Repeating the short form (word in bold) as you breath in and out.
Breathing in, I see myself as a flower
Happiness, Thich Nhat Hanh
Breathing out, I feel fresh flower fresh
If you find difficult to practice seated meditation, I recommend mindful walking meditation. I hope this short video will inspire you to practice mindful walking in a natural trail near where you live.