Yoga Teacher Guide to phase 3 of the Summer Season

by | Jul 30, 2024 | Seasonal Yoga Teacher Training, Summer | 0 comments

Seasonal Yoga, summer and the abdominal muscles

1. Seasonal Living Tips

Home Health Habits:

  • Encourage your class members to embrace the summer spirit with invigorating practices like cold showers or wild swimming. Soulful Sundays provides guided sessions – go here for information These activities can enhance circulation and build resilience. For those near the coast, surfing or paddle board yoga can add a refreshing twist to their routine. Land lubbers can benefit from trying Pilates to stay active and engaged. Obviously in colder climates Paddle board Yoga is not high on the bucket list, but at least it will make them all dream of Summer hols!

Emotional Well-being:

  • Summer is a perfect time to nurture emotional health and strengthen relationships. Advise your Seasonal Yoga students to reconnect with loved ones who bring joy and laughter. Quality time with family, friends, or even new acquaintances can significantly uplift their spirits and contribute to overall well-being. The Joy and laughter bit is the essential part of this. see our 12 summer lifestyle tips here for more ideas.
Paddle board yoga – seasonal yoga summer

2. Nourishing the Body

The Vital Connection Between the Heart and Small Intestine in TCM:

The Small Intestine: Distributor of Nutrients The small intestine’s primary function is to digest food and absorb nutrients. After food is broken down in the stomach, it enters the small intestine, where enzymes and bile continue the digestive process. Nutrients are then absorbed through the intestinal walls and transported into the bloodstream, providing the body with energy and essential building blocks for growth and repair. Efficient nutrient absorption is critical for sustaining the body’s energy levels and supporting various bodily functions. 

The Vital Connection Between the Heart and Small Intestine In TCM, the relationship between the heart and small intestine is synergistic, with each organ supporting the other’s function. The heart’s role in circulating blood is complemented by the small intestine’s ability to absorb and distribute nutrients. When these organs are in harmony, they enhance each other’s efficiency, promoting overall health and well-being. 

Seasonal Nutrition: Supporting the Fire Element Seasonal nutrition is crucial for maintaining the balance and efficiency of the heart and small intestine, particularly during the summer, which is associated with the Fire Element. During the hot summer months, consuming light, water-based foods can enhance the small intestine’s efficiency, aiding digestion and nutrient absorption. This, in turn, supports the heart’s function by ensuring a steady supply of nutrients and maintaining smooth blood circulation. As seasonal teachers, we understand the direct link between the quality of our food intake and the stress placed on the heart when it has to process substandard food in larger quantities. We teach this on our Seasonal Yoga Teacher training courses, to emphasise the importance of reducing stress and anxiety in the summer season as it is the essential stocking up of the energy in time for the yin seasons.

3. Recommended Yoga Poses for Summer

Focus on Abdominal Muscles:

  • This phase of summer is ideal for focusing on the abdominal muscles, particularly the rectus abdominis, which is linked with the small intestine in TCM. Strengthening these muscles now will ease the learning process and prepare students for the next season.

By integrating these tips and practices into your summer classes, you can help your students achieve a balanced and fulfilling season, both physically and emotionally.

Core-Strengthening and Twisting Poses:

  • Plank Pose: Builds core awareness and strength.
  • Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes Pose): Detoxifies and balances the digestive system.
  • Thread the Needle Pose: Stimulates digestion and detoxification.
  • Supine Twist: Enhances spinal flexibility and stimulates the digestive system.
  • Superman Pose: salabhasana Strengthens the erector spinae, stretching the abdominals. Yoga Journal version
  • Bridge Pose: Stretches the chest, neck, and spine, promoting relaxation.

4. Seasonal Lifestyle Tips

Incorporate Nature and Self-Love:

  • Bring elements of the garden into your home to create a serene and nurturing environment. Encourage your students to work on self-love and reflection.
  • Understanding and addressing imbalances in their muscles can alleviate symptoms like digestive issues, lower back pain, and shoulder restrictions. Shoulder restrictions or issues can often be emotional manifestation of being overwhelmed, all the feeling of the worlds resting on your shoulders, can often happen in menopausal women.

Seasonal Yoga is a very special practice that aligns traditional yoga postures and sequences with the changing seasons of the year. This approach integrates the principles Traditional Chinese Medicine to harmonise the body’s energy with the natural rhythms of nature. Each season brings its own unique energy and characteristics, and Seasonal Yoga adapts to these shifts by focusing on different poses, breathing techniques, and meditative practices that support physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Over time practitioners can cultivate balance, resilience, and a deeper connection to the natural world.

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