Adapting Your Yoga Practice to the Seasons – Embracing Summer
Yoga, when practised with awareness, becomes a mirror for our lives. It reflects how we live, move, and even how we relate to the world around us. But just as life is constantly shifting, so too should our practice. This blog series explores how we can align our yoga with the rhythms of nature and the changing seasons, beginning with summer, the season of fire, and explores how the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda can guide us in cooling, balancing, and harmonising our yoga practice for this vibrant time of year.
What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda, often called yoga’s sister discipline, is a sophisticated and holistic system of healing that originated in India thousands of years ago. The word itself means “the science of life” (Ayur = life, Veda = knowledge), and its teachings are rooted in understanding the elements of nature - Ether, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth - and how they manifest in our bodies and the environment.
According to Ayurveda, these elements combine to form three fundamental energies or doshas:
Vata (Air & Ether) – light, dry, mobile
Pitta (Fire & a bit of water) – hot, sharp, intense
Kapha (Water & Earth) – heavy, cool, stable
Each of us has a unique combination of these doshas, which influence everything from our physical constitution to our mental patterns. Likewise, the seasons also express these elemental qualities. Summer, for instance, is dominated by Pitta — fire and intensity. And according to Ayurvedic wisdom, like increases like, while opposites bring balance.
Summer Season and Yoga Practice
In summer, Pitta is naturally high. This is the season of heat, transformation, sharpness, and outward activity. Many of us become more social, travel more, and push ourselves harder, which can easily tip the Pitta scale into overdrive. If we continue applying heat through intense, competitive, or dynamic yoga practices, we risk burning out, both literally and energetically.
To attract the opposite, summer invites us to cool down, slow down, and nourish. Think: less fire, more grounding. Less power, more presence.
Here are some suggestions to help you align your yoga practice with the Pitta-dominated summer season:
Summer Yoga Tips:
Practice during cooler hours: Early mornings or later evenings are best.
Hydrate well: Drink water before, during, and after your practice.
Wear breathable, light-colored clothing: Avoid synthetic fabrics that trap heat.
Avoid overly heating practices: Reduce Surya Namaskars, intense core work, and long holds in challenging poses.
Choose grounding, cooling asanas: Focus on forward bends, gentle twists, and supported poses.
Use props for support: Let the body rest in cooling, restorative poses, especially in the afternoon.
Mind your mindset: Let go of striving. Invite softness, ease, and surrender into your movement.
You might also explore incorporating water and earth elements through visualisation, gentle music, or practising outdoors in the shade. A short walk in nature after your yoga session can also be incredibly grounding and cooling.
Final Thoughts
Yoga isn’t just a physical practice but a way of being in relationship with ourselves and the world around us. When we honour the cycles of nature and our own shifting energies, our practice becomes a tool for deep healing and balance. In summer, this means stepping away from fire and stepping into flow.
Below, you’ll find a short video with a summer-appropriate practice. I hope it brings you peace and coolness.
And as always, feel free to reach out with any questions, I love hearing from you.
Nina Vukas
Nina is the founder of Spanda Institute, Program Director and a Lead Teacher for Advanced Study Programs. She has been a Yoga practitioner since 1998, started teaching full time in 2005, and has been educating yogis on their journey towards becoming Yoga Teachers, as well as educating Yoga Teachers to advance their knowledge and teaching skills since 2009. Nina is also a Yoga Therapist, Somatic Psychotherapist and Mindfulness and Meditation teacher with a degree in Psychology.
