Finding a way to cool the fire of the heat of summer, stressful situations, transitions, forest fires (in New Mexico we are currently experiencing a drought and its fire season), or anything that adds kindling to your internal or external fiery world can make or break your emotional state.
During my yoga practice this evening, I was reflecting on the forest fires, the dry-heat, and the internal emotional heat of anger and/or frustration. In these moments of internal or external heat, how can we cool down?
1. Take deep breaths, breathe, or rest by taking a siesta. Nothing more, just this.
2. Limit intense high energy endurance type activities like charging up a mountain or running a marathon. For some, this type of exercise is helpful, and relaxing. My suggestion though is to practice some yoga asanas to cool you down like supta badha konasana, paschimottanasana, other forward bends, and a sweet long svanasana. Put your legs up the wall and day dream. This is not the time for practicing a long extended sirsasana, as it can cause anger to stir, so if you do practice sirsasana make sure you take a long svanasana or follow it with sarvanghasana to calm down.
3. Eat cooling foods like pineapple, mint, watermelon, fresh fruits, greens, cucumbers, pressed salads, and use coconut oil. You can even use coconut oil as a cooling massage oil with a little bit of peppermint essential oil to cool the skin.
4. Jump in some water-a river, a pool, a lake, the ocean, or if that’s not possible take a cool bath
5. Ground your frustration by writing. Write everything down that is making you feel angry or “heated.” Learn from it, then move on.
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