It’s no coincidence that today I started a new project for Yog Amritam Yoga School in Rishikesh, India on Summer Solstice. I’m creating their 200Hr Teacher Training Course Manual for the Fall. The reason I say that this isn’t coincidental is because I follow the wheel of the year and the moons cycles, and by doing so I tend to do relevant things on potent energy times without planning.
All around the world cultures have celebrated Summer Solstice with different ceremonies and events pertaining to their beliefs and traditions. India is no different and what better way to learn about their traditions and beliefs than to be here and experience it for myself. Interestingly enough today is International Day of Yoga also and what better way to celebrate then to write about yoga.
The first module of the course book is the introduction to yoga. Let me explain what yoga is first then maybe you can understand what summer solstice has to do with yoga. Here is what I have written for the manual:
“What is yoga? What does it mean? Is it a religion? These are just some of the questions that one may be wondering about yoga. Online search engines will give you many definitions of yoga, but to explain yoga isn’t as simple as a definition. Pick up any yoga book and I bet that they all have different definitions, but similar in a way. Yoga is many meanings wrapped in into one word. Let’s trace the word back to its origin and see how it gets its meaning.
The word “yog” comes from Sanskrit, one of the mother languages from ancient Indian times; it is more than likely derived from the root “yuj”. Yuj means “to yoke”, “to unite”, “to add”, or “to join”. So what are we joining or uniting when we practice yoga? The practice of yoga is to join the spiritual, mental, and physical together in perfect union.
Does this make yoga a religion? No, but it does stem from the Vedas which are the ancient Indian holy texts that were composed so long ago that many scholars debate the time in which they were written. The spiritual aspect comes from within. Connecting back to your spirit. Connecting back to source, but how?
We connect back to our spirits through meditation. We use our ability to connect through the mental realm of air.* In order to get into a state of meditation we sometimes must sit for long lengths of time. By using the physical practice of asana, we prepare our bodies for the task of sitting in a posture that contains our energy field called lotus, or Padmasana. During the process of meditation we become witnesses to the thoughts we are having and let them go in order to clean and clear them out of our subconscious. We don’t try and control our minds, but just observe.
If we are lucky to connect back to source then Samadhi has been reached and you become one with source again, but there’s levels to Samadhi which are detailed in Patanjali’s “Yoga Sutras”. In the 200HR course you will be given a brief description of the “Yoga Sutras”. A more in depth explanation of the Sutras will be covered in the 300HR course. The Sutras are not something you learn in a semester in school. It can take lifetimes to understand and to accomplish.”
Now that I’ve explained what yoga is now I can show you how it correlates with Summer Solstice. Something that I didn’t mention above is Pranayama, or breath work. Which we start to learn in the 200HR course. We use this in yoga when we meditate or practice asana. Without our breath we wouldn’t be here. Just like we inhale and exhale to nourish our bodies with vital prana the Earth does the same. Her breath work is a lot longer than ours of course, but it does the same. The chart below describes this process through seasonal cycles.
“In the northern hemisphere, the June solstice is one of four major sandhis or junctures where the seasons change, bringing spring (vasanta) to an end as summer (grishma) begins. During this time, Ayurveda prescribes a gradual shift from kapha balancing yoga practices which heat and activate to pitta pacifying practices which are cooling and regenerative. To avoid imbalance and energetic disruption during the time of transition, practices that are appropriate in both seasons can alleviate stress by allowing the body to adapt more slowly to the change. As we continue opening in receptivity for the second half of our journey around the sun, consider the following during a period of about two weeks around the summer solstice to preserve the body’s vital essence.
Connect the fullness and upward energy of solar backbends to the stability and strength of the earth in postures like Ustrasana and Dhanurasana offered in the sequence below.
- Invite the circulation and fluidity of the water element to prevent energy stagnation by adding rhythmic movement of the limbs in static postures
- Take care not to become depleted by hydrating and staying cool during the increasingly hot and dry midday sun
- Reserve the morning and early evening hours for physical activity
- Support the body’s natural cooling process which pulls the inner digestive fire to the extremities by shifting to smaller, lighter meals
- Spend time outdoors in the evening and take in as much moonlight as possible”
Insert from article: Gaia.com
Because I use the elements in my everyday life I see how Earth the physical realm, Water the emotional realm, Air the mental realm, Fire the action realm, and the spirt realm play a large part of yoga. We need Earth for Asana practice, Water to stay hydrated and emotional release during practice, Air for pranayama and breath work, Fire for the action of not only the asana but our inner system such as digestion, and of course spirit to connect us back to source.
The best way to utilize this potent energy is to self reflect on the last six months. What have you accomplished? Have you started reaping the benefits from what you’ve sowed? Or does your life or project need more time to mature? Do you need to dance? Create ceremony? What do you need to energize your intentions and live your best life in the next six months?
In self reflection, I have a TON of things to be grateful for. The past six months of my life have been the most life changing I’ve ever experienced. I can name 10 things right off the top of my head, even though there are plenty more, that were truly amazing events that will shape my life to come and keep bearing fruit.
- I traveled to Australia and stayed for few months and got to visit with my cousin and my friend.
- I spent two months in Rishikesh, India taking a 500HR Yoga Teacher Training Course.
- I went on my “Dream Vacation” to the Maldives.
- I took an amazing road trip with my sister.
- I sold most of my belongings and moved to India.
- I’m writing a book which I have 22,000 words written so far.
- I reconnected with my mother and sister after several years of no communication and by doing so healing past trauma and generational wounds.
- I also reconnected with the love of my life again and it was mind blowing.
- I gained two really good friends back in Atlanta, Lacey and KT.
- And I am working on a project that I like working on all because I came to India.
Like I said there are many other wonderful things to be grateful for that I didn’t list, but will def give thanks for and acknowledge in my creation journal tonight.
I wish you all the best in the next 6 months to come! If you wish to consult with me about how you can incorporate yoga into your daily life and learn about the 5 elements, CLICK HERE to book a 30 minute session.
Namaste,
