June 25th, 2024

How are you coping with this heat? Since it seems like the hot weather is here to stay, let’s consider how we can navigate through the scorching parts of summer and still enjoy the season!

I remember the old clunkers my dad owned when I was a child. We always worried about the car overheating in the summer. It was a trade-off back then—using the air conditioning only when not stuck in traffic, and sometimes skipping the radio or 8-track tapes to keep cool (or maybe that was just an excuse my dad made up!). If the car showed signs of overheating, we had to stop, let it cool down, and add water to the radiator.

If you remember those days like I do, consider that your body is very similar. We need to be able to read our internal "radiator" and ensure we're not at risk of "blowing a gasket"! Do you know if you are overheating? Even if you're not sweating visibly or flushed, you might still be in danger of burning out metaphorically.

Global warming is concerning. Many areas are in precarious situations because of it. I don’t want to downplay its impact worldwide. My family has taken many steps to reduce our carbon footprint due to the predictions of where this is headed. However, now that we're experiencing this heat in June (and we are understandably concerned about what August is going to be like!) we must adapt to what's here. We'll need to slow down, rise early for gardening or exercise, and find ways to regulate ourselves that do not further tax the environment.

Cooling down when we notice we're heating up is for our personal benefit as well as for those around us. I read about a study confirming that a hot environment causes people to be short-tempered. What a surprise! Who knew? Anyone who has been in a hot environment knows we're less patient and likely to make poor decisions when we are overheated. There are ways to work with the fire element that can benefit us, but it must be tamed enought so we can control it rather than it controlling us. So be cautious! Take it slow and be mindful. See if your usual activities are causing you to heat up too quickly.

You'll notice that on these very hot days, I modify our yoga practice to guide you towards recognizing your internal temperature. While we may feel entitled to do as we please and go full force, it's worth remembering the wise saying: "Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should."

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