Late summer - coming home when you're not sure where home is.

It's late summer and seasonal yoga practice at this time of year is all about reconnecting with the earth, grounding and coming home.  Although it is still pretty hot here, this concept is certainly ringing true for me after a prolonged period of disturbance because of the big move.  Even if you haven't uprooted your whole life, there is still a feeling at this time of year of needing to settle down again.  Summer holidays are over, the schools are back and it's time to atone for all the fun and excess of the last few months and get back to a 'normal' routine.  Here's how you can tune into this natural feeling and help your body and mind to feel nourished and reconnected to your surroundings.

Diet - it's still hot here and harvest season certainly doesn't feel the same for me this year, but there are plenty of good foods in the shops coming in from all directions to remind us of natures bounty. Go for foods that reflect the colour of the season (a warm yellow) and make space on your plate for things like peaches, nectarines, squash, dates, sweet potato and apples for natural sweetness. Start building up the bodies immunity by including spices like ginger and turmeric in your diet and keep things warm but light. Try to take time to eat your food slowly and appreciate your meal. It helps the digestion and stops you over eating. Breakfast time is especially important at this time of year as that is when the stomach and spleen are at their strongest.

Exercise - reconnect with the earth by getting outside more. This is getting easier here now that the evenings and mornings are slightly cooler, so go for a walk, hop on a bike or take your yoga mat outside!  Yoga asanas should focus on grounding, hip openers, and strengthening our core to stimulate the stomach and spleen meridians and boost the lymphatic system which will help fight off all the back to school/work germs that are heading our way.  Add some lunges, squats and inversions to your practice and work hard to keep uddiyana bandha engaged by drawing the navel back and up towards the spine. Key poses to try at this time of year are:  Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (half pigeon), Navasana (boat), Setu Bandhasa (Bridge) and Bandha Konasana (bound angle posture).

Here's a link to me practicing some of these poses:

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=605390602905678

Mind - Take some time to do something nice for yourself every day. Read a book, have a massage, go for a walk. It doesn't have to be a big thing, but by taking five minutes to make sure we are looked after, we fill up our reserves and can give so much more time and energy to others.

Body - stimulate the lymphatic system by rubbing an oil or lotion into the skin after your shower in upwards strokes towards the heart, but try to make sure you're using a natural product to avoid clogging up your system. The key at this time of year is to nourish your body from the outside in and the inside out!

Key Seasonal Points:

Season - late summer

Dates - 21st August to 20th October

Organs - stomach and spleen

Colour - yellow

Element - earth