Summer is here and with it invokes feelings of excitement and a certain buzz in the air not just from the bees! It's a fiery time of year when nature's energy is at its peak in full bloom and so is your body's.
The heart leads us in this season so let's get it beating through strong powerful activities in our yoga practice. If you have never dabbled with the practice of Ashtanga Yoga maybe now is the chance to give it a whirl, it's sure to get you working on that cardiovascular system and moving deep into muscles you didn't even know you had!

Obviously everything is nature is opposites and you can't have intensity without ease so try to remember at this time of year that burning out is not the aim, my teacher used to say 'know when to fan the flames of the heart and when to let the embers burn subtly' so conserve some vitality so not to run on empty. Burn bright not burn out!
 

Find foods that nourish your soul, the colour is red and foods grown seasonally at this time of year are often red or at least vibrant in colour.  Tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and peppers for example are almost waving a little flag in the air to be eaten. They're juicy and light which is exactly how your diet should be for this time of year. 

A classic time for people to change their food diet is in winter but really when you think about it it's the worst time to do it! As you get cosy for the colder weather you can be less active as there are less daylight hours. People are more likely to eat comforting foods, relax more as your body wants to retain the fats, your energy sources, to keep you warm. Summer on the other hand is perfect as we are more active naturally, drink more water and likely eat lighter.
Emotionally at this time of year, try to speak from the heart, love more, spend time with friends, have a laugh and learn how to balance calm and expressiveness. The tendency of this spirited season could be to run on full throttle all the time, 'try to balance the intensity of living in the moment with an awareness of what follows'... (another peach from my teacher).  Be happy & make others happy. Practice gratitude.
Seasonal yoga is about exploring yourself as part of nature as a whole, noticing, stopping to breathe and working on accepting who you are and why you might be feeling a certain way at a certain time. Love. Breathe. Challenge. Explore...now's the time!