Cool down your fire!
Summer and sun. A swim or two, in the sea, lake, or pool. Lazy days and nice barbecues. Barefoot walks in the sand or why not in the water?
At the same time, summer and holidays can create a lot of "musts" or demands, which often creep up on us without us being aware of them. That extra cleaning of cupboards and wardrobes that didn't get done during the winter. The storeroom and garage need cleaning out. The fence or windows should be painted. All the loved ones who should be visited and the summer concerts or festivals that should not be missed.
Surely all this is part of summer and the holidays are finally here. Letting go of routines, calendars and to-do lists. The time when sleeping in, just being and more socializing take their place.
Do you recognize yourself? Do you find it hard to put your calendar down and, despite having time off, it is fully booked?
In Ayurveda, we believe that the Pitta dosha, the element of fire, is dominant during the hot season. If you have a predominance of pitta in your basic constitution, summer can be challenging with a risk of feeling overheated.
Let go of your doings
The Pitta dosha and the element of fire have powerful energy with a sharp intellect, and are results-oriented and goal-focused. Quite simply the do: er in you. The other side of the coin is that a person with a lot of pitta, often finds it difficult to disconnect from mobile, email, and computer, and then it becomes difficult to just be.
An unbalanced pitta with too much of the elements of fire may experience elevated body temperature, headaches or migraines, stomach catarrh, or acid reflux. Feelings of frustration, irritation, or anger simmer beneath the surface. Difficulty slowing down with thoughts about the autumn workload throbbing.
The best tip is to put the calendar away, if only for a day or two, and give yourself some real time off. To cool down your system. Try this cooling drink Heem?
1 liter of drinking water,
1 teaspoon of fennel seeds,
1 mill liquorice powder (dried, ground)
(NOTE: in case of high blood pressure, replace the liquorice root with ground cloves),
1 pinch of chamomile,
about 30 raisins
Stir all ingredients in a pot. Leave overnight at room temperature. Strain into a new pot or a pretty bottle. Squeeze out the raisins.
Enjoy the drink during the day, cooling your fire and keeping your pitta in a nice balance!
My summer holiday tip: give yourself a day off from planning and start the day with a cooling breathing exercise or a cooling drink (not cold!).
Sunflower stands for love and peace
Enjoy the summer and do not forget to create gaps in your calendar for just-being.