Many people let their studio yoga practice go over the summer months. Just ask our fellow Yoga teachers and studio owners and they will tell you that at this time of the year they long for September for the energy of full classes again. It is really important to keep practicing with a qualified teacher over the summer months for many reasons.
1. Practicing under the guidance of a qualified teacher in a studio space is paramount to safe and effective practice. As instructors, it's their job to teach you proper alignment and safe modifications for your body. This is not always possible when practicing on a beach or in a park where there may be really large groups of people. Not to mention that it is bumpy outside! There are many distractions outside and no way to control how many or who is coming to the practice. Outdoor classes, while fun and nurturing, are meant to supplement the learning environment of the studio.
2. Consistent practice helps you maintain a level head in the hotter temperatures. Summer may seem less stressful but even “good” stress can reek havoc on your nervous system. Kids are home and under foot, folks are getting married, you are running to and from the cottage, etc., etc. Give yourself the opportunity to sink into the familiarity of your practice and your studio.
3. Speaking of kids: Take the summer to use the studio as a way to introduce your younger teenagers to the healing and sustaining practice of Yoga. This is a wonderful way to spend time together.
4. The warmer weather makes you more flexible and when your body is this open with the natural heat of the environment you can safely reach places in your practice that you just can’t access by simply jumping into a warm (or hot) room from cooler temperatures the rest of the year. When you naturally invite your body to experience this type of deepening in your practice you can create new neural pathways that your body will gracefully remember in the cooler weather. Because of this Yoga is the perfect compliment to the vigorous summer activities that most of us love.
5. Last but not least: We miss you! The energy at the studio is just not the same without you. When you come inside from your summer routine for a class you get the benefit of a great practice and you get to catch up with new and old friends!
So grab your mat and come on inside for a class. The rest of your day, week, and summer will be better for it!
