Summer represents the height of the annual cycle. From the stillness of winter, where we rest and replenish our energy, we emerge in spring and come to full fruition in our fire energy in summer. We celebrate the warmer temperatures, the abundance of the earth and soil. The longer days mean more time for social activities, where we can connect with others and express the joys of the season.
In Eastern medical philosophy, the heart and small intestine energy are associated with fire energy. The heart is said to store the spirit and govern our consciousness. The emotion associated with the fire element and the heart is joy and compassion. We see the truth of this in our own language; when we say that someone has a ‘big heart’, we mean that they are generous, joyful, thoughtful and forgiving. Our creativity and ability to express who we are also comes from heart energy. Small intestine energy is associated with our store of strength and power, or our ‘intestinal fortitude’. This energy gives us the power and strength to express the qualities of our heart energy.
Physical activity, particularly team sports and group activities where we connect with others are an excellent way to express fire energy. Music and dancing is another way to connect with others and celebrate the season. In our yoga practice, we move towards a more flowing style, spending less time within poses. Sun salutations (Surya Namaskar) are done more quickly and we emphasize the poses that open up the chest, heart and arms such as Dog Pose, Bow Pose (Dhanurasana) and backbends such as Upward Facing Bow (Urdhva Dhanurasana). We balance these poses with forward bends and inversions in order to centre the mind and body and protect it from excess rising fire energy.
To balance the warmth of summer, we emphasize foods that cool the body and nourish the bitter taste – corn and polenta, longer-grain rice, noodles, millet and quinoa, lettuces and leafy greens, summer squash, fresh beans and seasonal fruits such as berries, melons and cherries. (Tropical fruits are still better avoided unless living in a tropical climate). Meals are prepared with less salt and quicker cooking styles – sautéing, steaming – and more uncooked food can be served. Foods to avoid are chocolate, licorice and caffeine drinks, which cause the body’s energy to rise too quickly, as well as heavy meats and fried foods, all of which warm the body too strongly in summer.