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Whatever the Weather–In Yoga Class

Dealing with Wonky Weather Outside–In Yoga Class

Over here on the east coast, Fall weather can be a bit bipolar. By a bit, I mean VERY. One day it’s in the high 60′s, and a few days later, it’s snowing. Ok, the snowstorm we had in October was rare for the time of year, but the flip flopping of temperatures and rabidly crazy weather certainly aren’t.

Given the crazy mix of hot and cold weather, I decided to focus my class last night on maintaining our internal body temperature. I tried to guide my students through a sequence that yielded awareness of the rise and fall of body heat, in a safe manner of course. There are many forces we can’t control, like the weather, but there are things we can do to help our bodies find an appropriate and comfortable temperature, on and off the mat. 

Our breath is one way that our bodies regulate  temperature, and so I explained  to my students why certain pranayama (breath control in yoga) might be present in class. For instance, kapalbhati, or breath of fire, is a means to create heat. On the contrary , simhasana, or lion’s breath (I typically practice this in downward facing dog), cools the body. My students might have giggled as they let out their inner lion, but they seemed to appreciate the brawn of their breath.

One of the wonders of yoga is that it gives us an ability to look inward into our bodily needs. Another wonder is that it gives us the tools to fulfill such needs. Maybe walking down a crowded street sticking your tongue out and growling like a lion in hot weather isn’t advisable if you want to have some semblance of sanity, but knowing you have access to something so simple but powerful is incredibly compelling.