The mid-atlantic is HOT right now - which means most likely pitta dosha is elevated. How can you tell? Headaches, anger, all manner of inflammation, acid reflux, skin irritation/rashes/redness/breakouts . . . maybe you are experiencing some of these symptoms? It means you have too much heat or fire in the body. Here's some tips to calm your fire in your yoga practice:

1) Focus on cooling poses such as forward bends and poses that create expansiveness around the solar plexus, including chest openers/back bends and gentle twists

2) Approach your practice with a sense of gratitude and surrender - this is not the time to push, it is better to look inward and acquiesce

3) Incorporate Sitali Pranayama and comfortably elongate exhalations 

4) Practice in a cool space - there is plenty of heat outside of the studio, Summertime is no time for hot yoga. Excess pitta dosha (or heat) creates imbalance in the body, so rather than 'sweating out' the toxins in a hot class, you are actually contributing to a toxic imbalanced state that taxes the liver and contributes to the above symptoms

5) Follow your practice with meditation to calm the mind and maybe a treat involving coconut water and aloe - yum!

6) Did you know long term Pitta imbalance can lead to hair loss and greying? A mixture of coconut oil, bhringaraj oil, and a couple drops of vetiver essential oil massaged into the scalp feels great and is cooling for all you hot heads out there. While you're at it, a massage oil mixture of coconut oil and aloe is wonderfully cooling for the body. Notice any similarities from #5 below? The skin eats too, feed it well ♥