Words from Lauren Hanna: Pitta Season

Namaste Friends Welcome to Pitta Season. The season dominated by the element of fire. Pitta ignites our bodies and minds and encourages transformation and change. From the words of the master Bob Marley, “ The sun is shining the weather is sweet yea, make you want to move your dancing feet now”. During Pitta season we receive the energy of the sun. It feels warm, encouraging, enlightening. It calls us to get out and move, to explore, to experience. So whatever it is you have been dreaming of now is the time to make it happen. Summer is the time to shift from the undoing to the doing, from the mundane to the ecstatic, from the status quo to the superb. The challenge is that we need to be cautious of overheating in summer. Excess pitta can lead to an exacerbation of pitta related disorders such as stress, inflammation, and skin disorders. So as you jump into the heat of pitta season, be cautious of not over doing it and stay cool, refreshed and hydrated. Here are some hints from Pratima to balance pitta:

1. Hydrate: Drink cooling drinks like coconut water.
2. Cool: Walk under the moonlight. Stay out of the mid-day sun.
3. Soothe: Nighttime heart massage: Add 3 to 5 drops of vetiver, rose, and sandalwood essential oil to a base of coconut oil. Massage your two heart centers nightly 4^th chakra, center of chest at sternum and the marma point talahrudaya (known as the heart of the foot) located on the sole of the foot straight line down from the middle toe.
4. Delight: Clear the eyes with rose water. Dip cotton pads in rose water and place over eyelids. Relax and enjoy your summer !

You can also try these amazing summer drinks that I’ve been experimenting with to keep me cool: Coconut Cucumber Hydrator: 1 cup aloe vera juice 1 cup coconut water ½ cup cucumber ¼ whole lime mint leaves to taste Blend all ingredients mix in sweetener to taste Watermelon Hydrator: Ingredients: 2 cups watermelon chunks, 2 cups strawberries, cut up1/4 cup aloe flesh, 1 Tbsp. chia seeds, 6-8 mint leaves

1. Cut the watermelon and strawberries up. Drop them in a blender and add ice. While you are cutting the fruit, soak the chia seeds in water for 5 minutes. This will make them easier to blend.
2. Cut the thick end of the aloe leaf off and slice it down the middle. Extract the pulp by peeling back the flesh. Scrap the aloe into the blender.
3. Add the chia seeds and mint leaves into the blender. Blend, serve, and add a bit more mint for garnish.