It’s been a while since I wrote a Yogi Diary entry. With all good intentions, the last month or so of yoga practice have been embarrassingly sporadic.

I want to talk about summertime yoga.

I didn’t expect my practice to change with the seasons, but I have been surprised at how much the change from Spring to Summer impacted my schedule. I have not been able to attend as often as I’d hoped.

With the summer weeks comes a busier diary; more evening plans, weekends away and holidays. It’s harder to find the free evenings and weekends around a work week; and with deadlines in the office, it’s even harder to leave work on time to make it to a 6pm class.

Even my yoga studio has changed their rituals this summer, altering class timetables slightly and introducing a summer schedule. It’s good to know this season changes things for us all!

Not only this, but the weather has affected me too.

Hot Yoga in the heatwave we’ve been having is intimidating and often off-putting. I’m a little embarrassed to say that I have felt so drained by the heat that I have had to cancel plans for fear that spending a hot afternoon in an even hotter room would finish me off once and for all.

Along with these excuses, add mental health obstacles and summer colds, and you have yourself the perfect recipe for a long time away from the mat. As a result, my ability has suffered too, and I’ve also struggled with practice mentally; but that’s a post for another time.

Despite all of this, I discovered the perfect antidote to the Summer Slump; outdoor yoga.

In July, In Balance Hot Yoga decided to move their Sunday 10am classes outside for free, encouraging us yogis to bend, stretch and meditate in the sunshine (or shade) to make the most of the weather, get some fresh air, and reconnect with our surroundings.

This was the perfect reintroduction to yoga. I felt less aware of others around me, the air and the breeze were relaxing and I felt more chilled out than I had done in a while. I left feeling much better and keen to get back into a routine, even if it is a little slow. A change really is as good as a rest.

My second al fresco class was moved inside thanks to a deluge of rain (oh England!) but it was still a good session and I was glad I made the time to focus on my stretching.

Sadly, some upcoming holidays (read: staycations – no trips abroad for me!) will mean I’ll be away from my mat even more over the next few weeks, but I’ll be going to class when I can, and I hope to even attempt to practice a little at home too; watch this space!

In the meantime, if you are looking to try out some Hot Yoga this summer, classes on Mondays are FREE (yes, FREE!) at In Balance Hot Yoga, so it’s a great way to introduce yourself to practice and try something new on a budget. You can book on the In Balance Website and find out more on their Facebook page.

Namaste!

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More like this:

• The Novice Yogi Diaries: making time for the mat
• The Novice Yogi Diaries: lessons from my first month
• The Novice Yogi Diaries: an introduction

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Disclaimer

I’m working in collaboration with In Balance Hot Yoga to develop my yoga skills, improve my mental and physical health and challenge myself over the next few months.

I have been given free membership in return for recording my journey with them, but my opinions, feedback, and experiences in my posts on here and on my social media accounts are all completely honest and my own, and I will always include the good, the bad and the ugly.