Summer Ease Supported Backbend

Salamba Urdhva Dhanurasana 1

My teacher Judith Hanson Lasater says "If you are getting older, do backbends" and we all are getting older every day, no matter what our age. We also tend to have more opportunities throughout our typical day to be rounding or flexing our spine rather than extending it, and this summer I have found that to be very true. From driving and typing, to biking, gardening, reading and cooking I constantly find my self looking down and rounding my spine. And because of that I try to incorporate a backbend in to my practice every day. Back bending does not have to be extreme to be beneficial, and when we do a gentle supported backbend in a therapeutic way we are reaping more than the benefits of the physical body, we are also allowing a moment in our day to pause, slow down, do less and breathe.

And in relation to the summer theme, a gentle backbend lends us the opportunity to open up the front seam of the body and invites in a subtle invigorating effect that meets the larger invigorating energy of the summer with balance as we approach this pose in a restorative, gentle and therapeutic way. Restorative yoga is about opening the body not about stretching it, so working with this pose encourages you to embrace the idea of "less is more" and to allow the opening of the front of the body to be an opportunity to soften into the subtleness instead of force it.

Below is a video explaining a one blanket supported backbend. This is a very gentle and accessible to most pose to begin with on your back bending journey. Benefits include:

• Opening the front of the body, including the front lungs, the heart and all organs

• Countering the effects of regular flexion (rounding) of the spine from routine activities, poor posture and sitting.

• Provides a calming effect by slowing down brain waves

• Can improve standing posture and lower back function

Contraindications for this pose are:

• Avoid if the pose creates pain in your back that cannot be relieved by lowering the amplitude/height of the prop

• Avoid this pose if you have spondylosis or spondylolisthesis or if you are more than 3 months pregnant

• Check with your doctor if you have any other spinal conditions or concerns

Summer Ease Pranayama Practice

Chandra Bhedana, often called “left nostril breathing,” is a calming Pranayama practice in which you inhale through the left nostril and exhale through the right. In the yogic tradition, the left nostril is associated with the ida nadi—the subtle energy channel connected with qualities such as calmness, receptivity, intuition, and cooling energy. By emphasizing the left nostril, this practice is believed to help quiet a busy mind, soften feelings of stress or agitation, and invite a greater sense of ease and balance. Many people find it especially supportive when they feel overstimulated, overheated, or mentally restless.

Because summer is often associated with warmth, intensity, and outward activity, Chandra Bhedana can be a wonderful practice for restoring balance during these busy and sometime depleting days. The gentle, cooling quality of the breath encourages you to slow down, release excess heat and tension, and reconnect with a more grounded, peaceful state. Whether practiced in the early morning, after time in the sun, or at the end of a busy day, Chandra Bhedana offers a simple way to cultivate steadiness and harmonize with the natural rhythms of the season.

Try to practice for at least 2 minutes and if time allows 5 minutes or more. Be sure to pause after and notice how the practice made you feel. If you are feeling congested or are not able to physically close off the nostrils you can always practice by focusing on and feeling the breath move in through the left nostril and out through the right. Enjoy!

Summer Ease Yoga Nidra Practice (20 minutes)

Yoga Nidra, often translated as yogic sleep, is a guided meditation practiced while lying down or reclined comfortably. You aren't asked to stretch or move, and you don't have to quiet your mind or "meditate well." Your only job is to get comfortable and listen.

Many people compare Yoga Nidra to the feeling of drifting into a daydream or enjoying a summer siesta—that delicious space between sleeping and waking where the body deeply relaxes, and the mind becomes quiet. While Yoga Nidra may feel similar, it is also a time-honored yogic practice designed to guide you into a state of profound rest and healing. As the body settles, the nervous system has an opportunity to shift out of "doing" mode and into "being." In this deeply restful state, we can release tension, replenish our energy, improve sleep, enhance clarity, and reconnect with a sense of inner steadiness. Even if you happen to fall asleep during the practice, your body is still receiving the benefits of rest.

Summer naturally encourages us to be outwardly engaged. Yoga Nidra offers a beautiful counterbalance—a chance to pause, cool the mind, and replenish ourselves so we can more fully enjoy the season. I invite you to set aside 20–30 minutes, find a quiet place where you can lie down comfortably, and allow yourself to be supported by the practice. Use blankets, pillows, or anything else that helps you feel completely at ease. I highly recommend an eye pillow.

There is nothing to achieve.

Nothing to fix.

Simply rest.

I hope this practice becomes a refuge you return to throughout the summer whenever you need to restore your energy and reconnect with yourself.