How to let summer nourish you this year
For the past two years, the season of summer has felt a bit like a burden to me.
A sign, as I understood later, that my body was tired, my mind needed respite, my capacity was low. Rather than energizing me, the intensity of summer has exacerbated my existing exhaustion.
Summer brings heat, light and force. We are called to spend time outside, be seen and attend social events & gatherings. It is a time of drive and high energy, a time of expression and expansion, a time of ripeness and peak.
Due to its nature, this season can bring more demand, stimulation and fire to an already „burned-out“ body and nervous system.
Summer can feel stressful with the increased social and personal pressure to do something, create something and make the most of this time. (And the actual high temperature can strain the body, too). For an already stressed body-mind, this can be extra depleting.
This is not a critique of summer, this is an invitation to connect and learn how to be with this season in a way that is actually nourishing.
Because when our bodies respond with exhaustion, there is always a reason.
There is always a need to be fulfilled, a message to be heard beneath that response.
The ripe fruits, the sun, the light, the special smell of summer…
summer brings abundance and nourishment. And when we can see and receive summer as this ripe, rich, beautiful, nurturing time of the year – it will no longer be a source of depletion but of replenishment.
So let’s explore…
How to have a love affair with summer this year
Find out why summer feels exhausting / tiring to you
Is it the heat? Is it the social pressure? Is it the change in routines? Is it your own expectation to do more? It could be something else entirely. Of course, it could be more than one thing. If you were already feeling exhausted before summer, ask yourself what your original source(s) of exhaustion are. What depletes your body regularly? Consider: Your way of living, relationships, your way of working, not enough nourishing food, not enough sleep… What imbalance is summer illuminating & intensifying?
Decide that you want to feel nourished this summer
Making the clear decision that you want to receive the beauty, richness and nourishment of summer marks the beginning of your love affair with it. The power of deciding differently changes a lot already, and this change is already having an impact.
Feel into this: How does social pressure feel inside, when you choose to be nourished by summer? How does pressure to do more feel, when you choose to be nourished by summer?
When we choose nourishment, when we allow ourselves to open to the goodness, more and more tension melts away just in that moment.
When being nourished becomes more important than being liked by others or perceived as outgoing and „normal“, the pressure softens. (This may require much more inner work as the need and desire to belong, feel safe with and be loved by others is a very real. This is one reason why it often feels hard to choose what you actually want over what you think you should do).
Get clear on what needs care + adaption
What needs to change in order for you to feel nourished this summer? Do you need more rest, mentally, spiritually or physically? Do you need more space in your calendar? Do you need to adapt your sleep schedule?
Write down anything that comes to mind that can help you open to more pleasure & nurturing energy this summer.
Practice being with “the heat”
This is not only about the temperature, but also the heat of the fiery summer energy and what it evokes in you. The emotions, the sensations, the stress, pressure or fatigue – can you be with it? Can you feel it, hold it in loving presence? Can you let it express itself through you? Liberation over suppression.
We learn so much about ourselves, when we choose connection and curiosity over the „I-need-to-get-rid-of-that“ attitude.
Counterbalance the fire of summer
The heat and fast pace of summer can become overwhelming, especially for the sensitive beings. For more support and balance, try the following:
1. Siesta, Baby!! When my partner and I were in Sicily last year, I allowed myself (and deeply felt) the medicine of Siesta for maybe the first time in my life. It is never realistic to push and work through a whole day, but especially in the hot season, we need more time for slowness and doing absolutely NOTHING.
2. Cooling foods such as watermelon, cucumber, berries, mint, lemon, coconut water, infused water support the body with minerals and hydration.
3. Before any event, invitation or opportunity ask yourself: Is this really what I want? Will I feel more nourished or more drained during and after this?
4. Move slower. With everything you do, can you slow down the pace and the heat as soon as you notice that it no longer feels like a natural flow, but rather like an act of force?