The Strawberry Moon rises tonight — the full moon closest to midsummer, named in the old traditions for the wild strawberries ripening in the fields.

It's been warm. Properly, heavily warm — the kind of heat that sits in the body and makes everything feel a little slower, a little harder, a little more than you bargained for.

And if you’re anything like me, you’ve been leaning into the afternoon naps and cooler showers.

Summer heat in the body is real physiologically, not just as metaphor. When we're hot and activated (and most of us are running warm in more ways than one right now, hello stress!), the nervous system treats heat as another stressor. And we all know what that experience feels like. Sleep fragments. The ability to think clearly narrows. Anything cold feels like an oasis you’d jump straight into.

Restorative yoga is one of the most effective natural responses to this — not because it's passive, but because it actively cools. Supported, still postures activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which allows the body to regulate its temperature more efficiently. The bonus here is that you also feel calmer, and your chances for better sleep improve.

And then there's Sitali.

Sitali is a pranayama — a breathing practice — that has been used for centuries in yoga to cool the body and calm the mind. It works through simple physics: as you inhale through a curled or slightly open mouth, the air passes over the moist surface of the tongue and cools through evaporation, dropping the temperature of the incoming breath and, gradually, the body's core temperature.

It's one of those practices that feels almost too simple to be real. And then you try it in a hot room and the effects are immediate.

Here’re the practice I’ve been teaching in my classes recently:

That's it. It can be done at a desk, or in a hot garden. It takes two minutes and costs nothing.

Here’s a video I shared last week in the middle of the heat wave, where I explain a little bit more about this.

***If you have asthma, low blood pressure, or a respiratory condition, please check with your GP before considering a practice like this one***

Coming in July

Next month I'll be writing about rest as a form of productivity, and opening up something new for anyone who wants to experience what I mean by that on the mat.

But for now: breathe slowly, move gently, and let the Strawberry Moon do what full moons do — illuminate what's already there.

Until the new moon,

In grace and gratitude,

Sarah x

If this reflection resonates and you sense that something deeper is asking for attention, there are two ways you can work with me.

✨ Classes & Seasonal Workshops
My regular yoga classes and gatherings offer consistent spaces to regulate, restore and reconnect, offering consistent anchoring and presence. View and book all offerings here.

✨ FREE Energy Breakthrough Session
If you are feeling depleted, overwhelmed, or unsure where your energy is going, I offer a complimentary Energy Breakthrough Session. It is a focused conversation to explore what may be draining you and what would help restore balance, so that you can begin creating meaningful, sustainable change. Book your free 30-min chat here.

You do not have to navigate intensity alone. Sometimes steadiness begins with a conversation.