July Theme of the Month: Sāma
Sāma in the Summer: The Balance Between Effort and Ease
In both Yoga and Ayurveda, balance isn’t something we chase—it’s something we return to. In Sanskrit, sāma means balance or harmony, and in the summertime—when the sun is high and pitta energy pulses through the air—it’s easy to tip too far into effort, heat, and doing. Year round, and especially during summer, balance often begins with slowing down: letting go of some of the doing to create more space for being.
In Yoga, the great sage Patañjali encourages us to find balance between effort and ease. The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali remind us: sthira-sukham āsanam—a posture should be steady and easeful. Strength balanced with softness. Presence anchored in breath. This teaching applies not only to the shapes we make on the mat, but to how we move through the seasons of life. Slowing down helps us find that balance.
At Moonflower Studio, we honor this balance by taking a summer pause from July 4 through July 20—a time to soften the edges, exhale the heat, and embody the spaciousness of sāma.
Ayurveda teaches us that rest is an essential part of staying in right relationship with nature. Especially in pitta season, we cool the fire through practices that invite us back into the body’s natural rhythms:
Forest bathing, where the trees breathe for us when we forget how.
Moon gazing, letting lunar light draw the heat from our minds.
Cooling herbs like rose, mint, and hibiscus to soothe the senses and soften the heart.
Practicing yoga asana at a slower pace and embracing the cooling, grounding practice of Restorative yoga.
Practicing pranayama like Sheetali (Cooling Breath), Sama Vritti (Balanced Breath), and Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing) to calm the mind and body.
When we pause, we reconnect with the sukha—the sweetness—hidden in stillness. And when we return, we do so with more sthira—more steadiness—and more clarity.
This studio break is our way of living the practice—choosing the in-breath and the out-breath. The doing and the being.
We’ll see you back on the mat soon, grounded, glowing, and gently rebalanced.
With love and moonlight,
Katie