The Art & Practice of Adaptation
Adapting to Climate Change with Yoga & Ayurveda
Written by Paula Wild
The reality that we are living through an era of unprecedented climate change is undeniable in our home base of the Sierra Nevada of California. Record-breaking high temperatures and wildfires are something we contend with regularly during the summer season.
When I was a young naturalist 20 years ago in Wisconsin at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center, we had a lesson for students entitled “MAD: Migrate, Adapt, or Die.” This acronym conveys three strategies that biological creatures use in the face of environmental stress. Unless you are planning to migrate or are close to death, the strategy many of us are likely to use in the face of climate change is to ADAPT.
“Furthermore, relationships are active; we are in reciprocity with the elements and their qualities, and we have the potential to balance these qualities for greater health and well-being, even under duress.”
The sister sciences of Yoga and Ayurveda offer us an incredible array of tools and strategies to support adaptability, and I will share some of those below. However, what may be even more potent is the philosophy and perspective they offer us. By studying the 5-Elements (Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Ether) within us and in our surroundings, we deepen our relationship with what it means to be alive and embodied in this moment, in this particular place and context.
Furthermore, relationships are active; we are in reciprocity with the elements and their qualities, and we have the potential to balance these qualities for greater health and well-being, even under duress.
Photo by Paula Wild
For example, it is 108 degrees Fahrenheit in El Portal, CA as I sit here writing this, at the Balanced Rock office in El Portal, CA. If you were here, do you think it would be more advisable to drink a glass of cold water or to stand outside in the direct sun for a few minutes drinking hot tea?
Certainly, we would choose the former to balance the heat of the Fire element that is currently so strong. However, six months from now in January, the latter may be the better option to balance the cooler, heavier Earth and Water elements that will be more present at that time of year. I encourage you to pause and take a moment now to reflect on the following three questions:
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When was the last time I used my inherent knowledge of the 5-Elements to bring balance to my physical system relative to my environment?
When was the last time I failed to use my knowledge of the 5-Elements to bring balance (or perhaps unconsciously brought about a state of imbalance) to my physical system relative to my environment?
Is my physical system in a state of balance (more or less) right now, or do I need to adjust, change, or adapt something?
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Hot Tips to Stay Cool
Here are a few of my favorite practices from Yoga and Ayurveda, and from my own relationship with leveraging the power of the 5-Elements:
EARTH
Lay on the cool ground. Outdoors, I can find this in shady places and/or near bodies of water, and it is particularly successful in the early morning. Indoors, I may take a moment to do savasana on the kitchen tiles (stone is cooler than wood) in the afternoon.
Eat fresh, seasonal, locally grown food. I love the Farmer’s Market, especially in summer, and I prepare to go by drinking lots of cold water, wearing a big hat, and parking in the shade. By eating fruits and veggies from the market, I feel I am literally ingesting nourishment as directly as possible from this fertile earth.
WATER
Rose water. It’s very cooling. I keep it handy and spray my face, neck, and shoulders when I need an immediate moment of relief.
A cold shower or bath. Sometimes in the heat of the afternoon, this is the only way I can cool my body off. Extra tip: wear a t-shirt and shorts in the bath, they will get wet, then you can sit in front of a fan, and the evaporative cooling effect will be significant.
Immerse in creeks, rivers, oceans. Spending time in, on, around, and with natural bodies of water is tremendously uplifting psychologically (check out “Blue Mind” by Wallace J. Nichols). Additionally, you can regulate your temperature with the help of the water body, which is both a beautiful level of intimacy with this element and a practical adaptation for high temperatures.
FIRE
Generally diminish its presence. For example, use curtains or blinds to block the sun from heating up your home. Stay out of the sun, especially around midday, and/or use sun protection that diminishes your exposure (i.e. big hat, scarf, shade structure).
Fire is also related to digestion. I find my digestion in the summer is quite strong, and I prefer and can digest more uncooked food (like salad) than at any other time of year. Spice in food is an example of the fire element, and incorporating some spice can be supportive for certain people.
AIR
Fans and ventilation. I find that I am most in tune with the movement of the air element in the summer because the cool evening breeze is such a blessing and I want to harness its cooling quality to the best of my ability. We know that hot air rises, and we can use this to increase ventilation and cool down our spaces. Actively managing windows and doors can also help.
Consider your skin. The skin has an incredible ability to help us thermoregulate and we can support its capacity! For example, if I take a cold shower but then put heating sesame oil on my body, I am not supporting my skin’s thermoregulation capacity.
Explore higher elevation. Go where the air is cooler. Our Executive Director, Heather Sullivan, wrote a great piece about this here!
SPACE
Slow down. When it is hot and I get overheated, I tend to get grumpy, uncomfortable, and less effective. The wisdom of the space element reminds me to slow down and literally “make space” for my physical system to cool down. Culturally, the practice of taking a siesta or nap in the mid-afternoon is very practical.
The space between us. Similarly, in the heat, our friends, family, colleagues, etc., may become grumpy, and it could be a wise use of the space element to take some time, cool down, connect with compassion, and revisit the conversation at a cooler time of day when everyone’s basic needs are met.
“By studying the 5-Elements (Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Ether) within us and in our surroundings, we deepen our relationship with what it means to be alive and embodied in this moment, in this particular place and context.”
In Balanced Rock’s Yoga Teacher Training we invite students to complete the following assignment, and I will leave it with you here to consider as a supportive or introspective practice:
Read the California Climate Assessment located here (or substitute a climate assessment for you home state or biome).
Take at least 30 minutes to sit, feel, allow thoughts and feelings to arise and move through you. Jot down any notes you wish. Write for at least 10 minutes on the prompt: How can practicing yoga help us prepare for and live in a warmer future?
MEET PAULA
Paula Wild is Balanced Rock’s WildYoga Programs Manager and one of the Lead Trainers.
She believes that the tools yoga and time in nature offer are the most effective ways to connect with our own inner wisdom and expand our potential in the world. She is inspired and driven by the connections between adventure, wilderness travel, the practices of yoga and mindfulness, and the design of sustainable livelihoods. Read her full bio here.