Seasonal changes: What summer teaches us about letting go and rebirth

There is something magical about stepping barefoot onto warm ground in summer. It's not just the sun on your skin or the scent of jasmine wafting in the twilight. It's something deeper—a call from nature whispering, "Now is the time. Leave everything behind. Start again."

 

Every season brings a lesson, and summer, in all its fiery glory, is perhaps the most honest of them all.

 

 

The heat that burns away illusions

 

I remember a summer a few years ago that completely changed me. It was one of those times when everything seemed to be falling apart—relationships were changing, work was demanding more than I could give, and I had a constant feeling that something inside me was dying. At first, I resisted. I closed myself off and thought I could handle it all with willpower. But just like the summer sun burns even the most stubborn weeds, life went its own way.

 

In yogic philosophy, heat—tapas—is sacred. It is an inner fire that purifies, transforms, and creates conditions for growth. Isn't that exactly what summer does? It removes layers, peels away what no longer serves us, leaving us naked and open, ready to rediscover who we are.

 

 

Summer as a mirror: Accepting change through nature

 

When you spend summer in nature, you see that nothing sticks. Trees shed their excess. Flowers bloom in all their glory, without regret, and then they wilt. The earth doesn't cry over fallen petals. It knows that change is part of the rhythm.

 

I began to notice this more clearly during long walks at dusk or morning yoga as the sun rose. At a summer yoga conference, I met a woman named Valerie. She had just left a demanding job in the tech industry and was burned out and disconnected. She spent that summer barefoot, writing in her journal under old birch trees, practicing slow vinyasa, and grieving the identity she had created around her career. "I thought I had to know what was next," she told me one day. "But summer taught me that taking a break is also a step."

 

That's what's so amazing about this time of year — it allows us to be in transition without needing a map.

 

 

What summer offers us: Lessons in letting go and rebirth

 

Here are a few truths I've gleaned from my own summer experiences and those I've shared with other yogis:

1. Letting go is active, not passive

Just as a tree doesn't lose its leaves by accident, we must be active in letting go of what weighs us down. Ask yourself: What can I let go of this season? It could be an outdated belief, a role you've outgrown, or even clutter in your physical space. Let the intensity of summer inspire you to do some courageous cleaning.

 

 

2. Rebirth requires calm

It's tempting to fill your days with plans, projects, and productivity. But real transformation often happens in moments of deep rest. Think back to yoga nidra under a fan or savasana to the sound of cicadas. It's in these quiet spaces that our new selves begin to take root.

 

 

3. The body knows what the mind forgets

Summer draws us into our senses. It asks us to listen—to the cooling breath of Sheetali pranayama, to the sweat running down our backs during hot yoga, to the food that hydrates and energizes us differently than it does in winter. Trust your body. It is already in tune with the season. You don't have to force change – just let yourself go with the flow.

 

 

Rituals for embracing summer lessons

 

To help these lessons stick, try incorporating a few of these simple rituals into your summer routine:

• Sun salutation outdoors – welcome the new day with presence and intention.
  
  
• Weekly "cleansing" practice – write down in your journal what you are ready to let go of.
  
  
• Cold shower or bath in natural water – symbolically wash away the old.
  
  
• Eat for fire balance – cooling foods such as cucumbers, mint, coconut, and watermelon help harmonize internal heat.
  
  
• Create an altar for letting go – place a stone, leaf, or symbol of something you are getting rid of on it. Light a candle. Sit down and be grateful for the space you are creating.

 

 

In the heart of the fire, we remember ourselves

 

Summer does not demand perfection. It demands presence.

It teaches us that we don't have to hold on to everything. That sometimes beauty is found in the shortest bloom. That letting go is not a loss—it is a necessary act of self-love waiting to be born.

So if you're sweating more than usual—on the mat or off it—take it as a sign. Something old is leaving you. Something new is finding its way in.

 

Let it be.

With light and gentle surrender,

Namaste.