Over a century ago an unknown plant lover attached a solarium to the south side of the building that now serves as our yoga center. Owing to architectural changes over the years, the room is no longer really usable, but its large windows still bring in warm, radiant light.

The difference between happiness and joy is that happiness depends on external circumstances. Joy is a deeper upwelling that comes from within ourselves and is not limited to what is happening around us.

Summer is the pitta time of year—when pitta dosha, consisting of the fire and water elements, rules. Pitta is one of the three Ayurvedic doshas, or qualities, and each person’s unique constitution contains all three—although typically one quality predominates.