It’s time to get your ass-ana outside!

Spending time in nature is known to have profound effects on our physical and mental well-being. Combine that with your yoga practice and you have yourself in a perfectly natural yogi bliss.

 

Practicing yoga outdoors is an amazing way to connect with nature – Soak in the sunshine, seek deeper inspiration and feel your awareness expand:

 

There could simply be no better way to connect with the essence and ancient origins Sun Salutations than practicing them outside in the presence of the sun, feeling her warmth on your face and body.

The awareness of your breath and synchronising it to movement is so much more enjoyable as you breathe in the purest, freshest air possible. Nature offers air full of oxygen, which is essential for your health (helping to keep the immune system strong, increasing serotonin levels in the body and improving the blood pressure and heart rate) in abundance!

You’ll never feel more grounded than when you have your bare feet on the earth. Not only will you feel a much deeper connection to the earth (and therefore, stability in your practice), you’ll also reap the benefits of so-called earthing (being barefoot on the earth), that have been shown to include relieved muscle tension, improved sleep, increased energy levels, lowered stress levels and increased adrenal health.

When you do reach your hands down to the earth, you can literally touch the earth. Feel the grass between your fingers. Spy little critters pass you by.

And when you do turn your gaze up to the sky, you can literally look at the sky. See the clouds moving in the breeze. Watch birds gliding through the air.

Many yoga poses gained their names from plants and animals. Practicing yoga outside allows you to embody the sense of the pose while actually looking at what inspired it. For example, harness the stability and strength of a tree while you stand grounded in Tree Pose. Take flight into Crow and feel like the birds flying above you.

With all our senses awakened, we can be more present in life in each moment with no distractions.

Spending time outside also reduces the levels of the stress hormone cortisol. With lower levels of stress, we can ease into a deeper state of relaxation and enjoy the present moment.

Before you pop a pill, sit your body under some sunshine. It is very common for Vitamin D levels to decrease during the winter months, so now that the sun’s out, you get the all-natural source for the essential Vitamin D. Go and get it!

Last, but not least, to truly tune into and embody the qualities we find in nature, outdoor meditation is the best medicine. One of my favourite ones is based on a meditation by Thich Nhat Hahn, Zen Buddhist Monk, with aspects of revitalization and grounding to provide clarity and freedom

 

Breathing in, I see myself as a flower.

Breathing out, I feel fresh”

(Flower, Fresh)

“Breathing in, I see myself as a mountain.

Breathing out, I feel solid.”

(Mountain, Solid)

“Breathing in, I see myself as still water.

Breathing out, I reflect things as they are.”

(Water, Reflecting)

“Breathing in, I see myself as space.

Breathing out, I feel free.”

(Space, Free)

 

It´s so much better to actually see the flowers, mountains, water and space around you. What better for it than our beautiful Franchhoek Valley?

 

So, time to get your ass-ana outdoors!

Join us for some sessions, if at Under Oaks, at Grande Roche or at Papa Grappa in Paarl. Lovely Summer pop-ups are planned by Yoga House. Cu Soon!