You can take your yoga practice outdoors for five more reasons

Spring has sprung, so 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 a yogi euphoria.

If the article hasn’t convinced you yet, here are five more reasons for practicing yoga outdoors in nature.

You can literally ‘look at the sky ‘…

When practicing in an indoor studio, yoga teachers will often instruct students to “reach down and touch the earth” or “turn your eyes up towards the sky.” When we practice outdoors, these cues are more than figurative language. They aren’t kidding!

You can actually touch the ground when you reach down and place your hands on it. Feel the grass with your fingertips. You can spy on little creatures as they pass by. When you turn your gaze upwards, you can literally see the sky. Watch the clouds move in the wind. Birds gliding in the air are a sight to behold.

Engaging with nature and moving our bodies in a way that is natural to us can help create a feeling of connectedness to the Earth and an appreciation of the beauty of the world around us. This is a reminder that we do not live in a bubble but are part of the greater scheme of things.

Additional Benefits of Earthing

In the past millions of years ago, our ancestors walked barefoot more than we do today. Science has shown that walking barefoot on the real Earth is beneficial.

It is beneficial to walk barefoot because it helps the muscles and joints of your feet, ankles, and toes work in ways that they would not normally be able to do when you are wearing shoes. Yoga helps because we do it barefoot. But let’s go one step further and practice barefoot outdoors.

Earthing, also known as grounding, is the concept of receiving electrons from the Earth’s surface through the physical connection made between the skin and the Earth. The building blocks of all matter are atoms, which contain electrons. The authors of a paper in the Journal of Environmental Public Health state that:

It is a well-known but not widely acknowledged fact that the Earth’s surfaces are able to generate an unlimited and continually renewed supply of mobile or free electrons. The planet’s surface is electrically conductive (except for a few ultra-dry areas like deserts). At the same time, the global atmosphere electrical circuit maintains its negative potential (i.e., its electron supply).

Talk about energy. They believe that connecting our bodies to the Earth can have many benefits, including better sleep and reduced pain. This is due to the effects that energy has on hormone levels and free radicals.

Get Inspired

Many yoga poses have been named after plants and animals. Yoga outside lets the yogi embody the spirit of the carriage and look at the source.

You can, for example, use the strength and stability of a tree to help you stay grounded while performing Vrksasana. Feel like birds in Kakasana, Crow Pose.

Be More Present

Nature awakens all of our senses. Instead of staring at the small, blue-light screens of our smartphones, our eyes can now see far distances and colors that are more natural. Birds chirping far away, and our ears can hear the wind blowing all around us. Our skin absorbs the sun’s heat waves.

We can live in the moment more fully with these senses.

The stress hormone cortisol is also reduced by spending time outdoors. We can relax more and be in the moment when we are less stressed.

Vitamin D dosage

Sit in the sun before you take a vitamin D pill. Vitamin D levels are known to drop during winter, so take advantage of the sunshine now!

It’s time to practice your asana outside! Do you enjoy practicing outside? What is your favorite part of practicing outdoors? Comment below to share!