The Healing Power of Yoga in Nature

By Alexandra ‘Bahayogi’ Kaufmann

Photographs Courtesy Of Alexandra Kaufmann

Yoga has played a monumental role in my life over the last ten years. My practice started in a small area of my apartment where I practised daily, but, eventually, I felt called to take my intentions outside. This switch of scenery was a game changer. And ever since, I have been a massive promoter of yoga in nature and its benefits. What made this change so monumental? And why does it work so well? Well, yoga, at its deepest core, is about connection. Yoga connects you with the natural and spiritual world and to self. Yoga also unites the body, mind and breath through movement, meditation and reflection, all of which come together for a transformative experience. One of yoga’s (many) benefits is it can be practised anywhere. And in nature, your practice enhances differently in comparison to other places. A recent Swedish study found that viewing nature, especially fractals (the organically occurring patterns in palm fronds or sand dunes, for example), increased wakeful relaxation and internal focus—two essential components of a rewarding yoga practice. Yoga and nature are meant to co-exist.

Let’s dive deeper.

Yoga is an ancient practice that has been used for thousands of years to promote physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Yoga has numerous benefits, including reducing stress, improving flexibility, increasing strength, and enhancing overall health. These benefits are amplified when yoga is practised in nature, making the practice even more powerful and metamorphic.

One of the key benefits of practising outside is that it provides a peaceful and serene environment, which is essential for reducing stress and promoting relaxation. Once outside, your breath takes a new significance. Your senses heighten. You take in new smells, temperatures, and sounds. This elevation creates a deeper connection to your experience and allows you to remain present. The sounds of birds singing, leaves rustling in the wind, and water cascading in a nearby stream can all help to soothe the mind and create a sense of calm. This peaceful environment can help practitioners focus on their breath, their movements, and the present moment, which is essential for yoga practice.

In addition to providing a peaceful environment, practising yoga in different settings also has physical benefits. The natural surroundings offer a greater degree of challenge for physical movements, making the practice more dynamic and engaging. For example, practising yoga on the beach can be challenging because of the uneven sand surface, which requires more significant focus, balance, and core stability. This increased physical challenge can help improve flexibility, strength, and overall fitness.

Furthermore, practising yoga in nature can also profoundly impact mental and emotional well-being. The natural environment provides a sense of connection to the greater universe, and this sense of connectedness can be incredibly powerful and uplifting. By practising yoga in nature, practitioners can develop a greater appreciation for the natural world and become more mindful and attuned to their surroundings. This connection to nature can help to reduce stress, increase happiness, and promote overall mental and emotional health.

Taking your practice outside is an excellent way to enhance the benefits of your experience. The peaceful environment, increased physical challenge, and the sense of connection to the natural world all work together to create a powerful and transformative experience. Whether you are a seasoned yogi or a newcomer, practising yoga in nature is an experience that is not to be missed.

Spirituality is brought together as one experience, one soul.

More than that, on a scientific level, we are made of the same matter that cycled through time and space. The famous astrophysicist, Carl Sagan, has said, “We’re made of star-stuff. We are a way for the cosmos to know itself.”

Sometimes, we forget that being human is also a part of nature. Our well-being depends heavily on our understanding of our own nature and how we connect to the elements around us. This connection can influence our emotional, spiritual, mental and physical well-being.

When we learn how to connect through yoga, we’re as much connecting and balancing rhythms with ourselves as the world around us. It’s all nature. So, the next time you head to your mat—take it outside. Take a moment to connect, breathe, observe and simply be in nature.

Try this grounding flow:

1A Easy Pose, Sukhasana

1. Start from a seated position. Sit on a yoga mat, blanket or bare floor with your legs extended outward.

2. Cross your legs. Slowly cross the legs at the shins, with one leg on top of the other.

3. Widen your knees. Then position each foot beneath the opposite knee (cross-legged).

4. Relax your arms. Place your hands on the knees with your palms down or bring your hands together at your heart centre.

5. Straighten your back. Balance your body weight across the sit bones and press the buttocks into the floor, mat or blanket.

6. Soften the neck and gaze ahead.

1B Breathwork, Pranayama

1. Start in a seated posture. Bring one hand to your stomach and the other to your chest.

2. Settle in. Soften your face and lower your shoulders. Sit up tall and root your sit bones into your mat.

3. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath into your nose and count to four. Hold for a four count. Exhale through the nose for a count of four. Continue for four rounds.

2A and 2B Cat/Cow Pose Marjaryasana/Bitilasana

1. Start from a tabletop position. Come to your hands and knees with your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Point your fingertips to the top of your mat. Place your shins and knees hip-width apart.

2. Inhale. Lower your stomach to your mat as you lift your chin and chest, and gaze up toward the ceiling. Broaden across your shoulder blades and draw your shoulders away from your ears.

3. Exhale. Draw your belly to your spine and round your back toward the ceiling. Spread your shoulder blades across your upper back. Release the crown of your head to your mat.

4 Puppy Pose, Uttana Shishosana

1. Start in child’s pose or tabletop and bring your knees together.

2. Walk forward with your fingertips and bring your chest onto the mat.

3. Lift your hips high toward the ceiling, open the chest and bend the back. Aim to stack hips over your knees.

3 Child’s Pose, Balasana

1. Start from a tabletop position. Reach your hips to your heels and extend your arms in front of you.

2. Rest. Rest your forehead on your yoga mat and relax your neck. For added comfort, consider placing a blanket, bolster, pillow or your hands beneath your forehead. Close your eyes and relax your jaw.

5 Sphynx Pose, Salamba Bhujangasana

1. Lie on your stomach. Place your elbows directly underneath your shoulder blades.

2. Press firmly into the legs. Root the tops of your feet into the mat and engage your kneecaps and quadriceps.

3. Lift the upper body. Press firmly into the palms of your hands and forearms and lift your upper body. Create space between your neck and shoulders and reach forward through the heart. Keep your gaze neutral and press yourself up to your comfort level.

6 Low Cobra, Bhujangasana

1. Lie on your stomach. Extend your legs and firmly root through the tops of your feet. Bring your legs to a hip-width distance.

2. Bring your hands underneath the shoulder blades. Hug your elbows into your sides. Prepare to lift your upper body and head.

3. Begin to lift your upper body. Press through the hands to lift the upper body and first come into a low cobra. Ensure that you are not pressing too much weight in your hands because you want to focus on strengthening the lower back muscles to lift gently.

4. Look slightly forward and up. Keep your gaze neutral but slightly facing up. Ensure the back of your neck is long to ensure proper spinal alignment.

7 Downward Facing Dog, Adho Mukha Svanasana

1. Start in tabletop. Walk the palms just out in front of the shoulders. Spread your fingers and root the backs of your knuckles and the circumference of your palms into your mat.

2. Raise up and back. Ground down into the palms, raise your knees off the mat while shifting the stomach toward the thighs. Lift the hips high as the legs straighten. Keep toes pointing forward. Create an inverted V posture with your body.

3. Keep a slight bend to the knees. When you’re ready, you can begin to straighten out your legs but do not lock out your knees.

4. Look towards your navel or gaze to your kneecaps.

9 Mountain Pose, Tadasana

1. Start standing. Place your feet parallel to each other; big toes come to touch with a sliver of space between your heels. Root through the four corners of your feet.

2. Stand tall. Draw your shoulders down and back. Shine through the crown of your head.

3. Bring your hands to heart centre. Close your eyes and settle in. UA

8 Ragdoll Pose, Baddha Hasta Uttanasana

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, toes pointing forward.

2. Inhale, bring your hands to your hips.

3. Exhale, micro bend your knees and hinge forward from the hips with a flat back.

4. Cross your arms and hold onto opposite elbows.ecaps up and hugging your thigh muscles to the bone.

5. Sway gently from side to side as you allow your torso to hang heavy.