Yoga is an ancient practice that originated in ancient India and preached uniting oneself with the Divine. However, as times changed, the now widely popular exercise has become a practice that allows its practitioners to spiritually connect with their inner selves and their nature. On that note, here are some tips on how you can align your yoga exercises with nature.
1. Practice The Art Of Relaxation
Most yoga poses are named after animals, vegetation, and geological features; yogis have an inherent connection with nature. However, some poses align more with nature than others, and these are the ones where you don’t have to resist gravity and instead become one with the Earth. This is not to say that more challenging poses like the handstand are unfavorable for you to align with nature; it’s just that when you practice more relaxing poses, it’s easier for you to connect with your surroundings.
Poses such as the Pigeon Pose and the Butterfly Pose and breathing exercises and meditation are highly beneficial to feel the energy around us and connect with the natural world. Moreover, the pose considered to be the most conducive to align and connect with nature is the Savasana, more widely known as the Corpse Pose. This pose might seem like the easiest one but is actually one of the most difficult. Completely relaxing, both your mind and body is quite a struggle. It’s difficult to command your body to relax instantly; this is why this pose is very important for practicing the art of relaxation. It sets up the conditions you need to gradually relax your whole being, which is deeply refreshing, making it easier for you to connect with nature. If you want to expand your boundaries, practice these exercises outside, and change your scenery now and then. Exercise in the mountains or by the seaside, it’ll all help.
2. Work With Environmentally Friendly Products
The practice of yoga is all about following ethical guidelines, considering all living things, and connecting with our Earth; it revolves around the notion that we should not harm nature. Therefore, yoga practitioners need to marry their practice with the environment and its core values. To better connect with nature, consider looking at the things that surround you when practicing yoga. The practice of yoga entails using many different items such as special clothes, a yoga mat, and other accompanying components, such as blocks, to aid you with your stretches and progress in difficult poses. If you want to align your yoga workout with nature, start pondering about the items you use and if they’re environmentally friendly. Investigate the process behind manufacturing these items.
For example, when starting yoga, most people opt for cheaper yoga mats, which are more often than not produced with harmful materials to the environment, like PVC (polyvinyl chloride), which is non-recyclable and takes 1000 years to biodegrade. So, it’s important to pay attention to your products and research their manufacturing process. If you find that your mat or other products are harmful to the environment, then strive to find the best recyclable eco yoga mats or more eco-friendly and non-toxic blocks made with sustainable materials, such as jute and natural rubber. It’s a great step for you to align with nature.
3. Beyond Exercising
Following from the previous point, you can go above and beyond and start changing your lifestyle as a whole. Go beyond your exercise time and the props that accompany you and begin to change the habits and uses in your life to follow the yogi life. It can be as simple as changing the soap you use in your studio or home bathroom to a more eco-friendly one, or as big as donating to charity and taking part in charity events relating to the environment. There are many yearly events relating to nature, such as Earth Hour, World Water Day, and Global Recycling Day.
Choose to celebrate one of them with your yogi family and friends, or even celebrate all of them and donate the proceeds of your yoga events to charity. You get to practice yoga while saving the nature you love; it’s a win-win situation.
These are some of the best ways to align and connect yourself with nature through your yoga exercises. These changes are very beneficial and will refresh your mind and body and change the world at the same time. All you need to do is take the first step. Read our guide and follow it to the T if you’re interested in exploring what’s within yourself as well as your surroundings.
