For years, the practice of yoga has been an important and transformative part of my life. Similarly, outdoor activities such as hiking, trail running, or really anything that gets me outside have become foundational aspects of my day-to-day life. Until about two years ago, my yoga practice and my love for being outdoors existed separately. Practicing yoga in outdoor spaces was, at the time, the only connection between these two passions. Thanks to my yoga teacher training and a process of deep self-reflection, I have realized that they are not inherently separate and are, in fact, deeply intertwined.

I came to the practice of yoga like many folks have in the West – through a yoga studio. In large part, yoga in the West typically centers āsana, or physical postures, and is viewed as akin to a fitness regiment. To some extent this is true. Ᾱsana and Hatha yoga – a form of yoga that primarily involves physical and breathing technique and is popular in Western yoga spaces – are both aspects traditionally used in yoga practices. However, Ᾱsana and Hatha yoga are only two ways among the wide range paths and styles of yoga to practice. The practice of yoga extends far beyond physical practice; yoga is a highly internal process of self-reflection and provides the practitioner with the tools to look inward.

“I learned that a yoga practice can go beyond physical practice that takes place on a mat; it can happen anywhere and everywhere.” 

I was not always aware that yoga is so much more than a physical practice and expensive yoga pants. It wasn’t until 2020 when I undertook a 200-hour yoga teacher training that prompted me to explore the history, philosophy, and the depth of yoga. Through this training, supported by my teacher, other students, and my own self-study, my understanding and relationship to my own yoga practice changed. I learned that a yoga practice can go beyond a physical practice that takes place on a mat; it can happen anywhere and everywhere.

My first  encounter with this realization happened while I was hiking one of my favorite trails in my California hometown, the Mugu Peak Trail. This trail was a place I regularly visited when I wanted a beautiful ocean view and a bit of a workout, and this time was no exception. However, at this point, I had been in the process of shifting my yoga practice by putting more emphasis on meditation and mindful movement rather than on fitness. Little did I know that this shift would express itself in my hiking.

I began the hike as usual, on my own and at a fast pace. At some point during my ascent, I decided to allow myself to become fully present in the moment. I focused on my breath, movement, and everything around me. I made an effort to allow stress and outside thoughts to float away. As this happened, I began to notice things I had never noticed before. I noticed my breath and heart rate increase with every move up the hill. With every step I kicked up dust or frightened a squirrel. I noticed the way leaves felt as they grazed my shoulders. I became aware of how my movement affected the surroundings of the trail. My pace began to slow. As I approached the top of the peak, my focus shifted as the coastline came into full view. I had seen this view countless times, but this moment felt different; the colors of the sky were more vibrant, the ocean sounds were like a song, and the palm trees seemed to dance with the wind. In the past, when I reached the top of the trail I would feel a sense of accomplishment, like I had completed a workout. This time, I felt more of an appreciation for the nature around me. I felt connected to the things happening around me, and it seemed that the boundaries between nature and humans no longer existed.

I couldn’t say how long I had been up there, but when the sun began to set I began my descent. On the way down I reflected on the experience of feeling connected to something I had previously taken for granted. I felt strange for not making this connection sooner. It dawned on me that if I had this experience of feeling connected to nature, that there must be some sort of truth to that, right?

While the culture I was raised in views humans as separate and even conquerors of nature, different schools of philosophy, cultures, religious, and spiritual disciplines maintain the belief that all things on Earth are connected. This link between humans and nature is also expressed in yogic texts. One text that I often refer back to over and over again is The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali translated and elaborated by Sri Swami Satchidananda. Patanjali is commonly regarded as the person who systemized yoga knowledge and practice. He is not credited with inventing yoga, but is considered to be the “Father of yoga” and his sutras (written works that instruct and inform) are the building blocks for various forms of yoga. One sutra that resonates with me is sutra eighteen in book two:

Prakāśa kriyā sthitiśīlaṁ bhūtendriyātmakaṁ bhogāpavargāthgaṁ dṛśyam.

Translation: The seen is of the nature of the gunas: illumination, activity and inertia; and consists of the elements and sense organs, whose purpose is to provide both experiences and liberation to the Purusa (the seer).

In this sutra Patanjali discusses the relationship between the seen — nature — and the seer — the self. Here, nature creates experience and activity that the seer can behold. At first read this sutra seems to enforce the separation of human and nature. However, Satchidananda’s analysis sheds some light on the deeper connection between the seen and the seer:

“Nature is a combination of elements and organs. The organs include the intellect, mind, senses, and the body. Normally, we think of nature as being something other than our own bodies, but when we feel we are the true Self even the body becomes part of the nature because it, again, is merely a composition of the elements” (Satchidananda 2012, p. 98-99).

This sutra has a special place in my heart, and I think of it every time I’m out in nature because it so beautifully articulates how I understand myself in the world as connected with nature. It was this sutra that really solidified, for me, the understanding that my yoga practice and my love for nature were linked.

“Normally, we think of nature as being something other than our own bodies, but when we feel we are the true Self even the body becomes part of the nature because it, again, is merely a composition of the elements.” 

As my connection to nature continued to grow and strengthen, I found myself becoming more involved in climate and social justice organizing. While I was still in my yoga teacher training, I came across a book called Skill in Action: Radicalizing Your Yoga Practice to Create a Just World by Michelle Cassandra Johnson. In this short book, Johnson beautifully draws on the story of Arjuna’s internal struggle of battling his friends and family, depicted in the Bhagavad Gita to demonstrate how yoga is inherently linked to social justice. Skill in Action calls on the yoga practitioner to engage in deep consideration of how their yoga practice may play a role in anti-racism and asks the practitioner to act towards a more inclusive and just world:

“If we do not begin to work collectively and in solidarity with one another, we will perish. The journey of discovering that our dharma is connected to the greater good is challenging and we must do it anyway. We must skillfully take collective and radical action to create a world that allows all of us to breathe, be, live, be seen and validated” (Johnson 2017, p. 21).

This idea inadvertently encouraged my practice to become more social justice minded.

“The journey of discovering that our dharma is connected to the greater good is challenging and we must do it anyway. We must skillfully take collective and radical action to create a world that allows all of us to breathe, be, live, be seen and validated.” 

This book prompted me to contend with my own role within yoga spaces as someone who came to yoga in the West and was taught in a context in which the historic and cultural roots of yoga were fragmented and minimal. While reading, I was confronted with the ways Western yoga spaces perpetuate ideas of exclusivity and oppression by privileging those who are white, able bodied, fit, and flexible. The voices and experiences of those who are typically left out of Western yoga spaces are underrepresented and dismissed because they do not embody the image of the typical Western yogi. This harsh awakening helped me explore the connection between my yoga practice and my activism through deep self-reflection and Johnson’s call to action.

My deepening connection to natural spaces fueled a fire within my activism. The continuous effects of climate change I was witnessing — wildfires and drought — made me profoundly sad and anxious, but I was motivated to do all I could to protect the natural spaces I loved. My yoga practice has allowed me to cultivate a deeper understanding of nature as well as a sense of my role in any justice-driven activism. I believe yoga can be a formative way to engage with the self, the outside world, and create a just and healthy world.

I also believe yoga practices should be accessible and approachable to all. As a way to encourage others to seek their own connection with nature, develop a mindfulness practice, and  share my passion for yoga I have developed a short meditation that can be done anywhere. No mat or yoga pants required. My intention is to help you connect with a natural space. This can be a park, a beach, a trail, or anywhere you want. I encourage you to come back to this mediation at any point. I do some version of this every time I am outdoors; sometimes it’s longer, sometimes shorter. Please tailor this as you see fit. This is my gift to you. Enjoy.

Meditation for connecting with nature:
Wherever and however you are, take a moment to find some stillness. If it feel safe for you, you can softly close your eyes or you can have a soft gaze.

Allow your mind to settle, allow your breath to settle. Take a moment to notice the parts of your body that are touching the Earth, whether you’re sitting or standing. Just notice your connection with the Earth. Know that the Earth is there to support you.

As you feel ready, and if your eyes are closed, softly flutter them open. Take a moment to notice your surroundings. What do you see? Without judgment, just notice. Notice the colors, notice the sounds, notice the textures of what you see.

As you take in your surroundings allow your mind to be still and let yourself become fully present by keeping your focus on the natural spaces around you.

When you feel ready to complete your mediation, gently allow outside thoughts and feelings to float back in. If it feels right, I invite you to reflect on the feeling and sensations that came up for you in your mediation.