episode 3 : go play outside

They say if you are lucky enough to live by the beach then you are lucky enough! They are not wrong. When you are lucky enough to live close to the sea, where the weather is sunny and gorgeous 99% of the time, yes indeed you are plenty lucky. But I feel most lucky because I can take my yoga practice outside on the grass, in the gazebo or by the sea. Don’t get me wrong, I love practicing in a studio… not affected by rain or pelting hot sun. You have walls for modifications and variations. A quiet zen environment to play and lay down. A nice relaxing place where usually you have all the props available to you. Bonuses all around.

I’ve been teaching outside, for over 10 years now. And the list of benefits and perks is pretty long. But there is also some down sides to it. Teaching Sup Yoga is amazing, but you are always dependent on weather and water conditions. Some days the water is perfect and flat and crystal clear and some days the waves are huge, the water is a mess or it’s raining like a hurricane is around the corner. Or even worse, there is an actual hurricane around the corner. Kinda scary!  And obviously no class – “Safety first” is a big priority 😉 

Having your job depend on how nice the weather is, it’s pretty stressful at times. Financially pretty stressful. Example, this past February a very unseasonal wave was passing, and instead of teaching 8 classes a month like I normally do, I only taught one! That’s how bad the water was. Surfers were crazy psyched while I was quietly crying in the bathroom. So sadly, my bank account was very unhappy and I was slowly getting frustrated as it was fully out of my control. I just had to breathe and get over it. March came and all was right in the world again. 

Being near the beach on a tropical island is amazing, but sometimes career wise, a little unstable. But at the end of the day, it’s still oh so worth it. No complaints here!

The topic of financial stress is a pretty boring one, so let’s talk about the benefits of playing outside instead. 

How many of you practice outside? In the sunshine? In the sea? In the jungle?

There are so many places you can unroll your yoga mat and have an invigorating or incredibly relaxing practice. 

– connect with nature

– fresh air into your lungs

– get your daily dose of vitamin D

– improves you balance and focus

– helps relax your mind

– you feel revitalised 

– stimulates your senses

– just to name a few…

Researchers have found that outdoor physical or relaxing yoga tends to make you feel better by releasing endorphins to your brain. Also having the added stimulation of terrain; grass, wind, sand, flowers, trees, only helps you feel more connected to nature, yourself and your environment. Nothing helps calm your nervous system like the sound of birds chirping in the distance, the sound of waves, the smell of flowers and the feeling of a soft breeze on you. All that being said, don’t take my word for it, go outside. Be barefoot in the grass, close your eyes, take a deep breath. If you are ever having a bad day or feeling stresses out, no lie 5 min of that will help calm your nerves and clear your mind.

Some of the places I am lucky enough to teach and practice have either jungle vibes with lush greenery, flowers everywhere, bright green grass and trees. Or beach vibes with ocean breeze, sunshine and the sound of waves. Nothing heals the soul like watching the sun set over the sea from a high ridge with a view. Or floating on a pier with water surrounding you. The next time you’re outside with a warm breeze, indirected sunlight dancing around you and waves splashing, have a moment of thanks! Feel lucky, even if it’s just for a moment. Or some nights as we lay in savasana, eyes open gazing at the stars above in full darkness and stillness, feel lucky. Smile, give thanks! It will make your yoga practice that much better. Small details in life make huge differences. Take advantage of it all.

So if you live in a city where outdoor yoga is only available in the summer, or a few months out of the year, attend those classes! Soak it up as mush as you can, you will be back in a closed studio before you know it. Slap on some sunscreen, drink some water and go play outside.