woman doing yoga in the

Yoga and Benefits of its Practice in Nature

Benefits of Yoga in Nature
Yoga on Lobos Island

There is no doubt that today Yoga has become very popular in the West and more and more centers, gyms and private offer classes, retreats, seminars, courses, etc. Yoga, that ancient practice that makes everyone who dares to know it fall in love. And it doesn’t surprise us! The reasons for such popularity are multiple: exercising the body, breathing, establishing a link with our emotions and feelings and enjoying our surroundings with full awareness, respecting and loving it. So today we are going to dedicate a special device to our beloved yoga and we are going to see what exactly it is and what its benefits are in a natural environment.


What is Yoga?


Yoga Chitta Vritti Nirodha

It is the explanation found in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and that, more precisely, explains the meaning of yoga. A fairly faithful translation could be “yoga is the tool to stop the fluctuations of the mind” allowing the Yogi (the Yoga practitioner) to reach his true being and fully live his present moment. It is a way of life, a path of spiritual growth that follows eight fundamental steps, a progressive series of stages or disciplines that purify the body, mind and Spirit leading the Yogi towards enlightenment (towards a healthy and fully happy life), these eight steps are:


Basic Concepts of Yoga


1. Yamas: social disciplines that guide us in our interactions with others. They must be practiced and developed in the body, but more importantly in the Spirit. All must be practiced with word, thought and action. They are divided into five moral precepts:

  • Ahimsa, non-violence
  • Satyam, veracity
  • Brahmacharya, moderation in everything (avoid excesses)
  • Asteya, don’t steal
  • Aparigraha, not to covet

2. Niyamas: they are more personal, they have to do with how we interact with ourselves and they are divided into:

  • Saucha, purity, internal and external cleanliness
  • Santosha, contentment
  • Tapas, austerity
  • Swadhyaya, study of sacred texts
  • Ishwara Pranidhana, is to live constantly aware of the divine presence

3. Asanas: postures


4. Pranayama: regulation or control of breathing / Prana


5. Pratyahara: in this state it is about being able to control the senses, the ability to close the senses to external stimuli and withdraw them from objects.


6. Dharana: concentration, when Dharana is achieved, it leads us to the next step Dhyana.


7. Dhyana: meditation is the state of pure thought and absorption in the object of meditation, in Dhyana there is still duality. When perfected, Dhyana leads to the last step Samadhi.


8. Samadhi: ultimate goal, state of super consciousness. In Samadhi non-duality and unity are experienced. This is the deepest and highest state of consciousness, where the body and mind have been transcended and the Yogi is one with the Self or God.


So we can affirm that Yoga is not a sport, or a beautiful posture to take a beautiful photo, as we have seen Yoga postures are only a very small part of this path, one more tool that helps us reach our final goal, the Samadhi.


Benefits of Yoga in Nature


If you have ever tried a Yoga class, you will have noticed that the instructors do their best to create an environment of soft lights, pleasant sounds and even incorporate aromatic experiences; These environments evoke nature and the outdoors. It is therefore to be expected that having the opportunity to practice Yoga outdoors is an experience that leaves no one indifferent. After all, if the “recreated” formula works so well… What can we expect from its live version!

Enjoying a yoga session in the open air may be just what we need to reconnect with our interior, to get out of the routine and to feel united with our environment, of which we are an essential part, in the same way that it does. shape of ourselves. By being outside, we will be able to intensify the experience in many ways. Nature has the enormous power to inspire all the sensations that are so difficult to achieve from home. Deep breath, awareness, stillness… A light breeze can, for example, help us deepen our breathing. The heat of the sun, meanwhile, relaxes our muscles, making them more flexible.


Descubre los beneficios del Yoga con Naviera Nortour


If at this point we have already convinced you, or if your curiosity has piqued you, we offer you the possibility of trying a Yoga class with us, discovering its benefits in a unique environment, a protected Natural space where it will be easier to reconnect with nature. nature.


Source: Yoga Journal, Anotherwayf and Breaking Muscle.


Outdoor Yoga Excursion

About the author:

With a background in Reiki since 2002 and professional training in Sound Therapy and Meditation, Eva is our Yoga Alliance certified Hatha and Vinyasa yoga teacher. After many years of practice, she was certified in Hatha Yoga in Barcelona and successively in Vinyasa and Ashtanaga Yoga in Rishikesh, the world capital of yoga. She also trained directly with Professor Xuan Lan specializing in Vinyasa Yoga. As a teacher, she shares her knowledge with love and passion, leading her students to a greater state of awareness of their own body, mind and Spirit. Her classes are inspiring and for all levels.