A Yoga Hike, Get Out and Enjoy Fall.

I love fall, especially living in the north east. The explosion of color every October makes me want to live in the woods. I’m lucky that I have some trails in the woods behind my office so on my lunch I can wander out and enjoy the colors. One of my favorite things to do on my hikes is to stop and do some yoga. Nothing fancy, but just a few stretches to work out the kinks of sitting at my desk and to refresh my mind.

Doing yoga out in nature exposes us to the elements. There are five elements in nature and in our bodies. When the elements in our bodies are out of whack, connecting with them in nature can help to put us back into balance.

In the Ayurveda tradition the five elements consist of fire, water, earth, air and space. Fire is the heat and energy in our bodies, water is our life sustaining fluid, we are 70% water. Earth is the food that we digest from nature giving our bodies energy.  Air flows through our bodies allowing movement to biological functions and feeding our cells (in yoga we call this prana). Space is ever present and allows room for all the other elements to interact.

Because our bodies are so in tuned with nature, it is essential that we get out in it. This is especially important when we don’t quite feel like ourselves. Fall is the season of Vata, which is a dosha or body type in Ayurvedic medicine. When our vata is out of whack we feel spacy and have a hard time concentrating on anything. Getting out in nature is great for restoring balance to your vata. By immersing yourself in nature, feeling the ground beneath your feet, breathing in the fresh air and calming your mind with the sounds of the forest, you are, in a way, hitting your reset button.

Whether you have an hour or only ten minutes, you can take advantage of it. Simply find a place in nature that you can go, even if it is a local park. Hike for a few minutes till you find a nice spot. Start by doing some high lunges and then continue on your way. Finding another spot, do a little flow sequence, focusing on the breath. I like warrior II, extended side angle and triangle. Once you've finished both sides, walk a bit more until you find another great spot. Come into standing crescent moon (stand tall and arch your whole body over to one side), eagle arms and finally interlacing your hands behind your back bending into a forward fold. Once you're finished, close your eyes and take ten deep breaths. If you have the time, keep your eyes closed and just listen, enjoy the stillness until you are ready to finish your hike.

Even with winter coming you can still keep up this routine, just dress a bit warmer. Our bodies crave fresh air, we love being outside and it shows when we don’t get it. We get depressed, anxious and grumpy. Getting out into the woods will do you wonders.