Spring is a time when we turn off the heaters and pack away the doonas, cosy dinners are replaced by picnics in the park, and soaks in a warm bath are replaced by refreshing ocean swims. It is also the time when we’re naturally drawn to be outside and experience the cleansing power of nature; the mornings are lighter earlier, we’re able to get out of bed with less resistance, the warming sun relaxes the body and the soft tissue becomes more forgiving.

As the desire to be outside increases, it is also more comfortable to explore yoga outside. Nature is a very conducive setting for yoga practice, as you can often feel more inspired in the fresh air and amongst the elements. The word “inspire” literally means “to breathe in” and is derived from the action of taking in spirit (in-spir-it). When you breathe fresh oxygenated air, your intake of prana — the healing life force energy that permeates the atmosphere and your whole being — increases. Through regular yoga practice you aspire to be healthy of body and mind and to live with greater awareness. By practising yoga outside, you’re already in a healthy environment and you’re cultivating awareness through simply connecting with nature.

Outside, the boundaries of a formal classroom setting and the rubber yoga mat are transformed into limitless space. All your senses are stimulated and awakened against nature’s backdrop and your practice becomes a liberating journey for body, mind and spirit. The “yoga room” may now be the soft grass beneath your feet, the shade of a beautiful tree, an endless stretch of sand with the constant rhythm of crashing waves, or a flat water-beaten rock beneath a cleansing waterfall.

Most yoga asanas (postures) reflect a quality of nature or the energy of an animal, so when you’re outside, your awareness and understanding of these qualities naturally expands and you can experience the essence of the asanas with greater ease. Through the body and the breath, you understand the original purpose and meaning of the asanas; their traditional wisdom and practical healing benefits are revealed through nature’s presence and your growing awareness.

In dynamic standing postures you experience connection with the earth as your feet yield to it. Standing tall in tadasana (mountain pose), gazing softly towards a mountainous horizon, you’re reminded of the solidity and grounded nature of the mountain’s form, and you can draw on this to build your own stability. Practising vrksasana (tree pose) under a grand old tree opens your awareness to the qualities of strength, flexibility, timeless beauty and life’s transformational journey.