Albert Einstein said, “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”
I crave time on the trail, just as I crave time on my mat. Since it’s National Yoga Day, I thought I would share the story behind my dancer poses (and sometimes tree, warrior, or other poses) in some rather unusual places in nature.
It all started on a dare fittingly in Rocky Mountain National Park. I was hiking to Ouzel Falls and Ouzel Lake with some friends. As we took a refreshing break by the falls, a buddy dared me to do a yoga pose as close as I could to the falls since at the time I had just started getting into yoga. Guess that’s what I get for chatting about my yoga classes, breathing techniques and all sorts of yogi talk on the hike!
My form wasn’t great that day, but that’s ok. From that day it just kind of became a thing as I did dancer pose on mountaintops to desert landscapes.
When I came across that Albert Einstein quote recently, it all fell into place for me. I go to my mat to look deeper into myself, being vulnerable and often humbled as I build strength and serenity in a continual journey to find balance.
I realized I also do the same in nature. My soul is happiest on the trail, exploring a national park, soaking in a sunrise or sunset, and yes doing crazy yoga poses in stunning landscapes only nature can create.
Einstein was right. Maybe nature can’t solve all of the world’s problems but it can help you find answers you seek about yourself, just as it continues to do for me.
On this International Yoga Day, here are a few of my favorite outdoor yoga moments.
Here are some warrior poses.
And some trees.
And a drunken lizard pose during a paddleboard yoga class at Keystone Resort in Colorado.
