Yoga and meditation are often associated with quiet, serene environments, but practicing them outdoors introduces a whole new dimension. I have been practising outside for years now but it was the lockdown restrictions that made me take the leap to teaching classes outside.
As we settled into our yoga practice outdoors, we enjoyed the fresh air, sunlight and connection with other people (at a safe distance of course) Many of us ventured off the mat to feel the grass between our toes. We also become acutely aware of the sounds around us. At the time we were on the playing fields with only the birds and occasional rustle of leaves from the trees around us. But as the restrictions eased we were joined by children paying football in the next field and cars in the nearby streets. To begin with I was frustrated and thought I would have to find more rural ‘peaceful’ locations if teaching yoga outside was to work longterm. But I soon learnt that even in a local woodland, on a hilltop at The Story Pig, or tucked into corner of the Therapy Garden at The Potting Shed, after the immediate serenity there was always a moment where the human world crept in. Bees humming over the lavender interspersed with the chink of plates as the cafe prepared to open. The woodpecker drowned out by a passing helicopter or tractor from the road beyond the hedge.
When we take our practise outside we are usually far more accepting of nature’s melodies, no doubt there is a primal connection here. But simultaneously, the urban landscape pulses with its own rhythm, the hum of traffic, the chatter of voices, even a helicopter flying past! Rather than viewing these sounds as disruptions, and fighting against them we can cultivate a sense of openness and receptivity. Every sound serving as an anchor to the present moment; inviting us to pause, listen, and fully experience the world around us.
Meditation can become a practice of following sounds to their natural conclusion. Try it yourself… find a sound anything at all and follow it till it ends. Notice the spaces between the sounds. When your mind wanders into the story behind the sound or you feel yourself reacting emotionally to it, pause, notice what’s happened then go back to simply listening without judgement. Try to innocently hear the sound and accept its place. In this way, yoga and meditation becomes not just a practice of inner stillness, but a journey of exploration and discovery. By embracing the soundscape around us, we can learn to cultivate a sense of resilience in the face of life’s inevitable ups and downs.
So the next time you find yourself outdoors whether it’s a remote hill top, your back garden or a bench in the high street, tune into the sounds that surround you. Allow the sounds both natural and manmade to be your guides as you navigate the landscape of your inner world, and trust that even amidst the cacophony of life, moments of peace and clarity are always within reach.
This article was written for The Sherborne Times and can be found in the June 2024 edition
