10 Benefits of taking Yoga outdoors!

1. Connect to nature. Breathing in the beauty that nature offers, actually reaching towards the sun during sun salutations, turning your gaze to the sky or looking at the sea upside down. 
2. Increase energy by breathing fresh air filled with oxygen and life force energy (prana)
3. Heighten your senses, paying attention not only to the breath and the poses, but also the noises all around the sensations of the sun or the wind.
4. The best yoga playlist, allowing the birds and the wind to create the best music
5. Increase present moment awareness. Taking advantage of the surroundings, even what may seem like distractions, for example cars or other noises, also allowing them to bring you to the moment.
6. Improve balance, the ground might be uneven adding an extra challenge and a more playful attitude towards the balancing poses!
7. Grounding poses taking it to a whole other level, actually feeling the ground or even grass underneath. In the end relaxation, (shavasana) actually surrendering to the earth beneath
8. The sun! Especially living in Finland we need to cherish this time of year and boost ourselves with vitamin D! Allowing the warmth and the light to fill up every cell of your being
9. Improve confidence, if you've never done yoga before, boost your confidence by getting out of your comfort zone and try something new! If you already yoga, shake things up outdoors allowing your practice to blossom!
10. Post-practice possibilities are endless, you're already outside and got the yoga glow going, what could be better?!

Photo taken by Saara Oinonen, www.birdy.ratata.fi/blogg/