Embrace the elements and step outside
How often do you take yourself out?
I don’t mean on a date or out to eat. I mean outside.
Taking yourself outside is a key part of promoting balance and harmony in the body and mind. It also moves you in the direction of sattva and strengthens prana, or life force.
Prana is naturally flowing energy. It’s what heals us. When you walk through nature and feel the breeze on your face, breathe from the inside and open up the cells to receive prana.
Spending time in nature helps us remember our essential nature. Ayurveda recognizes that we are intimately connected to the natural world, and that spending time in nature can help us tap into our own innate healing abilities.
When you take yourself outside, you connect with the five elements – earth, water, fire, air, and space. These elements make up the universe as well as your body, and connecting with them assists in feeling grounded, calm, and centered.
Being outside can take many forms. It may be for a short walk, exercising, or playing with your kids. It may be allowing the sun on your face, the wind in your hair, or noticing the fragrance of flowers or trees in bloom. Being in nature is inherently balancing. It makes you feel good, literally.
Here are a few loved suggestions from myself and the team.
Take a hike over the weekend.
If you live near the ocean, lake or river, take a swim.
Go to a park, take off your shoes, and walk in the grass.
Lie under a tree, no matter the season. It’s beautiful anytime.
Stargaze.
Take a camping trip, solo or with others.
Cycle to work, to lunch, or with a friend.
If possible, sit on your balcony or patio to work. You may be inspired to create an intimate garden.
Take up Gardening and spend time planting and tending to your own vegetables, fruit trees or flowers.
Explore a public garden, reserve or park.
Picnic with yourself (can even be in your own yard).
Go on an evening walk to take in the stars and moonlight (it’s just as lovely an experience as walking in the sun).
If you have a dog, take them on your post meal stroll or a long leisurely walk.
Go to your local farmers market when buying groceries.
Practice Yoga asana or Meditation outside, whether in your own backyard, a local park, or at the beach.
Take a nature photography walk and capture the beauty of your surroundings.
Join a nature conservation, cleanup effort or voluntary help in your community garden.
These actions spark joy. They also assist you in recognizing that you’re a part of a larger web of life. Your health and well-being are intimately connected to the health and well-being of the natural world.
By cultivating a deep connection with nature, you’ll tap into your own innate healing potential and experience greater balance, harmony, and vitality.
Originally Published on https://www.halepule.com/blog
