Yoga in Nature Photography Project | Yoga in True Nature Project
If you follow us on our blog or anywhere on social media, you might have heard of the True Nature Tribe. It is a yoga in nature photography project that we did that combines our passions for yoga, nature, and photography. We traveled throughout the west photographing, filming, and interviewing yogis as they practiced yoga in some of their favorite places in nature.
Recently we presented our work at two events structured to raise money for The Conservation Alliance. The first was at The Space, a yoga studio where I used to teach when we lived in Visalia, CA. The second was at the Arc’teryx Denver store where we had to opportunity to present at their Responsible Travel Event. We want to say thank you to everyone who came out to either event, we loved sharing our vision with you. In addition to our amazing hosts, we are grateful to our sponsors, the other Conservation Alliance members who helped make the events possible by donating raffle items and beer: Arcteryx Denver, New Belgium, Deschutes Brewery, Smartwool, Prana, and Sea to Summit. Our gratitude also goes out to the amazing yogis who allowed us to share their stories. Lastly, the film wouldn’t be what it is without the collaboration of our editor Alex Roa. Below we want to share a little detail about the project as well as a slideshow and short film about yoga in nature.
the nature angle
Nature makes me feel strong and powerful, but at the same time only a small piece of this vast and beautiful world. A good view is the surest way to clear my mind and find peace. In the simplest terms, nothing is a quicker escape from the stresses of life than getting outside. Only in a meadow do you see an adult skip or in the forest do you see them running without cause. Numerous great thinkers have seen the power of the natural world teach us about life, meaning, and love.
Sitting amongst the trees helps put into perspective our part in this world. Before man built cities, man found the shelter of trees. Before Netflix, we watched the rivers carve stories into the landscape. Now, trash guards the edges of the road and the paths that lead to the great beyond. We can’t see the forest through the litter. And even if we could, we don’t have time. We’re too busy.
the yoga angle
It starts with a physical need. As our postures hunch, shoulders climb towards our ears, and back problems put us out of commission for days as a time, yoga shows us that physical pain is not necessarily a requirement of life. We can actually feel good. Many students have told me that they went to one yoga class just because a friend brought them and then that initial class had such an impact on how they feel that now they have to go. In addition, they feel it when they miss a day. People all over are reconnecting with their body.
If you go to yoga long enough, you stop hearing the cues about body alignment and start acknowledging to these ideas about listening to your body and your breath, without judgment. You start to develop awareness of your thoughts and emotions as well as ways to clear your mind. Eventually you start to listen to some of those crazy yoga ideas like energy, heart center, and True Nature. A practice that you started to better yourself begins to teach you how to love yourself.
yoga in nature
We wanted to better understand why both yoga and time in nature have become priorities in our lives. We wanted to discover why so many of our friends are hitting the open road or the yoga studio in order to escape stress. Perhaps most importantly, we wanted to learn what lessons nature is truly teaching us about living a balanced life by way of seeking our True Nature.
So much of our days are filled with tasks, chatter, and worries. It can be difficult to escape and yet there are some moments where we are fully present. Where we are calm. Where we are at peace. There are moments when we feel loved, when we feel powerful, and when we feel creative. There are moments when we feel connected to our heart center, our natural condition, flow. What’s called in yoga, our True Nature.
The practice of yoga helps us calm and quiet our mind. It helps us to see through our egos, identities, expectations, and societal pressures.What’s left when we look beneath the clutter is both raw and beautiful, serving as a reminder to take better care of our loved ones, starting with oneself. For similar reasons, many of us seek the escape that the solitude of nature can bring. Similarly to a busy mind, it is often hard to see the beauty of a place clearly through the trash. We head outside to our favorite place to sit, walk, or play and we see that someone has left evidence of his or her presence. However, we know that the beauty is still there. Underneath the graffiti, the crystals of the granite cliff still sparkle. The undulating texture of the rock reflects the orange glow of the sunset.
Perhaps you seek a connection with nature. Perhaps you desire to reconnect with your True Nature. Perhaps you just love pretty pictures, either way we’d like you to join us as we go outside, to go inside. Introducing the True Nature Tribe from our yoga in nature photography project.
the true nature tribe
Thanks for stopping by!
Be sure to visit our website for more information and photography from the True Nature Tribe project. We’d love to hear your thoughts about yoga in nature so don’t hesitate to reach out.
We had a blast working with these amazing people on this project. Thanks AGAIN to the brands who helped us share the project and raise money for the Conservation Alliance: Arc’teryx Denver, Smartwool, New Belgium, Deschutes Brewerey, Sea to Summit, Prana, and The Space Yoga Studio.
We’re just a small photography company but by using the Conservation Alliance value of “strength in numbers” we are able to share our message about the importance of the places that we hike, explore, and play in.
