Introducing the Yoga in True Nature Project

Welcome to the first blog post from the True Nature Tribe. As photographers, Marc and I wanted to take on a personal project. Something where we could create art around a subject we were passionate about. This is the resulting yoga photo project.

The following blog posts contain a story, starting with our own, that connects fellow yogis and lovers of the outdoors on a path to discover our True Nature. By immersing ourselves in the natural world we attempt to strip away anything artificial or material in order to reconnect with what remains. We are turning off distractions in order to find presence and awareness in the surrounding world.

For us, photographing yoga poses in nature started out as a personal experience. As a yoga teacher and practitioner myself, I often feel called to practice in the places I love most. When we arrive somewhere beautiful and I cannot express with words how it makes me feel, I can express it with my body (not to mention, I often have a need to stretch after a long car-ride). Nature makes me feel strong and powerful but, at the same time, only a small piece of this vast world. A good view is the surest way to clear my mind and find peace.

Only in a meadow do we see an adult skip or in the forest do we see someone running without cause. Numerous great thinkers have seen the power of the natural world to 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 sunset. Now, trash guards the edges of the road and the paths that lead to the great beyond. Some days we can’t see the forest through the litter. And even if we could, we don’t have time. We’re too busy.

An idea gradually developed. We wanted to better understand why, for us, both yoga and time in nature go hand-in-hand. We wanted to discover why so many of our friends are hitting the open road or the yoga studio in order to escape stress. The yoga mindset teaches us that we are all on our own paths traveling together. Join us while we experience the stories of yogis who take the time to enjoy the outdoors, practice yoga, and reconnect. When we take the time to see what’s around us, we’ll realize how important it is to protect it.

When I discovered rock-climbing, I discovered an escape from my thoughts. The judgment, the stress, and the to-do lists disappeared when I tried to find a way up the rock. Similarly, when I find myself moving through yoga poses in rhythm with my breath, everything else disappears allowing me to be present in the experience. Hobbies or passions that we are drawn to because of the access they give us to flow, are indispensable. Research supports my assessment that healing exists in activities during which we find flow; that mental state in which we are fully immersed in an activity. Both yoga and nature have the power to rejuvenate, restore, and refuel. I see a common thread and theme of reconnecting people with their heart, their soul, their purpose, their home, and dare I say, their God. I am not an expert in all, let alone any of these subjects, but I am interested in the stories.

Thanks for tuning in! Be sure to visit our website for more information on what we are doing with the True Nature Tribe Yoga project. You’ll see glimpses of the stories ahead and well as ways to get involved. We would be honored if you would support our project in whatever way you are able. We’ve created a Postcard Pack that is available for purchase. 100% of the profits will be donated to land conservation.