My husband asked me this question: "If the pandemic was completely over, would you still teach outside?" I didn't even have to pause and think about it. The answer is absolutely, 'yes.' Of course, the pandemic motivated me to find a nice outdoor spot to offer classes in an environment that feels safe for the times, but I have learned that practicing outside brings forth a bucket of benefits.

Outdoor yoga energizes the body! According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health people who spend more time outdoors have more energy. Researchers at the University of Southern California found that looking at beautiful scenery releases endorphins, the feel-good chemicals that bring us pleasure. “Perhaps the color green is the default mode for our brains,” writes Esther Sternberg, M.D., in her book Healing Spaces: The Science of Place and Well-Being. Touching grass or a sandy beach further provides stimulation.

(pictured: Kiernan O'Dell taking my virtual class outside)

The healing elements of the earth also awaken our senses and our power to be present. We can connect with the earth, air and sky. When I cue "ground down on the soles of your feet and reach for the sky", the practitioner can explore that organic connection. Research by The Journal of Environmental Public Health revealed that "a physical connection between the skin and the earth promotes the transmission of electrons. Electrons are the charged particles found in atoms, that are shown to reduce pain, balance hormone levels, and manage free-radical oxidation."

Finally, being outdoors enhances our ability to meditate. An article published in Environmental Health and Preventative Medicine, revealed that therapeutic benefits of being outdoors in a beautiful organic environment versus an urban environment. Those who in a natural setting had a lower cortisol levels.

For those of us who live in the Chicago area, We only have about 7 more solid weeks of warm weather to explore and celebrate our practice outside, and then we must give way to the changing of the seasons.

The modern yoga studio was born In 1947 when a petite German actress named Indra Devi opened a yoga studio in West Hollywood after learning the asanas while a diplomat’s wife in Bombay. For 60 years, yoga has been practiced indoors, in a studio, but now is the time to explore the space where yoga has been practiced for thousands of years - outdoors.