here is no need to elaborate why yoga is good for you. Over the past decade, yoga has been wildly popular among celebrities and health lovers in general. New versions of yoga — anti-gravity yoga, infrared yoga and hot yoga, to name but a few — have emerged in recent years to keep both yoga lovers and amateurs enthused.
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With new innovations and creative ideas, yoga has reached an all new height in terms of variety. Within the confines of a studio, yoga teachers do their best to create an ambience of soft lights and pleasant sounds and even an aromatic experience to emulate nature at its best. But let’s not forget one important thing – yoga was invented over a thousand years ago, long before even the yoga mat was.
“Yoga was meant as a way for the human body to merge with nature [thus the names of the different poses such as sun salutation and cobra pose], and there are many benefits to practising yoga in nature,” said Waraporn Kunsai, who is a yoga instructor at the InterContinental Hua Hin and hosts outdoor yoga classes from Thursday to Sunday.
She said that whether it is practised on the lawn or the sand, nature is the perfect yoga setting for a fresh new day.
“First of all, when you’re outdoors, yoga’s rhythmic breathing becomes even more beneficial for the body because you are breathing in fresh morning air, which is full of oxygen. The increase in oxygen will stimulate your brain cells, leaving you feeling refreshed and energised throughout the day,” she said.
Most of us get acquainted with yoga by practising on a mat placed on a hard floor. Swapping to sand or grass will feel a little wobbly at first, but that’s another added benefit. Practicing on an uneven surface like sand builds the secondary muscles in your feet, hips, knees and shoulder joints because you have to keep yourself from falling down.
"Trying to balance on a non-smooth surface makes it even more challenging, and requires your body to work harder. That way, you burn more calories and keep all your muscles active. The sand or the grass will also gently massage your feet, promoting better blood circulation,” Waraporn explained.
If you are looking to break serious sweat, outdoor yoga in Thailand will leave you perspiring just as much as you do in an artificially heated room. In fact, some people frown upon hot yoga classes using radiators, believing they emit harmful rays and suffocate the body. “Doing yoga in the sun will help you work up a lot of sweat because of the heat. However, make sure you’re not doing yoga when the sun is very strong, and always put on sunscreen.”
Whereas most yoga studios use computer-generated or recorded “relaxing” music, nature has also provided a great soundtrack – the sound of the waves, the chirping of the birds and the gentle sound of the sea breeze. Nature's sounds can create a calm, peaceful and relaxing atmosphere to escape from the stresses of everyday life. The sounds of nature are the ultimate stress relief and are a helpful way to energise the body and soul. Where possible, try practising yoga on the beach without a mat. You might need to choose safer poses if you are new at this, and avoid poses that will get sand in your face.
There are many other reasons why doing yoga outdoors is better than in an air-conditioned, closed room. But then again, the beauty of yoga is that it can be done anywhere, as long as there is enough space and the atmosphere is right.
“Studies show people who practice yoga can actually slow down the ageing of the heart, liver and kidneys,” explained Waraporn. “All of your insides will reflect on the outside. Your eyes will be brighter. Your skin will glow. Your body will feel taller and longer, naturally.”
