On Yoga and the Outdoors

Since yoga provides a framework for self study, it is only natural that I should consider the relationship between yoga and my passion for being outside. What exactly is it about activities like cycling and splitboarding that pull me outside every day? I put in so much effort (a lot of self induced suffering) for a reward, but why?

Perhaps there’s an element in finding meaning in achieving goals. You craft a fictional story in your head (e.g. ride the Triple Bypass on a fixed gear), then you set out to turn it into a reality. Using this perspective reveals a form of creativity. Writing inspiring stories that start as fiction and become reality that is the result of hard work put into improving yourself.

The search for powder draws an obvious parallel from the creativity angle. A photo or video can tell a story that inspires many to find meaning in the mountains. But what of the feeling of surfing powder from an internal perspective? How do we understand the experience when no external observer is involved?

The sensation must partially draw from a communion with nature. Much like experience of surfing in the ocean, some cosmic combination of events results in clouds dumping light, fluffy snow for us to turn on. The softness of the snow, the feeling of manipulating gravity induced momentum with effortless smoothness, these are the things that wake us up on a powder day.

It seems these outdoor endeavours allow us to find meaning in the act of experiencing the natural forces of the universe. Using human power to overcome gravity while climbing mountains, then harnessing and manipulating gravity generated momentum while descending. When we put ourselves in a position to dance with these natural forces, we create internal and external sensations of beauty. In the most intense experiences, we can lose our sense of self as we find our being integrated into a cosmic dance of vibrating particles and swirling energy.