Why join a yoga retreat by the Ocean?

How the Ocean Supercharges a Spiritual Awakening. 

For many people, yoga is more than just a means of becoming stronger and more flexible. Two thirds of yoga students and 85% of yoga teachers say that after they began practicing yoga, they were less concerned about physical health and more interested in how it could help them to grow spiritually. Yes, health improvements will boost mood, but there’s something about yoga that connects us to a deeper or more transcendent force. This boundless depth and power is analogous with the ocean, which is why yoga retreats in beach side surf towns are so popular. But what are the scientific reasons for practicing yoga by the sea? 

Water is Calming

The ‘blue mind’ is a concept that describes the deeply relaxed state we feel when in or under water. Whether it’s deep sea diving, sailing, surfing, using a flotation tank or simply taking a bath, there is something about water that creates a meditative state. Being near water just feels right.

This is why early human settlements were often by beaches or rivers. If away from water for too long, we may start to feel anxious or uneasy. While many cities are incorporating green spaces to try and lower stress, it seems that blue spaces actually have a greater calming effect. Oceans, when calm and still, are easy on the eye and so do not over stimulate the brain.

Water is Powerful

If you’ve ever surfed, you will probably have respect for the sheer power of a wave. The ocean is home to the largest animals that have ever lived and is a deep abyss yet to be explored completely by human beings. This mysterious, unfathomable power has the potential to reawaken spirituality, by connecting us to something greater than ourselves.

When practicing yoga, it is common to try and experience a heightened level of consciousness. While modern technology is an undeniably incredible feat, nature still seems to inspire more awe in us than anything else. This is the feeling we have all experienced while looking at the stars on clear night or gazing across a mountain range. The ocean has a similar infinite feel to it, which helps inspire transcendent meditative states.

So if you want to really take your yoga practice to the next level and experience spiritual growth, visit the ocean. It is gentle on the eye, helping to lower heart rate and relax the mind. Yet its sublime beauty and power will inspire feelings of greatness, helping you to awaken a deep feeling of connectedness.

Written by Sally Keys
Sally Keys is a professional freelance writer with many years experience across many different areas. She writes for Pure Flow Motions yoga retreats in Portugal. She made the move to freelancing from a stressful corporate job and loves the work-life balance it offers her. When not at work, Sally enjoys reading, hiking, spending time with her family and travelling as much as possible.

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Join one of our yoga holidays or yoga retreats in Portugal in 2018, take a week to train mind and body and to awaken your full potential.

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