In the spirit of ancient Yogis who wandered in the Himalaya seeking places of power to practice their refined arts of energy (Prana) cultivation, I too head to the hills.  The core practices of Hatha Yoga include Asana, Pranayama, Mudra, Bandha – along with meditative practices of  Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and eventually Samadhi (bliss).  This Saptanga Yoga, or 7-limbs is the core of classical Hatha Yoga.  The cultivation of Prana is the foundation – through postures and breath, we can generate energy within our body-mind-spirit.  When we practice in Nature, there is simply more Prana available.  Places of power are not only those culturally significant pilgrimage destinations and temples, but wild places with an abundance of negative ions – be it high mountains, waterfalls, forests, the ocean, to name a few.

Thus as we explore this concept of a Yoga Wilderness Quest, we utilize the practices and principles in the wilderness.  The quest aspect comes in as we seek not only Prana, but also solitude in our relationship with the wildness.  Fasting is an ancient practice to alter our consciousness from the “everyday” to a more “spiritual” or refined perception.  It’s all natural, simply tuning into to Nature’s signs and omens, opening our heart to allow for direct perception of reality as it is.  The goal is not only our natural state of bliss, but wisdom and clarity about our life path.  We go on pilgrimage not to see new places, but to see with new eyes.  This refreshed perspective gained by spending time in wilderness and in solitude aims at increasing one’s capacity to live our lives to the fullest – to give our gifts and become medicine for Nature and Culture.