Moving and being outside is at the heart of a happy life for me. I find that supporting others to be outside and moving is my life mission. I'm completely engaged in a conversation when a student asks questions about yoga, moving their body, finding healthier eating habits or an outside adventure.
The B.O.W. (Becoming an Outdoors Woman), was canceled this spring 2020 due to COVID-19. I had been scheduled to teach the deer hunting and field dressing sessions. I was pumped and still am pumped for next year. I’m thrilled to help other people prepare to hunt and harvest, which is all about being outside, being present and connecting with nature. THIS is unique in the yoga world: I am a hunting and meat-eating yoga teacher! I love animals. I love walking and hiking for exercise, and to simply enjoy nature too. BUT when I am hunting, there is an increased level of focus, absorption, and drive. When a big game animal is harvested, the weight I pack out is BEYOND anything I would choose to pack on a normal backpacking trip. The human endurance is awesome. When YOU experience this, in someway, anyway, with a long hike or a heavy overnight pack, you will feel AWESOME too. Sure, tired during and shortly after as well, but these accomplishments will lift you up for months to come.
When on an adventure in the back country, we are efficient with our movements. There's plenty of exercise going on. We don't need to focus on burning more calories, rather we need to focus on being effective with our movements and staying fueled. This is dropping into functional fitness, natural movements and our natural rhythms. The longer we experience this, the more profound the benefits.
If camping is not on your list of fun things to do, try longer walks or a walk with a longer time sitting or wondering slowly in the natural world around you.
I’ve written in the past about how hunting completely aligns with my morals; eating local to nourish myself and being connected with my surroundings. In the Northern climate of Alaska that I live in, eating complete proteins feels awesome for my body. I also want to know the origin of the fuel I put into your body. Plus, no surprise, I'm thrilled with the bonus time in nature.
These words are to invite and inspire anyone. To help someone prepare to go outside more. Hunting not required. I care that others care about what they eat, but what each person thinks is right for their body, is up to them and a personal journey.
Notice how your self-esteem changes when you test your endurance and exceed what you thought was possible. No problem to turn around early or not make it to the top, the benefits of being outside are there for all adventures, big and small.
Exhale completely,
JODEE
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