The image of someone practicing yoga on an idyllic hilltop is probably pretty high on the list of stereotypical things that comes to mind when someone thinks of a “hippie environmentalist”. Let me just start out by saying that this idea is a bit played out and of course does not apply to everyone – although if you’re on this site right now, you may fit the bill. Don’t worry, I’m a cliché too. But let me just say, if you’re someone who rallies against climate change and you’ve never been able to touch your toes, you are still a valid and vitally important part of this movement. 

Generalizations aside, I’ve found the association between yoga and eco-awareness to be rooted in some truth. As someone who works in the field and practices yoga, I’ve found that time on the mat has a way of deepening my commitment to environmental protection and that climate work moves me closer to self-realization (which is just a very yoga way of saying “fulfillment of one’s potential”). 

To explore this crossover, I wanted to touch on 3 of the most important takeaways from yoga that I’ve been able to apply to my work in the environmental movement. The awareness of this connection may help you draw even more power and focus from your practice and apply it to the causes you care most about. 

1. Simply Showing Up

One of the most valuable lessons I’ve had in discipline and compassion stems from teachers gently encouraging students to show up on their mat, day after day, exactly as they are. Some days you simply feel too exhausted, stressed, or unmotivated; the last thing you want to do is carve out time for exercise. Those are the days you value the kind, supportive words of a yoga teacher offering modifications and thanking you for simply engaging in the practice – even if you end up in child’s pose for the full 50 minutes. 

Environmentalism, like yoga, is a practice. It’s something we recommit to every single day. It’s equally important in both to allow yourself the grace to show up imperfectly. 

We’ve all heard of eco-anxiety. Its effects on our mental health can be very real. Burnout can be very real. I believe the best way to combat it is to beckon yourself and those around you back to the movement with the understanding and compassion of a yoga teacher. 

Some days you’ll be able to do arm balances with ease, stop by the local farmers market, and pick up trash on your walk home. Other days you might forget your reusable bag, accidentally throw a recyclable into the public garbage bin, and skip your yoga practice altogether. That’s okay! Try not to walk away from your goals completely because of one off day. Show yourself compassion and start the next morning as if you’d never faltered. You’ll be doing better by the planet and yourself by loving your imperfections while continuing down the path to improvement.

That same patience and understanding should always be granted to others as well. You would never expect a new yogi to execute a perfect handstand with lotus legs on their first day of practice. I still can’t do it after years of practice! Similarly, when someone is new to the environmental movement we should encourage their participation, no matter how limited it may be. There can be a lot of “gatekeeping” within important missions like the fight against climate change. We shame one another for not making specific diet changes or not being vocal on certain topics. It creates an unwelcoming and unsupportive community that scares newcomers away at a time when it is critical that more people become involved. 

Allow for modifications just like in yoga class. Everybody is different and the energy they can expend on sustainability will change.

Perhaps there’s a health reason they can’t make a diet switch just as there may be a former injury preventing someone from sitting cross legged. If someone can’t show up to a rally, see if they can sign a petition instead. If they can’t install solar on their own roof, see if they’re able to switch to a renewable provider through their electric company.

There are modifications that can fit every lifestyle. It’s our responsibility to encourage every effort and provide options along the way for ourselves and others – just as our yoga teachers do.

2. How to Focus Energy

Our yoga teachers often ask us to leave our day thus far, the good and the bad, at the door when we enter a practice. They may ask us throughout our movements to take stock of our recurring thoughts, what tension we may be holding, and gently encourage us to let go of what no longer serves us.

This is a practice in mindfulness – bringing awareness to our thoughts, feelings, and emotions in a way that acknowledges but is not overwhelmed or acted upon without reason. 

I believe this is a critical practice to master within the sustainability movement as well. As I’ve mentioned, eco-anxiety can build to the point of becoming counterproductive. We’re constantly bombarded with news about wildfires, oil spills, and CO2 levels steadily rising. For some, it can be overpowering to the point of inaction. I’ve absolutely been there. You may look at these overarching issues and think, “I as a single person am no match for this, I may as well do nothing”. 

In those moments it’s critical that we ground ourselves in reality. Of course, no single person is capable of removing all of that CO2 from our atmosphere, just as no single person put all of it there in the first place. These are systematic issues that require systematic solutions. Remind yourself that your only responsibility is performing a singular role as best you can within our society.

When we distill it down to small, actionable steps, multiplied by thousands working in unison, suddenly these larger issues seem a bit more manageable. 

So, whenever you feel overwhelmed take note of where your energy is being expended. Are you losing sleep over the accumulation of plastic in the ocean? Ask yourself if your fatigue and worry are doing anything to reduce water pollution or if it’s simply making you miserable.

Just like in yoga, you’re asking yourself if there is something you can leave at the door in favor of a more productive practice.

Instead of depriving yourself of rest and perpetuating an unhealthy stress response, try to break free of anxiety paralysis by redirecting your energy towards action. Find causes to donate to, sign petitions, go to a beach and pick up trash, reduce your own plastic use, and make sure you’re properly recycling. Just think about how much change we could see in the world if we collectively directed our energy towards action rather than creating an undercurrent of anxiety. 

3. Honoring your Body as your Home

Another incredible piece of wisdom I’ve taken from my practice is the idea that my physical form is my home and I should care for it as it cares for me. This idea often stems from yoga teachers welcoming us to give thanks to our legs and feet which carry us every day, our stomach which protects our most precious organs, or our lungs which continue to provide us with oxygen even when we’re not conscious of our breath. 

When you view your body as your home you care more about the food you eat, the air you breathe, and the water you drink.

Your body is the only physical thing that truly belongs to you in this world. It is your greatest asset and well worth protecting. 

It’s no surprise, then, that many folks enter into environmentalism from a public health perspective. Our physical bodies rely completely on a clean and inhabitable earth. Human health and climate change are intrinsically linked. We are not excused from the growing list of creatures at-risk due to our own pollution and exploitation. 

The good news is that, unsurprisingly, the most sustainable choices also happen to be the healthiest.

We can take care of both our planet and our physical body by choosing a plant-based diet, using non-toxic cleaning agents, avoiding plastic water bottles, wearing natural fibers, and the list goes on. Essentially, when we live more in line with nature, we’re on the right track. 

Now, “living in line with nature” may seem like a steep departure from how the modern, city dwelling human operates. But here’s the other trick – when you view your body as your home, you think less of ornamentation and the accumulation of goods. 

This doesn’t mean you can’t have a well decorated living space or enjoy fashion. It just means you may become more thoughtful about your purchases. You may begin to take a deeper look at your shopping habits: “is this purchase improving my health, my life, or my planet at the expense of my ego or is this purchase serving my ego at the expense of my health, my life, and my planet?”.

In Practice

Always carry with you a “simply show up” mentality.

There are so many life circumstances that will limit our ability to adopt practices that are in line with nature – and that’s completely ok. We’re always going to be faced with choices that just simply need to be made in order to keep up – maybe a car big enough for all your kids or a winter jacket from a less sustainable but more affordable brand. Remember to show yourself compassion and to employ modifications:

• Used cars can actually be an eco-friendlier option than a brand-new electric vehicle because they don’t use up new resources. 
• A single winter coat worn and mended for many years is kinder to the earth than buying a new sustainably produced coat each year. 

Environmentalism, just like the pillars of yoga, can become a bit difficult to strictly adhere to in the real world. But these three mindset shifts have helped me immensely along the way. They do not serve as hard and fast rules, they simply serve as a foundation to build upon. I invite you all to employ them within your own environmentalist efforts or perhaps to ponder the next time you’re doing yoga on a mountaintop at sunset (as we all do).