Week 5: Summer
“In the tapestry of seasons, summer weaves the threads of joy and adventure.”
—Luna Brightwater
Week Six Zine Supplements & Resources
Trail Yoga under the Arch:
Meditation with the elements
(adapted from Rochelle Calvert’s “Healing with Nature”)
Nature Nerd: Blue Mind Theory
Blue Mind is the calm, relaxed state we experience when we're near, in, on, or under water.
Water helps regulate the nervous system by reducing stress and promoting relaxation.
Blue spaces improve well-being, supporting better mood, focus, creativity, and emotional resilience.
The sights and sounds of water naturally encourage mindfulness and present-moment awareness.
Even brief water experiences—such as sitting by a lake, listening to waves, or watching rain—can have restorative effects.
July 23 is Blue Mind Day.
Week 5: Creativity
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”
— Albert Einstein
Week Five Zine Supplements & Resources
Honoring Movement: Walking Meditation Rest Phase
Week 4: Tree Hugger
"Trees are poems that the earth writes upon the sky."
— Khalil Gibran
Week Five Zine Supplements & Resources
Bee Breath Somatic Practice:
Yoga Mini Practice: 4 Seasons Tree:
When I Am Among the Trees Guide Relaxation:
Week 3: Awe
“Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary in life.”
-Rachel Carson
Week Three Zine Supplements & Resources
Yoga Mini Practice: Bhavasana—Pose of Intention
Rest/Meditation: Walking In Beauty:
Karen Drucker’s song, “In Beauty May I Walk,” based on the Navajo blessing:
Nature Nerd:
Try the Seek app by I Naturalist
Check out Iowa’s Summer and Fall Wildflowers Guide
Bonus Content:
Listen to this podcast with Dacher Keltner, author of “Awe: The New Sciene of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life.”
or Wild Awe: Another podcast with Dacher Keltner on the science of awe
Week 2: Head to Toe
(Miss something from last week? Don’t worry—it didn’t disappear! Just scroll down for previous content.)
Week Two Zine Supplements & Resources
Nature Nerd:
Merlin app from the Cornell Bird Lab
Iowa Ornithologists’ Union: Look up your county’s bird list; there is even an option to download a PDF checklist for your county.
Rest/Meditation: Somatic Release for Tension
Mini-Yoga Practice: Foot Roll-Out
A tennis ball or even wool dryer ball can work well for rolling your your feet in the above practice. I don’t recommend hard balls like golf balls or lacrosse balls, because the hardness can sometimes lead to more compressing of the tissues than is ideal. These are my favorite therapy balls, and are the ones we have at my studio: Tune-up Therapy Ball
Bonus Content:
Click here to check out this podcast with Katy Bowman, biomechanist, and author of multiple books on feet.here
Try this top of the foot stretch after your walk this week:
*If you’re in a car and need a G-rated version, click here for the Smologies version
Week 1: Explorer
“In the tapestry of seasons, summer weaves the threads of joy and adventure.”
-Luna Brightwater
Welcome to Week 1, where we start our Hike Like a Yogi journey. Take a moment to consider what you’d like to gain over the summer with the program. Are you looking for more movement in general? Are you looking to spend more intentional time in nature? Or are you looking for a home base of self-care practices to support you this summer? Maybe it’s something else completely different.
Community: Please consider sharing your intention (above exercise) with the group on Discord. Not on Discord yet? No worries—it’s super simple to join.
Print the Explorer Zine this week, if you can, and follow the video tutorial below. By the third week, you’ll be a pro at folding these! One big advantage of printing and folding the zine is that you can take your practice with you on the go; and by the end of the summer, you’ll have a mini library of support!
How to fold your zine:
Tutorial on how to fold a zine.
Week One Zine Supplements & Resources
Nature Nerd:
Native Land Website
Mini-Yoga Practice:
This week, we’ll be practicing in a mandala style. A mandala is a geometric design, typically circular, that symbolizes the universe and a journey towards wholeness. We’ll be moving our yoga practice to face the four directions as a way to connect with the natural world.
Connecting Heaven & Earth Video Practice:
Connecting Heaven & Earth yoga practice by Radiant Wellness Solutions
Rest/Meditation:
Link: Peace of Wild Things Guided Audio Meditation
Additional Exploration/Extra Credit
Create a Personalized Movement Map:
Maria Luque, author of New Moves in Menopause: A Fearless Guide to a Stronger, Healthier, and Saner Midlife, shares the concept of a movement map. A movement map has three different areas to include:
Our “Neighborhood”: Luque describes this as the place for our “ride-or-die” movement activities—things we already to or would like to do on a semi-regular basis. This would be like your regular walking or biking path, yoga studio, or gym.
Outings: Outings add a little spice, a way to mix things up. You could put a series of weekend hikes here, or a one-time class or workshop.
Adventures: Luque describes adventures as set aside from real life. They might take place on a vacation or serve as a main reason for vacation. Adventures include expeditions that take you out of your regular routine.
Tech-Free Tasters:
If you’d like a little extra boost on the benefits of detaching from technology from time to time, you’ll get inspiration from Shannon Algeo, author of the newly-released book The Power in Your Hands: Liberate Yourself From Attachment to Technology. Listen to Shannon on this podcast: “Are We Too Attached to Our Phones?”.