Ep 92 Inclusive Outdoor Spirituality

Today we are joined by Amy Hoyte, founder of Beautifully Made Adventures who speaks to us about the power of nature to speak to us, inspire us, and teach us. Stress, anxiety and lists of shoulds are common in today’s world. But whether we’re sitting on a park bench or hiking a trail that challenges our limits, nature has the ability to teach a myriad of powerful lessons, including the lesson that everyone matters. Do you desire some grounding and connection in your life? Join us for a time of inspiration!

Additional Resources
Website: Beautifully Made Adventures

#Adventure #Reflection #Yoga #OutdoorsYoga #EngagingYourSenses #Autism #AutismSpectrum #OutdoorJournaling

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Transcript

 SUMMARY KEYWORDS
Adventures, nature, outdoors, yoga practice, experience, run, walk, relaxation, trees, noticing

Dominic Kaiser  00:06

Welcome to The Contemplative Life. Three pastors, friends and spiritual companions help us explore spirituality through a contemplative lens. 
 

I'm Christina Roberts.
I'm Chris Roberts.
I'm Kristina Kaiser. We're glad you joined us. 

Christina Roberts  00:24

Hello, it's great to be with you. Today, I am grateful to introduce Amy Hoyte to the podcast. Amy uses a blend of nature, hiking, movement, reflection and journaling, both in her personal practice, and through her business called Beautifully Made Adventures. And so we're excited today to learn more. Amy, welcome to the podcast. 

Amy Hoyte 00:44

Thank you so much for having me. It's an honor to be here with you.

Christina Roberts  00:50

So many people talk about connecting to God through nature, but you have a unique way into the conversation. First of all, you use words like adventure and reflection in the same sentence. And so I think many of us might see that as the opposite. So I wonder what drew you to this idea and concept and how you've seen it unfold in the work that you do?

Amy Hoyte 01:12

Yeah, great question. I am someone who has always enjoyed time spent in nature from a little girl. And as I've grown up and just faced life in different ways, nature has always been a huge component. It's always been sort of a coming home feeling for me. And over the years, I have incorporated my own practice of journaling, and eventually my own practice of yoga. And for me, being outside, being immersed in nature, being away from technology, and the busyness of life is the best place for me to feel reflective. The movement of my physical body when I'm actually walking or running, just that monotonous physicality. And my movement just allows me to let go of stress and anxiety and to dos and shoulds and all the things and allows me just to be very present in my body.  

It also requires a different kind of breathing. And so just being aware of my breaths, and the need for my breath, while I'm doing those things, inherently takes me to a new place of relaxation, because our breath is a very powerful thing, right? As you know, it's holy, it's given to us by the Lord. And so it offers us different opportunities for new kinds of relaxation, new kinds of mindfulness, new talent, new kinds of thinking, and new kinds of release that we get as a result. And so those two combined, I had always found to be something very beneficial, very therapeutic for me personally, in my own life. And then I also began incorporating yoga into the outdoors. As I grew in my own yoga practice, yoga in a studio, for me, is great, and it's fine. But once I also brought my yoga practice outdoors, it just changed it for me. There's nowhere there's no better studio in the world for me than being on the shore of a beach or being under pine trees with the pine needle bed underneath me. There's nowhere I'd rather be. 

Kristina Kaiser  03:24

That is remarkable. Oh my gosh, I have not done any yoga outdoors. So now I need to go. I went outside one time in my backyard to work out and my shoes were too big. And I didn't like this event.  It was not great. How do you deal with the use of the pine needle bed? Do you put down a yoga mat? Or do you really just use the ground?

Amy Hoyte 03:48

I think it depends what kind of adventure I'm out for. Right? Like if I'm out with the intention that I'm going to do a full yoga practice, I'll take my yoga mat. I have you know, there's so many different kinds of yoga mats and different weights and thicknesses. And so I have a travel mat that I can strap onto my backpack and take with me. Other times if I'm just out for an hour or two, I'll just do it right on the ground. And part of it for me. It's also that tactile like grounding, the feeling of the connection to the earth that I really love also. And it adds a level of challenge and technicality in the actual yoga practice itself. 

Kristina Kaiser  04:24

And does this relate at all? I have friends that do forest bathing, and I've read up a little and they talk about these sounds, something that's emitted from the trees that benefits? Like do you kind of live in that world as well, where you're kind of understanding that nature is feeding you in some way? Or do you just see it as a regular release?

Amy Hoyte 04:47

Yeah, I think we all know  that trees give us oxygen. And for me it's not as much about other than the oxygen and the beauty and the connection to nature. That's all one component of it.  I invite people to come and you really take time to stop moving, and to experience all their senses.  Close your eyes. What do you smell? How does the air feel upon your skin? What is it that you see? What are the colors? Right? Like, what color is new for you that you're seeing down here that maybe you've never seen before? And it's just because this day, in this season, this is the color that's here today. And it might not be here next week. Right? So really experiencing nature in that way. But I don't focus so much on things like, what are the trees offering us other than the oxygen that we receive? And the beauty.

Chris Roberts  05:39

I love what you're sharing, Amy, and I love the connectedness that you're talking about, right? You're talking about this connectedness to yourself, connectedness to the environment around you.  You talk about doing these adventures with others. And I wonder how this practice might connect you to them in various ways?  What do you notice as you're in these adventures with other people? How does it open up relationships for you?

Amy Hoyte 06:08

So we know that memories with people and experiences with people just grow really tight bonds, right? I have very specific memories of adventuring with friends in college. And those memories, it's like, I can go right there. If I hear a certain song, or I smell a certain smell, or if I'm at a certain place that I can't wait to tell my kids the last time I was here with so and so right? Like it's so alive, and it brings you so much emotion. So all of those experiences are bonding experiences. And I think the more experiences you have with people like that, where there's like a shared emotion that you have, the closer you feel the, the more free people are to really unravel and become themselves. And so I really see that happening with especially clients that I have, that are regular clients.  It's not starting fresh every time you know, you have memories and you have experiences and you have places that you've been that you can build off of.  They feel more and more safe, and I feel more and more safe. And then you need to know also what their abilities are like, Okay, last time we were on a trail that was maybe rated three, four, elevation change, do you think maybe based on that we could try four or five or whatever?

Christina Roberts  07:26

Amy, maybe building off of that. One thing that I really appreciate about you is that you also work with people that have special needs, who maybe otherwise would not feel comfortable in nature, but recognizing that there is that healing and connecting component to being outside with our bodies, whatever our bodies have to offer us in that particular day and moment. So I wonder if you could speak a little bit more to that aspect of your work.

Amy Hoyte 07:51

I have always had a passion for making sure that anyone I come in contact with feels seen and feels loved.  That is what makes me excited to be around people. And that applies to all people. And I have had experience working with people in the outdoors that need a little bit more accommodation, for whatever reason, maybe a gravel trail is not for them. Maybe their footing is not super secure, maybe walking up 10-15 stairs to look out where there's a sloped edge isn't safe for them. And so really taking into account like, Who is this person, and that's across the board, right?  People have different needs and need different combinations for many, many different reasons. So that's where relationships are really important. That's where making sure I know who I'm working with is really, really important. I have a great passion for making sure that no one feels like an outsider in the outdoors, right like the outdoors for everyone. And any limiting factor that would take away the ability for someone to have these kinds of experiences is removed. So whether it's an adaptive yoga practice, where we can change postures or how they're introduced, or what postures we actually do, or whether we're going on more of a level type experience outside, or whether we're just sitting in the grass, laying in the grass and breathing and experiencing the blue of the sky, the air upon our skin. It's all adventure, right? It's all getting outside. It's all receiving the benefits of being a God's creation. So yeah, it's just such an honor for me to get to do that and to be someone that gets to watch that part of someone kind of come alive when they're outside.

Kristina Kaiser  09:49

And Amy I feel like I've heard that maybe you work with children that are on the spectrum, sometimes taking them out on these adventures to which I think I have a number of friends in my world where like that's super relevant information.  How do we engage our children that have those types of stories? So I would love to hear more about that.

Amy Hoyte 10:11

I am so profoundly humbled when I get to spend time with anyone on the autism spectrum period. Much even more when I get to be outside with them. Their finite focus and ability to watch one thing for a long period of time is amazing to me and actually causes me to slow down and pay attention to that thing with them. I think there are sometimes fears around specifically safety, or is my child going to be able to communicate, are they going to be able to tell the facilitator when they're comfortable, when they're not comfortable, when they're done, when they're feeling, whatever they're feeling. And I think in my experience, being able to take these students, these kids, these adults outside offers them a new way of communicating, a new way of feeling seen and important. And I will meet with parents, I will meet with caregivers, and I will meet with the client or the student or the child, and just learn about them, learn about the things that make them come alive, the things that get them excited, maybe things that they would want to bring with them that make them feel safe, that they can have with them at all times. And so just knowing those things, it's definitely a relationship.  I wouldn't want to take someone that I've never ever met before. For the first time, they're coming on an experience outside with me,  I would definitely want to have had opportunities to be with that student, that child, that adult to just kind of get a feel for them.  What makes them tick, get a little bit of their story and find out even just physicality wise, what do they feel great about? What makes them nervous? What will kind of push them a little bit, right? Like, what are your goals for them being outside. So it's very relational. It's very back and forth, it's very much I'm coming alongside of them, and wanting them, their family, their caregiver, everyone to feel like they're being cared for in the very best way in the most safe way. And then also getting to watch the way that they interpret being outside and the relaxation and the release of anxiety and the trying to fit in in all the other places that maybe they don't necessarily feel like they fit. Introducing them to nature and being outside in nature as this place that everyone fits. There's absolutely a spot for you here.

Kristina Kaiser  13:03

So that's fascinating to me. I'm wondering, do you see people maybe, like, have fears that transform as a result of these types of adventures? 

Amy Hoyte 13:15

Absolutely. I think we all do. We live within our own perceived limits. And we only know what our real limits are when we reach beyond what we think we can do. And so getting to be on the side of someone, and walk alongside them when they get to a lookout that they never have seen anything like before, right? When you see the reflection of the clouds on top of a field or mountains through the eyes of someone who's never thought that that could be accessible for them or didn't even know that that was part of this beautiful world. There's nothing better than that. And so I think it is just a beautiful opportunity to get to, to watch and to see that. 

Chris Roberts  13:57

And have you seen your awareness grow of the natural world around you and your connection to it?  I know sometimes whenever I go out in nature a lot, I discover a certain bug and it's like, oh, I'm noticing that bug. Or the other day I was walking and the fuzzy caterpillars were out. And apparently this means we're in for an early winter or whatever. Just your awareness of the outside world. Do you see this growing in its capacity to take in more?

Amy Hoyte 14:32

I personally run every single day in the same state park and get to see the change of seasons. I mean, on one tree, running past that same tree every single day. Or that same patch of wild prairie every single day. You see where everything serves a purpose. There's nothing that's not intentional. There's nothing that was by mistake. There's nothing that is forgotten ever. And so getting to be outside and experience at such a granular level is such a reminder of how important each of us are. None of us are forgotten, even if we feel like it sometimes.  Everyone here has a purpose, you know, like there's a purpose for that fuzzy caterpillar. And he's trying to tell us something about what's coming, right? We all have a purpose too. And so I just think there's no greater teacher than the way the Lord teaches us through nature. For me, personally.

Christina Roberts  15:33

I'm actually getting ready. Next week, I'm going to be going with Amy and a friend of ours on one of these Beautifully Made Adventures, which I'm looking forward to. And I really appreciate Amy, because I don't consider myself super athletic, or even the word adventurer can feel like a stumbling block or obstacle for me.  But even hearing  you describe that there's a place for all of us and adventure can be.. yes, it can be climbing and looking at a summit, or it can be looking at the clouds or the wind on the face. And so I just really appreciate that accessibility that I am hearing today that you're naming.

Amy Hoyte 16:03

Yeah, absolutely. I think that is something that often limits us. And the words are really important. And the way words are conveyed are really important. And so I think it is important for everyone to know that if they have any sort of desire to be outside, or if they're even just curious about it at all, and what they might gain from it. You could be sitting on a park bench or you could be watching birds fly by because it's all part of the outdoors. It's all part of the natural world. 

Christina Roberts  16:35

So I wonder if there's someone that's newer to this, or maybe that nature isn't their first thing because they don't like the bugs, and they don't want to be cold or hot or whatever. What might you offer is kind of a first step or an introduction for someone that might be listening today?

Amy Hoyte 16:47

Going for a walk around your neighborhood. If you're in the middle of the city, you're still outside, right, you're still gonna see grass, you're still gonna see a couple trees, hopefully, you'll see some birds and maybe pausing a little bit and just noticing it. You know, noticing the color of the sky today, noticing the change of leaves that are happening around you, you're not going to go very far. It's all happening. So taking the time. Just baby steps, we always say baby steps, and then just have vision for  how might I come about this next time? What's another way that I could go outside and experience nature? And today it's sitting on a bench in my neighborhood or going for a walk around the block.  Maybe tomorrow it's going and sitting in the grass. Maybe on a blanket? Maybe not? Right? So just kind of feeling what feels really good for you? And then keep going. See what's out there for you. 

Chris Roberts  17:44

Well, maybe I'll just ask you, what has been your most recent connectedness to yourself and connectedness to the Divine? Where were you? What was your setting? Tell me a little bit about that experience. 

Amy Hoyte 18:00

I guess it would probably just be last week. Wednesday, I was not feeling like going for my run. I was feeling heavy. And I was feeling sluggish. I just went and sat on a bench on the shore of the lake where I always run. I  just was able to watch the water lapping on the shore and paying attention to the sky and feeling the cool last week Wednesday is when the temperatures really started changing. And so really acknowledging like, huh, here we are. And for me personally, I was just kind of done with the heat. And so it felt like a welcome friend that had come in. Now we get to be excited about wearing my long sleeves and wearing my thicker wool next. And you know, just thinking about the things that I get to be happy about and what this new season is going to bring. And so I always sit with my journal and just write anything that comes to mind. And by the end of my time when I felt okay, now I need to decide, am I gonna go for a run? Or am I gonna go home? I just feel like going for a run. And so it just kind of offered me that time in that space to just be quiet and pause and take in what the Lord had for me that day to motivate me and give me a little bit of a fresh breath. And then I felt like I had more motivation to get my run. 

Chris Roberts  19:23

That's beautiful. Thank you for sharing. 

Christina Roberts  19:25

Amy. Thank you. Amy also does some online guided meditations. And so in our show notes, we'll be sure to link to Beautifully Made Adventures if you want to learn more. And then also some of Amy's guided meditations. 

So thank you so much for joining us on the podcast today, Amy. 

Amy Hoyte 19:40

Yes. Thanks for having me, you guys. Thanks so much. 

Christina Roberts  19:49

And now is the part of our podcast where we talk about what we are into this week.

Kristina Kaiser  19:53

Well, let's see. I am into curtains and curtain rods. I think this happened one other time not so long ago. But we just realized that our downstairs area also needed curtains. And I have to say back several months ago we were like should we do blind? Should we do curtains?  And one friend was like hands down curtains, curtains for sure. And I was skeptical about whether or not I would like curtains. But I do. I love the feeling of whooshing them open in the morning. And I love the ease of closing them when I need to. And so it turns out curtains suit me, I am into them.

Chris Roberts  20:33

Well, I am into fall. The season is changing where we're at, it's getting a little bit colder. And I just love when you wake up in the morning and the air is a little bit crisp. And you have to put on an extra layer of clothing to go outdoors in the morning. And so I am embracing fall, as other people are at this time of year. So I am with everyone in solidarity, embracing the changing of the weather, the changing of the leaves, all things fall related.

Christina Roberts  21:08

I will build off of that and I am into warm fuzzy blankets. So to your point in the morning, there's a little bit of a chill and so I love in the morning, sitting on the couch with my six-year-old and we read a book before he has to get ready for school.  We have a really thick, beautiful cream-colored fuzzy blanket and it's just sweet and cuddly and I love it. So I am into warm fuzzy blankets. 

Well, thanks so much for joining us this week. Until next time, make it a great one.

Dominic Kaiser 21:37

If you enjoy listening to the podcast, we invite you to stay connected by signing up for our Foundry Spiritual Center newsletter where you can learn about even more programs and offerings. You'll find a link to subscribe in the show notes or visit us anytime at foundrysc.com. Thanks again for being with us. We hope you have a great week.