Yoga instructor Maria Kirkhorian, left, channels the energy of the sea at Crosby Beach for a student deep in concentration.

"I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in." ~ John Muir

Catch the wave. No, not surfing--yoga. Judging by the number of people breathing and stretching in Mother Nature's studio, outdoor yoga is hot. Happily for Cape Cod residents and visitors, there is no shortage of places to do yoga outside (weather permitting, of course). All the classes share one thing: a strong appreciation of our connection to nature.

Nature is, in fact, where yoga started, says instructor Sasha Reljic Christakis of Dennis. "It began by watching the world around us and paying attention to the four elements--Earth, Water, Fire, Air." Christakis, who taught beach yoga at the Craigville Beach Club twelve years ago and now teaches on the beach in Dennis, got the idea from her native Croatia's beautiful beaches, all of which are public. Like many teachers, she prefers outdoor yoga and if the year-round climate cooperated, she would do yoga only outside because, "It's more complete than in a studio," she says.

Jen Rasmussen, who teaches beach yoga through the Centerville Yoga and Wellness Center, notes that, "We live in an environmentally beautiful place. It's a nice way to connect with nature by breathing the fresh air. I'm not a morning person," she adds, "but I find it's the best way to start the day."

"The beach experience is unique," adds Joan Roebuck, who teaches "Yoga On Mayo" at Wellfleet's Mayo Beach. "There are lots of noises--kids crying, boats chugging by. All the senses are engaged. It becomes an experience.

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"The sand makes yoga easier. It fills in the crevices and helps with balancing," she continues. "But you have to embrace the sand. If you're the kind of person who continually brushes sand off yourself, forget beach yoga!"

Or try it on the wooden deck overlooking Popponesset Beach where Nancy Curran and Don Bartolone teach. "For some, outdoor yoga is magnificent," she says. "For others, it's challenging. You can't control anything; you can't close the door. You have to adapt." Nancy and Don teach outdoor yoga exclusively. (No, not Xtreme Outdoor Winter Yoga . . . they teach in Key West each winter.) "It's too confining indoors," she says. "Outdoors, we've had rainbows and lightning . . . it's awesome!"

Nantucket-based yoga instructor Bettina Broer believes yoga should connect people with nature. "People come to Nantucket to be out of doors. Why coop them up in a studio?" She's received notes from students saying the class was the highlight of their stay. "I don't credit my teaching with that," she admits. "It really is wonderful to watch the harbor awaken and enjoy the view."

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"Beach yoga changes, everyday," says Valerie Twomey, owner of Spirit Well Massage and Yoga in Chatham. "I've seen seals pop out at the beach, coyotes walk by. You can't help but smile when you're out there. Yoga isn't the important part," Valerie emphasizes. "What matters is beauty and breath."

For Brewster native Maria Krikorian, who practically grew up on the beach, teaching yoga outdoors was a natural step. "I get to share my love of the beach, my love of yoga," she says, "and give the gift of health and wellness to my students. Pinch me!"

Gina Perimian, who summers in Brewster, passed the sign for Maria's yoga class many times before trying it. Once she did, it far exceeded her expectations. "The beach, the seagulls, the ocean view, the sand under my feet, Maria's energy and creativity . . . the complete package! I wondered if I would feel uncomfortable doing yoga on the beach with other people out there but it really doesn't matter. Being in touch with nature is very calming."

Laura Richard of Mashpee, a student of Nancy Curran and Don Bartolone, at first thought of it as simply "yoga with a view." It turned out to be far more.

"The sounds of the waves helped relax my mind," she explains, "which is not easy for me. I also noticed a benefit I never had before. I always felt 'stretched out' but morning beach yoga gave me the added bonus of boosted energy levels that lasted throughout the day and week ahead. I believe it has something to do with negative ions coming off the water.

"On days when I thought I wouldn't be able to give the class my all, I went anyway, knowing that by just doing some gentle poses, the ocean environment would do the rest."

The ocean environment isn't the only place to do outdoor yoga. "Yoga In the Garden" at Heritage Museums & Gardens in Sandwich took root four years ago. Catherine Paulson, yoga instructor and master gardener (can you say "karma"?), teaches this unique morning class in a spectacular setting.

"We really utilize the property," Catherine says. "We can do a walking meditation in the labyrinth or hold class among more than 700 daylilies and be enveloped in colors. We have the gardens, the annuals, the stately trees. Being open to everything around us allows something to blossom."

Wanting help with relaxation and stretching, runner Gudlaug Forant of Sandwich was drawn to the garden setting. "I love that we are so close to nature in the garden. Catherine talks about the rhythm of nature and how it relates to our yoga practice. She gives us time to look inside ourselves and try to get to know what our body and mind are telling us."

"There is more 'head space' outdoors," Catherine adds, "a visceral opening, thanks to the fresh air, the sunlight, the lack of electromagnetic current.

"The sky is our ceiling."

Olivia H. Miller is the author of eight wellness and exercise card decks, including The Yoga Deck and The Stretch Deck. A freelance writer on health and wellness, she lives in Marstons Mills.