This Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, well-known Canadian yogi-naturalist Eoin Finn (pronounced Ian) is heading to Pure Yoga East and West to lead three Blissology workshops, a style he created that combines yoga, mindful living, and an awareness of the natural world. We caught up with this modern-day Emerson, whose yoga DVDs are sold at Lululemons worldwide, for a quick chat about his philosophy, how it unfolds on the yoga mat, and just how Blissed out we’ll get.

1. So what is Blissology all about?
It’s about finding ways of connecting to a deep joy and happiness that binds  us all.  If we can pattern our minds to treat our bodies with kindness in yoga, we will treat our personal relationships, our communities, and the environment in the same way.

2. Your teachings seem to center around a strong connection with the environment. What can us city folk do to strengthen that bond?
The real question is why strengthen that bond? The answer is because when you relate to the world in a way that is only economic or social, it is like living life with only one dimension.

3. That sounds pretty bad. So, how do you foster that bond with nature in your class?
I do yoga and ecology workshops in large urban centers like Tokyo or Bombay and the first question I ask is, “ What was your nature appreciation moment today?” You can see a difference in the demeanor between people who took the time to observe nature and those who didn’t. They seem so much more full of life. Even in the city, there are lots of trees, many flowers—the moon makes guest appearances, and the clouds put on a great show. Even if you live thousands of miles from the ocean, half of the breath you take in comes from plankton. We just have to stop and feel a part of this system. It is important to do it every day, habitually, in order to feel awe, joy, and wonder. —Catherine Pearson

For more details about workshop times, prices, and locations, please visit www.pureyoga.com.

For more on Eoin Finn visit Blissology.com and YAMA Talent.