Acro Yoga from all Angles

"On The Verge of Ecstatic Adventure!"

       So what is Acro Yoga and do you need to be a Yoga master?

When taking the first steps into the Yogi journey itself, it can be a bit intimidating. Especially, when there are some well-seasoned yogi's in the class. With all the buzz that yoga has received in the last decade it seems that yoga has taken its own movement as a sport or fitness challenge, with even talk of turning yoga into a contradicting race in the Olympics. As much as we are urged in class to respect our body and our limits, it seems as if we are all in the midst of a heated competition. We seemed to have lost the essence yet again about what it means to be, without turning everything into a challenge.

Not to say these aren't beautiful and exciting new ways for inspirations, but as a result the casual bystander may take a mere look at these poses and immediately think to themselves, "this is not for me." I find that the "industry" of yoga has found it's appeal in the external aspects of a yoga practice, as the postures themselves are easy to market to the public. My purpose and focus is to show the world we can begin a practice with an internal look and reveal a deeply rewarding experience of Yoga. 

While I myself have gained satisfaction by my own asana (yoga posture) milestones, we all eventually come to know that "The Journey is Everything." This deep link with our minds, bodies, and breath can transform our ways and inspires us to live more consciously. We begin to experience compassion for others by sharing our yoga practice with others in class.    

So to get to the point. What is Acro yoga, where did it begin, and do we need to be a yogi master to even experience this unique flavor of practice.

Acro yoga does in fact have a foundation which stems from an external and physical practice. However, the unique aspect and culture distinction is that it combines three modalities for external fitness and internal relaxation. The three elements of Yoga, Acrobatics, and Thai Massage are blended together, hence from each of these ancient lineages the basis for Acro Yoga was born. These exercises cultivate trust, connection and playfulness between the participants and brings forth a new opportunity for growth. The minimum settings for this practice involves a base and a flyer. For beginners, or those exploring with an advance pose for the first time, there will often be a 3rd person participant. The 3rd person acts as a spotter to assist and guide the safety of the flyer and the base.  

History Factoids: Although it is unknown where the term for Acro Yoga originated, it has been formally used and acknowledged since the 1990s in Santa Monica, CA. Nevertheless, the physical component was first recorded in 1938. Krishnamachrya, a well known father of yoga, practiced with small children as flyers.  

So remember... Allow these poses to be your yoga NV (Yogic Life Fire) and inspire yourself to impact beings in a positive way when you leave the mat. Don't get too caught up in the asanas and whether you can or can't do a pose at all or only for today or tomorrow. The whole point is to just have fun! Laugh, play, and enjoy each others company. Comfort is key and your body is your temple so respect yours as well as other beings' sacred spaces. With that in mind you will be able to fly & reach new heights than ever before imagined. Sometimes you just have to jump!

In Faith & Freedom,

Nicolasa