“Did a cartwheel the other day thinking it was like riding a bike. It’s not.” 

Lani Lynn Vale

This quote I saw the other day left me in stitches. I feel like it describes my experience with aerial yoga so far. I have had a mat practice for over 20 years, but only relatively recently added aerial yoga to my routine. Assuming that the mat practice would very easily translate to an aerial practice, there have been many moments when I thought, “Yeah, I can do that!” – only to be summarily proven otherwise. It has definitely been an unexpected journey. 

Remember that one kid who always looked uncomfortable in gym class? I was that kid.  The gym always made me anxious. Physical activity was never my strong suit — I was hopeless in team sports, especially those that involved balls or other equipment. I loved books and introspection. Classic introvert. I was never the flips-and-cartwheels kind of kid. 

So imagine my surprise more than 20 years ago when I realized my body could move in ways that yoga required. And even more surprising, when in my late 30s, I  discovered my inner runner. I put my trainers on, started from 0 miles, set a goal of running a marathon before I turned 40, did that, and also subsequently picked up trail running.  Since then, I’ve completed other trail marathons, ultras, and even a 100K distance.

A tad late, but since discovering those previously untapped parts of myself, I think I have been more open to the idea of trying different things. But while I have been open to trying different traditions and teachers over the years in my mat practice, I never tried aerial yoga.  This same time about a year ago, however, something prompted me to try it. I have been practicing here at Breathe Together Yoga since it opened. I remember aerial being an offering for a long time now, but never felt compelled to sign up for a class till last year. 

Even if I can’t remember what prompted me to sign up, I am glad I did. To say that I  have opened up a whole new way of approaching my asana and meditation practice is an understatement. Not only has it been a source of enjoyment, community, and strength-building, but the practice has also afforded me new and different ways of expression. 

And what have the hours of hanging out taught me so far? 

Change in perspective is always a good thing – and goodness knows I don’t do it enough. Of course, hanging upside down literally does that for me, but funny enough, it also unclogs something in my thinking at the same time. Forcing myself to move in different ways and being open to challenges in thought is so important, especially for a judgy, pitta type like me.

A beginner’s mind has made the experience all the more fulfilling and enjoyable. I found that approaching this new experience with as much child-like wonder as possible has helped me challenge assumptions about myself, and in turn, has positively impacted my mat practice as well. 

I have learned to trust even more in my experience and ability. While the practice was completely new to me and I did have a lot of trepidation – even now, I have a healthy and respectful fear of being off the ground – I found that there was so much in my toolbox I  could draw on to help me. Twenty-plus years of trying to listen to my body and letting my breath guide me has helped me to recognize the shapes my body can relatively easily get into and those that require more effort or suspension of disbelief. It has been very helpful,  even during my bouts with impostorism in daily life.

The movement of the fabric is a manifestation of what is going on inside me. Something my teacher, Sarah Khayat, said during one of her classes struck a chord. She once mused that the fabric has no muscle, no will of its own, and it moves only because of the energy we give it. And that led me to the thought that the fabric’s movement is the physical transcription of my internal state. Such is life, too. Circumstances only have the impact you choose to give them in your life. 

I choose joy. Life is too short and uncertain. And I’m at the age and at a point in my life wherein I have the luxury of not caring that much anymore about what other people think. I  choose to spend my time doing things that make me happy. There are still many things that either I cannot do yet because my body cannot easily move that way, or more likely because my mind has not yet realized what my body can probably do. And every class is a different experience. But I am trying to push the boundaries – and little by little, explore and actually believe what’s possible, one backward flip at a time. 

In my yoga practice and just life in general, I look forward to many more hours of joy and experimentation. I hope for you, too, many opportunities to learn new things, which bring rebirth, renewal, and transformation. May we all have the wisdom and intuition to express ourselves in joy.

“Also, go inside and listen to your body, because your body will never lie to you. Your mind will play tricks, but the way you feel in your heart, in your guts, is the truth.”  

Don Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom