Namaste
Hovering just a few feet off the ground,
fl ying weightless, defying the law of
gravity, drawing graceful fi gures in
the air … this is not a trapeze act. It’s aerial
yoga, and all it takes is a yoga hammock,
some spike rigging and a few carabiners. This
gravity defying environment has countless
positive effects on your state of mind, self
confi dence and trust. Thanks to the absence
of weight bearing, the ease of achieving more
advanced yoga poses such as a headstand
becomes incredibly effortless in an aerial
yoga class. Safely supported by an aerial
swing (also known as a hammock), things are
not only upside down but backwards as well.
“One of the best ways to activate your
parasympathetic nervous system is to cocoon
yourself inside a hammock during Yoga
Nidra,” Palm Studio owner Kari Hayden
professed.
Aerial yoga is ideal for promoting
emotional, spiritual and physical health. It
does not require any previous experience
and readily adapts to all levels of yogis from
children to adults. A low to moderate intensity
aerobic exercise aerial yoga stimulates
cardiovascular health, increases fl exibility,
strength and body awareness.
Changing conventional motor dynamics
and spatial perception, aerial yoga allows the
body to achieve movements and postures
that would otherwise be inaccessible or
reserved for advanced yogis. During aerial
yoga classes, instructors guide students
through sequences of poses, meditation
techniques and various movements using
both a yoga mat and a yoga hammock.
The intention is to create a fl owing, graceful
practice that gently stretches the body, quiets
the mind and uplifts the spirit.
The use of the hammock enables
modifi cations of more traditional poses
and adds creativity and lightness to your
practice. Acting as a safety harness, the
aerial hammock supports and guides you,
unloading the weight of the body through the
arms onto the silk.
Contrary to what you might think, aerial
yoga does not require extraordinary upper
body and arm strength. The rule of thumb is
this: As long as you can do three consecutive
sit-ups, you can attend a regular aerial yoga
class. If not, you can always use the hammock
as a prop to enhance your yoga Asana
practice.
Side Seat Meditation