Aerial yoga provides many benefits. And I believe in it so much, I think everyone, even people who are already well versed in traditional yoga, should give it a try!
The misunderstanding
Unfortunately, in photos and videos aerial yoga can look a bit frivolous, leading many long-time yogis to understandably think it is a novelty. Serious yogis know that effort and dedication to their yoga practice reaps large rewards, and they don’t want to be distracted away from their regular yoga practice for any length of time, as a result. So I find that for those people, a bit more explanation is needed.
From my perspective, aerial yoga is actually not a separate, different activity from traditional yoga classes. Instead, it’s a “regular” yoga class assisted by a tool in the same way that a block or a bolster can assist a student. When seen from that perspective, rather than aerial yoga splitting off and becoming a distraction from one’s main practice, it guides you deeper into your “floor” yoga practice.
In fact, one of the main reasons why I created Unnata Aerial Yoga was to help students advance further in their traditional yoga practice. I thought that using the hammock would give them inspiration to keep trying for the more challenging positions. Because even though it’s not important to actually reach the most flexible or strong expression of any physical yoga pose, the effort put towards reaching that goal is where all the benefits live.
The understanding
Even though you may use different muscles to access the same yoga positions when you practice them with a hammock, aerial yoga gets you into some of the more challenging positions faster, so you can get a sense of what it feels like to be in the position. And, understanding where you’re going from the start of your journey, helps you advance quickly to get there on your own without the hammock.
It’s kind of like using training wheels on a bicycle. The training wheels allow you to experience what the sensation of balancing while pedaling feels like. You train your mind at the same time as you train your muscles. And eventually, you no longer need the training wheels.
The visualization
According to yoga philosophy, everything we do has a physical and a mental element to it. The two work together. And this observation is not unique to yoga philosophy. Visualization and positive imagery is used a lot in sports circles, and it has been proven in scientific studies to work. This is why top athletes use visualization to see themselves executing the perfect routine/timing/technique to win the competition. No matter how well the body is prepared, if the mind can’t imagine or doesn’t believe in succeeding at a goal, then the goal will never be reached.
Skeptics aren’t entirely off-base with their hesitance to embrace an aerial yoga practice, however. All tools are useful when you need them, and yet that same tool can turn into a crutch preventing your progress if you’re not mindful. So if you fall in love with aerial yoga and take it on as your main yoga practice, it’s important to keep testing your ability to practice challenging yoga positions without the hammock, too. Otherwise, the body and mind can grow a little lazy, and your progress gets hindered.
When it comes to yoga classes, you bend your body around into different shapes. So, of course it is a physical exercise. However, we practice yoga positions while also steadying the breath and focusing the mind in specific ways. This means that yoga classes also provide challenges for our mind, as well. This is partly what we mean when we call Yoga a holistic practice. It is a practice that you put your whole self into – body, mind, and for many people the soul as well.
The manifestation
Therefore, when you practice aerial yoga, remember that you want to go all in. While you practice the position physically, focus your mind on what it would feel like to practice the position without the hammock. Imagine how triumphant and magical it will feel! And then, your aerial yoga practice, like any yoga practice, will serve as a valuable tool on your path of personal growth and evolution.
