Yoga & Aerial Yoga/Arts
Asana, Aerial and More
My styles, my way of yoga life!
When I talk about yoga and aerial I am not talking about fitness but a way of life.
To me, as to many other yogis, yoga is a way of life, a living philosophy of mind, body and spirit. It is about learning to reconnect with one's body and listening to its needs and limitations, to be at home and fully whole in and of oneself.
Yoga is not about bending one's body into a pretzel and looking funky in a pose but about your overall well-being and we all work within our own bodies. We all have different strength and weaknesses and in yoga we try to find the balance. Practicing asana in particular is about doing right by one's own body and mind regardless of how "fit" one is otherwise.
I teach a variety of styles that are not just asana (posture) based. In order to connect body and soul,the subtle practices of mantra chant, pranayama (breathwork) and meditation all need to be part of the yoga practice.
However I equally teach them as separate entities for deeper immersion and understanding.
Aerial Yoga
Grace in Motion
I teach both aerial yoga as well as aerial arts and fitness classes. Now these are two very different entities.
My aerial yoga classes follow a general Hatha outline, leading though warm up, standing postures, strength and balance work as well as inversions, back bends and forward folds. My aerial yoga classes are not trick based but focus on creating strength and flexibility in a mindful way.
Although my classes are aimed at everyone it will be easier if the student is already familiar with mat yoga. Balance and core stability are challenged a lot more in the fabric, but don't let that discourage you. It often takes several sessions to get fully comfortable with the fabric.
Familiar mat postures take on a new dimension in the fabric. Your balance and core are challenged in new ways, the focus shifts to a different aspect in some poses and back-bend and inversions become more accessible and more decompressing and relaxing in the hammock. Inversions in particular are a great way to release the spine and bring bloodflow to the brain.
Mantra, Pranayama, Meditation and Yoga Nidra
Find inner peace
Yoga is more than asana (postures). Asana are the way to open the body so that meditation can happen.
Mantra is a beautiful way to practice breath control while focusing the mind and experiencing the calming and relaxing vibration created through chanting the ancient Sanskrit words. Although often an alien practice to begin with, if given an honest attempt it quickly becomes a passion and form of meditation creating happiness and calm.
Pranayama helps you to turn inward and connect with your breath. It is a way of breath control and with it a way to shift and change your energy flow. Being conscious of one's breath helps with a more mindful asana practice and can also help alleviate stress, insomnia and other ailments.
Meditation, the true focus of the mind inwards without distraction, helps us to gain balance in life. Modern meditation comes in many forms, from guided meditation, visualization and repeating of seed mantras to one pointed focus inwards. Each and every one has its own validity and will help with the final goal of letting go of the ego.
Yoga nidra (yogic sleep) is another form or pratyahara (sense withdrawal) that opens mind and body to a deeper calm and connection with itself. It is often seen as similar to hypnosis as it taps into the subconscious in a similar way. Yoga nidra can help create a more positive you as well as help bring more focus and energy to you through the deep relaxation it brings about.
Hatha, Ashtanga, Yin
Strength & Healing
My main focus when teaching asana classes is alignment. I mostly stick to 3 very defined and complimentary styles.
Hatha to build a strong foundation, to understand the postures and learn about ones body. Hatha is the mother of all yoga and for me is the first place to start one's yoga practice as well as a great way to deepen it. A slower pace and static holds are the best way to focus inwards and find the connection between the push and pull, the opposites of movement, created within the body to achieve the most out of the postures.
Ashtanga vinyasa is a wonderful way for more intermediate to advanced yogis to experience a more dynamic and deepened practice as one flows through this strong sequence. As the sequence is set it allows for a very meditative state and progress can be tracked easily.
Yin is ideal to counterbalance our busy life and find peace and space within, while opening the body and working deeply into the connective tissue. Most postures are passive and deeply opening for hips and/or shoulders, and the long holds create a completely new challenge for one's body and mind.
Aerial Arts
Lift off and fly
Aerial arts deviate from yoga somewhat as the hammock gets used in a more dynamic way integrating fancy trick moves, lifting one's body weight and tumbling through various moves.
However the yogic concepts of stability, core strength, focus and flexibility are very much adhered to.
In my classes I like to focus on perfection. Designing routines that link smoothly together, flowing from move to move.
Aerial arts means learning a new skill set that brings, fun, joy and confidence to your life. It is for most also a great new challenge that sometimes takes time to feel at ease with. Specifically the core and upper body are challenged and as with everything to progress one needs practice. Achieving a new move can take several sessions but is a great elation once completed.
Contact me to find out which class will benefit you the most, and make arrangements for a private class.