Aerial Yoga looks beautiful, elegant and absolutely relaxed – in other words, everything that doesn’t distinguish me in my normal gymnastics practice. That’s why I’m curious about training with yogini dhanya. I learned that even without acrobatic talent, the body and soul have never felt so separated from the earth!
It was very stressful. At the last minute, I arrived at yogini Daniela Meggers, alias dhanya, of Ananda air Yoga college in Hamburg on Thursday morning. I don’t know how I should complete a relaxed 90 minute yoga class. I don’t know anything except hanging a big cloth on the ceiling and doing acrobatic exercises.
Dhanya explained that these “acrobatic exercises” are different from classical yoga. They are not carried out on the floor of aerial yoga, but in this trapezoidal, 3.70 x 2.80 meter wide Lycra fabric. So, in the whole trial class, I will swing gymnastics gently on the floor.
The origin of acrobatics of aerial Yoga
At first, air Yoga actually came from circus acrobatics. Artists performed acrobatics at heights in big cloth. There are many variants, some of which are more or less related to yoga in the classical sense. Famous antigravity ® Yoga is more sporty than Ananda air yoga. Daniela Meggers was the first yogi to bring to Germany and teach in her own college. By the way, Ananda means “happiness” or “happiness”.
Is aerial yoga only suitable for acrobats?
Aerial yoga “aerial yoga is easy for joints and can stretch the spine, so it is especially suitable for the elderly or people with back and disc problems,” explained when I asked dhanya how flexible I need. Overweight people can also benefit from moderate exercise because cloth can reduce their weight burden.
Another advantage of air Yoga: everyone can adjust their practice according to their own needs and courage. “Not everyone is immediately ready to let go, treat the cloth as a friend and let themselves fall into it,” dhanya said, but most of them succeeded soon. It eliminates my fear of hitting my head in handstands or falling off my sling in somersaults. But from the beginning!
Embryos, handstands and dogs
First of all, I can choose my personal clothes. Air Yoga towel has 21 colors to choose from! I choose red: its effect should be grounding and vitality. We started with “embryos” – tightly wrapped in silky soft cloth, singing spells and swinging in the air. In fact, I feel safe immediately, but singing in pairs is a little unusual for me.
I should think about my childhood, freedom and all the things that bring me happiness… Naturally, my thoughts began to wander and a smile spread on my face. Dhanya now demonstrates the asana, and then I can try it myself, test myself and break through my limits. She stood next to me, but only in special circumstances would she touch me. In fact, my body handles the cloth by itself.
But even a “dog” – I hang my pelvis on a sling, stretch my hands to the ground, and crawl as far forward as I can with my fingers – has everything. My arms began to tremble rapidly, blood poured into my head, and my back was stretched to the limit.
Air yoga is not far from here to handstand. An unspeakable feeling – the first free handstand when I was a child! This is exhausting, but not impossible, and it is a blessing that the soul dares to pass. By the way: yogis say that all so-called handstands are reviving.
Aerial yoga is fun (sometimes a little painful)
In many exercises, dhanya will ask me if I want to be nudged. I will! Therefore, she explained that all the exercises, no matter how hard, have something interesting. Because using air yoga, you should have one thing first: fun!
I had this situation in air Yoga until I almost tore the lateral ligament of my foot at the penultimate position “Butterfly”. Just as the whole thing in the picture looks relaxed, the more this pose can pull my legs and ankles. When I was allowed to land on the ground again, I was very happy.
Air Yoga strengthens the body and soul
Dhanya explains that exercises that look as light as feathers are actually difficult because you mainly train your deep muscles. After the “warrior” (one leg on the sling, back straight and bent forward) and push ups with both feet on the sling, I immediately believed her. My strength is trained through permanent weight stability, and my flexibility is trained through various exercises.
On the other hand, in the flowing fabric, the relaxation posture is mainly to release the soul. “Aerial yoga is like a floating rest. Hanging upside down allows blood to flow to the brain – I believe it will inspire new ideas,” dhanya said.
The good news: exercising only once a week can have significant results. Of course, the more the better.
Earth: cost, dating and cooperation.
At yogini Daniela Meggers, 90 minutes of personal training costs 90 euros. However, she also regularly offers group sessions for up to six people (5 dates, 20 euros each) or larger at the fitness studio in Hamburg.
Since there is no literature on aerial yoga so far, dhanya regularly provides weekend trips to Mecklenburg – former Pomerania, where participants gain so much experience that they can then “swing” at home alone. She was also the first person to train air yoga teachers. Information is available at www.ananda-aerialyoga.com Find De.
Just ask about the possibilities in your area. If you want to own your own aerial Yoga towel, you need to pay 198 euros and need a stable ceiling to connect the hook. But you should have some home training exercises!
Air Yoga – my cocoon is mine
Unfortunately, my 90 minutes passed too fast. The end of the audition class was cocooning – I lay in the cocoon from toe to hairline, closed my eyes and listened to the soft music that dhanya now turned on. I can move gently back and forth in the water like a dolphin, stretch my muscles and let myself fall completely again.