Finding Yoga within AcroYoga
Have you ever wondered if AcroYoga is really yoga? Let’s dive into this intriguing question by first exploring what yoga truly means.
According to the ancient Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, known as the foundational text for yoga practitioners, yoga is described as the "cessation of the movements in the consciousness." This profound statement highlights yoga as a journey towards mental clarity and tranquility, aiming for a harmonious connection between individual consciousness and the universal consciousness.
Our minds are like busy marketplaces, filled with thoughts about daily tasks, past conversations, and the world's beauty. While these thoughts are essential for navigating life, finding moments of stillness through mindfulness or meditation can offer countless benefits. Patanjali’s path to this peaceful state unfolds through the eight limbs of yoga, which introduce not only the physical practices (asanas) but also ethical disciplines, breath control, and meditation techniques, amongst others.
The Yoga Alliance, an esteemed global organization that sets the bar for yoga teachers and schools, views yoga as a rich tapestry of physical, mental, and spiritual practices originating from ancient India. Recognizing the diverse traditions and interpretations of yoga, the Yoga Alliance emphasizes the importance of a well-rounded education in yoga's ethical, philosophical, and anatomical aspects.
While Patanjali’s insights delve into yoga's philosophical and mental facets, focusing on achieving unity through the quieting of the mind, the Yoga Alliance embraces a broader perspective. It acknowledges the myriad ways yoga can be practiced and understood across different cultures, encouraging a comprehensive approach to yoga education that addresses its multifaceted nature.
The Essence of AcroYoga: Yoga Redefined
AcroYoga emerged from the fusion of yoga with acrobatics and Thai yoga massage, a collaboration that started among yogis, gymnasts, and dancers who shared their practices. This blend has evolved into a diverse spectrum of AcroYoga schools and teacher training programs, each adding their unique flavor to the practice. Just as yoga presents various styles, AcroYoga offers different experiences, ranging from classes focused primarily on acrobatic techniques to those incorporating traditional yoga asanas at the start.
When we examine AcroYoga's foundational poses, the resemblance to yoga asanas is unmistakable. For those drawn to yoga for its physical benefits—flexibility, strength, balance—AcroYoga extends these benefits through partner-based poses and sequences. The principle of balancing effort (sthira) with ease (sukha), central to yoga philosophy, is equally vital in AcroYoga. This balance, articulated as "sthira sukham asanam" in the sutras, teaches us about harmony in practice and life, urging us to explore our limits while remaining attuned to our well-being and approach challenges with a serene mind.
AcroYoga’s practice also emphasizes the importance of breath coordination between partners, enhancing connection and mindfulness. This focus on breathing, fundamental to both yoga and AcroYoga, aids in finding the delicate balance between exerting effort and embracing ease within poses.
AcroYoga beautifully embodies the principles and spirit of yoga, adapting them into a dynamic and collaborative practice. However, the experience can vary depending on what you seek in a yoga practice and the AcroYoga class or teacher you choose. Like finding the right yoga style or teacher, discovering an AcroYoga instructor that resonates with you might require exploring different classes.
At Yoga of Acro we strive to maintain the traditional aspects of yoga in our classes and blend them with vital aspects of AcroYoga. This creates unique experiences that might give you new insights and discover parts of you that you never encountered before. We encourage you to incorporate the aspects of the journey that resonate with you right now, and take them on you journey.
We’d love to hear from you—do you feel that AcroYoga encompasses the essence of yoga? Have your experiences in AcroYoga classes reflected this integration of yoga’s foundational principles? Share your thoughts and stories with us, as we are learning, exploring and developing the union between yoga and AcroYoga in our community.
