Ever since I learned about the benefits of traditional yoga, I feel as though I have been called to try it. Something about the amazing physical and mental workout that it promised was so inspiring to me. However, not being terribly adventurous, I never ended up going through with it. That was until I took P.E. in high school. Yes, I was the naive senior that waited until the last possible moment to fulfill their P.E. requirement. Although annoyed at first, I am so happy I did.
The class I took as a senior was called Lifetime Activities and was focused on getting a group of soon-to-be adults interested in a healthy activity that they may or may not have never heard of. We did a lot of things in that class such as softball, Zumba, and even rock climbing. But, it wasn’t until the last two weeks of class when we finally tried yoga. And I loved it.
As we were learning yoga, we also learned about its history and all the different ways it was practiced. That was when I learned that aerial yoga existed. Basically, traditional yoga is performed on and off the ground using acrobatic silks allowing the participant to use their strength and get the deepest possible stretch. I kept this discovery in the back of my mind, but a year later, I was reminded of it and after a little research, found the Trilogy Sanctuary.
The Trilogy Sanctuary is located in La Jolla on a rooftop overlooking the ocean. Needless to say, the pictures sold me immediately. They offer a variety of classes and even a cafe, but are perhaps best known for their aerial yoga classes. Luckily, they offer a beginner aerial class that requires no experience needed, which was perfect for me, so I hastily booked my first class.
Now on to the actual class. It was one of the most fun, challenging, and rewarding things I have ever done. That one hour class was a full body workout. I felt completely secure as our instructor led us to let go of our fabric and hang upside down. I was perhaps most surprised by the fact that, although I am far from flexible, I was able to do every pose. Was it easy? Absolutely not, but I was so proud of myself for succeeding.
I had so much fun that I intend to make this class a regular part of my week. I tried something completely new and foreign, and it ended up being an incredible experience. I highly encourage you to try something out of your comfort zone, because that is what I did, and I am so grateful to have done so.
And now, I will leave with this quote that our instructor concluded the class with: “The limit is not in the sky, but only in our minds.”