“The day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” – Anais Nin
I am Lisa Midlarsky, owner and founder of Defy Gravity Yoga, which I opened in 2013. I have been a Personal Trainer for over 25 years, certified Yoga Instructor since 2010, and a certified Tantra Life Coach since 2016.
It was a little over five years ago that I stumbled into my first aerial yoga class. Before the class was even finished, I felt something stirring within me and was set in motion (like a laser beam!) to learn everything there was to know about aerial yoga. (That sounds crazy, right?!! I thought so too!!!) During that hour and a half, I laughed (mostly at myself), did some awesome inversions and tricks, and walked out feeling lighter than I did before it began. But even more than that, there was something happening inside that I didn’t quite understand, but I knew I needed to listen to.
I ended up studying with all the great teachers (over the years I’ve attended five aerial trainings) – from serious yogis who turned to aerial yoga for its help with alignment and strengthening and from aerialists who use the silks to dance and fly through the air. Through my years of studying all the crevices of an aerial yoga practice, I can answer what exactly that “call” that stirred so much up inside of me. Here’s what I have discovered and why I am so passionate to share this practice with you…
Beyond my trainings and certifications, this awareness comes from the experience of being a human being first. Through my aerial yoga practice, I saw physical, mental and emotional changes within me that I had never before experienced. On a physical level, out of all of my practices of the past, aerial yoga gave me the fastest results to look my best (lean, strong, and flexible) from using the principles of barre, pilates, aerial arts and yoga. It also relieved physical pains in my body (especially my back and neck). On a mental and emotional level, I felt my monkey mind calm down, my energy increase and my emotions calm as I became vulnerable enough to get over my fears. I was more empowered, free and playful than ever before. If you really knew me, you would know I am a serious lazy person at heart but learned early in life that there was no free ride to getting in shape and staying in shape (physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually!) You need to do the work and be consistent to get the results you want. With that being said, becoming an aerial yogi/aerialist is a pretty awesome way to do so (and creates some great conversation too ;)!)
When you are dancing with the swing, you don’t always immediately realize the layers that you are breaking through and the new pieces of self you are uncovering. At Defy Gravity Yoga, we have worked to cultivate a space where you feel nurtured and cared for by our teachers and community, and where you feel free to release your ego, dive into the unknown, and truly learn to spread your wings and fly!
It has been a beautiful four-year aerial yoga journey guiding thousands of people to spread their wings which has lead me into my next mission… Tantra – the ancient practice of sex and relationships modernized for today’s living. (What!!!! I never would have imagined myself on this path, either…) If you are interested to know more, check out my Tantra page ❤
