3 life lessons I discovered through teaching AcroYoga

Teaching AcroYoga for more than eight years has taught me so much about myself, about what people need to feel safe and how we can heal by playing. Here are three insights from my journey that I hope will inspire yours.

1. If you love what you do, you never work a day in your life

I used to work behind a desk five days a week, typing stories and chasing deadlines. While I enjoyed interviewing people and being creative, sitting in front of a screen all day made me feel stressed, distracted, and unhappy.

That shifted completely once I started teaching AcroYoga. It just felt so effortless—moving, playing, and connecting. I never felt like I was actually working, but instead, having fun with friends. If that can be a way to pay the bills, what else would you want?

2. You can overcome fears by—lovingly—facing them

AcroYoga is a mirror, and if we dare to look into it, it can help us transform fear into freedom and self-doubt into self-love.

• To start with: the tricks themselves. Some people are fearless and literally dive into acro and I envy them in a certain way. But, hey, for most of us some tricks are scary, right? They invite us to trust our own capabilities and our partners. But getting there, is a process.

  
  

• I’ve learned that safety comes from daring to ask for what you need to build trust. For me that is taking it step-by-step and asking for a spotter or even two! I find clear communication very important as well. I still struggle to fully accept my fear, and be ok with asking for more safety: it's an ongoing process. But when I do and I master a trick, the feeling of freedom is priceless. And the beauty is, that everything we practice in AcroYoga, translates to daily life.

  
  

• In that sense, knowing your limits is also important. Sometimes, the practice of self-love is simply refusing a trick because it’s too scary or too challenging. As the mantra goes: "God, grant me the wisdom to change the things I can, accept the things I cannot and the wisdom to know the difference".

  
  

• Teaching AcroYoga also helped me face my fear of speaking to groups. By being brave and showing up despite the anxiety, I learned I could still give students a wonderful experience: that carved new pathways into my brain. Nowadys, I only encouter a healthy portion of nerves before teaching a class.

3. Authenticity rocks

When I started co-teaching with my teacher, Roald, it was hard not to compare myself to him. In the beginning, I was so nervous that sharing how I was truly feeling felt too vulnerable. But I discovered that whatever a teacher suppresses will be felt and reflected by the group. There was just less interaction, because I was occupied by self doubt.

By challenging myself to share my fears, I found a deeper connection with my students. Being open created space to tune into the groups' needs. When you are open and relaxed with your own vulnerability, you automatically create a safe space where others feel welcome to do the same.

I'm curious: what life lessons did you discover by practicing AcroYoga? I’d love to see you in class soon so we can explore these reflections together on the mat!

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Hug,

Marijke