AirSeekers

With our workshop at Leela Yoga Lifestyle just a couple of weeks away, I’m delighted to introduce you to your !

Meet your “Assistant Flight Instructor” Julia Walen!

Hello everyone! My name is Julia Walen.
I grew up in North Carolina going to the beach, the arcades on the boardwalk, camping, you name it…I eventually moved to Louisiana with my Mom. I played volleyball and was a pitcher for my high school softball team. That was fun, but dancing and swimming were my favorite forms of exercise. As a kid, I took gymnastics for a bit and I was obsessed with figure skating. I would attempt all the tricks at the local ice skating rink. Getting my split back to how it was in the 90’s is definitely a goal of mine these days and aerial yoga has been very helpful in that regard.

Flash forward to 2016, I got to dip my toe into the world of aerial silks. Aerial movement struck me as such a beautiful physical art form and a fabulous way to gain strength and balance. I learned a great deal about how to turn an idea or story into a routine, once I began classes with Airseekers. It was quite difficult at first, so I decided to take a series of acro yoga classes in 2017. One of my weaknesses has always been self-doubt. Acro yoga coupled with aerial yoga increased my focus, my core strength and my understanding of how each muscle works, which in turn gave me more confidence in myself. A strength I now have, thanks to years of sticking to this newfound love, is a sense of physicality and agility I knew I had, but had previously doubted.

A strength I’ve always had is to remain calm under pressure. It has come into play often. When someone was feeling all wrapped up with no hope in sight, I would be there to untangle their fear…or rather just their foot from a panic inducing knot…same thing! Sometimes “it takes a village” and if you stick it out, you will soon learn what I mean.

I started attending classes/workshops regularly in early 2018 with Airseekers and never looked back. I have met some wonderfully talented people along the way who continue to encourage and inspire me. I look forward to meeting all of you and hopefully inspiring you to tap into that potential energy!