How Floating Can Make You Feel Grounded: The Mental Benefits of Aerial Practice

“When you invert in a silk or hammock, you’re not just flipping upside down—you’re letting gravity take over. You’re giving your nervous system permission to relax.”

How Floating Can Make You Feel Grounded: The Mental Benefits of Aerial Practice

At first glance, aerial yoga and dance look like the exact opposite of grounding. You’re off the floor, upside down, and suspended in fabric. You’re literally floating. But for many aerialists—whether seasoned performers or brand-new students—that time in the air becomes one of the most grounding parts of their week.

At The Yoga Dance Co, we’ve seen firsthand how powerful aerial practice can be—not just for strength and flexibility, but for clarity, confidence, and emotional well-being. In this post, we’re diving into the mental benefits of aerial practice and how something that looks like flying can actually help you feel more anchored in your mind, body, and life.

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1. Presence Through Play

One of the first things we tell new students is: you’re going to feel a little awkward—and that’s okay. That awkwardness is part of the magic.

In aerial classes, you’re learning something new, engaging muscles you didn’t know you had, and figuring out how to trust a piece of fabric to hold you upside down. That kind of learning requires full presence. You can’t scroll your phone or zone out while suspended in the air. Your body calls your brain into the moment.

This sense of focused play brings you into a meditative state. It’s a practice of being here now, without needing to sit still to meditate. And when your mind is racing or anxious, nothing interrupts that loop quite like trying to figure out how to get into a footlock.

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2. Learning to Let Go (Literally and Emotionally)

We carry so much tension in our bodies—from stress, overthinking, and constantly being “on.” In aerial practice, we get to release in a physical and emotional way.

When you invert in a silk or hammock, you’re not just flipping upside down—you’re letting gravity take over. You’re giving your nervous system permission to relax. Your body unwinds. Your breath deepens. And in that release, your mind begins to soften, too.

There’s something symbolic about trusting the fabric. It mirrors the process of learning to let go of control, trust yourself, and lean into the unknown—skills that serve far beyond the studio.

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3. A Confidence Boost You Can Feel in Your Whole Body

Aerial practice is empowering. It doesn’t matter if you’re doing a simple spin or an advanced drop—when you do something you once thought was impossible, you feel it everywhere.

You might come to class thinking “I’m not strong enough” or “I’ll probably fall.” And then suddenly, you’re climbing, flying, flipping—and smiling while you do it. That shift builds deep confidence rooted not in appearance, but in capability.

At The Yoga Dance Co, we celebrate every milestone, from first inversions to simply showing up when life feels heavy. Confidence isn’t about perfection. It’s about building trust in your body and in yourself, one movement at a time.

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4. Stress Relief That Feels Like Magic

Let’s be real: adulting is a lot. Many of us carry a constant low-level stress from work, parenting, relationships, finances, and everything in between.

Aerial practice offers a mental reset. As soon as you start moving in the silks, your focus shifts. You’re no longer in your to-do list or that difficult conversation from earlier. You’re in your body. You’re flying, stretching, breathing—and it’s like the stress dissolves, even just for a moment.

Bonus: inversions are known to activate the parasympathetic nervous system (the “rest and digest” state), which can help reduce anxiety and calm the mind. Combine that with the joy of movement and you’ve got a recipe for feeling better from the inside out.

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5. Embodied Healing: Moving Through Emotions

We don’t always realize how much emotion lives in the body. But sometimes, you do a deep backbend or hang upside down in a supported cocoon—and suddenly, tears come. Not from pain, but from release.

Aerial allows us to access and move through stuck emotions in a safe and supportive way. The movement, the breath, and the support of the fabric create space for emotional healing that’s both gentle and powerful.

At The Yoga Dance Co, we hold space for this. You don’t need to explain your tears. You don’t need to be okay. You just need to show up and let your body move the way it needs to. That’s healing work.

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6. A Community That Sees You

Mental wellness isn’t just about what you do—it’s also about who you do it with. At The Yoga Dance Co, one of our favorite things is the community that forms in our classes.

Whether you’re a teen discovering your voice, a parent needing a break, or someone healing from burnout, aerial gives you a space to be seen without pressure or judgment. You don’t need to be flexible. You don’t need to be strong. You just need to be curious and willing to try.

There’s something incredibly grounding about moving alongside others who are also finding their way. Aerial reminds us that we’re not alone, and that growth doesn’t happen in isolation.

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7. Self-Expression That Helps You Reconnect

Aerial isn’t just fitness—it’s a form of art and self-expression. Through movement, we get to process, express, and reconnect to parts of ourselves we may have buried under daily responsibilities or self-doubt.

Every drop, spin, or stretch becomes a way of saying: This is me. I’m here. I’m alive in this moment.

And in that expression, we often rediscover joy. We reconnect to our inner child, our creativity, and our own inner power. That kind of connection grounds you in who you are—beyond roles, beyond expectations.

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Final Thoughts: Grounded in Motion

So yes—floating can make you feel grounded.

Because when you step into the silks, you step into your power.

You show up fully, breathe deeply, and remind yourself that you are stronger, softer, and more capable than you knew.

At The Yoga Dance Co, aerial isn’t about performing for perfection—it’s about practicing presence.

It’s about using movement to return to yourself.

To ground in who you are.

To feel home in your body again.

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Ready to Try It for Yourself?

Whether you’re brand new or returning to your practice, we’d love to welcome you into our studio. Come as you are—messy bun, nerves, and all—and discover the grounded joy that lives in the air.

Click here to book your first class or reach out with questions. We’re here to support your journey.