What the heck is Slackline Yoga you ask? The easy way to describe slacklining is to say that it is like tight-rope walking, and this is often the simplest way to make someone understand it. In truth it is quite different. Slackliners walk on a piece of 1” flat tubular webbing (the kind that rock climbers use) tensioned between two solid anchor points. The webbing is very dynamic, so it stretches a bit. Tight-ropes are much less dynamic, stiffer and a good bit wider. We at YogaSlackers have developed a style of yoga that can be practiced on the line. Although it is very difficult at first, the rewards are incredible! We truly believe that anyone can learn slacklining and begin to unlock their balance potential! Team Yoga Slackers teaches yoga and yoga slacklining workshops around the country, and have also just finished an instructional DVD entitled “YogaSlackers - Slackasana”. To see a preview, click here: Slackasana Trailer.

When I tell people I’m a Yoga Slacker they think that means I’m a flaky Yogi. While our rag tag band of Yogi bandits does have a side of less than serious, being a Yoga Slacker means that I walk a line suspended above the ground and practice a new and innovative style of yoga. I practice Yoga poses that are difficult on the ground, let alone on a 1 inch piece of tubular climbing webbing.

Practicing on the slackline brings me to a place of playful focus. It brings me back to my childhood of competitive gymnastics. Even though I was really focused and serious about my sport, I loved it. I loved it so much. It was what I was thinking about at most times of the day. I remember being very young and completely obsessed with my practice. During school I’d be doing back flips on the playground at recess (on the blacktop mind you). Now I often daydream while at work about some new pose I want to try or something I’ve been trying but haven’t been able to master. For instance, It took me two months to get Vasisthasana with the leg up. I visualized and then tried, then fell. I visualized, then tried, then fell. I finally got a hold of the toe one day. Two months. Some would have given up after the first few trys. With my obsessive compulsive mind there was no way. I had to get it. I kept trying and trying until finally one day I could grab the toe and fall. That went on for weeks until I could finally grab the and extend the leg up and hold. And then during one play session at Yoga Journal I was able to bring the leg back down, bend the knee and come to kneeling, and then STAND UP! Yipee! Now to fit that into a full Asana Sequence. Next challenge………

I found Slackline Yoga in the midst of one of the most stressful and chaotic weekends of my life. I was the conference director for the Green Yoga Association and it was finally conference time. Jason, Sam and Paul were slated to part of the volunteer team. With their extensive background in Conference support I was lucky to have them. Little did I realize that meeting them would pull the branches back to reveal a path that I hadn’t dreamed existed.

Since that weekend last May I’ve practiced and began to teach others. I recently spent two weeks on the road with the boys out in Estes Park Colorado at the 2007 Yoga Journal Conference. We assisted Jason in 2 Slackline Classes and performed two demos. All were amazing experiences! People love the slackline. Can you blame them? I love it! And I love to share it!

Team Yoga Slackers is working on several projects. My fantasy is do a cross country workshop tour to raise awareness for alternative fuels (ie. BioDiesl). Some company will donate a diesel van for our tour so we can power it with Bio Diesel. We’ll travel the country and teacher Yoga Slackline classes and give talks on the benefits of Bio Diesel. I’m just putting it out there……..If you’re interested in having the Yoga Slackers in your hometown give me a shout at paigewyatt@gmail.com.

Why do I get back on the line day after day? Some would ask, “Why risk hurting yourself.” I answer with a grin and a twinkle in the eye, “Why not?”. A guy recently yelled at me while surfing because I pulled a total rookey maneuver. He said, “It’s dangerous out here.” I was sorry for being a rookey, but my reply to him was “If I was afraid of danger I wouldn’t be out here.” While the slackline isn’t as dangerous as surfing there is always an element of risk. For now, I’ll keep walking the line, inventing, experimenting and most of all laughing.