AcroYoga and Nature have made me realize how disconnected I was from my own life, these days have brought me back to my inner nature and now I have the will to go out and make changes
The Goal
Our aim: to restore people’s connections with themselves and with the natural world.
We often forget that we too are part of nature. Nature is not something separate from us. So when we say that we have lost our connection to nature, we have really lost our connection to ourselves. AcroTerra was born as a creative and alternative way to reconnect people both with nature and with themselves. We felt the urgent need to take action by positively promoting physical, mental and spiritual health to achieve healthy behavior changes impacting environmental dimensions. In Mayan law “In Lak’ech Ala K’in”, which means “You are another me”, we want people to acknowledge that every action we take in our lives affects all living things. Through the practice of Yoga, AcroYoga, Indigenous Cosmological Wisdom and Nature-based community dialogues, AcroTerra helps people to experience this Mayan Law, awakening our positive potential to make changes in our life and the lives of others, recognizing the unity and interconnection with Mother Earth.
The Solution
AcroTerra workshops combine AcroYoga with elements of Indigenous traditions and wisdom. They always takes place in beautiful natural settings, and provide an inclusive space where everyone has the opportunity to participate and change the paradigm of how to approach nature conservation.
AcroTerra was founded by a husband and wife team in Mexico and brings together his expertise in conservation and natural resources management with her expertise in criminology, acroyoga teaching and the practices of the Moon Circle Indigenous Tradition. They developed a defined methodology that combines scientific, social, spiritual, physical, and traditional knowledge to emerge as an inclusive initiative where everyone has the opportunity to participate and change the paradigm of how to approach nature conservation. AcroTerra offers the space to undertake Inner Work to facilitate and establish lasting change within people. This is achieved this by connecting people with the outdoors and with yoga. AcroTerra encourages people to discover and develop awareness and to express those aspects in each person which are noble and true. A powerful way to learn about oneself is to be put in relationship with others. The practice of AcroYoga is a microcosm of life – we get to refine communication, trust in ourselves and others, gain confidence and humility, experience success and failure, and play like no one is watching!
The Results
Many participants in AcroTerra workshops have shared positive outcomes, including developing more conscious eating behaviours, adopting regular physical activities in the outdoors, becoming committed to their communities by doing AcroYoga classes in nature and getting involved in local projects. Many have expressed that AcroTerra workshops have been an eye opening experience, opening them to new possibilities of positive change and a new way of experiencing life and nature, giving them a new sense of meaning in the purpose of one’s life.
Insider Tip
- We have partnered with Proyecto Ser, an initiative that has been working for more than 20 years with special needs youth in Coatepec, México. We truly believe in working together with others’ initiatives and creating better opportunities for youth to express, empower and experience themselves in a healthy environment.
- AcroTerra purchased a piece of land of 4.6 hectares, covered with cloud forest and home of many endangered species and clean rivers. We named it KieKari, which in Huichol language means “The World as a Community”. We are in the process of declaring it a Private Protected Area and are starting the process of co-creating an AcroTerra Community Village in this place.
- In September 2016, AcroTerra was selected as one of the top three finalists in the #NatureForAll Greenhouse competition at the IUCN World Conservation Congress. This experience has opened doors and opportunities to expand our project.
Resources
- Video AcroYoga Movement for a Protected Planet