About
Rane here, and I honestly can't believe this day has finally arrived. My wife Jo Stewart has officially launched her book, Eight Limbs of Aerial Yoga: Adapting Practice for Accessibility, Neurodiversity, and Physical Support, and I am so incredibly proud of everything she has poured into this work. This episode captures the live online launch event, and it is one of my favourite things we've ever put out into the world.
We were lucky enough to be joined by the legendary Jivana Heyman, founder of Accessible Yoga and author of multiple books himself, who just happened to be visiting Australia when the launch was scheduled, and who also wrote the foreword for Jo's book. Jivana brings such warmth, depth, and expertise to the conversation, and hearing him talk about Jo's work with such admiration made my heart full. We also celebrated the incredible contributors who helped bring the book to life, including photographer Danielle Lara-Wooley/Raphael, 77-year-old model and contributor Maggie Turner-Miguel, and voices from practitioners and teachers around the world working in rehabilitation, neurodiversity, and mental health.
The conversation goes so much deeper than just aerial yoga. Jo shares why she structured the entire book around Patanjali's Eight Limbs of Yoga, making the case that if we're calling it yoga, we need to actually do the philosophy — not just the poses. We talk about how the aerial hammock functions as an incredibly versatile prop for accessibility (think: a bigger, more fluid version of a chair), how it supports neurodivergent practitioners through the vestibular system and sensory feedback, and how concepts like aparigraha (non-grasping) and pranayama (breathwork) translate beautifully into aerial practice. Jo even reads a chapter, and I read one myself. It's awesome.
Some moments that I think you'll love: Jivana leading us all through a grounding breath practice at the start, Jo's honest reflection on writing over 100,000 words when she'd pitched 55,000, and the behind-the-scenes story of how much lint-rolling goes into professional book photography. We also break down the three cover photos and why each one was chosen to represent accessibility, all stages of practice, and the reality that aerial yoga is not just for young, hypermobile circus performers.
If you've ever wondered whether aerial yoga is "real yoga," whether it's accessible for your community, or whether someone can write a book that's both philosophically rigorous and genuinely warm and human - this episode is your answer. Jo, I love you, and I'm so proud of you.
Links
Get the book: https://gardenofyoga.com.au/learn/eight-limbs-of-aerial-yoga/
We were lucky enough to be joined by the legendary Jivana Heyman, founder of Accessible Yoga and author of multiple books himself, who just happened to be visiting Australia when the launch was scheduled, and who also wrote the foreword for Jo's book. Jivana brings such warmth, depth, and expertise to the conversation, and hearing him talk about Jo's work with such admiration made my heart full. We also celebrated the incredible contributors who helped bring the book to life, including photographer Danielle Lara-Wooley/Raphael, 77-year-old model and contributor Maggie Turner-Miguel, and voices from practitioners and teachers around the world working in rehabilitation, neurodiversity, and mental health.
The conversation goes so much deeper than just aerial yoga. Jo shares why she structured the entire book around Patanjali's Eight Limbs of Yoga, making the case that if we're calling it yoga, we need to actually do the philosophy — not just the poses. We talk about how the aerial hammock functions as an incredibly versatile prop for accessibility (think: a bigger, more fluid version of a chair), how it supports neurodivergent practitioners through the vestibular system and sensory feedback, and how concepts like aparigraha (non-grasping) and pranayama (breathwork) translate beautifully into aerial practice. Jo even reads a chapter, and I read one myself. It's awesome.
Some moments that I think you'll love: Jivana leading us all through a grounding breath practice at the start, Jo's honest reflection on writing over 100,000 words when she'd pitched 55,000, and the behind-the-scenes story of how much lint-rolling goes into professional book photography. We also break down the three cover photos and why each one was chosen to represent accessibility, all stages of practice, and the reality that aerial yoga is not just for young, hypermobile circus performers.
If you've ever wondered whether aerial yoga is "real yoga," whether it's accessible for your community, or whether someone can write a book that's both philosophically rigorous and genuinely warm and human - this episode is your answer. Jo, I love you, and I'm so proud of you.
Links
Get the book: https://gardenofyoga.com.au/learn/eight-limbs-of-aerial-yoga/