Sometimes it is just about a cool challenging pose and a great photo. I do find the more I acro, the more I love to explore blending strength, flexibility, balance, and emotional honesty in my practice and those who choose to practice with me. Thanks for helping make this art @yogilissalynn. And thank you @qassandra.kauzlarich for sharing your experience with me in such a lovely letter. (at Harrisonburg, Virginia)

Reflecting back on my adventure earlier this year in Whistler. I'm very grateful Erin and her ablity to help me over come a lot of limiting self beliefs in my standing acro practice, as well in Life as general. Thanks for bringing out some of my best Erin and being the foundation in which my @minutemanacro project was born. Keep shining brightly @acrobliss!!! (at Whistler, Canada)

So much fun adventuring down in Moab last week with @danceswithpenguins_ , @theplayfulwarrior, @lux_seattleacro, @theacrodragon, @chelleslacks. Thanks Michelle for hosting us and showing us so many cool places. My hope is to process and distill the experience down and share some of my thoughts about what i learned in an upcoming post.

#EricWardPhotography #a4gpa #love #Moab #Utah#freepeople #artist #yogaart #grace #wanderlust#instayoga #instadaily #instagood #grace #acroyoga #yogagram #yogaeverydamnday #balance #love #yogapose #yoga#paradise #acro #universe #nature #acrorevolution #aylifestyle #AcroLove #beflexible #selflove @a4gpa

Acro has not always been fun or even enjoyable for me. The first two years I was aware of the practice I actually really disliked / hated it because of the things the practice showed to me about myself and how I navigate this world. Yoga and slacklining were my go to activities for exercise, moving meditations, and community. What I didn't really realize at the time was one reason I "got" along with yoga / slacklining activities so well was because I was never really required to interact with others or when I did feel discomfort, I could easily just ignore it and walk away since who besides myself would really know. Introduce acro and all of the sudden, how I communicate, or the lack thereof, expectations of myself as well as others, and insecurities were all front and center. No thank you, I'll just be around acro and observe it through the lens of a camera and capture one aspect of it's beauty.  When my first acro partner and I practiced acro, it was rigid, unforgiving, forced and feelings were suppressed and bulldozed on a regular bases. Asking for what I needed and speaking in a non-violent way seemed so foreign, awkward, and hard in "the moment" of acroing when emotions and chemicals running through my body were so amped up in my system. Bad ass poses where the goal because clearly my ego ( our egos) and I had something to prove. Needless to say when that relationship ended, I was left with quiet a bad taste in my mouth and a realization I did not have all the tools I needed to effectively and positively let alone joyfully navigate all of the "feelings" I was experiencing internally.  So the journey of self discovery and self development continued and I found myself reaching out for help. When the student is ready, the teacher most certainly does appear. I was fortunate in being pointed in the direction of The Institute of Healing Arts (http://ihaofutah.com/) where I was introduced to so many beautiful people and modalities of healing (highly recommend it!). Mirroring, shadow work, and dyads were just a few of the concepts discussed and practiced there which allowed me to see myself and others behavior so much more clearly in "the present moment". (at Root To Rise Studio)

If there is one lesson life keeps teaching me it is to be more flexible and let life flow. I am choosing to see the gifts and lessons given here in the deserts of Arizona with my dear friend Ali as my car issues are getting sorted out. Thanks for the sweet art @sipes from just one short week ago when i was in Virginia. And thank you @theflexgoddess for physically showing how graceful the body and life can be when it is receptive to be flexible. As for my #AcroLove peeps, I hope to see you as soon as I get my truck working and drive the final 10 hours of these leg of the journey. (at Harrisonburg, Virginia)

I'd like to make a shout out to my friend Vanessa for gifting me the tickets for the The Lantern Fest - Salt Lake City - 5/20/2017 @lanternfest. Over the years we've had a lot of wonderful conversations that have helped shift and expand my perspective on how one might choose to move through this world. One thing I love doing with friends is making art with them in whatever form it might take. In this case, Vanessa was kind enough to leave me a voicemail while I was at the event, and it seemed the message she shared went perfectly with this video. The video is a perfect visual for letting go of stories. I look forward to continually letting go of stories that don't serve to better my life today and everyday. I'm wishing Vanessa safe travels as she is off to the airport for Alaska this morning, creating a new story today. One that involves seeing the beauty around her. One where she, you and I are deeply loved and understood by friends and family. (at Tooele, Utah)

I'd like to make a shout out to my friend Vanessa for gifting me the tickets for the The Lantern Fest - Salt Lake City - 5/20/2017 @lanternfest. Over the years we've had a lot of wonderful conversations that have helped shift and expand my perspective on how one might choose to move through this world. One thing I love doing with friends is making art with them in whatever form it might take. In this case, Vanessa was kind enough to leave me a voicemail while I was at the event, and it seemed the message she shared went perfectly with this video. The video is a perfect visual for letting go of stories. I look forward to continually letting go of stories that don't serve to better my life today and everyday. I'm wishing Vanessa safe travels as she is off to the airport for Alaska this morning, creating a new story today. One that involves seeing the beauty around her. One where she, you and I are deeply loved and understood by friends and family. (at Tooele, Utah)

Love it when you meet someone for the first time and you set your new H2H PR at just over 60 seconds while breaking that 2017 goal you arbitrarily set in January. Thanks Jenna Whippen @jennaelevated for being such a fun and solid flyer. Also thanks to Bryan Flanders @playfulpractice for helping cultivate such a strong and friendly community at @RootToRiseStudio. Lizzy Tomber @lizzytomber. and Josh Young @acropediaorg thanks for giving me the motivation to come for your fun and entertaining whips and pops acro workshop yesterday. #Acro #H2H #PR #MinuteManClub ;) #freepeople #utahyogi #artist #yogaart #grace #wanderlust #fitgirl #instayoga #instadaily #instagood #grace #acroyoga #cats #yogagram #yogaeverydamnday #balance #love #yogapose #yoga #universe #aylifestyle #acrorevolution #root2rise #utah #801 #partner #acrobatics (at Root To Rise Studio)

I've only recently realized how many strong and grounding Taurus people I have in my life. While sometimes it feels like the running of the bulls with them, I'm thankful for their influences in my life. Here birthday boy Brock Axthelm provides a strong and solid foundation for the people around him in life. Happy birthday to all my Taurus friends this month. #EricWardPhotography#Taurus #MonthOfTheBull (at Yosemite National Park)

First time in Yosemite. Started the day off as a tourist with my bum knee seeing the park from the shuttle buses while everyone else from our group was climbing. Gave me a great chance to reflect on my emotions and observe what meaning i was giving these feelings and the perspective i was defaulting to as i was packed into the bus like a sardine. Ended the evening away from the crowds watching the sunset from the meadow enjoying great food, acro and a little art. Thanks @chelleslacks for the solid flying and @yogabrock for sharing your inner Ansel Adams and nailing this sweet photo. (at Yosemite National Park)

That ackward moment you realize you are the only one wearing yellow. Always so much fun to play with @yellowkimber and push the envelope a little bit everytime. Video by: @yellowkimber #Acro #yoga #strength (at Liberty Park)

Working on acro calibrations crash and burn style. #DropItLikeItsHotWashingmachine #acro (at Provo, Utah)

“If the ocean can calm itself, so can you. We are both salt water mixed with air.”  ― Nayyirah Waheed I experience such a great sound meditation last night @omnipresence_orem lead by @erinmakayla31. I was introduced to an ocean / sea drum and my life just might never be the same. Thanks for sharing your passion with me last night Erin and teaching me along the way. #Vibrations #EricWardPhotography #freepeople#instadaily #artist #yogaart #grace #wanderlust#fitgirl #instayoga #instadaily #instagood #grace#nikon #myyogalife #cats #yogagram#yogaeverydamnday #balance #love #training#capturerad #travelstoke #simplyadventure#yogapose #yoga #hawaii #sunrise #paradise #meditation #goddess #love #universe (at Kalani)

Looking through the archives and came across this gem from 2008... Took a four and a half minute exposure as some hikers came up the trail on their way to the top of Mount Timpanogos... #EricWardPhotography #archives #tbt #mount #timpanogos #hike #utah #long #exposure #art #801 #instagood #yoga #meditation #night #light #painting #outdoors #freepeople #passion #nikon #sunrise #dawn #mountain #top #mother #nature (at Provo, Utah)

Smile by Eric Ward Via Flickr: There are millions of things to smile about you just have to pick one for yourself. -- Anurag Prakash Ray #EricWardPhotography #smile #beauty #breathe

Dance of Life by Eric Ward Via Flickr: How may I walk more gently through this journey of opening? Let me breathe in the sands of solitude, and dance in the winds of connection. I carry in me generations of birth and death, and swaddled against my back the wonder of life. --@already86

How may I walk more gently through this journey of opening? Let me breathe in the sands of solitude, and dance in the winds of connection. I carry in me generations of birth and death, and swaddled against my back the wonder of life. --@already86 (at Salt Lake City, Utah)