Goat Yoga – that's Yoga, not Yogurt – is a thing now and participants at Lainey Morse's exercise retreat at No Regrets Farm have, er no regrets.
Now let's get one thing straight: Goat Yoga is NOT yoga for goats. In a nutshell, it's yoga WITH goats though said goats don't actively follow the instructor's direction... goats are like that. The grass-grazin' beasts are rather acclimatized to humans, however, and it could be they thrive on the vibe of a full-on, namaste-infused yoga class.
Indeed, one can't swing a cat without hitting a goat or three – forgive us for that cringe-worthy metaphor. The fact that classes are held outdoors in a grassy pasture also helps keep the resident goats within arm's reach. Not that this is a baaaad thing, mind you.
Lainey Morse, a former photographer and the current owner of No Regrets Farm in Oregon's pastoral Willamette Valley can vouch for the goats' calming influence. Morse states that a participant who had recently gone through a trying regimen of radiation and chemo therapy “bawled through the whole class;” moved to tears by what she called “a healing, wonderful experience.”
Goat Yoga got its start when a local yoga instructor approached Morse and asked if she could hold yoga classes at No Regrets Farm. The class was a huge success and though unplanned, the conglomeration of goats around the exercisers turned out to be the icing on the cake. Morse decided than and there that hosting Goat Yoga was more rewarding than being a photographer. “It may sound silly but it's really just about getting outside in nature with beautiful scenery and having animals around you,” explains Morse. “Animals can really help humans with stress and illness or grief.”
Could Goat Yoga really be catching on? Morse doesn't have to be convinced – participants from out-of-state have begun attending her retreats and she's been forced to post a waiting list for spaces. “I think it really came along at a time when everyone is tired of hearing about politics and all the bad in the world,” muses Morse. Well, it's hard to trump that. (via WENN and WebEcoist)
