My first teaching experience was in a muddy field shared by eight nigerian dwarf goats. I led a 45 minute hatha flow for a bride-to-be, her team, and a few aunties along for the ride. Within the first five minutes, I had a fully grown 70lb. goat standing on my back as I demonstrated Dandayamana Bharmanasana! Since then, I’ve led goat yoga classes in a variety of wonderful locations, sharing love and light.

Wait, GOAT YOGA? As in yoga, with goats? Exactly!

Goats have a unique spirit that us humans are drawn to. The therapeutic value of animals is well-known, as any pet parent will tell you. I imagine it’s due in part to the mutually beneficial relationships humans and goats have shared throughout recorded history. Look far enough up the family tree, and there’s a good chance you’ll have a goat herder or farmer somewhere in there!

One of the goals of a modern yoga practice is to connect with oneself on a truly core level. To discard the ego and allow oneself to be submerged in the natural flow of energy that surrounds us. Goats live in that space unapologetically and with no desire to be any other way. Their inherent spirituality is probably why they can’t be trained in the same way as other domestic animals – they don’t need to impress us! Asana training and pranayama exercises help to prepare the body for meditation, but there’s no single pose or breathing rhythm that can inspire the immediate soulful joy of a curious goat nuzzling into you.

It’s my goal as a yoga instructor to help my students find the joy within themselves. The goats give the students a little jumpstart. Their natural playfulness and nonchalance isn’t affected by the challenges of day to day life. They live in the moment in the best way possible. By creating open space in asanas, the students connect through touch with the pure energy of the goats. The flow that I humbly guide serves to warm up the body and create positive energy. The goats contribute their own pure energy to the session, and so by the end of the experience the students are calmer, more relaxed and their spirits are brightened with the joy and playfulness that exists in all of us.

Would you like to have a goat yoga experience? Check my calendar for upcoming times and locations, or visit Rocky Mountain Goat Yoga for the full calendar and event schedule.