From today’s NY Times: Doga–Yoga with Dogs!
Ludicrous? Possibly. Grist for anyone who thinks that dog-owners have taken yoga too far? Perhaps. But nationwide, classes of doga — yoga with dogs, as it is called — are increasing in number and popularity. Since Ms. Caliendo, a certified yoga instructor in Chicago, began to teach doga less than one year ago, her classes have doubled in size.
Not everyone in the yoga community is comfortable with this.
“Doga runs the risk of trivializing yoga by turning a 2,500-year-old practice into a fad,” said Julie Lawrence, 60, a yoga instructor and studio owner in Portland, Ore. “To live in harmony with all beings, including dogs, is a truly yogic principle. But yoga class may not be the most appropriate way to express this.”
My dog has his own thoughts on this here on Haze Hayes his blog that he types as fast as his little paws lets him.
I have done yoga with my friend Fr. Tom Ryan and found it to be both physically challenging and it gave me an opportunity to meditate more intentionally. It was a Catholic experience–taking Yoga postures and putting them into Catholic prayers and then meditating for about 20 minutes afterward. To check out Fr. Tom’s yoga style get his DVD here and see one of his videos and read more about it here.