If an aversion to exercise runs deep in your blood, animal yoga might make your workout all the more bearable. The fitness trend, which incorporates curious kittens, playful puppies and cuddly goats into traditional yoga, is invading NoVA for good reason: it’s beneficial for humans and furballs alike.
With a surname like Wolfe, it’s no wonder why certified yoga instructor and self-professed animal lover Beth A. Wolfe spearheaded the trend locally. She’s found that the incorporation of animals lures people—who may have never attended a class had it not included baby animals—to the healing power of yoga. During the classes, the animals play with one another, tug on the corners of yoga mats and even curl up into participants’ laps when they’re in seated or supine positions. The animals remove the intimidation factor and help participants harness joy and free-spiritedness, two important aspects of yoga that are often overlooked.
As far as health benefits go, Wolfe says it’s all about the central nervous system. The CNS is composed of two parts, the sympathetic and the parasympathetic, and yoga guides the human body toward equilibrium between the two. “Traditional yoga techniques balance the nervous system,” explains Wolfe. “We use movement, breath and stillness to shift into the [parasympathetic], which is responsible for rest and digestion. Animals are proven de-stressors and help with this rebalancing.”
Wolfe’s classes take place at traditional studios, local farms and animal shelters, most notably at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington. At the Arlington shelter, a multi-purpose space is used as a yoga studio and the animals participating in the class are all up for adoption.
“It’s good for us because it helps socialize the animals. They’re able to get used to being around people, which helps them get adopted,” said Chelsea Lindsay, AWLA’s communication specialist, at the shelter’s beagle puppy yoga event in November (which had a waitlist of over 700 people). “Plus, Beth generously donates more than half of the proceeds from each event to the shelter.”
All of Wolfe’s animal yoga events can be found on her website.
