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So why Goat Yoga, one might ask??? But I would ask, “Why not Goat Yoga?” For me it’s simple, I love yoga and I love animals. I’m a country girl at heart so leading this 5000-year-old practice outside with the company of sprightly, curious little goats only seemed natural. To be honest Goat Yoga was really a bit of joke amongst my fellow yogi’s in training and teachers in Morocco. I mean what real value could a goat add to a yoga practice besides a few giggles and maybe some awkward moments.
But as we chuckled about the idea of goats standing on people’s backs and pooping on their mats, I started my research by posting a simple add on Facebook and Craigslist. “Wanted: 15 baby goats to rent for Yoga!”
As you can imagine most of the responses were in jest. I mean it is a strange request. But there was one person who responded saying that he had lots of baby goats and he would rent them to me if I came to meet him first. And so, my Goat Yoga journey began. We meet shortly after I returned from Morocco and I immediately fell in love with the silly chill vibe of these curious little creatures. I bought my first Nigerian Dwarf, his name is Jeffery. And then 2 weeks later I bought my second, her’s is Lil’bit. I announced on Facebook that I would be hosting Goat Yoga in Katy and within a few Hours my first class filled up! So, I posted a second and when it filled I posted a third.
I was beyond nervous leading up to the event. I was a new teacher, with little actual teaching experience and here I was about to host three classes on my property. To top it off I had no idea what to expect from the goats. Would they hide? Would they interact? Would they just sit in the corner and do nothing? And what if I forget how to teach and my mind just goes blank??? Luckily, none of this happened. I managed to find a brief moment of Zen before the first class. I reflected on all that my teachers had instilled in me and I reminded myself it doesn’t have to be PERFECT! It will be just what it is supposed to be and I just need to roll with it. And it wasn’t perfect, but it was truly amazing!!! The yoga was really good, but the goats were the star of the show. Everyone had a blast, moving through asanas as baby goats snuggled, head butted and hopped their way around the yard. Yes, some mats were soiled, drinks were spilled and some yogi’s spent the entire class in shavasana with a baby goat on their belly. But the reaction from everyone was so positive, that I was on a high for the rest of the day!
So back to the original question… Why Goat Yoga? Because it’s fun and unintimidating. It’s a great way to try yoga for the first time because no one is there for a serious deep yoga practice. Everyone, even the seasoned yogi’s, are there to let loose, exercise a little and laugh a lot. I like that I am getting new people to the mat and I love that many of them keep coming back. I’ve priced my classes so they are not much more than a drop in fee at a traditional yoga studio so I can get people to come back and practice yoga again and again. And maybe one day they will come to my class even when the baby goats aren’t there. If it takes a little goat love for a new yogi to be born then I’m just fine with that 😊
Hope to see you soon!
~ The Traveling Goat Yogi