Yoga, of course, is a continually evolving practice. Over the past decade or so, dog lovers have evolved a form of yoga that they can do with their beloved pets called “doga” (rhymes with yoga).
If you practice yoga and have a pet, you know that the moment you lay your mat on the floor and strike a pose, the animal is there ready to play with you and “help” you with your practice.
Rather than banish your pet to another room or outside, yoga practitioners have found ways to incorporate their pets into their practice.
Yoga instructors Joan Paccione and Nancy Corrigan will be demonstrating doga poses throughout our column this month. The key to a successful doga practice is to incorporate your pet into your practice as a four-legged partner.
This week, Joan and Sage and Nancy and Arrow demonstrate Wide Straddle Twist. As you can see, both yoginis strike a wide straddle pose with their feet and fold over at their thigh creases.
With her left hand on Sage, Joan executes an open twist turning her ribcage to the right. Nancy keeps her right hand on Arrow and does a reverse twist, turning her ribcage to the left. The dogs? Well they seem to be pretty content just sitting there being a loving prop to help Joan and Nancy deepen their twists. And that, in essence, is doga.
Please write and let us know how this exercise has helped you. And if you have questions, we would love to hear from you. You can reach Pam Flynn and Alice Waldman at firstname.lastname@example.org.