Community center offers goat yoga
Greater Plymouth Community Center offers a wild form of yoga
PLYMOUTH >> Fancy having a goat amble across your back or stand on your shoulders? They say it’s a great way to soothe a troubled spirit and relax tight muscles. Wait…what?
Goat yoga. It’s a thing. And here’s why, “they” explain:
“It’s so unexpected,” observes Joanna Sharapan, program manager at Greater Plymouth Community Center. “The goats are usually baby or pygmy goats… super small. They’re quirky, goofy and hilarious. Honestly, when you’re doing yoga and watching how carefree the goats are, it’s easy for you to forget about your problems, stresses and other things weighing on your mind. Goats live in the moment. Interacting with them allows you to be in the moment, too.”
GPCC initially offered goat yoga as part of its May schedule, and the class was so popular, the Plymouth Township rec center added four more. At press time, sessions on July 18 and Aug. 1 at 9 a.m. were still accepting students. Sessions at 10:15 a.m. on both days were already full.
If interested, “bring your own mat, towel or blanket… goats provided.”
“Renew your inner spirit with a fun, relaxing, giggle-filled goat yoga class at Harriet Wetherill Park,” GPCC organizers continue. “A triple threat to de-stress, (goat yoga) is a great way to break from your normal mindset.”
The class costs $40 a person (five-years-old and up), is open to yogis of every skill level and promises a “45-minute beginner-friendly goat-centric yoga class and 15-minute goat snuggle-picture time with nine to 15 baby (or) miniature goats.”
battling depression induced by a divorce and autoimmune disease diagnosis but found comfort hanging out with her goats. Eventually, some of her pals began joining her. One of them was a yoga instructor who came up with the idea of expanding their informal “goat happy hours” to actual classes that merged Morse’s friendly goats with downward dogs. The idea took off, and “Caprine vinyasa” was born.
Today, the combination of goats and yoga in the great outdoors is recognized as a form of animal-assisted therapy both here and abroad. That said, are the goats used for yoga classes gentle? Well, the pros concede, they might nibble on participants’ zippers or buttons; however, they’re unlikely to head-butt anyone but one another and that, mostly at feeding time. Will they give participants Bowden also raise chickens, roosters, turkeys and rabbits at their Bucks County farm and “focus on regenerating the soil.” The Bowdens included miniature breed goats in their animal mix so their “seven children could safely and wholly participate in their everyday care.”
“They’ve been terrific to deal with,” Sharapan says. “We got such a positive response from everyone who participated in May…we’ve brought them back by popular demand.”
GPCC is located at 2910 Jolly Road in Plymouth Meeting. The center’s upcoming goat yoga sessions will take place in the township’s Harriet Wetherill Park on Butler Pike. Additional information is available at www.plymouthcommunitycenter.org and www.namaaastegoatyoga.com.