You’ve Come Along Way, Doga

Oh, you guys, The New York Times cannot even believe it wrote an article about this.

I love my dog. She stretches, she reminds me to stretch. She plays, she reminds me to play. But even though she loves to bother me when I’m on the mat, I really can’t imagine a dog yoga class. I took a look at this series of videos on Animal Planet, and hooo eee, that’s some funny stuff.

My guess is that Kaylee’s attraction to the mat is NOT about seeking enlightenment. She just wants to know what I’m up to rolling around on the floor. What is that crazy woman doing? Maybe, MAYBE, she is drawn in by my calming energy. But mostly I think she just thinks I’m kooky.

Finding Your Center, Behind Bars

This week The New York Times published an article about the increase of yoga in prisons, citing it as a low cost way to help inmates cope with the stresses of prison life and an opportunity for them to reflect on their crimes.

The Prison Yoga Project talks about the deep healing they’ve witnessed.

Thanks to yoga, prisoners begin to reconnect more deeply with themselves and others. Where love is so sorely lacking, the transformation is profound.

That last line really got to me. I do not even pretend to be able to imagine what it’s like. But I do know that yoga has brought me love when I’ve felt it lacking in myself. And I am moved to see it somewhere where love is so sorely lacking.

This image was taken from the NYT slideshow found here.