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The increasing trend of animal yoga is gaining a new member as three piglets in Massachusetts attend a yoga class alongside people. Animal yoga-as the name implies-involves including a cute animal such as a puppy or rabbit in a standard yoga or exercise session in order to create a more placid atmospheric experience. Reporter Rodrique Ngowi notes that “fans are willing to drive for hours for sessions with three piglets-Wilbur, Charlotte, and Bluey [named after the Australian children’s show of the same name]”
Video footage shows yoga students making downward dog and cobra poses whilst their animal counterparts wandered around the area and dug in the dirt. Two rabbits and a goat appeared on the scene soon after. The instructor, Bousquet, brought her two daughters along as well, cuddling and petting the animals and everyone was having a great time.
“The best thing about the piglet yoga was, obviously, the piglets and how cute they are”, says one participant named Delbridge. “They were funny, you know. Just when you were getting to a point where you needed a break, you had a great visitor come see you, and you could quit without looking like a quitter. Yeah. They’re adorable, and they enhance the therapeutic experience of yoga”.
Instructor Bousquet weighs in on the classes as well: “During the class you have piglets causing mischief and running on you, on top of you or cuddling with you. It’s super cute but also a bit distracting, but our students don’t mind one bit”, she told AP Insider. “The lowest point, however, is that the sessions are only 45 minutes because it goes by too fast”.
While not all animals are an ideal fit, ones that thrive in an environment and socialize with people can prove beneficial to one’s mental health than typical yoga practices. Some students also report that it keeps their minds from wandering or deviating from the practice at hand. The trend of animal yoga continues to expand to enhance visitor experience in a way that is difficult to achieve in today’s society.
