How do you make a yoga practice even more relaxing and restorative? You add a herd of baby Nigerian goats, of course.
That is the idea behind Lorain yoga instructor Tanna Torkleson's new class, goat yoga. The practice is exactly what it sounds like: a traditional yoga flow, but with baby goats roaming around the studio, climbing and cuddling their way onto yogis' mats.
“You extend a warm gesture of petting an animal, they extend a warm gesture by nuzzling your hand. There’s something beneficial in that,” Torkelson told The Chronicle. “They’re some mental reprogramming that happens when somebody pets an animal and bonds with it.”
Torkelson partnered with Downs on the Farm, an animal sanctuary in South Amherst that offers therapeutic, animal-assisted activities for those with special needs, to make goat yoga possible.
The farm has a handful of baby goats, no more than two feet tall, available for the yoga classes. Each session will dedicate 10 minutes before and after class to letting the goats mingle with participants. So, even if yoga isn't your workout of choice, you get the chance to bond with some ridiculously cute animals.
The first goat yoga class is offered Friday at Threads of Wellness studio in Lorain. For information regarding class times and registration, check out the studio's website.
© 2023 Cleveland Scene
