Pet Yoga and Downward Facing Dogs

By Faye Martins

According to a 2004 BBC article, New York City-based yoga teacher Suzi Teitelman invented doggie yoga, or “doga” as it’s sometimes called. As an instructor for the fitness chain Crunch, she had an inspiration and decided to include her cocker spaniel in the class, since he frequently joined her on the mat during her home practice and “Ruff Yoga” was born. Since then, a flood of doga classes have emerged across the United States. There’s even a book, called “Doga: Yoga For Dogs,” by Jennifer Brilliant and William Berloni.

What is “pet Yoga,” and can it honor the real practice of yoga? Formats vary, but practices typically last 30 minutes, rather than a full hour or more, to honor the pets’ shorter attention span. Asanas done are standard hatha yoga poses, adapted to include the pets. This may mean a standing forward bend holding the dog’s hind legs, as he performs a wheelbarrow pose. Standard yoga mats are used, but no other props, perhaps to avoid tempting the canine participants. Doga classes start with setting an intention and can end with savasana, modified to rest the human’s head on her canine partner. Some studios even provide bubbling water “fountains” for the dogs to drink from after a practice.

Teitelman claims that after four years of practicing with her, her dog is more flexible, calmer and can go into poses more deeply. Others claim that their pets become more focused and that older dogs’ joints benefit from the practice. Animal therapist Dan Thomas at London’s Pet Pavilion company claimed that “after a few minutes, even the most unruly of participants appeared to chill out, relax and become calmer,” and he also noted that the dog’s breathing seemed to be in synch with the human yoga practitioners.

Whether or not pet yoga can provide all the benefits of standard yoga, there is no doubt that pet owners want to incorporate their companions in every aspect of their lives. According to the 2011-2012 APPA National Pet Owners Survey, 62% of U.S. households own a pet. That means 72.9 millions homes have a pet, and the spending on these furry friends tops $50 billion annually. At least 16.5 million Americans practice yoga, according to statistics available from NAMASTA, the North American Studio Alliance, giving these two industries much overlap. Should you choose to incorporate a pet yoga practice at your studio, training videos are available online.

© Copyright 2011 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

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Hypertension and Yoga

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

To function properly, the human body must maintain sufficient blood pressure, to allow blood to be pushed to all extremities and flow throughout the body. However, when the blood pressure is very high, it is known as hypertension. The heart must work hard, and strain, to pump the blood volume. Hypertensive patients are at high risk for organ damage, including damage to the retina, brain, heart, and kidneys.

Yoga is shown to lower blood pressure, and those who regularly practice a Yogic lifestyle, usually enjoy lower rates of hypertension than the general population. Practicing Yoga, to control hypertension, has been proven effective – without the side effects experienced with medication. However, proper instruction with a competent Yoga teacher and a medical professional are strongly advised.

Note: Anyone with hypertension should discuss their treatment with a physician, including any Yoga practice they intend to pursue.

B. K. S. Iyengar, one of the world’s foremost experts on Yoga and a teacher for 75 years, offers a number of suggestions regarding the practice of Yoga to reduce hypertension. B. K. S. Iyengar’s book, “Light on Yoga,” details the asanas, which regulate the blood pressure. Forward bends, supine positions, sitting positions, and inversions all help blood pressure, with forward bends being the fundamental asanas recommended.

Note: The above mentioned inversions are recommended for the purpose of “regulating” blood pressure – but may not be advised for those individuals who have high blood pressure.

B. K. S. Iyengar recommends the following Yoga poses (asanas), in particular, for the management of high blood pressure: Savasana (resting pose), Virasana (hero pose), Uttanasana (standing forward bend), Janu Sirsasana (head to knee pose), Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (bridge pose), Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward facing dog), and Baddha Konasana (cobbler or bound ankle pose).

These poses relieve stress and relax the sympathetic nervous system, allowing blood pressure to drop. There are also several asanas that should be avoided by people with high blood pressure. Vrksasana (tree pose) should be practiced, without the arms raised overhead.

Utthita Trikonasana (extended triangle pose) should be modified, by turning the head to gaze downward, leaving the hand at the waist instead of raising it upward. Virabhadrasana 2 and 3 (warrior two and three), Adho Mukha Vrksasana (full arm balance) and Sirsasana (headstand) should not be practiced at all by those with hypertension.

The definitive study on Yoga and high blood pressure is considered to be Chandra Patel and W.R.S. North’s research – published in the journal, “The Lancet” in 1975 – in which 34 hypertensive patients participated. They were assigned to either to Yoga relaxation methods with bio-feedback, or given a placebo therapy (general relaxation) for six weeks.

As a fully randomized study, the results were highly significant, with blood pressure in the Yoga group falling from 168/100 to 141/84 mm. (Normal blood pressure is generally considered to be 120/80 mm.) There is every reason, for those with hypertension, to explore Yoga as a complementary treatment.

© Copyright 2011 – Aura Wellness Center – Publications Division

To see our selection of Online Yoga teacher training courses, please visit the following link.

http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com/store/

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste!