Caprine vinyasa, also known as baby goat yoga,   has got us practicing our asanas in the company of lanky, furry farm animals. Goat Yoga for a Cause opened the outdoor patio to eager yogis and stacks of hay with a dozen Yolkers Wilde Dairy Goats, a small family farm in Myakka. The sold-out, all-levels class was filled with an hour of laughter as owner Claudia Baeza had everyone “baahing” in unison at each deep breath instead of “ohmming.” Participants were more than welcome to cuddle the goats or focus on their practice. “Don’t be alarmed if you suddenly feel a hoof on your leg,” Baeza quips to the class as everyone stretched back into their upward-facing dog pose. “Goats do what goats do!” The curious kiddies made the unusual yoga session playfully challenging by roaming freely—attempting to break your concentration and sometimes even accidentally knocking you off balance as you try sticking your one-footed tree pose. Some even chose random mats to bask in the sun on for a quick nap. The proceeds of Goat Yoga for a Cause support Yolkers Wilde farm for an entire week, and runs three times a year to support Pineapple Yoga Studio’s many community efforts, including yoga teacher training/scholarships and Dharma Footprint Project’s free community classes year-round. Na-baaah-ste. 

Photo by Wyatt Kostygan.

PHOTO BY WYATT KOSTYGAN.