Fun Yoga Choices: Goat or Paddleboard?

This summer is so unusual so why not mix up that yoga practice a bit. I’ve participated in on line yoga and followed a few you tube videos since all the studios closed down in March. The pandemic has changed our lives. Maybe I would have finally been able to do a tree pose without holding onto the railing or a pigeon pose with my butt in the right spot but alas, COVID. So here I am. Making an effort. Amusing myself. Travel is limited so I am having whatever small adventures I can manage this summer.

Goat yoga:

Outdoors. We settled onto our mats in a fenced in lawn area at the local park. The trailer opened and the goat owner led five goats and one baby alpaca into the area. As the animals wandered, we waited on our mats for a visit. Soon, a certified yoga instructor began to bring us into a gentle practice. As we did our cat – cow movements, the goat owner walked between our mats, and placed a rather large and gawky looking goat on our backs. The goat was happy to just lay there, so on my next inhale as my head went up, the owner snapped a few photos with my iphone.

The class was more relaxing than I thought it would be. Goats can be so cute, but these were bigger than I expected. Maybe if you attend a class in early spring, you may be lucky and get baby goats! Steppinoutponies was the provider of the rescue goats, and we all did fall in love with the adorable week-old baby alpaca who was just learning how to spit. Still, I love animals and the animal handler and yoga instructor from Buddhabarnyoga worked hard to ensure an enjoyable evening for all.

Paddle board yoga:

It was a sunny, warm morning at 9:30 when we paddled out to the calm harbor spot with 10 other women. The paddle boards had anchors attached which helped to stabilize us and keep us from drifting away. We each found a spot well distanced from each other. Our instructor encouraged us to balance with seated positions or on our knees. I was good at sitting on the board and breathing which is an important part of yoga.

Once we stood up, things were a bit different. Holding a warrior pose was more difficult than a one-legged tree pose on land. Balance was at the mercy of the passing motorboats as the wake approached our boards in this harbor. If you had warning, you might quickly squat onto the board, but since it was so hot, an accidental spill in the salty water was rewarding and refreshing. The instructors and staff at Huntington Stand Up Paddle were friendly and supportive of all yoga levels.

Honestly – I would do both again. I felt safely socially distanced and enjoyed myself one time with a friend and one time on my own. Always up for a new experience. ❤️

Which one would you try?

Socially distanced goat yoga at
Smithtown Historical Society

Making friends at goat yoga
Baby alpaca
Encouraged to pick up the goats after class. This one was heavy.
Arriving in Huntington at paddleboard yoga
Trying our best at balance poses
Warm and sunny. Loving summer!!!

Which one will you try next?

runawaywidow

At the age of 51 I unexpectedly became a widow. For the first 6 months after my husband died, I was in shock and numb. I journaled and with the help of friends, family and therapists was able to get back to living my old life, even if it is now very different. Before I was married, I had spent a semester in England and backpacked around Europe. My husband and I moved from New York to California for 8 years and started a family. Travelling took a back seat to raising a family and going to work everyday. Since the loss of my husband I have visited a lot of places with family and friends and took a solo trip to Thailand. I am enjoying sharing my stories and adventures as well as some of my insights to how I am traveling the path of being a widow. I hope to share my stories and adventures as well as some thoughts on being a middle aged widow. While I have some great experiences traveling to Thailand and cruising to Central America, some of my adventures involve a trip to see a Broadway show in nearby Manhattan and a shopping trip at Bed, Bath and Beyond. If I can inspire anyone to go out and continue to live a good life that would be my greatest accomplishment.

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17 Responses

  1. LA says:

    I really want to try goat yoga

  2. My wife used to raise goats, so I just had to share this with her. 🙂 – Marty

  3. I’ve attempted some SUP yoga, but not yet with goats, although they look darn cute in your pics! My dog has shown me the proper way to do downward facing dog 🐕 🙃

    • runawaywidow says:

      My dog too! He does such a good stretch and jumps all over me like a baby goat when I try on line yoga classes at home. 🐶😂

  4. cedar51 says:

    what amazing ideas to encourage one to take up yoga – at this time…

  5. Samantha says:

    This is AMAZING! Cuteness overload with the goats. I’m dying to try goat yoga! I never heard of paddleboard yoga but it looks like a fantastic core workout. This article made me smile. 🙂

  6. Naia says:

    Goat Yoga!!! Ah, I didn’t know about goat yoga until last year and someone told me about a place in New Hampshire that you could do goat yoga. Since then I’ve always wanted to do it!! That sounds awesome! Thank you so much for sharing!

  7. Msdedeng says:

    Yoga on a paddle-board; now that’s cool. 🙂

  8. dltrvls says:

    The goat yoga is interesting! I saw it on Netflix too

  9. I really want to try both of these so bad!!

  1. January 10, 2023

    […] It’s recommended that we never stop learning and we can keep our brains from turning to mush after retirement by learning something new. I have dabbled in yoga over the past few years and even did yoga with goats and on a paddleboard. […]

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