5 unusual yoga styles for International Yoga Day
Downward dog is so much better with an actual dog.
— -- If you've never practiced yoga before, there's no better day to start than today. June 21 is International Yoga Day.
According to Days of the Year, International Yoga Day was declared by the United Nations General Assembly on Dec. 11, 2014. But the physical, mental and spiritual practice that's helped millions worldwide is actually more than 6,000 years old.
If the idea of "oooming" your way through a yoga class has you yawning, read on. Yoga has taken all sorts of forms and has risen to new heights -- even incorporating all sorts of furry friends. The good news is that yoga always comes back to the basics and is a great practice for everyone, from the very old to the very young.
Even the tiniest of tots can practice yoga. The same things that benefit adults -- stress reduction, mind-body connection and physical strength -- also benefit kids. It's also a non-competitive sport, something that's hard to come by for kids these days.
Kids yoga tends to be more creative than an adult yoga class. So imagine barking like a dog in downward dog, or meowing in cat pose. It's those little tweaks and a bit of silliness that keeps the kids focused.
Related: 97-Year-Old Yoga Instructor Teaches 8 Classes a Week
Talk about taking yoga to new heights. In Las Vegas, just a few minutes from the Strip, guests are transported via helicopter to the Valley of Fire for a 75-minute yoga class led by Dray Gardner of Silent Savasana.
Maverick Helicopters, which runs the tours, told ABC News its clients are the type of people who are not only looking to stay health-conscious on vacation, but who want to experience "the latest and greatest Las Vegas has to offer." If you're looking for a way to stay fit and turn your Instagram followers green with envy, heli yoga is it.
If you love baby goats (and really, who doesn't) you'll love goat yoga. The classes started in Willamette Valley, Oregon, by Lainey Morse in 2016. Morse said a goat therapy idea first came to her during a rough period in her life. “It’s impossible to be sad and depressed when there’s baby goats jumping around,” she said.
Her business is expanding rapidly, with people traveling from all over the nation to attend a class. “They have a sense of clam about them, but are really funny too,” Morse said. “They’re the perfect therapy animal.”
Those who identify as dog people rather than goat people will be pleased to know there's a growing trend of pairing downward dog with an actual dog. Sometimes called "doga," the practice makes use of canines as props and even weights in some yoga poses.
Dog owner Jocelyn James spoke to ABC News about the benefit of doga, saying, "It’s been very powerful for me and Peanut Butter ... she has allergies and a little anxiety. Everything that breathes needs a little healing.”
Looking to amp up your yoga practice? Look no further than Voga, or Voguing-yoga. It pairs the dance moves from Madonna's "Vogue" with yoga. The class description offers the "synchronized movement of yoga with the expressive moves of a dance class, fusing power and strength with attitude and flamboyance, where slick alignment is key."
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