Or start customizing your own yoga mat with pictures of your pet by clicking here!
Doga encourages you to find awareness and compassion alongside your pet on the mat
It invites you to… Be vulnerable,
It demands that you… Be patient.
And, it helps you find more compassion for yourself and the other creatures that call this big blue marble their home!
According to the Yoga Sutras and Buddhist tradition, there are four key emotional states that make for a happy, fulfilled life.
They include:
Each of these emotional states are also experienced when you open your heart and home to a pet of your own.
Here’s how!
Kindness
Metta, or loving kindness is commonly translated into friendliness.
Pets are incapable of holding a grudge, starting an argument or pushing your emotional buttons.
“And if you’ve ever been to a dog park, you know that dogs are some of the friendliest creatures around!”
Gladness
Loosely translated, it means unselfish joy, or happiness in the good fortune of others.
Out canine companions have an uncanny ability to pick up on our moods… when we’re happy, they’re happy, too.
So, while they may no understand why you feel the way you do, you can be sure that if you are feeling joy, your dog will meet your great mood with some joyful leaping and serious tail wagging.
Compassion
The equality of compassion is essential if one is to form healthy relationships with family, friends, co-workers and those in our community.
According to the researcher, “Dogs not only sense what their owners are feeling, If a dog knows a way to help them, they’ll go through barriers… to help them”. And if you’ve ever suffered a serious loss or a heartbreak, you know that dogs have a special ability to comfort the humans they love.
Equanimity
This is the ability to remain non-reactive in stressful environments or situations.
Like people, dogs who have been abused or neglected will struggle with emotional balance and can act out in stressful ways.
But they are incredibly resilient beings and with a supportive, loving home, even the most emotionally challenged dogs can make a full recovery and learn to trust again.
Another lesson from our four-legged friends: love, trust and forgiveness go a long way towards establishing emotional equanimity
Now what?
As you progress through the basics of Doga in this series, be mindful of fostering the qualities of Loving, Kindness Gladness, Compassion and Equanimity in all aspects of your life.
With these spiritual foundations in place, your practice will take you to a deeper level of bonding with you dog than you ever thought possible.
Download the full ebook below!
Pet Yoga Explained
The origin of Doga
Despite what you may think, Doga isn’t a spanking new phenomenon. Dogs have been welcomed into yoga studios for decades.
Many of us have unconsciously been practicing Doga at home when curious friends join us on our mats.
Many sources point to Mahny Djahanguiri, being one of the first yoga instructors to invite her students to bring their dog to class in 2012.
Doga Philosophy
In the first, the dog is used as an object to help you stabilize or deepen your stretch.
Generally speaking, there are two basic philosophies.
In the second, dogs are actually trained to be participants in your yoga routine.
Let your pet’s reaction be your guide as you find a home practice.
Coming up next in this series:
Introducing You and Your Pet To Doga
Until then, download the full guide below for even more doga fun!
