Pigs in Yoga Class Put People at Ease
2024-05-29
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1In the northeastern American state of Massachusetts, people are combining a form of exercise for the body and spirit with pigs.
2The yoga classes in Massachusetts are selling out within hours.
3People come from far away to exercise with Wilbur, Charlotte and Bluey, who are piglets, or young pigs.
4The pigs come from a nearby farm to play among people in the yoga class at Ashley Bousquet's business Beyond Yoga & Wellness in the town of Spencer.
5Bousquet tells people not to worry if piglets climb on top of them or want to cuddle.
6Yoga classes with animals are not new.
7Goats might have been the first.
8Lainey Morse started yoga classes with goats in the state of Oregon in 2016.
9She found she felt happier and more at ease around goats.
10She talked with a friend who was a yoga teacher.
11They decided to offer classes with the goats.
12Their business was successful, and the idea soon spread to other places.
13In Ashley Bousquet's class, the little pigs walk around humans who are moving into exercise positions called downward dog, crow and cobra.
14Among the other animals in the outdoor class are two rabbits and a goat named Munchie.
15Stacey Delbridge and her daughter drove almost two hours to attend a class with the pigs.
16She said it was worth the drive.
17"The best thing about the piglet yoga was, of course, the piglets and how cute they are," Delbridge said with a smile.
18"They were funny, you know. Just when you were getting to a point where you needed a break, you had a great visitor come see you, and you could quit without looking like a quitter. Yeah. They're adorable."
19Bousquet said there is such demand that online registrations are usually full within hours.
20The classes begin with Bousquet inviting her students not to worry about stopping their exercises to spend time with the piglets.
21"During the class you have piglets causing mischief and running on you, on top of you or cuddling with you," Bousquet said. "It's super cute."
22Amy Finkel brought her two daughters with her, smiling while taking photos of piglets as the girls held a rabbit.
23"The highlight of the class, in my opinion, was just having them run around, and seeing them so joyful and happy," she said.
24The only problem was that the time passed too quickly.
25Doing yoga with animals produces good results.
26Rebecca Purchase is a Volunteer Coordinator of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals-Angell.
27If animal yoga includes shelter, or unwanted, animals, it may even encourage people to give them a home, she said.
28"Is yoga stressful to animals that join? It can be if it's not the right animal," Purchase said.
29"For animals that really thrive, being around people, and getting to socialize with them, it absolutely can be a benefit."
30Finkel enjoys animal yoga - she said it helped keep her mind from moving on to other things.
31"I just wanted to sit with them," Delbridge said.
32I'm Jill Robbins.
1In the northeastern American state of Massachusetts, people are combining a form of exercise for the body and spirit with pigs. 2The yoga classes in Massachusetts are selling out within hours. People come from far away to exercise with Wilbur, Charlotte and Bluey, who are piglets, or young pigs. 3The pigs come from a nearby farm to play among people in the yoga class at Ashley Bousquet's business Beyond Yoga & Wellness in the town of Spencer. Bousquet tells people not to worry if piglets climb on top of them or want to cuddle. 4Goat yoga 5Yoga classes with animals are not new. Goats might have been the first. Lainey Morse started yoga classes with goats in the state of Oregon in 2016. She found she felt happier and more at ease around goats. She talked with a friend who was a yoga teacher. They decided to offer classes with the goats. Their business was successful, and the idea soon spread to other places. 6In Ashley Bousquet's class, the little pigs walk around humans who are moving into exercise positions called downward dog, crow and cobra. Among the other animals in the outdoor class are two rabbits and a goat named Munchie. 7Stacey Delbridge and her daughter drove almost two hours to attend a class with the pigs. She said it was worth the drive. 8"The best thing about the piglet yoga was, of course, the piglets and how cute they are," Delbridge said with a smile. "They were funny, you know. Just when you were getting to a point where you needed a break, you had a great visitor come see you, and you could quit without looking like a quitter. Yeah. They're adorable." 9Bousquet said there is such demand that online registrations are usually full within hours. 10The classes begin with Bousquet inviting her students not to worry about stopping their exercises to spend time with the piglets. 11"During the class you have piglets causing mischief and running on you, on top of you or cuddling with you," Bousquet said. "It's super cute." 12Amy Finkel brought her two daughters with her, smiling while taking photos of piglets as the girls held a rabbit. 13"The highlight of the class, in my opinion, was just having them run around, and seeing them so joyful and happy," she said. 14The only problem was that the time passed too quickly. 15Good results for humans and animals 16Doing yoga with animals produces good results. 17Rebecca Purchase is a Volunteer Coordinator of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals-Angell. If animal yoga includes shelter, or unwanted, animals, it may even encourage people to give them a home, she said. 18"Is yoga stressful to animals that join? It can be if it's not the right animal," Purchase said. "For animals that really thrive, being around people, and getting to socialize with them, it absolutely can be a benefit." 19Finkel enjoys animal yoga - she said it helped keep her mind from moving on to other things. 20"I just wanted to sit with them," Delbridge said. 21I'm Jill Robbins. 22Rodrique Ngowi reported on this story for the Associated Press. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English. 23_______________________________________________ 24Words in This Story 25yoga - n. a system of exercises for mental and physical health 26cuddle - v. to lie or sit close together 27cute -adj. having a pleasing appearance 28adorable - adj. very appealing or attractive 29mischief -n. trouble that is not serious 30encourage -v. to urge or persuade a person to do something 31stressful - adj. full of or causing stress; making you feel worried or anxious 32thrive - v. to grow or develop successfully 33benefit - n. a good result 34What do you think of piglet yoga? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.