Why goats, why yoga, why goat yoga

So after the successful two years people have started asking these questions.. why yoga with goats?  I am glad at least a few are inquisitive :).  Here is my take on Yoga therapy with baby goats

WHY GOATS:  

For whatever reason, the goats seem to have a greatly calming effect on race horses, who are often extremely temperamental. ... There's even a rumor that the expression "get your goat" started being used at the track where thieves would steal the goat of a favored horse in order to make the horse perform poorly. While the tale might be a fiction, its proliferation shows just how strong the bond between horses and goats can be. - This could have been one of the reasons to begin Goat yoga with humans to see the effects the baby goats could have on people when being around them in their environment. 

WHY YOGA: 

Do you ever feel like you’re at the zoo during the middle of yoga class? Yoga asanas (or poses) include crow, eagle, downward dog, pigeon, lizard, dragon (okay, maybe that’s not a real animal), and so many others.  Yoga poses are taken from imitating animals or something in the nature.It appears that the ancient yogis found imitating animals to be an enlightening experience for both the body and mind. we enter an animal-named pose, we both endure a physical exercise and experience a psychological exercise of embodying the symbolism of that particular animal.Consider the cat, an expert in relaxation. On awakening from sleep, they instinctively stretch and arch their spine in both directions before softening and moving onward. Doesn’t it make sense, then, that we generally use cat as an “awakening” pose at the beginning of practice, gradually loosening our body?

WHY GOAT YOGA:

Goat Yoga is a yoga session in which goats wander freely through a yoga class, nuzzling, rubbing against and climbing on top of the students. It’s essentially a form of animal-assisted therapy. It could be a surprise to many that baby goats are unexpectedly smart, social and profoundly cuddly animals. There is always a healthy dose of unpredictability in the goat yoga session. They might jump on your back, or give goat hugs, or they might just lay down on your yoga mat and snuggle up next to you. The Kids(baby goats) love to jump on higher surfaces and making their hoofs tap. So as soon as someone gets into a Plank or a downward Dog, the baby goats climbs onto the back. Now the student wouldn't want the goat to get hurt, hence holding onto the posture- thus getting a good exercise whilst having fun, meanwhile the baby goat gets distracted and finds another downward dog to climb onto :) 

Being around animals and in nature can make us feel good, and scientists have proven that this isn’t just in our heads. Animals have a measurable effect on our physiology and psychology. Most goat keepers would agree, and claim that there is nothing better for raising one’s spirits than watching goats play. Their exuberant joy is so contagious that it’s nearly impossible to remain in low spirits around goats. Hence after a good "Goat Yoga" session, these are the benefits you can expect: 

1.lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels

2. reduced anxiety and depression

3.improved sleeping habits, memory and mobility 

4.increased flexibility and strength

5.decreased stress hormone levels.

6.improved respiratory, cardio and circulatory health.

7. increased survival rates after life-threatening diseases.

8. Improved mood, thus releasing the Happy Hormones : endorphins, dopamine and serotonine -  the benefits resulting through the same.

9. Improved energy and vitality.

10. Improved focus, and mindfulness.

11. Boosts confidence.

12. getting in touch with your soul hence connecting back to your natural self. 

13. Being in the present. 

14. Learning to Let go. 

These are just a few benefits to name.. the overall feel good factor, will let you remember that hour with baby goats for your life and it will be in your list of happy times memories forever :)

Last but not the least.. this quote sums it all up( don't know who said it) : "Get lost in nature and you will find yourself"

"AUM" Chanting

AUM is both a sound and a symbol rich in meaning and depth considered to have high spiritual and creative powers.While scientists debate what was the first sound ever to occur in the universe the Indian philosophers had a firm belief and wrote it in the Indian scriptures that the very first sound made at the onset of the big bang was AUM and that it resonates within every being. AUM has the power to bind us with the universe and derives from within it incredible strength to power our everyday life on Earth.

Pronouncing AUM as a Chant or mantra: 
When pronounced correctly it will contain four syllables: A, U, M, and the silent syllable ঁ called the chandrabindu (moon dot) which is a diacritic sign with the form of a dot inside the lower half of a circle.
“A” (as in “AA”) resonates in the center of the mouth.The sound starts at the back of your throat and you stretch it out. You will start feeling your solar plexus and chest vibrating. This sound represents normal waking consciousness or the physical (Bhur)state. Then the sound “U” (pronounced as “oooo”) transfers the sense of vibration to the back of the mouth gradually rolling forward along your upper palate. You'll feel your throat vibrate.  This sound ties the physical state of consciousness to the inner/subtle(Bhuvah) state of consciousness. This is the world of dreams and imagination. “M” is the third sound that is hummed with the lips closed pronounced as a prolonged “mmmm” with your front teeth gently touching. You will now start to feel the whole body vibrate.This sound resonates forward in the mouth causing a buzzing sensation. This sound represents deep dreamless sleep. This is where consciousness exists in its finest pristine form also known as the causal state(Svaha). At the end of these three sounds is silence ঁ  . This represents the transcendental state. When you very still and in a state of deep meditation this silence at the end of AUM is the deepest silence you will ever experience in life. This is where your listening awareness is deepest and most expansive.

Why Chant?

Intoning this ancient sound said to be the very first sound ever heard in the universe can have a magical effect on your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual body at the same time. Yogi's who retire to the mountain for spells of meditation that last years if not decades intone this sound endlessly with a pause of deep silence in the middle. Indian fables are full of saints/ Yogi's who intone this sound for years becoming blessed with remarkable mystical powers.

Benefits of AUM Chanting: 

The vibrations in the body made by the rhythmic pronunciation and repetition has a physical effect on the body by slowing down the nervous system and calming the mind similar to meditation. When the mind is relaxed, your blood pressure decreases and ultimately the health of your heart improves.

Finally it is also a way to delineate the time of our practice from the rest of our day and signify that this is a special time in which to care for ourselves and practice being mindful.

 The science behind the Chant: 

Tesla said it. Einstein agreed. Science proved it. It is a known fact that everything—including our own bodies—is made up of energy vibrating at different frequencies. Om is also known as  "Pranav" literal translates in sanskrit as "to make a humming or droning sound". This creates vibrations. 

The sound Om, when chanted, vibrates at the frequency of 432 Hz. According to musicians Music based on 432Hz transmits beneficial healing energy, because it is a pure tone of math fundamental to nature.  Brain T. Collins, a musician and researcher, says the standard pitch (A=440 Hz) does not harmonize on any level that corresponds to cosmic movement, rhythm, or natural vibration. The greatest musicians, such as Mozart and Verdi, based their music on the natural vibration of A=432. It’s true that it is only 8 vibrations per second different from the standard tuning, but this small difference seems to be remarkable to our human consciousness. 432 Hz is said to be mathematically consistent with the patterns of the universe. It is said that 432 Hz vibrates with the universe’s golden mean PHI and unifies the properties of light, time, space, matter, gravity and magnetism with biology, the DNA code, and consciousness. When our atoms and DNA start to resonate in harmony with the spiralling pattern of nature, our sense of connection to nature is said to be magnified. The number 432 is also reflected in ratios of the sun, Earth, and moon, as well as the precession of the equinoxes, the Great Pyramid of Egypt, Stonehenge, and the Sri Yantra, among many other sacred sites.

History:

The earliest mention of the syllable  "OM "  was  found in the Upanishads (Spiritual texts that made the foundation of Hindu philosophical thought and its diverse traditions). It has variously been associated with concepts of "cosmic sound" or "mystical syllable" or "affirmation to something divine", or as symbolism for abstract spiritual concepts in the Upanishads. The Upanishads suggest that the three phonetic components of Om (pronounced AUM) correspond to the three stages of cosmic energy:  1. Creation, 2. Preservation and 3. Liberation and when it is read or said, it celebrates these creative powers of the universe.  

All in all, beginning and/or ending your yoga practicing with AUM helps to connects us to our practice in a deeper way than just with physical postures.

references : http://www.collective-evolution.com/2013/12/21/heres-why-you-should-convert-your-music-to-432hz/
http://omega432.com/432-music/the-importance-of-432hz-music/