A Summary of How to Practice Asana with Animals
Asana, or posture, is the third limb of yoga and plays a huge role in our Animal-Assisted Yoga Practice. The first and second limbs teach behavioral foundations, and once we understand them enough to implement the Yamas and Niyamas into our lives, we are ready to move on to learning the physical foundations of yoga together.
The practice of asana is described in the Yoga Sutras in three pieces:
स्थिरसुखमासनम् ॥४६॥ 2.46 sthira sukham āsanam - steady/stable pleasant posture, that which is steady, pleasant and imparts stillness is asana. This sutra indicates that the conscious goal of practicing asana is to achieve steady and comfortable posture, which is valuable in improving the overall well-being of all species.
प्रयत्नशैथिल्यानन्तसमापत्तिभ्याम् ॥४७॥ 2.47 prayatnaśaithilyānantasamāpattibhyām effort-relaxation-infinite-meditation(on)-by(both) with relaxed effort and meditation on the infinite. Here we recieve instructions to attaining the goal of steady and pleasant posture. We must put in the effort and work towards our common goal by practicing the poses, but remain in a state of relaxation. If we are straining and suffering, we are not moving towards asana. Animals can help shift our focus here. While we may be focused on the image of each asana and trying to prove to ourselves that we can accomplish stillness in each pose, our animals are engaged so long as they are interested, and once suffering begins, they lose interest. Animals make the practice of asana light and fun, keeping us in a state of relaxation with their presence and allowing us to move towards ease and stability through practice of joyous movement.
ततो द्वङ्द्वानभिघातः ॥४८॥ 2.48 tato dvaṅdvānabhighātaḥ - thereafter dualities-undisturbed, thereafter, one is undisturbed by dualities. This sutra describes the purpose of achieving asanas. When we put faith in our bodies to fulfill these beautiful postures, especially when we creatively integrate our animal counterparts, it takes a marriage of the body and mind that counterbalance the anxiety of dualities. Advancing the involvement of our pets as we achieve mastery keeps their mind and body engaged and improves their physical balance and confidence, which improves the balance of their own dualities- prey/survivor and pet/companion. The practice of asana puts everything into perspective, and life balance is easier to achieve. Likewise, mastery of the asanas requires a mastery of balance, both in the body and in life. When this balance is achieved, the contradictions that life brings leave the yogi and their animal counterpart unbothered.
These three pieces of the practice of asana must be kept in the forefront of your mind as you guide your animal through each posture. As we aim to find comfort and stability in each pose, we can place our pet in a coordinating position or action. For example, as you practice Virabhadrasana II, Warrior 2 Pose, you may ask your animal to find a comfortable position nearby to rest so that you can feel the ease of their presence. As you gain stability and comfort in the pose, you might as them to use your front leg as a platform or perch to rest their weight on. When you are at a point where you remain still and relaxed in Virabhadrasana II while your animal is interacting with the platform created by your front leg, you may ask them to push off of your leg by jumping, flying, or even slithering away, creating a countermovement in your body that you must counterbalance in order to maintain your posture. This action turns each asana sequence into a new game as each individual asana is a puzzle for each of you to solve. You gently move your limbs and body into the posture, and your animal counterpart joyously interacts with the shape that you make. As their guide and the one who introduces them to the art of yoga, you have the responsibility of showing them safe ways to interact through each pose.
