I love my work! I love it even more when publishers contact me to write a review about a book. So, you can imagine how happy I was (You know how a dog gets when she’s excited to see you? It was that kind of happy.) when Abrams Image asked me to take a look at one of their newest releases, titled Yoga Dogs. Their e-mail request included photos like the one below, and that was all it took for me to agree with an enthusiastic woof-YES!
I mean, come on; how freaking cute is this poocher in padangusthasana (big-toe stand)? And there are plenty more of these überflexible canines in this artfully designed picture book by Dan Borris.
Through my yoga-teacher training, I was fortunate to learn about the early origins of Yoga Dogs and the common belief that yoga humans copied the movements of various animals as inspiration for what eventually became yoga poses. If you don’t believe it, this book provides photographic and historical evidence of the early Yoga Dog masters and canine spiritual leaders. We should all bow down to the doggies of the world for carefully developing and refining so many of the yoga poses we know and love today (or at least give them some awesome doggie treats).
“If you meet the Buddha on the road, sniff him and remember his scent well.”
The book is meant to inspire all dogs to maintain better health and self-realization through the practice of yoga and provides a fully illustrated guide to yoga created by dogs for dogs. There are 38 two-legged poses skillfully demonstrated by the cutest damn four-legged yogis you have ever seen. Each pose is shown with great form and ease and includes the Sanskrit name, human name, and a list of the benefits of the pose. As a human, you can pick up some excellent yogic knowledge as well. For example, supported shoulder stand has always been one of my favorite asanas, but who knew that it stretches the neck and shoulders, improves digestion, alleviates insomnia, reduces fatigue, relieves stress, and, most important, it calms the brain. I think I need to be rockin’ my salamba sarvangasana each and every day!
“Only when my leash is off can I achieve nonattachment.”
Virasana Hero Pose
We humans should all take a cue from our canine friends. Just take a look at them; they’ve got the deep pranayama breathing down (unless they’ve just finished chasing the UPS man), focused attention (unless distracted by a squirrel), and have you ever watched the way they stretch when they get up? They truly own the trademark for downward-facing dog.
Dan Borris—a professional photographer and the creator of this fun book—has had his images appear in Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, the New York Times, and Smithsonian to name a few. He also is pretty damn funny, as you might have noticed in the quotes from the book that I’ve interspersed through this review. I absolutely love his take on Patanjali’s four keys to life:
“Calmness of mind is reached by cultivating friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and indifference toward UPS men.”
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana Upward-Facing Doggie
I was assured by the publishers that no dogs were harmed during the making of this book, so I’m thinking that some of those superdog poses may have been embellished with a little digital help from Photoshop.
The awesome peeps at Abrams Image were also cool enough to offer me two extra copies to give away to lucky Daily Downward Dog fans, so we’re gonna do this giveaway doggie style. To enter, please leave a comment below, and tell me about a cool yoga-dog experience you’ve had or something you’ve learned about yoga from a dog. If you don’t have a poocher like me (I know it is absolutely insane that I don’t), go up to Dan’s Yoga Dogz Web site, and let me know which calendar dog is your favorite. (I have to admit, I have a huge doggie crush on Tazz.) This giveaway is open to all U.S. residents, and you can enter through Tuesday, March 1 at noon, when the winners will be randomly selected.
Yoga Dogs will be available at a bookstore near you on March 1, and you can order it now at Amazon.com. Yoga doggies rock!
Ah, so cute! Nobody practices yoga like dogs and cats do. 🙂
Too cute… my elves would LOVE this book. The thing I love and have learned from dogs is just to be happy and present wherever you are. Oh and Tazz was my fav!! xo
this combines my 2 favorite things, dogs and yoga! I only wish my down dog was as cute on me as it is with my little shih-tzu, vegas!
I had that calender last year…L-O-V-E! It’s hard to pick a fave but I’m a little partial to Suki. She just looks like she’s having fun.
I learn about the yoga of life from my Scarlet everyday and from Nicki before her – forget about the past, live for today, and enjoy as many treats as you can. Nothins’ better than showing your love. And nothing beats a good savasana!
♥♥♥
Love this post, love this book, so cute:-) My dog is very good at Upward Facing Dog, Urdhva Mukha Svanasana:-) She always looks so satisfied after that stretch:-)
Take care,
Terra
I can’t enter because I’m Canadian but I’ll tell you my fave dog story anyway 🙂
I teach a private yoga class at my mom’s once a week with 3-6 friends of ours. My mom has two dogs and they seem to love yoga time. First off, they’re so excited to see more “pack members” but once the class starts, they go to their blanket to relax during meditation. Once we get to the floor they wander around, stretch a bit, and visit each person. And come Savasana time, they pick someone to cuddle next to and they always change people. It’s so cute to watch them go with the flow, take turns visiting, do a few down dogs, and curl up for some loving. Sounds like a good way to go through life to me 🙂
Just like my loving pug, Milo, does everyday, this post put a smile on my face! Milo greets every day with a down dog and sometimes and cow stretch to follow it, and reminds me to be grateful for him and for having yoga in my life. Today Milo must have been feeling extra yogi though. It was pouring outside and he does not like the rain. Grudgingly we made our way to the dog park for his morning walk and he starts staring at the flowing flooding water in the park. Of course I’m trying to keep him moving so he doesn’t drink it, and let’s be honest, I’d like to go back inside too. Milo however became enthralled with bubbles in the water flow and starts doing these little mini vinyasa flows – down dog, hop forward, bow down, sniff bubble and oops where did it go, back up to stand, back to down dog for a new bubble, and over and over again. Hilarious! He forgot all about the rain and I just laughed and laughed, both of us completely in the moment. Maybe he is paying attention to me when I’m on my mat…… What a great way to start my day! I can’t wait to see this book. Thanks for bringing it us.
oh my dog! i love it! i saw a calendar with cute yoga dogs and absolutely loved it! my little yoga do has been on the DL for the past 4 weeks, but she is slowly finding her down dog and a timid little up-dog. Watching her ease back into stretching and moving has been amazing, she really knows what is up in her body! In no time at all, she’ll be pacing the studio floor with me, throwing out her down dog amongst the students whom adore her.
cute dog story, at one point my little yoga dog was the youngest of three dogs in the house, and she learned right away that when mom down-dogs it, all the dogs bow down too! It’s just too bad that the camera never caught us all at once..
big hugs and a puppy kiss!
Woo Hoo – thanks for all the great yoga dog stories! I wish I could send each and every one of you a copy of Yoga Dogs.
Liz and Elise are the lucky winners! I’ll be in touch with both of you to arrange the shipment of the book.
Thanks to everyone for playing the game and remember to bow to the yoga dog masters next time you go into Downward Facing Dog!
Yoga Doggies, how incredibly adorable! A combo of two of my favorites 🙂