Yoga

10 Fun Classes at CU

Anonymous — Fri, 19 Jul 2019 21:31:55 +0000

10 Fun Classes at CU Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 07/19/2019 - 15:31

Joshua Nelson

Which one would you take?

1. Energy and Interactions (EDUC 1580): It's physics, but for future elementary-school teachers.

2. America Through Baseball (HIST 2516): The history of America's pastime, and how world events have affected it.

3. Geology of Colorado (GEOL 1040): A geological history of the state that's sure to impress.

4. Yoga, Ancient and Modern (RLST 2612): In sum: Yoga's been around for a long time.

5. Wild West Soundscapes (MUEL 2742): From hymns to folk to Hollywood soundtracks, a musical overview.

6. Trash and Treasure, Temples and Tombs: Art and Archaeology of the Ancient World (ARTH 1509): It's all in the title.

7. Stars and Galaxies (ASTR 1200): Includes lectures at Fiske Planetarium, and a nighttime obesrvation at Sommers-Basuch Obervatory.

8. Biology and Society (EBIO 1100): Exploration of social issues such as reproduction and population.

9. Mapping a Changing World (GEOG 2053): Map-reading for better awareness of nature and society.

10. DNCE (1000, 1100, 1200, 1301, 2501): Exercise for credit: CU offers Modern, Ballet, Jazz, Hip-Hop and African Dance.

These classes offer both intellectual stimulation and enjoyment.

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Goat Yoga at CU

Anonymous — Mon, 03 Jun 2019 17:59:18 +0000

Goat Yoga at CU Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 06/03/2019 - 11:59

Christie Sounart

It was springtime, and CU students were showing off their downwardfacing dogs for a group of four-legged friends.

Welcome to goat yoga.

As more than 100 students flowed through traditional yoga poses on the lawn outside the CU Rec Center April 16, eight baby goats — including three-dayold triplets — wandered among them, occasionally climbing onto yogis’ backs or curling up on mats to bask in the sun.

There was tender finger nibbling and hair tugging.

Giggles and selfies abounded.

Passersby cuddled with a pair of yearold kids on leashes.

Organized by the rec center, the free classes aimed to help students relax during a stressful time of the semester, said Denise Adelsen, the center’s assistant director of fitness and wellness.

Goats compliment yoga because they naturally exhibit calmness, curiosity and emotional warmth, she said: “Their innate sense of openness reminds all who participate to be inquisitive, show kindness and truly experience the moment.”

The animals came from Boulder’s Mountain Flower Goat Dairy.

“My favorite ‘thank you’ was from a student who had never been this close to a goat before,” Adelsen said. “She didn’t have pets growing up, and the experience of doing yoga while with the goats made her feel calm and connected.”

Goat yoga returns to campus next April, if not sooner.

It was springtime, and CU students were showing off their downwardfacing dogs for a group of four-legged friends.

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A Yogi in the Classroom

Anonymous — Thu, 01 Sep 2016 17:28:00 +0000

A Yogi in the Classroom Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 09/01/2016 - 11:28

Christie Sounart

Inquiry: Lori Hunter

In spring 2016 ��ý�Ļ��Ʒ sociologist Lori Hunter introduced a course on the sociology of yoga. Here she discusses the commercialization of yoga in the U.S., its cultural impact and mastering the art of mindfulness.

What motivated you to create a class on yoga and society?

I’ve long been a committed yoga practitioner and, about two years ago, became certified to be a yoga teacher. It was during this training that I began thinking about a sociology course on yoga as practiced in our modern culture. As a sociologist, I always look at the world around us with a critical lens and I’d thought about the obvious increase in the commercialization of yoga in our culture — with the proliferation of chain studios, increasingly high-priced yoga ‘gear’ and more athletic companies getting into the yoga game. During teacher training I realized my teaching expertise isn’t actually in the yoga classroom, it’s in the sociology classroom. I’ve been teaching sociology for more than 20 years.

Much of your class focused on how yoga has manifested in the West. What should we know about yoga in the U.S. today?

There is so much about yoga in the U.S. today that is fascinating! For example, it’s widely practiced, female-dominated, privileged and crosses age boundaries. Yoga is now over a $10 billion industry. All of these facts raise questions related to its appeal — Why so popular? Is it a respite from our busy lives? — its gendered nature — Do modern male gender roles make yoga less appealing for men? — and its privilege — In what ways is this privilege perpetuated by commercialization? One discussion point we visited a lot in class relates to authenticity. Since yoga in modern Western culture emerged primarily as a physical fitness pursuit, is this version of yoga ‘authentic’? Does it matter? It’s also interesting to me that the physical practice is what comes to mind when people hear/use the word ‘yoga’ — although yoga actually encompasses much more.

Your students kept a yoga journal throughout the course. What sort of things did they start to notice in their yoga practices?

All of the students kept journals, although they didn’t necessarily engage in a physical practice like we think of as ‘yoga.’ Yoga is historically an ‘eight-limbed’ practice which includes ‘asana’ — the physical practice our culture mostly considers ‘yoga’— but yoga is broader and includes compassion, truthfulness, contentment — in general, mindfulness. I asked students to spend at least five minutes daily, six days a week, engaged in a mindfulness activity. For many students, this simply meant taking off their headphones while walking to class to be more attentive to their surroundings. For some students who practice yoga in studios, they took notice of the demographics of their fellow students, what they were wearing, and they began reflecting on the privilege associated with studio practice — for instance, the price of memberships. All of these insights reflect students’ use of critical thinking skills to reflect on the world around them. To be honest, the students were the most engaged of any class I’ve taught during my time at ��ý�Ļ��Ʒ!

Will you teach the course again?

Possibly in spring 2017.

How often do you practice yoga?

My practice has been up and down over the past decade due to personal circumstances — but at the most, I practiced five days a week, although I’ve also had months where I’ve not practiced at all. Typically, I try to practice two to three times weekly in a studio and at least another day at home.

What role does yoga play in your personal life?

I’m fortunate to travel a lot for work, as my research on climate change, migration and natural resource-based livelihoods is of interest and importance to a variety of organizations across the globe. During my travels, I often try to practice yoga at local studios to get a flavor for local culture and differences (and similarities) in yoga practices across contexts.

What other things are you interested in?

I’m also a gardener, and I find tremendous joy in crafting lovely combinations of colors and textures in my flower beds, and growing yummy produce in my fruit and vegetable beds. I have a great raspberry patch!

Condensed and edited by Christie Sounart (Jour’12).

Photo by Glenn Asakawa

A CU scholar talks about the sociology of yoga.

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