It is ok to toot and fart in yoga and this is why.....
Over spring break Kylie, my five year old grand-daughter and I ventured on a week of "Nani and Kylie vacation time" to Victoria. The drive from Canoe to Kelowna was not overly long but Kylie knows I have kids audio books on my iPhone. One of her favourite's is the book called “My Dinosaur Farts.’ The story is pretty funny because the narrator constantly say the word fart and makes farting sounds through out the book ..... as well as burping sounds. Both of us giggled as we listened to the story and it wasn’t long before our first stop at Sutherlands Bakery in Enderby for Kylie to experience the best donuts in the Shuswap!
After munching all the sprinkles off of her chocolate long-john and a sip or two of water Kylie was giving into sleepiness and napped the rest of the way to the airport. I turned off the farting dinosaur audio book and began thinking about why it is so funny when we hear a fart or talk about farts! This book brought back memories of MANY discussion's of the fear of farting in yoga. There are people who do not come to yoga because they are scared to fart at a yoga class.
I am not kidding! This is true and yes people do fart in yoga, but why do some people feel ok and just simply say “oops,’ or “excuse me,’ or simply let out a giggle and others are so embarrassed? I am her to reassure you that it is completely natural and we all release wind in yoga or other exercises. There is even a pose called “wind releasing pose” we practice in yoga.
Has it happened to me personally? Of course it has. Many times in fact. The funniest time was when I was teaching a youth yoga class and after coming out of down dog I let one slip! The kids looked at me shocked and one little girl laughed and said, “teacher farted!” I laughed too and so did all the little yogi’s. I must admit I was a bit embarrassed but I simply said. “Yes I did! But I always say boys fart and ladies toot!” This brought out more giggles and group of five to eight year olds began chanting “Toot toot!” It did take a while to calm the class down and I am pretty sure they all went home and told their parents about their teachers toot-fart at yoga!
Why do I feel the need to write this? Well think about it, have you ever had this happen in a yoga class and never gone back to yoga again? Or have you not gone to yoga because you are afraid you may toot? The point is, no one really notices but you. We are all practicing our own yoga and mostly we have an inward focus, and if this does happen…I cannot stress enough… IT IS OK and a normal occurrence. When we begin to working in core strength, which yoga is wonderful for, it can cause some releasing. Yoga is all about letting go and releasing; mentally, emotionally and toot-physically!
I hope this has put your mind at rest and that if you have been a little shy to come to yoga that you will re-consider and brave the yoga mat again. Let go of the “wind worry” and come join the rest of us tooters!
You can find out more about yoga with me at www.georginakylloyoga.com or www.iamyogashuswap.com.
Share this or comment your funniest toot-story in the comments.
@georginakylloyoga @iamyogashuswap
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