Joyce wrote this in October 2022, three months before Loki’s passing when we had no idea that he had cancer in his lumbar spine. Joyce didn’t end up “publishing” this at the time. Now, more than 18 months since Loki has been gone, we thought it would be a fun way to honor all our pets and how they can be a part of our experience of practice and how important they are in our lives.
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Tammy: Welcome to the Gentle Yogis Community Spotlight. For October, we are featuring a member who is on screen occasionally and “speaks” now and then. He will start by telling you a little bit about himself.
LOKI: Hi, My name is Loki Wentworth Peirce. My favorite things are chasing squirrels, jumping the fence into the bed of myrtle in the corner of the backyard, sleeping on the couch where I can see the front door and keep an eye on Rudy and Joyce in the kitchen, dining room and living room all at the same time. I also love eating, pooping and sleeping.
Tammy: What brought you to the Gentle Yogis community?
LOKI: Well, the community really came to me since I live here at the headquarters with my humans, Rudy and Joyce.
Tammy: In which classes do you currently participate?
LOKI: I am present for almost all classes, but the only postures I do are downward dog which Rudy says isn’t gentle yoga, but it works for me, and I love savasana which is my favorite though I usually do it with a curled spine since I rarely lie on my back. I sometimes do spontaneous ujjayi breathing. OMs are not my thing but I can woof which is a great way to move energy and get grounded. No really, I highly recommend it.
Tammy: What keeps you coming back to practice?
LOKI: There is a great couch here that is perfect for me and I just love being near wherever Rudy and Joyce are. When Rudy says to feel free to experiment and explore, I give myself permission to spend the practice mostly dozing with an ear out for any trucks that might pass by. Especially Tuesday and Fridays when trash trucks come through our neighborhood.
Tammy: How does the practice translate into other aspects of your life?
LOKI: Joyce is helping me to practice my focus so that I can stay calm instead of jump up more of the time during practice, but I still find that it is important at times, to check the perimeter from the window. As long as I am allowed to do that, I plan to keep participating. Yoga doesn’t fix everything, though. I have had a lot of anxiety in my life, so even though I know that breathing is really important for relaxing, I want everyone to know that sometimes we need help from others. I worked hard with Rudy and Joyce’s help to decrease my anxiety through play-based techniques they learned from dog trainers who specialize in helping dogs with past trauma, but even with all of that, I still need medication. So no one should feel bad about needing extra help.
Tammy: What would people be surprised to learn about you?
LOKI: I have lived in Housatonic MA with Joyce and Rudy since 2017, but the first 5 years of my life were in Kentucky. You wouldn’t know it since I have lost my accent. I also am proud that I am really good at down-stay. Joyce can settle me on a big rock on our favorite path near the Norman Rockwell museum and I can stay still while she walks a big wide circle around me. It’s challenging to stay, but also feels good to focus. I have also learned to “bite and carry” a tug toy while I walk but it’s still hard for me to be comfortable doing that for very long. But I know that practice is what counts.
Tammy: Thank you for sharing your experience with us, Loki. Yes, practice is what counts.
Rest in Peace, dear Loki (b. Sept 18, 2012, d. Jan 21, 2023)
We invite you to submit a similar interview of a pet for “Yay! The Blog” if you would enjoy doing so. Just click here and let Joyce know.
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