Before Middle-earth Yoga launched, you may have thought that the worlds of Middle-earth and Yoga have no cross section, but this couldn’t be further from the truth! As discussed in our first blog post, ‘An Introduction to Middle-earth Yoga’, we have found that the symbology of Tolkien’s work has many parallels with the teachings of yoga.
But that’s not where the collision of the world’s stops! Did you know that some of the beloved cast of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are yoga practitioners or fans of yoga too? We’ve rounded up a list of all the cast members who share our love of the practice and picked our top 5 yogis so that you can follow in the footsteps of your Middle-earth idols.
1. Orlando Bloom aka Legolas Greenleaf, of the Woodland Realm
Possibly the best known yogi of the crew, Orlando Bloom has always been very vocal about his spiritual beliefs and has been spotted many times with his yoga mat in tow. He’s even rumoured to have taken Demi Moore on a yoga date! More recently, he’s been seen taking his practice out-of-doors with seaside flows.
https://tinyurl.com/nd3ppfm7
2. Viggo Morternsen aka Aragorn II Elessar, of Gondor
During his training for the film ‘Captain Fantastic’ Viggo spent a summer training in yoga as part of his research for the role. As with us all, this brief introduction to the practice stuck and he is now a regular practitioner.
https://tinyurl.com/7bduwjdy
3. Billy Boyd aka Peregrin Took
Way back in 2010, Billy Boyd married his long-term partner, Alison McKinnon, an actress and yoga instructor. Together with their son (Jack), the family now enjoy the practice together, with young Jack maybe even looking to pursue a career as a practitioner! "Ali is a yoga instructor, and Jack may well end up doing that … He does yoga all over the house, including the salute to the sun. It's hilarious."
tinyurl.com/6khvw2cx
4. Liv Tyler aka Arwen Undómiel, of Rivendell
A member of one of New York’s top yoga clubs, Liv Tyler is a well known yogi. She even kept up a daily flow of yoga before, during and after her pregnancy, to keep her mind calm and her body strong.
@misslivalittle
5. Benedict Cumberbatch aka Smaug, Fire drake of the North
Perhaps more dedicated to the soulful elements of the practice than its physical health benefits, Benedict Cumberbatch in a recent interview said, "I'm very happy with near-sobriety ... I have the odd blow-out, now and again … but I prefer yoga and meditation." He also spent time during his gap year in a Tibetan monastery, where he said the sacred art of meditation first drew his interest.
https://tinyurl.com/4ak2r26j
Check out Middle-earth Yoga mats to bring some beautiful Lord of the Rings imagery on a high quality mat to your practice.