Submitted by Lori Dance, Bedford Council on Aging
The Bedford Council on Aging has a rich offering of yoga this fall, with gentle chair Yoga classes suited for those who may have difficulty kneeling and sitting on the floor and “mat” Yoga for those who are more mobile. The good news is that is never too late to start yoga, no matter how old you are or feel. And even better news is that yoga will make you feel younger, and not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too.
So, you might be asking yourself, what can yoga do for me? Seniors who have been coming report more comfort and ease in their bodies – sometimes as quickly as the very first class. Yoga strengthens weak muscles, lubricates the joints, brings relief from the suffering of arthritis and low back pain, strengthens the immune system, and releases energy into your body. Balance improves greatly with the practice of yoga as well, strengthening feet, legs, hip flexors and core muscles. Yoga also strengthens all the breathing muscles and increases the power of each breath. People with asthma have reported significant improvement with their breathing.
If that wasn’t enough, yoga also brings remarkable emotional and mental benefits. Yoga relieves stress and stops you from worrying or feeling overwhelmed. You’ll actually build resiliency the more you practice yoga. And over time, it increases your focus and your creativity and can even help you sleep better at night. It does this by toning the nervous system.
So do yourself a lifelong favor and join in for one or more of the four classes offered:
CHAIR YOGA – Mondays and Fridays, 9:30 – 11:00 am
This class is a gentle form of yoga. You will practice sitting in a chair or standing using the chair for support. Complicated maneuvers and complex movements are NOT present in this class. The chair is used due to the difficulty in getting down and up off the floor. You will learn many yoga postures, breathing techniques, meditation and ways of relaxation with the aid of a chair. The class is one hour followed by a half hour of relaxation and meditation.
MAT YOGA – Mondays, 1:00-2:30 pm; Thursdays, 9:15-10:45 am
Develop body awareness, learn basic postures (asanas), and proper alignment. Learn yogic forms of breathing and how to sequence breath and movements together, and become familiar with the connection to your physical and energetic body. This class combines postures and movements on all fours, seated, standing and lying down. We help you modify the postures with props so that your joints are comfortable and at ease. This is a multi-level class. Though ideal for someone who has already taken some yoga classes, it is also well-suited to someone who is fairly mobile but has never practiced yoga before. Class always ends with a deep relaxation and meditation.
The cost for each class is $65 for 8 weeks or $120 if you would like to take 2 classes per week. Please call the Bedford Council on Aging at 781-275-6825 for more information or to register.
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