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By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 "We can never get a re-creation of community and heal our society without giving our citizens a sense of belonging." - Patch Adams Chair Yoga classes create special bonds for practitioners. From birth to old age, the desire to be accepted is an overwhelming prerequisite for happiness. For people who suffer from chronic illnesses or disabilities, however, the difficulty of participating in social or physical activities often hampers their ability to establish bonds or to feel like part of a community. This complicates already existing limitations and frequently leads to additional physical and emotional barriers.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 The traditional medical approach to helping people recover from serious injuries is to focus on healing the specific afflicted area, but Chair Yoga offers a unique holistic approach that deals with the mind and body as a complete system. There are numerous benefits to this more intuitive method of rehabilitation.

Is there really a need for chair yoga precautions? As a safety adaptation of a relatively low-risk form of exercise, chair yoga practitioners can...

Is there really a need for chair yoga precautions? As a safety adaptation of a relatively low-risk form of exercise, chair yoga practitioners can...

By Kathi Duquette You might think you can't practice yoga because you are not steady on your feet, you have chronic pain, your balance is off kilter, or you have difficulty getting up and down, but you might be wrong. Chair Yoga can be a safer alternative to people with disabilities, chronic pain, or people who don't feel steady enough to practice on their own.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed Many of the same physical and emotional benefits of a regular practice of postures and breathing exercises can also be found in the practice of Chair Yoga. If you are Yoga student who is living with a chronic health condition that necessitates the use of props in order to safely practice asanas, by participating in chair classes, you will gain many of the benefits of a traditional class, while still maintaining your safety. If you are teacher, offering Chair Yoga classes to those students who need to practice a modified set of postures with the support of a chair will greatly increase your marketability and adaptability in a variety of different teaching environments.

By Cynthia Horton Chair Yoga is a gentle discipline and has been referred to as one of the gentlest forms of yoga. Yoga is a discipline that when practiced consistently, increases strength, mobility, coordination, concentration, and can ease the physiological results of stress retained in emotional, mental, and physical tensions and blockages. Chair Yoga uses a sturdy chair (without wheels) or a seat to make yoga poses also accessible to those with limited range of motion and or limited stability. Almost any Yoga Pose can be adapted to a practice with a chair.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 Until a certain age in life, words like dignity, quality of life, and independence seem to be more suitable for descriptions, or reasons, why independent nations had revolutionary wars, than for senior independence. However, for seniors, these words reflect the need to stay the course of independence.

Is there any job security these days? There is a growing need for more Chair Yoga teachers. Education about the mental and physical benefits of Yoga has spread like "wild fire" in the past couple of decades; but what about the needs of those who are not so young and limber? In some parts of the world, the number of seniors will outweigh the working population. Italy, the United States, and the rest of Europe, will see senior populations grow rapidly.

By Faye Martins Should there be chair yoga precautions before a class? For those with knee or hip problems, or decreased mobility, Chair Yoga can be a great modification, allowing practice to continue. Chair Yoga consists of poses and breathing exercises performed in a seated position or with the use of a chair, allowing it to be performed even in hospitals or nursing homes. Through Chair Yoga, the physical and spiritual benefits of a healthy practice are available to everyone.