Sheila's Chair Yoga for Seniors

Kinder

I’ve decided to be happy
I’ve decided to be glad
I’ve decided to be grateful
For all I ever had
I’ve decided to let go
Of all this pain tonight
I’ve decided to let go
Of all these demons inside
I know
I am blessed
I know
All I ever wanted was this
I know
I don’t need more
I’ve got what I came for
I’ve decided to be open
To that little voice inside
Telling me I’m beautiful
It’s okay to be alive
I’ve decided to be kinder
To myself when I feel sad
I’ve decided to be grateful
For all I ever had
I know I am blessed
I know
All I ever wanted was this
I know
I don’t need more
I’ve got
What I came for

Copper Wimmin
https://youtu.be/nlh83v_B1qg

I hope you listen to this beautiful acapella song. It talks to me about Santosha, one of tools in yoga philosophy for cultivating happiness and self-confidence. Santosha means complete contentment or acceptance. The song says “I’ve decided”, implying that we have a choice about learning to be content with the way we are. Through practising Santosha we develop a better relationship with ourselves, and are free to be the person we are meant to be, a whole, beautiful, being.

Chair yoga begins again January 4, 2024 and every Thursday at 11:00 to 12:00 at Bend Over Backward Yoga Studio in Nanaimo. Contact Sheila to enquire or register.

All the best in 2024, everyone!

Kinder Provided to YouTube by CDBabyKinder · Copper WimminThe Right To Be Here℗ 2004 Copper WimminReleased on: 2004-01-01Auto-generated by YouTube.

Yoga philosophy teaches about the five yamas, the tools of self-awareness and observation. The second yama is called satya, meaning truthfulness. Satya guides us to think, speak, and act with integrity. It is about seeing and communicating things as they actually are, not as we wish them to be. Our thoughts, beliefs, and past experiences shape whatever we see, and none of us experience an event in the same way. What is truth to us one day may be different the next day. Practicing satya asks us to be open to truth in the present moment.

Satya follows ahimsa, or non-violence. Ahimsa must be considered first, so we are mindful that what we say is beneficial in a compassionate and gentle way. We can choose whether it is better to remain silent than to speak a harsh or cruel truth. Before speaking, we can ask: Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it useful? Is it kind?

Chair yoga classes continue at Bend Over Backwards Yoga Studio in Nanaimo every Thursday from 11:00 to 12:00. Contact Sheila for information and to register, at [email protected]. There is a chair waiting for you!

The practice of yoga has so much to offer us. I am reading a book by Amy Weintraub called ‘Yoga for Depression’. She says: “…we practice Yoga as preventative and positive medicine. Just as the immune system is strengthened against the common cold and other viruses with daily practice, the emotional body is strengthened as well. The highs, the lows, the extremes of all the emotions are brought into balance by the physical practice, and the mind is soothed by the philosophy. In every stage of Yoga, you will find relief from obsessive negative thinking. When you are first learning a pose, and moving into it, you cannot possibly obsess about what you should have said in the meeting this morning. To learn the pose, your mind must focus on the details of alignment. Later, when you’re in the pose and you allow your mind to become absorbed in the sensations in your body, you are very far from your everyday troubles.”

Can you allow yourself the luxury of an hour away from your troubles? We are so busy being busy, but learning to rest and nourish our bodies, minds and spirits can help us achieve our obligations and responsibilities and bring a fresh perspective.

You are always welcome to join my chair yoga classes at Bend Over Backwards Yoga Studio in Nanaimo.
Thursdays, 11:00 to 12:00. Contact Sheila for information and to register, at 250-668-7725, or [email protected].

Yoga for Your Low Back

This 2-hour workshop will focus on the sacrum and low back. We will explore releasing, lengthening, strengthening and restoring through a combination of Iyengar based yoga and the Somatics of Thomas Hanna. Work will be in the chair, standing, and lying on the floor.

Sheila Crampton has studied a variety of yoga styles and has a 200 hour yoga teacher training certification. For the past 9 years she has been a student of Iyengar yoga.
Location: Bend Over Backwards Yoga Studio, #106 – 335 Wesley Street, Nanaimo
Date: Sunday, June 11, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Cost: $30.00, payable to Sheila directly or e-transfer
What to bring: Yoga mat, blanket, yoga belt
Contact: Sheila at [email protected]

“Awareness is like the sun. When it shines on things, they are transformed.“
- Thich Naht Hanh

Yoga gives us the gift of getting to know ourselves on a deep level. We become aware of how our feet touch the earth. We know how it feels to lift the crown of our head to the heavens. We learn to soften into effort to create ease. Little by little we build mobility, balance, strength and flexibility, which empowers us. We get a taste of possibility. We become transformed.

The new 8 week session at Bend Over Backwards Yoga Studio in Nanaimo starts this week.
Level 1, sitting and standing with chair support. Thursdays 11:00 am to 12:00 pm, April 27 to June 15.
Level 2, sitting, standing and on the mat, with chair support. Wednesdays 10:00 to 11:00 am, April 26 to June 14.
Contact Sheila to register at [email protected]

On February 6, there was an interesting interview on CBC Vancouver’s On the Coast with Dr. Iris Gorfinkel, a family doctor. https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-46-on-the-coast/clip/15964714-gorfinkel-osteoarthritis-rise-canadians-age Dr. Gorfinkel shared results of two recent studies about the effect of exercise on osteoarthritis. As people get older, cartilage gets thinner between bones and the amount of joint fluid goes down, so we have less of a cushion for the impact of daily activity. That causes osteoarthritis. The damage is not just due to wear and tear, but because the body becomes less able to repair it. It’s worse in women, for those who carry extra weight, or who have overused or injured their joints, or if there is a family history of osteoarthritis.

Dr. Gorfinkel explained that when a muscle gets too weak it can’t absorb force the way strong, flexible ones can. Strong muscles act as shock absorbers, preventing the force from going directly to the joint and further damaging it. The good news from the study showed that exercising 30 minutes 3 times a week lowered a person’s pain scores nearly as much as a person who exercised triple that amount! Dr. Gorfinkel said it’s time to start thinking about arthritis less as a joint problem and more as a muscular one.

We welcome you to join us at chair yoga to keep your muscles flexible and strong! Our new 8 week session at Bend Over Backwards Yoga Studio is as follows:
Level 2: Wednesdays, March 1 to April 19, 10:00 to 11:00 – sitting, standing and on the floor
Level 1: Thursdays, March 2 to April 20, 11:00 to 12:00 –sitting in the chair and for balance when standing.
Cost is $80 for the session or $10 a class. Please register at [email protected] or call Sheila at 250-668-7725. Covid masks are mandatory in our studio.

“Goals are dreams with deadlines.” Diana Scharf Hunt

Are you the kind of person who makes New Year’s resolutions? Are you successful at achieving your goals? At this time of year, the question for me has always been, what goal can I set that will bring me the greatest happiness? Good health is a foundation for my happiness, so it is a priority. I am ever grateful for having found yoga, as it is a gentle way of increasing my strength, mobility, flexibility and stability. It teaches me to work from the inside out, and teaches me humility, acceptance, generosity and determination. It teaches me that I have enough and that I am enough. Yoga is a gift, in that it makes me a better person in body, mind and spirit.

A new 8 week session of chair yoga begins at Nanaimo’s Bend Over Backwards Yoga Studio in January. It would be lovely to see you in class. Register for the full session or come and try one class.
Level 1 – Thursdays, 11:00 to 12:00 starting January 5
Level 2 – Wednesdays, 10:00 to 11:00 starting January 4
Cost is $10/class and $80 for the 8 week session.
Contact Sheila to register and for information about what to bring and what Covid precautions are still in effect. No drop-ins please.

As the light returns and we say goodbye to another challenging year, I wish you health, happiness, ease, and yoga!

Sheila – [email protected] or 250-668-7725

Mention rain for the Nanaimo region and smiles come to everyone’s face. What a relief to know the trees will start to rejuvenate after a long drought! Have you given your body, mind and spirit rejuvenation lately? Perhaps chair yoga classes would be worth a try. Our new 7 week session starts November 2 to December 14 for Level 2 (includes work on the floor) and November 3 to December 15 for Level 1 (in the chair and standing). You are welcome to try a class to see if it suits you, or sign up in advance for the whole session. A friend of mine has started saying “Why not?!” about starting a new activity. I hope you will also consider saying yes to putting yourself first. Register directly with Sheila for classes at Bend Over Backwards Yoga Studio. [email protected] or 250-668-7725

“Yoga is for everyone. You need not be an expert or at the peak of physical fitness to practice the asanas described...Yoga helps to integrate the mental and the physical plane, bringing about a sense of inner and outer balance, or what I term alignment. True alignment means that the inner mind reaches every cell and fiber of the body.”
― BKS IYENGAR

Chair yoga classes continue this summer at Bend Over Backwards Yoga Studio in Nanaimo. You are welcome to join us!

Level 1 (using the chair as support for seated and standing work)
Thursdays, July 14 to August 4, 11:15 to 12:15 pm

Level 2 (using the chair as support for seated, standing and floor work)
Wednesdays, July 13 to August 3, 10:00 to 11:00 am

Register with Sheila at 250-668-7725 or [email protected]

We have been talking about back care in class lately. A healthy back depends on how we align feet, knees, hips and head, and depends on mobility and strength in many parts of the body. Chair yoga is a safe and supported way to improve back function. As the saying goes, “the body is as young as the spine is flexible”. Consider joining us for the new 8 week chair yoga session at Bend Over Backwards Yoga Studio in Nanaimo, or try one class and see if it is a good fit for you.

Level 1 – May 19 to July 7, Thursdays, 11:15 to 12:15. Yoga sitting in a chair with some standing work using the chair as a support.

Level 2 – May 18 to July 6, Wednesdays, 10:00 to 11:00. Sitting and standing yoga with some very gentle work on your mat on the floor.

Register at [email protected] or call Sheila: 250-668-7725.

Happy spring to you, at last! Listening to the returning migratory birds and watching the flowers bursting open everywhere lightens the spirit. There is so much to worry about in the world, but I hope the warmth of this season brings comfort.

We are starting a new 8 week session of chair yoga at Bend Over Backwards Yoga Studio in Nanaimo. Price will remain $10 for each class. I ask that you commit to the whole session in order to see the results of your efforts. We are not accepting drop-ins, but if you know you can’t come to every class, give me a call and we can work out a way for you to still participate. If it is a hardship to pay $80 all at once, we can plan around that too. Fees can be paid ahead by e-transfer, or if you don’t do online banking, a cheque or cash is acceptable. We want you to feel welcome no matter what!

With the easing of COVID restrictions, there is hope that we might begin to gather with a renewed sense of safety. At Bend Over Backwards Yoga Studio, our protocols will remain the same for now. With a consensus among our students for caution, we will continue to require proof of double vaccination, hand sanitizing on entry and masks during class. We all look forward to the time when we can relax our guard.

If you are new to chair yoga, please call me and we can discuss the best class for your needs.

Please register ahead for the following schedule, by emailing or phoning Sheila:

Level 1 – Thursdays, March 24 to May 12, 11:15 to 12:15. Bring a yoga belt, or a long scarf or bathrobe belt, and a yoga mat.

Level 2 (by permission) – Wednesdays, March 23 to May 11, 10:00 to 11:00. Bring a yoga belt, a blanket and a yoga mat.

Hope to see you in class!
Sheila [email protected] 250-668-7725

Sheila's Chair Yoga for Seniors updated their address.

As many of you know, the BC Provincial Health Officer has ordered group fitness centres closed until January 18. The new session for classes at Bend Over Backwards Yoga Studio will begin January 19, barring any further restrictions. Once it is confirmed, I will post again to welcome you back. Stay healthy and positive everyone, and may you have a joyous new year!

As 2021 draws to a close, I wish all of you a wonderful season in whatever way you celebrate. May you have moments to reflect and practice yoga as well as time with family. May you have plenty to eat and a warm, safe roof over your head. To all my students, deep gratitude for your hard work and dedication to practice over the last year.

Registration is now open for the first 2022 eight week session at Bend Over Backwards Yoga Studio in Nanaimo. Classes are filling up fast, so contact me with questions or to register. All classes are $10, or $80 for the session. No drop-ins please, although you may join any time if there is room. This is chair yoga for every body, whether seniors, office workers, or those of any age needing balance support or health recovery.

Level 1 – Thursdays 11:15 am to 12:15 pm. Sitting on a chair and standing using the chair for support.
Level 2 – Wednesdays 10:00 to 11:00 am. Includes chair yoga and gentle floor poses.

Covid protocols include hand sanitizing and wearing a mask at all times when in the studio.

Sheila's Chair Yoga for Seniors updated their business hours.

If you are in need of a good cat stretch, join us for chair yoga! Classes are ongoing until December 17 on Wednesdays from 9:30 to 10:30 and Thursdays from 11:15 to 12:15. Please register ahead by calling Sheila at 250-668-7725. We always have fun and it's a good antidote for these rainy fall days. Hope you will join us!

Hello everyone! Time to register for the new 4 week chair yoga session at Bend Over Backwards Yoga Studio. First class will be September 6 and the last class will be October 3. Classes are Wednesdays from 9:30 to 10:30 and Thursdays from 11:15 to 12:15. No drop-ins are allowed at this time. Cost is $40/session.

Participation at the studio requires an attestation that you have had two vaccinations, and masks and hand sanitizing are mandatory. This will keep us as safe as possible. We have not had a single case of Covid tracked to our studio, and we intend to keep it that way. Please bring your own yoga belt or long scarf.

Please contact Sheila directly at 250-668-7725 or [email protected]. I look forward to welcoming you to class!

This July there is no cooler place to be than at the studio for chair yoga! Classes are continuing on Wednesday and Thursday mornings and there is space for you. Although mask restrictions have been lifted for some places, our policy is to wear masks until all are vaccinated. We appreciate your respect for the safety of everyone!

Great news! As of today, May 25, we are allowed to meet inside again for chair yoga here in Nanaimo! Wednesday classes are 9:30 to 10:30 and Thursdays 11:15 to 12:15. Safety protocols are still in place, so wearing a mask, hand sanitizing and physical distancing is mandatory. If you are interested in joining a class, give me a call and we will find a spot for you. 250-668-7725. Hope to see you at the studio!

You may already have heard that BC Public Health Order restrictions on group fitness classes will remain in place until after the May long weekend. Other restrictions like indoor dining also are restricted, and all but essential travel is discouraged.

It will be a long five weeks, but hopefully it will pay off in less transmission and less burden on health care workers. We are fortunate with our weather that we can be outside. What a gorgeous week this has been, especially with all the blossoms! I am definitely counting my blessings.

For those who may not be aware, I teach a weekly Zoom class through Nanaimo Family Life Association on Tuesday mornings from 10:00 to 11:00. It isn't the same as being with you, but is a great option. If you are interested, you can register with Sacia by calling 250-754-3322 extension 203, or email her at [email protected].

In yoga philosophy, the word santosha means contentment, or joy in accepting things as they are. I hope you find joy in whatever way you spend your days, and may each day be precious.

With gratitude for all you are, and all you do,
Sheila

http://yogaforhealthyaging.blogspot.com/2021/03/covid-times-self-care-part-2-tools-and.html

The first time I tried posting this, I linked to my email, proving how technically challenged I am (read disinterested)! I shall attempt to improve by posting more often. The above link is from a blog called Yoga for Healthy Aging, where they always have wise writers. Beth talks about self-care techniques during the pandemic. Students of mine and cat lovers will recognize pandiculation, the stretching and scrunching actions you can try before getting out of bed. This warms up your body before your feet hit the floor, helping with balance and circulation. I like to do hand mudras at the end of class, which have many benefits for the mind and body. A simple breathing technique to stimulate the relaxation response is shown, as well as the great restorer, legs-up-the chair pose. For those who find it difficult to get down on the floor, you can lie on the bed and pile up pillows to rest your calves on. I hope you find these ideas useful! 💜

Covid Times Self Care, Part 2: Tools and Techniques by Beth Calm by Fujishima Takeji What can each of us do to climb out of our Covid Times mental and emotional stress-mess sinkhole? A lot. We...

As you know, we are going through a rough patch in BC, with Covid numbers rising. Yesterday there was a public health order to close down our yoga studio until April 20. Until then, we need to keep our balance, practice yoga at home and trust. It might feel like a long walk to the other side, but we will get there. Practicing yoga will help us stay calm and focused as will getting outside to breathe that fragrant sea air. Looking forward to seeing you later in April. Be well everyone!

There is an empty chair waiting for you! As of December 15, we are allowed to practise chair yoga together again, after a temporary shutdown of two weeks. Masks are mandatory for the duration of the class, along with hand sanitizing and bringing your own props. I will be teaching straight through December and into the new year on Wednesdays at 9:45 and Thursdays at 11:15. Let me know if you can join us!

December is a time to look back and look forward. Looking back at the past year, I recognize the strength and courage of those whose lives have been so changed by the pandemic, and applaud their ability to adapt and create and learn to carry on. My heart aches for those who have lost so much and who are struggling. Looking forward toward a new year, I am hopeful that the end of Covid is in sight, and that with patience and a whole lot of faith, we can rebuild and thrive. And may our new world be a healthier, more compassionate home, where we can find common ground to love each other without fear. I wish peace and joy to all.

Our pause on gathering to practise chair yoga has been extended to January 8, 2021, while the guidelines are being revised to keep us safe. I look forward to seeing you then! In the meantime, the list below includes short chair yoga classes on YouTube that can help keep you moving.

Chair yoga for the upper body: https://youtu.be/aL-GPmrDH9s
Chair yoga for the lower body: https://youtu.be/wNMvyjtAY_8

Chair Yoga for the Lower Body "Like" my page: https://www.facebook.com/DarcieClarkYoga This Yoga practice done while sitting in a chair strengthens the legs, abdominal muscles, a...

As you may know by now, all indoor fitness activities in B.C. ate suspended until new guidance is formulated for safety protocols. Can’t wait to get back to practicing chair yoga with you. Stay well and see you soon. ❤️

My cousin teaches yoga in Ontario. She sent two photos of her face, taken one week apart. Wow, she looked so much younger in the last photo! Was it makeup? No, she started drinking more water. Dehydration caused her to look tired and drawn. She inspired me, as I often forget to drink water. After one week I can't say I look as good as my cousin (she is 30 years younger!!), but I feel so much better! My frequent headaches are gone, and I have more energy. Other benefits of proper hydration can be weight loss, improved brain function and relief from constipation and kidney stones. Recommended daily intake is about 2 litres, or 8 times 8 ounces. If you aren't drinking much water, you may want to give it a try and see how you feel. And if you feel more energy, you might want to join us for chair yoga and see how much better that makes you feel! Classes are Wednesdays at 9:45 to 10:30, and Thursdays at 11:15 to 12:00. Contact Sheila for details, at [email protected]. Happy hydration!

Friends, my account was hacked today. If you get a video through Messenger from me, please do not open it. Apparently it asks for your FB password, so you likely would be suspicious. I have taken action, so all is well now. 😊

Are you craving a cool yoga refuge on these hot summer mornings? Registration is now open for our next four week session of chair yoga for seniors. Classes run Wednesdays 9:45 to 10:30 from August 12 to September 2 and Thursdays 11:15 to 12:00 from August 13 to September 3. For those who can get down on the floor for very gentle chair and mat yoga, classes are Wednesdays 11:00 to 12:00 from August 12 to September 2. Covid-19 protocols are in place to keep us all safe. For more details of location and fees, contact Sheila at 250-668-7725 or email [email protected]. I look forward to welcoming you to class!!

Great news! With the blessing of our BC Chief Medical Officer, we are once again offering chair yoga at the studio! Classes are close to full, so if you want to attend, please call Sheila at 250-668-7725 or email [email protected]. The first 4 week morning sessions start Wednesday, June 17 from 9:45 to 10:30 or Thursday, June 18 from 11:30 to 12:15. Cost is $32 for the session. There are strict safety protocols, so once you register, I will provide guidelines. I look forward to seeing you in class!

Chances are you might be feeling the stiffness and lethargy that comes from inactivity during this time of self-isolation. Walking is a great antidote, and so is chair yoga. In the attached video, Olga takes the body through a sequence that is designed to release and energize your whole body. As always, listen to feedback from your body. If you experience pain, back up a bit until you feel the stretch that comes before pain. Go halfway, or sit out a bit that you know is more than you can do today. I hope this helps! Be well everyone!

https://youtu.be/dGUyhuUrA4o

Chair yoga practice for supple spine This yoga practice takes the spine through the full range of motion and is useful for neck and upper back tension. The entire practice is done sitting in a c...