Chair Yoga & Benefits
Updated: Sep 12
The history of yoga goes back centuries – Read more about Hatha Yoga in my blog https://www.lotusfloweryoga.co.uk/single-post/About-Hatha-Yoga
The sages and gurus of old wanted to understand the meaning of a long life. Why would shrews have a short-lived life of three to five years but the tortoise live 100 years and beyond? Once studied, it became clear that freedom from stress, slow deep breathing, exercises for purification, fresh air and nourishing food were secrets to eternal life.
Chair Yoga is something that is relatively new, created around the 1980’s by a lady called Erika Hammerstrom. The idea behind doing yoga on a chair is to make it accessible for those who have lack of mobility; they can’t sit on a mat, or can’t get up and down from the floor.
Ultimately Chair Yoga can be done by anyone, old, young, pregnant or not. It just opens up the beautiful gifts that yoga has to offer to everyone. Why should one not be able to do yoga because they can not get on to a mat and lie down? It should and is accessible to all in many forms and ways. It can be done for the very first time on a chair; you don't need to have yoga experience before trying it on a chair. Heres are some fantastic benefits that can be received from taking a Chair Yoga session.
10 Benefits
Circulation
Enhances Mobility
Increased brain function
Concentration
Reduces Stress
Better breathing
Weight Control
Increases strength
Releases Tension
Keeps spine supple
It's still important to seek a healthcare specialist approval before attending a session. It's vital you are given the all clear to do the session. Listening to your own body during the sessions is critical as you are there for yourself to increase health and wellbeing not in any way hinder it. Being observant of your breath, your body at all times and knowing when just to give something a miss that is being practised.
The beautiful thing about yoga is "You are on a journey of the self, through the self, to the self" – Bhagavad Gita
"Remember the emphasis on the heart. The mind lives in doubt, and the heart lives in trust. When you trust, suddenly you become centred.” ~ Osho
