Chair Yoga: Yoga is for Everyone! Learn yoga at your desk, if injured or with limited mobility (or time).

Chair Yoga: Yoga is for everyone!

Have you said or heard this: "I can't do yoga until I feel better (or can get to yoga class)." Injury or illness, age or other 'limitations' (including working all day at your desk), may prevent you from getting on a yoga mat, on the floor or to stand in order to do certain yoga postures, as you know them. However with some creativity and modifications you can ALWAYS 'do' yoga. "If you can breathe you can do yoga" says the yoga master Krishnamacharya.

Sitting as tall as you can, yet relaxed is the key to many meditation postures and breathing exercises (pranayama). That is a great place to begin. If you can't do any physical asana (posture) you can always observe your breath as it is or do some basic breathing exercises (inhale slow for 3 counts, then exhale for 3 counts, then work up to 4 counts etc), or recite a mantra ("I AM") as you inhale. Mantras calm and help focus the mind as well as the breathing exercises.

There are chair yoga versions of most yoga postures (called asanas) to increase mobility, vitality and flexibility: sun salutations, forward bends, back bends, spinal twists, sitting mountain pose, eye exercises (helps computer strain) and breathing exercises (calms or energizes and increases concentration). If there aren't ones created, you can modify and create your own. Some movement may be better than no movement if you are able to.

At your desk, on a plane, in a wheelchair, or wherever you are sitting now, take a 2 min yoga break!  Re-energize with just 1-2 minutes of yoga posture.  Try it: inhale and lift your arms up overhead. Exhale as you lower your arms. Repeat 5-10 times and see how you feel!. I've seen great shifts in posture and energy from my company and senior home chair yoga classes doing poses just like that.

There are also chair yoga classes at local studios and senior centers that involve standing postures using a chair for support, but there is plenty of 'yoga' you can do without getting up or down from the chair if you are not able. Yoga IS for Everyone! So stay seated and do yoga today! Inhale sit tall, exhale relax!