Island Senior: The gentle power of chair yoga with Katerina Wen

Contributed photo

As summer comes to an end, we sense the seasonal changes, a cool breeze, and the turning of the leaves. If you are anything like me, you get an autumnal urge to sign up for classes. If, like me, you appreciate a gentle solution sure to improve the quality of your life, I highly recommend Katerina’s chair yoga class taught through the Mullis Center.

If you have been putting off getting into an exercise class because getting up and down off the floor has gotten hard, standing for periods of time is uncomfortable, or you simply do not like to exercise even though you know you should, this class is for you.

The class is gentle yet deceptively thorough. When you have finished a session with Katerina you will feel every part of your body has been gently stretched, strengthened, and invigorated. Plus, you may find you have a smile on your face that was not there before. Katerina’s classes are uplifting.

I have edema in my lower legs and really appreciate the leg tapping, knee massage, and ankle rotations in particular because they so specifically address my issue. I also love how even sitting we are able to address the entire body. Every time it lifts my spirits.

Says student Theresa Simendinger, “Katerina’s classes are one really good thing to come out of the last few years! She has kept spirits up and bodies feeling great! We are lucky to have her!”

You don’t have to be a senior to take this class. It would benefit anyone, especially if you have mobility issues, but Katerina does have a special affinity for seniors. “For the last 12 years, I’ve been designing movement and wellness programs for seniors, and I always look forward to spending time with them,” she explains. “I find this work very meaningful since seniors are one of the most underserved populations. Pedagogically speaking, the typical chair yoga exercises on the market lack compassionate understanding of their day-to-day challenges, and what senior people experience in their physical and mental body, so I feel strongly about continuing this work.”

Classes are held via live Zoom at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesdays with a recording of each week’s class available to use as often as you’d like during each week. I appreciate the recoded classes because I enjoy the flexibility of choosing what time of day works best for me.

Classes are a suggested $6 per class. The Mullis Center is committed to making these classes available. If the cost is prohibitive, a sliding scale is available. To sign up for the class, arrange to get the recorded class, or learn more about the sliding scale, contact Anna at the Mullis Center at 360-370-7520 or [email protected].

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