Gentle Yoga with AARP: May Program Spotlight

Sea Change Yoga’s Chair Yoga class with AARP started in 2020, with teacher Anne Esguerra leading gentle movement for older Mainers of all abilities. The class has been meeting virtually every Friday morning over Zoom throughout the pandemic. “It's inspiring to truly feel like I am welcoming each and every participant at the door as they come in,” said Anne. Anne structures the class around the needs and requests of students who attend, many of whom are dealing with a variety of physical challenges and health concerns.

“Anne’s so good about asking what people need,” said AARP student Roz. “I have had quite a few instructors over the years, but I never had one who asked, ‘What do you want to work on today?’”

“Like, last week, it was the lower back,” said AARP student Louise. “A lot of people have problems with their lower back, including me, so she was working on exercises for that. And that does help.”

Anne’s trauma-informed teaching invites students to listen to their bodies and adapt postures to fit their needs.

“You can sit in a chair, you can stand. She has all the safety factors… lean against the wall, have something for balancing,” said AARP student Vilene. “It's just a beautiful way to learn yoga, and it was not difficult.” 

“She’s told us to listen to our bodies,” added Vilene. “And if it’s not comfortable, you don’t do it. If you need to do something else, that’s fine. She calls it – not a ‘have-to’– but an offering. And I think that is an amazing word to use in this situation. Especially because the group that she’s working with are older people, and sometimes your body doesn’t cooperate with what you want to do. So when she calls it an offering, if you can’t do it, you don’t feel bad about not being able to do it.”

Anne’s regular reminder to students to slow down and connect to their breath has a real impact on students.

“Trying to slow down is one thing that I don't do as well,” said Roz. “ I've never been very good at meditating. But I appreciate it. It gives me an opportunity to really slow down, and I think Anne's very good at the way she handles the meditation part.”

“We forget to breathe, and you wouldn’t think that would be a problem,” said Vilene. “But when you go back to breathing, it relaxes the body. And when you relax, the body is so much more comfortable.”

Many students attend every Friday, and the students have formed some meaningful connections with each other through this virtual space.

“For all of us, it has been a community,” said Roz. “We look forward to Friday morning.”

“You do feel part of the community,” said Vilene. “There are many people out there who are living alone. Having this class available to them has opened up their world so that it's not doom and gloom. It's a very beautiful class to open up to your mind, body, and soul again.”

“We've had a chance to share our lives, our pets, and practice supporting the needs each person requests each class,” said Anne. “This program wouldn't be what it is today without each person that chooses to show up.”

Bridget Quinn is AARP Maine’s Associate State Director for Advocacy and Outreach, and she has been impressed with the community that has formed around the weekly class with Sea Change. “Having the Friday yoga classes has been a wonderful opportunity to create a low barrier way for people to engage with one another and do something positive for themselves in a very difficult time. We’ve heard from people who say they look forward to the yoga classes with Anne all week and really appreciate the opportunity to connect.”

The students are grateful for Anne’s teaching and for its impact in their lives. “It's very calming because it's very stressful living in these times,” said Louise. Roz regularly watches the recordings of former classes online: “I can pick which one, because I know what the emphasis and requests were for that particular lesson or session. That's been a very helpful thing.”

“Once you have the yoga class in the morning, you're all limbered up. You’re not gonna have a bad morning on a Friday after you’ve gone to yoga class because you're relaxed, you’re calm, and it’s great,” said Vilene, who often takes walks around the neighborhood after class. “And nothing's aching. It's very comfortable. And a nice walk out in the sunshine is perfect.”

Sea Change Yoga’s Gentle Chair Yoga class with AARP is offered on Friday mornings from 8:30-9:30 am on Zoom. You don’t have to be an older Mainer, or even live in Maine, to join Anne and the AARP community for this class– all are welcome! Register for class  on AARP’s website, and you will receive a Zoom link. AARP class recordings can be found on the SCY website.