Twist to old age: Senior citizens take to yoga for good health
Times of India , May 22nd.
BENGALURU: Autumn sits lightly on these senior citizens. The yogic postures the members of the senior citizens' club of Terrace Garden, Katriguppe, South Bengaluru, strike not only put youngsters to shame but also mitigate problems such as sleeplessness, loneliness, arthritis, diabetes and fluctuating blood pressure. As the clock strikes 6.30pm, the veterans assemble on the ground floor of the group housing complex. Their yoga teacher Rajesh Kumar from Shankara Yoga Kendra watches as they begins their asana practice. Those who are unable to sit on the ground use props like chairs to do yoga. The group meets five times a week.
"I put myself in their shoes while instructing them. It's important to know the health complications and status of each of these students before teaching them asanas. You can't teach them everything as you do with young people," says Rajesh. One of his earliest students was a 92-year-old man. "I was little hesitant to teach him, but I ended up learning a lot from the senior citizen. Since then, I've been running classes exclusively for senior citizens," he says. The classes in Katriguppe began in January when S Manohar, 60, decided to take up yoga. "I was bedridden six years ago with my right side paralysed. I was in ICU for a month. I battled memory loss and lack of clear vision. Medicines helped me recover but it is yoga that is keeping me going. My memory has improved and I can run and drive a car now," says Manohar, who took the initiative of bringing a yoga teacher to the apartment complex.
The building has 136 flats with more than 45 senior citizens, of which 25 are regulars at the yoga class. Vishala Krishnan, 71, says she was unable to sit on the floor before she started classes. "Yoga has made me flexible and improved my confidence," she says. Another regular, Padma Rao, 69, says she sleeps better after doing yoga. They've conquered the relatively simpler asanas and are now setting their sights higher. "I want to do sarvanagasana one day," says Krishnan Parthasarathy, 67. Among the veterans are some who tried watching DVDs on yoga but failed to replicate the postures. "A teacher trains a mind. You can't learn perfect postures by watching," says KVS Rao, 61. "Here we get personal attention and explanations."
R N Iyengar, 81, a yoga teacher from Mathikere, says a yoga teacher requires patience and willingness to listen to students. "I started doing yoga seriously when I was 40. Now I train more than 160 people daily. Among them there are 10 senior citizens. It is important to listen to senior citizens and ensure that the asanas suit their medical conditions. We have to work on their mental health as well," he says.
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