The benefits of using chair yoga during class include:
Activity and results
All of us go through happy days and not-so-happy days. It is common to feel that we have too much to do in too little time. But, the inclination to buckle down, and work harder and longer is not the answer. It is easy to get caught up in the “activity trap”, where our time is filled with busy work that is focused on generating quantity over quality and where taking breaks, regenerating, and returning to the task refreshed are not valued.
A little stress can be helpful. For example, some of us have felt slightly motivated to complete a task when we have a deadline. However, too much stress and chronic stress can easily shift that sense of motivation into overwhelm. Where a little stress can actually help heighten our senses and improve our ability to learn new information, overwhelm can block our ability to focus, store new information, and engage in logic, reason, and creativity.
Therefore it is absolutely essential to learn and practice skills that help us reduce, release, and feel respite from stress, especially prolonged and intense stress. Given all of the stressful aspects our students live through daily - and bring with them into the classroom - it is important to engage in stress reducing activities during class.
Chair yoga is one of the techniques we have used in our online classes to improve student concentration, reduce student stress, and improve student mind-body connection. Chair yoga is easily led during online classes, as most of our students are already in quiet areas and sitting in chairs facing the computer screen. Therefore, no other equipment or space is needed to complete the practice. Chair yoga, and the steps described below, is also generally more accessible compared to other physical/asana based yoga practices. Having the support of the chair along with the gentle prompts addresses the needs of many who otherwise would not be able to engage in a standing or more strenuous yoga flow. That said, some students may still be unable to follow the described practice, so we like to include the prompt “if there are any movements that you are unable to perform for any reason, we invite you to imagine yourself following the prompts”. Remember, the goal of yoga is not speed or flexibility. We encourage everyone to go at their own pace and remain within their range of motion.
Let us practice a few chair yoga poses. We recommend the instructor, or a designated student, lead the practice by providing verbal prompts and if possible, also engage in the activity on camera.
Keep in mind that it may be difficult to do all of these poses in one sitting. Experiment and try to do it on an incremental basis.
Image 1: Adobe Connect classroom with a picture demonstrating the hand position for the breathing practice. Adobe product screenshot(s) reprinted with permission from Adobe.
Image 1 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom. The Attendees pod is on the far left side of the screen and stretches from top to bottom. To the right of the Attendees pod, the screen is split between a Video pod taking up the top half of the viewing area and a Chat pod below that taking up the bottom half of the viewing area. The video pod shows chapter author, Murali Nair, demonstrating the hand position for the breathing practice.
Image 2: Adobe Connect classroom with a picture demonstrating sitting with arms raised. Adobe product screenshot(s) reprinted with permission from Adobe.
Image 2 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom. The Attendees pod is on the far left side of the screen and stretches from top to bottom. To the right of the Attendees pod, the screen is split between a Video pod taking up the top half of the viewing area and a Chat pod below that taking up the bottom half of the viewing area. The video pod shows chapter author, Murali Nair, demonstrating the position sitting with arms raised.
Image 3: Adobe Connect classroom with a picture demonstrating bringing hands together at the heart. Adobe product screenshot(s) reprinted with permission from Adobe.
Image 3 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom. The Attendees pod is on the far left side of the screen and stretches from top to bottom. To the right of the Attendees pod, the screen is split between a Video pod taking up the top half of the viewing area and a Chat pod below that taking up the bottom half of the viewing area. The video pod shows chapter author, Murali Nair, demonstrating the position of sitting with hands, palms together, pressed against the chest at approximately heart level.
Image 4: Adobe Connect classroom with a picture demonstrating the position of sitting with one arm raised and leaning toward the opposite side. Adobe product screenshot(s) reprinted with permission from Adobe.
Image 4 Alt-Text: This is a screengrab of an Adobe Connect classroom. The Attendees pod is on the far left side of the screen and stretches from top to bottom. To the right of the Attendees pod, the screen is split between a Video pod taking up the top half of the viewing area and a Chat pod below that taking up the bottom half of the viewing area. The video pod shows chapter author, Murali Nair, demonstrating the position of sitting with one arm raised and leaning toward the opposite side.
Matthea Marquart, for her continued support and encouragement in bringing our passion for yoga and self-care to our students.
The chapter authors, Katherine Segal and Murali Nair, along with their colleague, Elise Marie Collins, are currently writing a book to make this and other yogic practices an accessible addition to healthy living.
Columbia University School of Social Work
Columbia University School of Social Work and Saybrook University
Katherine A. Segal, Ph.D., LCSW is an integrative social worker, graduate-level educator, qualitative researcher, and wellness coach. Dr. Segal earned an MSW from Columbia University and a Ph.D. specializing in Integrative Mental Health along with the Integrative Wellness Coaching certificate from Saybrook University. Dr. Segal has practiced social work in a variety of settings including school, medical, forensic, residential, and community mental health. Dr. Segal has utilized their knowledge and skills in the delivery of direct practice, clinical supervision, providing professional trainings, and teaching. They have taught at Columbia University, Saybrook University, and the University of New Hampshire.
Throughout clinical and academic work Dr. Segal has cultivated an integrative theoretical perspective that guides their assessment and treatment of clients as well as the education of colleagues, aspiring social workers, and integrative practitioners. In addition to teaching, Dr. Segal operates a remote coaching private practice specializing in provider burnout prevention, Integrative Mental Health, holistic wellness, life goal attainment, and dissertation completion.
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Access it online or download it at https://edtechbooks.org/designing_engaging_interactive_synchronous_online_classes/chair_yoga.