The idea of doing yoga together with our elderly has been floating in my mind for many years. I frequently told about it in the yoga class, telling the students that when I’m older, I will be going to organize yoga classes on the hilltop of the Bedok Reservoir Park, inviting all those to join me. And, deep in my consciousness, I yearned and prayed it to happen sooner as I’m 54 now…

My prayer was answered recently, but somewhat different. The Cosmic Consciousness must have gotten my message, but obviously He has a better idea…

Most of the residents were on wheelchair.

Around middle of April 2011, the yoga centre (Ananda Marga Yoga Society) contacted me with a request to do a yoga demo at one of the homes, Bright Hill Evergreen Home. So, there I went. The demo was just half an hour, but, it took an hour to be there. But the problem is: almost all the audiences were on the wheelchairs… How could I ask them to move with me?

Compounding the problem further, I was forewarned by the yoga centre that I might have to speak in Mandarin. I wasn’t worried at all, as Chinese is the medium of teaching in my primary, secondary and pre-university education. However, during the demo, when I spoke in Mandarin, it seemed to draw little response initially, as most of the residents were Chinese in their 70s, 80s, 90s and the eldest one is 105 years old!

This brother is over 100 years old…

So, I switched to Hokkien with a mixture of Mandarin and English and the response is, just, slightly better. I could feel the brothers and sisters were quite downcast, but why? The centre is well run, the staff is very friendly, the food is sufficient…

After the demo, I bade them goodbye and as I was walking towards the exit, one gentleman approached me, gave me a name card and said, “You could teach in Hokkien, huh!  The person-in-charge would like to talk to you.”

This is the beginning of my association with the residents in this Home. I came to understand that because most of staff and helpers could not speak Hokkien and other dialects, therefore most of residents felt alienated, lonely and depressed.

It is a tall order for me, as I had only wished to teach senior brothers and sisters, you know. Nonetheless, I had made a wish before the start of sessions: after certain number of sessions, let some residents be able to move more freely and even stand up. As there are quite a number of residents are suffering from the ill effects of stroke, their agility and movement are quite restricted, therefore, most of them were being put in the wheelchair.

After 8 sessions (45 mins each), results are amazing:

Captions:

1^st session, most of them were on wheelchair.

In the 1^st session, this sister (front, centre) told me she suffered a stroke and her arm and part of her limb could not move.

In the 3^rd session, I told her and the rest, our arms and legs just like our brothers and sisters. If one could not move, the other should help. So I told her to use her left arm to help her right arm to lift up…

The result: from the 4^th session onwards, she had regained some control over her right arm and fingers and she proudly showed it to me during the workout by standing up and moving her right arm!

This lady used to be on wheelchair, then on a chair, then from 4^th session onwards stood up to do with me throughout the whole session.

This brother (centre, red shirt) couldn’t move at all for about four sessions, from thereon, he could move with the help of the home staff.

I discovered that gentlemen were more withdrawn and shy. And it took me about 4 sessions to gain entry into their inner world and they, too, opened up.

In the second session, I sat on the wheelchair and used the crutch to show them: even the movement is restricted, still certain exercise and motions are possible.

Then on the 7^th session, I again sat on the wheelchair and showed them what could be done even wheelchair bound. At that time, almost half of the participants were out of wheelchair during the session. Thanks to the helping hands given by the staff and assistants. A Big Thank You!

The success is written on the face, during the last two sessions, about 80% of the participants are actively following the routine, the rest is still struggling, but, the greatest change I witnessed is their mood: we have heard more laughters, more radiant faces and more energetic bodies.

Meditation time…

Dear brothers and sisters, thanks for giving me a chance to serve you, because of you, I sat on wheelchair, because of you, I held clutches, because of you, I begin to learn to treasure every moment we’re together, for every accomplishment, however small is big leap in life! And, thanks, the omnipresent ONE, for selecting me as a tool to show what is possible to me and my life will never be the same again.

Baba Nam Kevalam.

Adideva

ps. for gentle workout for seniors, please click the link: http://anandamarga.org.sg/ or call 65 6344 6519