Crest Hill yoga studio offering classes in American Sign Language

A Crest Hill yoga studio that offers a wide range of yoga classes is now offering a monthly yoga class in American Sign Language.

Mindy Minaeri, yoga teacher and sign language interpreter for Southwest Cook County Cooperative, taught the first class on Friday night at Just Breathe yoga studio in Crest Hill. The next classes will be Nov. 10 and Dec. 8.

Pat Perrier, yoga teacher and owner of Just Breathe, said her goal is to offer classes to “as many people who want to be there.”

Classes at Just Breathe currently include Yoga 101, basic yoga, gentle yoga, chair yoga, flow motion yoga, prenatal yoga, restorative yoga, strength and stability yoga, yin yoga, Yoga 1-2, and Yoga With Gratitude and Grace.

“I’d love to find somebody who teaches yoga in Spanish,” Perrier said.

Making yoga accessible to the deaf community

Minaeri said she’s worked with the deaf community for 15 years in the educational setting and noticed how the deaf community is “typically overlooked in so many ways.”

“There’s really still a great divide between hearing opportunities and opportunities for deaf people,” Minaeri said. “I feel this has been put on my heart to bring yoga to the deaf community or to anyone who signs.”

In a typical yoga class, “we listen a lot with our ears,” Minaeri said. This class will be significantly different, in that the room will be silent and hands will be moving quite a bit.

Minaeri will also give more of the instruction at the beginning of class, she said. The class pace will be slower, too, primarily because it’s difficult to perform yoga and sign at the same time, she said.

When people need to open their eyes, Minaeri will wave a small hand fan instead of touching the students and “invading their space,” she said.

Minaeri actually began her yoga journey as Perrier’s student and practiced at home during the pandemic.

“I have always been a flexible kind of person who enjoys moving but not running or any kind of sport per se,” Minaeri said. “But I do like stretching out my body.”

Minaeri said yoga helped regulate her blood pressure and feel healthier. She also felt calmer and handled stress better, she said.

“Yoga wasn’t just physical practice anymore,” Minaeri said. “It became a mental practice.”

What is Christian yoga?

Minaeri took her yoga training online through The Yoga Abbey, a “faith-based Christian community of people who love Jesus and love yoga,” she said. The faith-based component was very important to Minaeri since she grew up in a strict religious family where yoga wasn’t allowed.

“I’ve always shied away from it,” Minaeri said. “So when I found out Christians practiced yoga, that was very intriguing to me.”

About 18 months ago, Minaeri began teaching a monthly Christian yoga class at Just Breathe where participants focus on Jesus.

“I begin and end with prayer,” Minaeri said. “And we center ourselves on God. We don’t empty our minds. We focus our minds on Jesus, our source, our center. Because without Him I am nothing. So when I’m in need of peace, I go to the source of that, which is Jesus. If I need wisdom, He is the source for that. He is obviously the author of love. Who doesn’t need more love in their lives?”

Benefits of yoga

Perrier stressed that yoga is not a religion, although some yoga philosophy is discussed in some of the classes. It’s not a cure for health ailments but a tool people can use to improve their well-being – and possibly make a few new friends too, Perrier said.

Benefits people might experience from practicing yoga include improvements in sleep, relaxation, ability to meditate and making better food choices, Perrier said.

Nevertheless, teachers at Just Breathe do “stay in their lane” and never give the impression that they can “fix everything,” Perrier said.

“That’s just not fair to people,” Perrier said.

Potential students should check with their doctors before starting any exercise, including yoga, Perrier said. In many cases, classes and poses can be adjusted to each student, Perrier said. For instance, some students want to focus on flexibility, others on core strength, Perrier said.

“I just want to remind people that people come to yoga for many different reasons,” Perrier said. “And we can meet them where they’re at…and we would love to see people take advantage of what they offer.”

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Yoga for ASL

WHEN: 6 to 7:15 p.m. Nov. 10 and Dec. 8

WHERE: Just Breathe yoga studio, 20660 Caton Farm Road, Unit C, Crest Hill

ETC: Registration recommended. Walk-ins welcomed in most regular classes.

INFORMATION: Call 815-546-2770 or https://just-breatheyoga.com/