Teaching Yoga to Nonagenarians

by Kaoru Kinoshito

Since 2012, I have been teaching yoga in Nagoya, Japan. After completing my 200-hour Pranakriya certification in 2011 and my 300-hour certification in 2022, I have continually benefited from the philosophy, knowledge, and supportive community that Pranakriya offers. These experiences have shaped the way I work with students with a wide range of needs.

My students include university students, athletes, working adults, people living with chronic illnesses, and older adults. Recently, however, it is my students in their 90s who have challenged me to grow the most as a teacher.

Since March, I have been practicing yoga twice a week with Father Robert Riemer, a 93-year-old American priest who resides at the Divine Word Seminary in Nagoya. He was my faculty advisor at Nanzan University in 1990. Because I now teach part-time at the same university, we had the opportunity to reconnect after many years.

Like many nonagenarians, Father Robert's mobility is limited. He walks slowly with the support of a cane, and many everyday movements require considerable effort. Our practice draws on everything I have learned through the Pranakriya community: conscious breathing, gentle movements of the joints, and spinal mobility exercises, all while seated in a chair. Together, we have set a simple but meaningful goal—to help him continue using the shower and bathroom independently for as long as possible.

Our sessions are enjoyable and relaxing, filled with conversation and laughter. A few months into our practice together, however, I began asking myself some uncomfortable questions. Am I making assumptions about what an aging body and mind should be capable of? Are the goals we have set truly appropriate for him? Is there something about the aging process that I should simply accept rather than try to change?

I am deeply grateful to Father Robert for giving me the opportunity to explore a place I have never been before: the experience of the aging body. At the same time, I am grateful for my connection with the Pranakriya community, which continually empowers me to meet each person in front of me with the gift of yoga.

Who are the people on your yoga journey? Have a story to share? Email info@pranakriya.com