In-Person   

Explore meditation and the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda through an engaging 7-week journey designed to support balance, vitality, and overall well-being. Participants learn practical meditation techniques, receive an individualized mantra, and are introduced to Ayurveda—a holistic system of wellness that emphasizes understanding the mind-body constitution. Through simple Ayurvedic practices, students will explore how food choices, daily routines, rest, and self-care can support energy, digestion, sleep, and emotional balance. No prior experience is needed—just curiosity, openness, and a desire to thrive.

Ready to up your acoustic guitar skills, add some sophistication to your guitar playing; perhaps learn something new chords, songs and ways to play? Join us as we explore guitar-based music of our roots—folk, 60’s-70’s classic songs and old faves. Instruction is song and strum based, and is designed for intermediate players. Instruction is based upon playing with a pick and will cover Advanced Chords, Right Hand Strum Techniques, Reading Tabs, “Licks,” “Intros,” “Outros,” Double Stops, Acoustic Lead Play. Looking for performance opportunities within the OLLI community and beyond

The more advanced recorder players participate in a group. Students will analyze and interpret the music and improve their playing!

Join us as we progress along the “path to perfection”.

This class is for “beyond beginners”. Bring your own recorder, either soprano or alto.

Learn to play the Recorder. Stay and listen in or keep practicing with the Intermediate group.

Bring your own recorder to class.

Contact Fran Wenger at olli@csulb.edu for details.

Explore the rich world of art history through engaging discussions and visual examples. This class invites you to discover influential artists, movements, and cultural moments that have shaped the art world, encouraging connection and conversation along the way.

How did we accumulate all this stuff? Why can’t we let it go? Many of us are retired and taking a closer look at the space around us. Perhaps you see closets, a spare room or a garage full of things you once used but no longer need. Are you planning a move and finding it hard to decide what to keep. If you have tried before to lighten your load but have not been successful, this class is for you! Find out what is holding you back so you can move forward. Avoid the frustration of things misplaced or lost. Experience the freedom of finding a place for everything you truly need, use and love. This class will provide information, strategies, helpful tools and a chance to have your questions answered in a positive and supportive atmosphere.

Explore this popular art form that is an easy-to-learn and relaxing method of drawing structured patterns. Anyone who thinks s/he is a “nonartist” can learn! Certified Zentangle Teacher, Arlene Mindus, will guide you in teaching techniques and creating hand-drawn patterns into art. The Zentangle Method® develops focus and creativity, hand-eye coordination, manual dexterity, following step-bystep directions, and problem-solving techniques.

Materials are supplied at the first class for $10, paid to teacher.

Class will be for beginners who want to learn how to use this Artificial Intelligence technology in everyday life. Focus will be on Apple devices. Bring your iPhone or iPad. iPads are available for classroom use.

Ready to spring into bird watching? Our group will search for spring migratory and non-migratory birds. Join us at local parks where we will listen, identify and enjoy the birds we come across. Explore a few resources, Merlin App & ebird.org (from Cornell University of Ornithology) to help learn more & enhance birding adventures, then ask questions about them at our meet-ups. Whether you’re a novice birder, want to sharpen your skills, or maybe just get out in nature, come join us.

Explore thought-provoking, contemporary nonfiction books in this engaging book club who want to stay informed and connected to the world. We examine compelling works on politics, history, public policy, and current events, exploring how these forces shape our society and daily lives. We'll examine the housing crisis reshaping American communities, from families working full-time yet unable to secure stable housing, to the massive climate-driven migration already underway across the nation. We'll explore how economic forces and environmental change are fundamentally altering where and how Americans live, and what these profound shifts reveal about inequality, policy choices, and our collective future.

Spring books: April 24 – "There Is No Place for Us" by Brian Goldstone

                        May 22 – "The Great Displacement" by Jake Bittle

For Beginners and also people who played previously. Learn to play bridge the modern way.

Each class includes the play of 8 hands related to the subject taught.

Topics include introduction to bridge, opening a major, opening a minor, no trump, and Stayman.

Pay the additional $20 card fee to the LB Bridge Center.

Prerequisite: Bridge 1 or knowledge of Bridge 1 materials.

Topics include: major suit transfers,“Two Over One” bidding, one no trump forcing, overcalls, takeout doubles, negative doubles, plus an in-class tournament for master points.

Pay an additional $20 card fee to LB Bridge Center. 

This class is being offered in conjunction with the exhibit at LACMA, “Realms of the Dharma”, on view through July 12th.

Starting with some basic questions: Who was the Buddha? What is Buddhism? We’ll then move on to the origins of Buddhist art in India and examine how Buddhism and the visual image of the Buddha adapted to new cultures as it was transmitted throughout Asia (the Himalayas, Central Asia, China, Korea, Japan, SE Asia). Objects on view at LACMA will be supplemented with objects, sculpture, painting and architecture from other museums and archaeological sites.

Finally, we may attempt to answer how Buddhist thought and practice are reflected in the art

Explore a hidden facet of art history with us as we discuss and view watercolors in the “California Style” that thrived between the 1920's and mid-60's. Learn about these multi-talented artists who against the backdrop of the Depression and WWII began to experiment with bold design and color. They used broad brushstrokes and stylized landscapes to render local scenes of everyday life in California. We will focus on Millard Sheets and his circle including major watercolor artists Phil Dike, Rex Brandt, Emil J. Kosa Jr., and Phil Paradise. Many artists who worked in the burgeoning entertainment industry including luminaries such as Lee and Mary Blair (Disney), Tyrus Wong (Disney) and Dong Kingman (Universal) will be discussed in depth. Discover how our California artists re-imagined the medium of watercolor and exported it to the world.

Whether you are an experienced singer or have always desired to sing, this creative chorus is for you. Together we will gain confidence in our natural singing abilities and musicianship. Performances will be scheduled when we are fully prepared.

Fee for music scores. A pencil w/eraser and a 1” BLACK 3 ring binder are required

With a half-million cardiac arrests each year, CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) can help save a life if a person’s breathing or heart stops. Why Is CPR Important? Keeping the blood flow active - even partially – extends the opportunity for a successful resuscitation once trained medical staff arrive on site. ALSO: Learn about support for women and the threat of Heart Disease. Come to find out more about the “Red Bags of Courage”

This is an on-going crafts class that explores different crafting projects, tools, techniques and mediums.

Projects are varied and chosen with the class interests in mind. Projects may have a supply fee for specific materials needed.

Students need to bring a basic tool and supply kit that will support the current project. This class is for mid to high skill level students.

Experience in card making, crafts, basic art skills, tools and techniques is required.

This class is not for beginners

Questions? Contact Sheryl at sherylhaglund@verizon.net

Stay informed and have your say on the news of the day. Instructors will choose a few current event topics each week, give a brief presentation for each and then ask for thoughtful comments and questions from the class. Discussions are very much valued and are the core of the class. Class members are also encouraged to choose a topic of their own and present it for discussion.

“Drawing for All - Beginning” is a great introductory or refresher course. In this course we cover the Elements and Principles of Art. You will learn basic skills and techniques as a beginning artist or sharpen your skills. “Drawing for All” will teach basics and allow you time to hone skills. Contact the olli office or Valerie for the list of materials needed.

These stores have a variety of art supplies, pencils, paints, brushes, papers, etc. Daiso: 1926 N. Lakewood Blvd. LB 90815 Five Below: 5545 Stearns St. LB, 90815

Dungeons & Dragons has had quite a resurgence but many people are a little intimidated by playing, finding a group, or running a game. Whether you’ve played as a kid and want a refresher or you’ve never played before, this class will get you battle-ready! Learn the basics of the game, some history, and some Table Top Role Playing Game (TTRPG) alternatives to D&D. We’ll also learn where to find a game you can join or how to start one yourself, as well as where to find groups and online games.

Class fee: $10.00 for materials.

Learn all about e mail and how to use Apple mail. New features allow you to look at multiple e mail addresses in one app. Bring your questions and sample tasks. iPads are available for classroom use.

Adopted in 1958, the Constitution of France’s Fifth Republic has proven to be one of the most resilient political systems in modern Europe. Despite repeated political crises, shifting party landscapes, and social unrest, it has endured for nearly seventy years. This five-week course explores how the Fifth Republic came into being, how it works, and why it has so far resisted collapse. The course is designed for curious, engaged learners with an interest in history, politics, and comparative government.

No prior knowledge of French politics is required.

Learn the fundamentals of finger style, Travis picking, finger rolls, thumb independence, and chord melodies. Review knowledge of chords and positions. Learn a variety of song styles, including: traditional, folk, country, blues, and jazz.

Alpert Jewish Community Center “When you read a short story, you come out a little more aware and a little more in love with the world around you.” — George Saunders If you want to read short stories that leave an impact long after reading them, sign up for “Four Stories, Four Weeks” to discuss a classic or contemporary work each week in the company of readers who enjoy storytelling in the short form.

We will begin the class learning guitar nomenclature and how to tune the guitar. Learn strumming techniques next, and then basic chord structures and how to change from one chord to another. Finally, we will work on playing a favorite song.

Students need a guitar-steel or nylon string (preferred) guitar and a smile!

Dr. Susan Mathieu is here to help you find the positive side of life. How does humor reduce stress? You will learn how to deal with negative people, difficult situations, and skills to help to increase happiness and purpose.

Be ready to laugh, learn, and enjoy each day!

Come, enjoy Jeff's favorite movies:

North By Northwest- Alfred Hitchcock's thriller

How Green Was My Valley- John Ford's masterpiece

The Big Sleep- Humphrey Bogart

Dr. No - Sean Connery as James Bond

The Naked City - 1948 Film Noir classic

Red Headed Woman - Jean Harlow

A Shot in the Dark - Peter Sellers farce

FREE SPECIAL EVENT

From the mid-1930s until the end of the WWII, the Nazi regime carried out a campaign of sustained antisemitic persecution that developed into a coordinated program of mass murder. Millions of Jewish people were killed; many different communities were shattered – and not just people were destroyed but entire ways of life. The Holocaust will soon pass out of living memory, leaving us without the first-hand testimony of eyewitnesses and survivors.

The Cypress College Holocaust Survivor’s Portrait Gallery will help to preserve their stories and to ensure the world never forgets what they experienced. The portraits go beyond likenesses and capture the essence of the survivor’s character and their resilience in the face of unspeakable horror and loss. The Holocaust matters because as it was happening, much of the world stood by and watched—not just Germans, not just Europeans—the world.

Today, we use the Holocaust to remember that we, as world citizens, can and must do better. Join a docent narrated tour of the Gallery, meet the photographer, see the portraits which will spark empathy and admiration as you hear their stories. The event concludes with a group discussion.

Have you admired a piece of jewelry and wanted it to match your colors? Have you wanted to explore a new medium and have art you can wear? If so, this class is for you! We will learn a variety of techniques including how to create the perfect necklace and unique jewelry pieces.

Belinda is a fiber artist by training and has been studied jewelry making for over 20 years. She enjoys creating jewelry from various / inexpensive objects.

Would you like to take on an advanced knitting project with others who share your love of the art? Bring your desired pattern and materials and we will work through your project together in a friendly instructor-guided environment. Seeing others’ projects and successes will inspire students to blossom.

This class is for “beyond beginners” only.

Come join me for a journey into the plant world. See how plants have had an inseparable relationship with humans since the beginning of our time together on Earth. Join whether you are a beginning gardener or an expert in the world’s amazing array of flora. Possible field trips include: A School Native Plant Garden, The Long Beach Community Garden, The VA garden, and the CSULB Japanese Garden.

We will have a veggie potluck on the day of the last class, where people will also have an opportunity to share recipes and pictures of their gardens and/or particularly interesting gardens they had seen during the Mary Lou Heard regional garden tour.

In an encouraging setting for all level of writers, this class will provide an opportunity to create a collection of short writings that reflect the moments that have shaped you as a person. Do you recall a time in childhood which helped steer who you became as an adult? Maybe you nursed a parent through their last moments and never shared the experience. These memories could be shared in a writing collection.

Each week students will write twosingle pages at home in response to a prompt provided by the instructor. The papers will not be reviewed for grammar or spelling, but students must read aloud their writings in a friendly group setting. At the end of the course, this collection of short writings will serve as a memoir keepsake.

For beginning students this is an Introduction to basic knitting and crochet stitches which will be class demonstration and individual instruction. Information covered in class will include, types of stitches, stitch abbreviations, pattern interpretation and basic tools/supplies.

Beginners, on the first day of class please bring a skein of size 4 or worsted yarn, and either size 7 or 8 knitting needles or a size H or I crochet hook, depending on your desire to learn knitting or crochet. 

Did you study French in high school or college and wish that you could have continued your studies? Have you been using Duo Lingo or other online classes but want to have feedback from a live Frenchspeaking person? If so, this course is for you! Come to refresh your memory and ignite your ability to speak and understand French through a variety of modalities. Guided conversations, vocabulary building, review of essential grammar, and training in proper pronunciation will be supported by a little reading, a little writing, and songs. This course is for those with some knowledge of French and is not intended to be a first-time experience in learning French. Parlons Francais is offered twice each week.

The same content will be presented on Mondays and Saturdays.

Please register for your preferred section and thank you in advance for not asking to make up absences by attending the other session. 

Did you study French in high school or college and wish that you could have continued your studies? Have you been using Duo Lingo or other online classes but want to have feedback from a live Frenchspeaking person? If so, this course is for you! Come to refresh your memory and ignite your ability to speak and understand French through a variety of modalities.

Guided conversations, vocabulary building, review of essential grammar, and training in proper pronunciation will be supported by a little reading, a little writing, and songs. This course is for those with some knowledge of French and is not intended to be a first-time experience in learning French. Parlons Francais is offered twice each week.

The same content will be presented on Mondays and Saturdays.

Please register for your preferred section and thank you in advance for not asking to make up absences by attending the other session. 

We are a group of amateur musicians and vocalists, beginner to experienced, gathering to have fun and make music. We play and sing together to develop our personal instrumental skills. Song sheets with chords of favorite Folk, Blues, Country and Pop tunes are compiled in a Song-book, and provided digitally. The Jam class is built around guitar and ukulele; but diverse instruments (bass, banjo, harmonica) are welcome.

Discover renewed vitality and happiness in this interactive 7-week circle. Through storytelling, gentle movement, reflective activities, and group dialogue, we will explore ABCD Living—Active, Balanced, Connected, Disburdened—a research-backed framework grounded in longevity science, positive psychology, and neuroscience. Craft a personalized wellness plan, practicing the ABCD lifestyle, track progress using the Lifewell Score, and build community connections with like-minded peers seeking purpose, practical tools, and sustainable habits that truly matter

Alpert Jewish Community Center Beginning with simple words and phrases is hardly new news! I will try to combine methods as practiced in the US Army Language School (when I was there, now the Defense Language Institute, West Coast) and The Berlitz Corporation. Learning should be enjoyable and students will be speaking and hearing from day one. Additionally, familiarity with German and Spanish are helpful as there are always parallels among European languages. We aim for a good second-grade appreciation for the language written, heard and spoken! Learning the Cyrillic alphabet is important, along with pronunciation and word recognition.

This class will offer you an opportunity to develop skills in cutting and tearing, composition, color and texture leading to a finished collage and a strong artistic statement. SUPPLY LIST: Self-healing cutting mat 9 x 12 or larger, Exacto knife, Bristle Board (96 lbs.) 9 x 12 or larger, glue stick.

Email me with any questions, elka84@hotmail.com.

This course examines the complex history of slavery in the Caribbean and Latin America from the colonial period through the nineteenth century. It covers key topics such as the transatlantic slave trade, the Middle Passage, differences between urban and rural slave labor, and the cultural and social lives of enslaved people. We will explore both the unique and shared experiences of various slave societies and the ways in which enslaved communities resisted and pursued freedom. All will gain insight into the pivotal role slave labor played in shaping the social, economic, and cultural foundations of the New World.

This class is designed for anyone who wants to improve the flow of energy throughout their body and work on balance. My Tai Chi process will enhance your overall system harmony and incorporates many different styles. Students may find that, over time, they exude a glow or energetic illumination!.

Learn secrets to design, build, and/ or restore stained glass windows. This course will cover leaded and copper foil techniques that haven’t changed for hundreds of years. Complete a project to beautify your own home and/or give to friends as keepsakes. A list of materials will be provided at the first class meeting.

Contact the instructor at: snewcomb@congruex.com

Every life is a story waiting to be heard. As elders we carry not just memories, but the meaning behind those memoirs.

Aging offers a rare opportunity to pause, examine and reflect on what has been experienced. This class combines story structure and life progression with remembered events through the lens of topics like cultural life scripts, autobiographic memory, narrative identity, life themes, and more. A high degree of interaction and personal sharing is part of this class.

This course introduces basic principles of Tai Chi Chuan through the learning of the classic movements of Yang Style tai’ chi. It is meant for Beginners. Using demonstration and practice of movements students will apply five basic principles: relaxation, separation of weight, waist turn, upright body and virgin hands. While Tai Chi has its roots in Taoist philosophy and the martial arts of Qi Gong, this form of Tai Chi was developed primarily for its health benefits.

Tai Chi Chuan and have practiced in the past, come to this Intermediate class in the classic movements of Yang Style tai’ chi. Students will apply five basic principles: relaxation, separation of weight, waist turn, upright body and virgin hands.

Beginners meet on Tuesdays

Have you ever wanted to learn to tap dance but never got around to it? This beginner’s class will get you moving, and having fun while getting a great workout. Class will have a warm up, learning steps, dancing across the room, and a cool down with stretches. You will improve your coordination, balance, dance moves, and of course your mood! Tap shoes are recommended but not mandatory; give the class a try first if you’d like.

Learn to play the Ukulele as an Accompaniment Instrument. Learn and understand chord structures with melody. Focus on songs with chord structures and melodies (in multiple positions) that support the melody or lead. Prerequisites: Know the chords, shapes and notes especially in the first and second positions. This is not intended as an entry level course. Questions? 714-789-4790

The longstanding American war, and one with a huge impact on the lives of our generation.

Where? When? Why? What? Who? We’ll be wrestling with all the questions that news stories and history are supposed to deal with.

What are the lessons of the war?

This workshop offers an opportunity to improve your watercolor painting focusing on fundamental elements such as colors, value patterns, perspectives, and composition. It is intended for students who have experience with watercolors. Bring your own materials and reference photos. Mike gives lessons from 10:00 - 12:00, but all students contribute to the class by sharing experience, feedback and critiquing each other’s work. Students decide on their own hours to work independently or with lessons.

Everyone has a story or several stories to tell. Regretfully, they seldom are brought to life, never articulated, never shared. This class encourages us to write our stories and share them in a classroom environment that is supportive. It offers a sense of intimacy, spontaneity, and possible surprise. It is preferred that readings be done from a printed page rather than a device. Each week ALL class members will read a story they have written outside of class. Come join our lively readings and discussions.

Enjoy practicing flexibility, strength building, and balance through using different yoga poses or asanas.

Participants need to be able to move from a seated position on the floor to standing with ease.

Learn relaxation and meditation techniques that help reduce stress, depression and anxiety.

Create a flexible and strong mind/body connection.

Do you want to feel younger, look younger, and supercharge your brain? Do you want to improve your posture, stand taller, and walk or move with more ease, and diminish back, neck discomfort? Practicing the ancient art of yoga has produced these results for ages!! Come and join our yoga community, and you will learn to stretch, breathe, laugh, and make friends! Come as you are— all levels are welcome!