Fitness and Wellness   

According to the American Heart Association, nearly half of American adults have some form of cardiovascular or chronic disease. Medical analysis has shown that the quality of our nutrition is a critical factor in determining personal health. A positive change in what we eat can delay and reverse serious chronic diseases such as obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, T2 diabetes, and lessen the chances of developing dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and certain cancers. We will discuss a proven process to align your daily nutrition with the core principles of eating healthy to live a long, healthy life. Prior to class, students are encouraged to complete the anonymous EatSHARP personal nutrition assessment at https://eatsharp.org?group=OLLI-Sierra . Individuals can stay anonymous.

Jane Goodall describes awe as being amazed at things outside yourself. She believed chimps felt awe. We too can cultivate moments of goose bumps, warmth, and openness to the vast mystery of life often felt in nature, music, visual art, literature, spirituality, birth and death, and more. Whether it’s seeing a child walking for the first time or talking a simple walk in an autumn morning or listening to a special song, Come and learn how scientists recently have demystified this wonderful emotion of awe and are showing us practical ways to have small moments every day that increase our sense of happiness and wellbeing. This class will be a field guide how awe moments can bring more curiosity, a sense of belonging, to help release grief, depression, and difficult aspects of growing older in difficult times. Cultivating more moments of awe in your life is a gift for your own self-care and well-being, but also for everyone around you.

Drawing from a variety of time-tested disciplines, this class offers effective, results-producing movements designed specifically for the OLLI student at whatever your level is. These exercises will add strength and elasticity to your muscles and frame while protecting and strengthening your back. You will also work your heart in a very gentle way and achieve freedom in movement and less pain. Best of all, we're doing all this to the music we know and love: '50s, '60s and '70s. It is not too late to rejuvenate your body! Wear comfortable clothing.

Drawing from a variety of time-tested disciplines, this class offers effective, results-producing movements designed specifically for the OLLI student at whatever your level is. These exercises will add strength and elasticity to your muscles and frame while protecting and strengthening your back. You will also work your heart in a very gentle way and achieve freedom in movement and less pain. Best of all, we're doing all this to the music we know and love: '50s, '60s and '70s. It is not too late to rejuvenate your body! Wear comfortable clothing.

Starting at age 60, age related muscle loss occurs at a rate of 3% per year and bone mass declines at an average rate of 1% per year. In this class, older adults aged 60 and older will learn how, through a combination of strength conditioning and better nutrition, they can reverse these trends. And in the process, feel stronger, have higher energy levels, and greatly increase the odds of their living a longer and healthier life. This is lecture/demonstration class.

This class introduces adults simple, accessible meditation practices designed to reduce stress, improve focus, and support emotional wellbeing. Through guided breathing, gentle body awareness, and relaxation techniques, participants will learn practical tools to calm the mind and restore balance. No prior experience is required, and the practices can be easily integrated into daily life for lasting benefits.

In this course, you will learn tools to navigate caregiving with confidence and compassion for loved ones with progressive medical conditions, disabilities, and dementia of any kind. Come and learn simple techniques to prevent burnout and calm amid chaos. Balance your emotional and physical well-being along with care-giving responsibilities, improve communication, and explore the three stages of grief for yourself and your loved one, along with finding moments of joy and gratitude daily living. In addition, learn how to deal with your loved one’s depression, or aggressive behavior, and how to make plans for what's ahead for clarity and peace of mind.

Ready to trade tension for tranquility and worry for wonder? Stress Less, Smile More is a light-hearted yet powerful mindfulness class designed to help adults unwind, reconnect, and recharge. Through gentle chair yoga, calming breath-work, and guided meditation, we’ll explore how to:

• Navigate thoughts and emotions with curiosity
• Build courage and confidence from the inside out
• Practice the art of letting go (without losing your keys!)
• Cultivate joy, presence, and a sense of playful calm Plus more....

No experience needed—just a willingness to breathe, move, and smile. Come as you are, leave a little lighter.

The T'ai Chi forms teach the practioner to keep his or her body balanced and in a central position; erect and well postured. When the body is erect every bone and inner organ is in the proper place. Keeping the spinal cord erect is the first step toward rejuvenating the body. T'ai Chi Ch'uan is beneficial to both mental and physical health. T'ai Chi can rid all parts of the body of spiritual and physical defects; it clears the mind and strengthens the brain, benefits the heart, promotes good digestion and sound kidneys. It also helps to lower blood pressure, soften blood vessels.

Continuing students are introduced to further sequences of the Yang Long form and will learn the intricacies of articulation, timing, breathing and the purposes behind the moves and advanced fluidity.

Continuing students are introduced to further sequences of the Yang Long form and will learn the intricacies of articulation, timing, breathing and the purposes behind the moves and advanced fluidity.

Tai Chi is a centuries old practice of gentle and graceful movements known as postures which are designed to build better balance, coordination, focus, stress relief, and mind/body connection. Students are encouraged to wear loose comfortable clothing. Our program features the Yang Long form. 

Tai Chi is a centuries old practice of gentle and graceful movements known as postures which are designed to build better balance, coordination, focus, stress relief, and mind/body connection. Students are encouraged to wear loose comfortable clothing. Our program features the Yang Long form. 

Practice and review of the Yang Long Form.

Practice and review of the Yang Long Form.

This class is designed to support strength, mobility, balance, and mindfulness at any stage of life. Through gentle yet effective movement, breathwork, and relaxation techniques, we cultivate resilience in both body and mind. Rooted in the wisdom of yoga and informed by modern wellness practices, this class emphasizes joint health, core stability, flexibility, and nervous system regulation. Whether you're new to yoga or a seasoned practitioner, Yoga provides a welcoming space to honor your body’s needs, improve overall well-being, and move with greater ease in daily life. 

Yoga Nidra is a state of deep relaxation of the body while the mind remains awake and aware. It is helpful in stress reduction, health improvement and visualization. In this class, the instructor will guide you through this meditation and teach you how to access it yourself. The only physical requirement is that participants must be able to get down to and up from the floor or other surface like a recliner and be able to rest quietly for about 45 minutes. Wear comfortable clothing and bring a yoga mat or blanket to lie on and a pillow for your head.

The T'ai Chi forms teach the practioner to keep his or her body balanced and in a central position; erect and well postured. When the body is erect every bone and inner organ is in the proper place. Keeping the spinal cord erect is the first step toward rejuvenating the body. T'ai Chi Ch'uan is beneficial to both mental and physical health. T'ai Chi can rid all parts of the body of spiritual and physical defects; it clears the mind and strengthens the brain, benefits the heart, promotes good digestion and sound kidneys. It also helps to lower blood pressure, soften blood vessels.