By TARA SCHLUTER
Special to Pascack Press
EMERSON—Fay Yeager has been teaching yoga for more than half her life.
Like most fitness instructors, she is committed to improving the health of her students. Like many instructors, she motivates them to push themselves and grow. And like the best teachers, she practices what she teaches.
What sets Yeager apart is that she continues to teach several classes each week — at 91.
Despite her age, or perhaps because of it, Yeager has developed a teaching style that blends physical technique with deeper self-awareness. Her students say they not only learn proper yoga form but also discover new ways to understand their bodies and minds.
Yeager has taught yoga at HNH Fitness in Oradell for the past 19 years, leading classes that draw students of varied ages, fitness levels and experience.Teaching such a diverse group can be challenging, but Yeager keeps the focus on individual progress, not comparison with others.
She often uses a teaching method she learned from one of her own instructors.
“I start with a simple version of a posture, easy for most,” she explains. “Then I add more challenging elements one at a time. Students can choose to take the challenge or stay where they are. This allows them to progress at their own pace while building confidence.”
For many students, that approach has made yoga accessible later in life.
MaryEllen Miller of Bergenfield says Yeager’s Gentle Yoga class helped her begin practicing yoga as an adult.
“She shares her love of yoga and her extensive background with students of all abilities,” Miller said. “She encourages those who are less flexible while offering a challenge to others. She stresses safety, form and breathing, and always reminds us about the often-neglected muscles of the fingers and toes, which are important for strength and balance.”
Chris Contillo of Haworth agrees.
“Fay is a phenomenal teacher,” Contillo said.
Yeager believes yoga should extend far beyond the physical poses most people associate with the practice.
“It should include awareness of breath, balance and digestion, as well as mindfulness and meditation,” she said. “The awareness we cultivate on the yoga mat should spill over into our lives afterward — how we breathe, what we eat, how we move and how we relate to others.”
Her students say those lessons help them remain active well into later life.
Hermine Zimmermann of Hillsdale credits Yeager’s Gentle Yoga class with helping her remain mobile at age 85.
“Fay explains not only how muscles and joints are affected, but also the mind by living in the moment,” Zimmermann said.
Yeager says the appreciation she receives from students is the greatest reward.
“In ancient times, yoga teachers carried bowls in which grateful students placed rice,” she said. “These days, my bowl is filled with the positive feedback from my students.”
With characteristic humility, she adds: “It is said that the best teachers hope that after a while their students no longer need them.”
In addition to teaching at HNH Fitness, Yeager also leads yoga classes at the Woodcliff Lake Senior Center, continuing to share her practice with the wider community.