Newcomers to yoga have a lot to learn when they go to their first session: proper breathing, correct posture and an entirely new vocabulary of yoga terms. For non-native English speakers, language barriers make the challenge tougher.

A new program encourages yoga among Spanish-speakers. (Photo by Walter Urie)

Now, a new series from the Sheri & Les Biller Patient and Family Resource Center brings the mind-and-body benefits of yoga to Spanish-speaking patients and their caregivers in their own language, at no charge. The “Yoga Restaurativo” class at City of Hope offers restorative yoga every week in Spanish.

The class familiarizes participants with various poses from hatha yoga, a particularly gentle form of the discipline. Sessions include guided meditation and deep breathing exercises; research has shown that yoga can improve quality of life among cancer patients by encouraging better sleep and reducing anxiety. Patients have reported less joint pain.

Classes are held Wednesdays from 3 to 4 p.m. in the Biller Patient and Family Resource Center’s activity room. They are made possible, in part, through the support of the Frederick P. Lenz Foundation. Registration is required. To register or learn more, contact Liz Chavez at 626-256-4673, ext. 65466.