With his humanity spirit, Le Van Thien, the Chairman of the Da Nang-based Tam Nhien Yoga Club, opened a charity yoga class for people with disabilities at a vocational promotion centre in Ngu Hanh Son District’s Hoa Quy Ward. The free class aims at helping those with disabilities to keep strong both physically, lifting spirits, and giving hope to overcome their unfortunate fates.

Thien instructing his trainees at his free yoga class

Opened in August this year, taught by Thien and other instructors, the highly practical free-of-charge yoga class, running 3 sessions per week, has so far this year attracted the participation of many disabled people.

This special class is usually enlivened with fun chats and laughter amongst a group of disable people of different ages.

Yoga is often a slow and meditative process, so it helps these individuals slow down and increases attention and focus. The instructors use typical yoga poses, and each one is adapted for a disabled person’s needs or goals.

A 18-year-old trainee, who have suffered from motor disability with severely swollen knee joints in case of unfavourable weather conditions, said she find it very painful to physically move. Thanks to the high enthusiasm of Thien and her classmates, the young woman eagerly saw her movement improve considerably.

Likewise, others, time by time, now also get accustomed to the yoga exercises. They felt very happy with considerable improvements in their health, and their body movements got easier when practicing yoga.

Thien said, there really is no limit to the scope of who can benefit from yoga. People from all walks of life, even the disable can experience this healing, strengthening, calming, and empowering practice, regardless of their age, gender, race, size, shape, background, and yes, even their fitness level! That is the main reason why Thien operates this volunteer yoga class, and encouragingly, his initiative has received deep understanding and voices of great support from his family.

Most of the trainees at the class are those with mental retardation, handicapped limbs, Down syndrome and other severe disabilities. With their great love and deep sympathy for them, Thien and other instructors enthusiastically and wholeheartedly teach them how to practice yoga poses. In fact, basic movements might seem trivial to the average person, they are major obstacles and successes for individuals with a disability. 

After the class, despite their physical pains sparked by their disabilities, the trainees exchange their smiles, and say thank-you to kind-hearted ‘teacher’ Thien for his good deed. All of them show their keen interest in doing yoga with great pleasure.

Aware of the benefits yoga brings to the disabled, Thien said that he would try to keep this meaningful class running as long as he can.

In the mind of the kind-hearted man, making a difference for the underprivileged brings the true happiness to such these volunteers makes their lives more meaningful as “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted”.