Mijas chair yoga event blends accessibility, community and charity fundraising

In El Esparragal park, chair yoga became more than a wellness class. The Inclusive and Solidarity Chair Yoga session in Mijas brought together accessibility, community and charity fundraising in one outdoor gathering, with Raquel Gonzalez leading the practice and every chair placed in service of a wider social purpose.

The session took place on Saturday, June 6, at 10 a.m. in the park’s natural setting, a backdrop that softened the feel of a standard class and made the event easy to approach. Mijas Town Hall and UP Mijas organized it together, giving the session both municipal backing and a clear place inside the town’s public learning and community programming. The class was designed to be accessible to everyone, regardless of age, fitness level or mobility, which is exactly where chair yoga often earns its strongest appeal.

That inclusive format matters because it strips away some of the barriers that keep people out of conventional studio classes. Sitting on a chair can make the practice feel less intimidating for newcomers, but it also preserves the core of the work: movement, balance and mindful breathing. In a public park, under a civic banner, that access becomes visible. The event also raised funds for Casa Luna charity, giving participants a reason to show up that went beyond personal wellness and connected the class to a specific local beneficiary.

The Mijas session also fits a broader pattern in adapted yoga. A preliminary study in an assisted-living setting found modified chair yoga feasible and safe for adults aged 80 to 90, with improvements in fear of falling and some mobility measures. A randomized trial in older adults with lower-extremity osteoarthritis looked at chair yoga for people who could not participate in standing exercise. Broader reviews of yoga for older adults point to benefits across several chronic conditions, even as they call for stronger evidence.

That is what made the Mijas event feel especially effective. It was simple enough to welcome beginners, structured enough to serve older adults and people with mobility limitations, and purposeful enough to support Casa Luna at the same time. In El Esparragal park, chair yoga looked like a small class, but it carried the kind of public-facing reach that keeps a community practice from staying behind studio doors.