Cynthia Ward understands how important it is to be flexible. A yoga teacher at the age of 89, she’s used to bending herself into different shapes and believes it’s the secret to her good health.
Even when she was hit by a car last year, suffering a broken hip and kneecap, the superfit granny bounced back quickly, thanks to her yoga. “I had major surgery and spent two weeks in hospital but I was back teaching my yoga class within two months,” she grins.
Cynthia certainly isn’t the oldest in the class she teaches in Sumner, Christchurch, each week. That honour belongs to a 93-year-old great-grandmother, although there is also a 90-year-old and three more agile octogenarians among the 28 yoga fans who take part. Cynthia, who also enjoys t’ai chi and playing tennis, was first introduced to yoga four decades ago. At the time, the mum-of-six ran an apple orchard in Rangiora.
“It was the fruit season and I was going through a very stressful time,” she remembers, “oy doctor’s wife suggested I try yoga and lent me a book. I was sceptical but through desperation gave it a go. Within a week of doing the exercises I noticed I was feeling much better.”
Seeing the positive effects in Cynthia, her friends asked her to teach them at home. The group grew in number and eventually moved to a hall attached to the nearby church.
“The poor misguided vicar one day announced that we had to desist from meeting there because he felt it was detrimental to his flock,” laughs Cynthia, who quickly found another hall in which to host her class.Throughout the fun-packed lesson, as well as sharing a joke or two, she throws in valuable snippets of wisdom such as the health benefits of taking cider vinegar every day – even added to a gin and tonic – or the wonders turmeric can play in helping to ward off Alzheimer’s. She charges a tiny fee to cover the hall cost and donates any money left over to charity.
“I’m not a qualified teacher, I just love doing yoga with my friends,” Cynthia says modestly. “And I have absolutely no doubt that it has helped me keep fit and healthy.”
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