The collective chorus of breaths – in and out – filled the room.

“Inhale. Exhale.” Yoga instructor Liesel Bender looked around at the circle of women sitting in chairs, eyes closed, backs straight, hands palm up on their thighs. “Breathing through your nose stimulates your parasympathetic nervous system,” she explained.

She took the group through a series of stretches, all seated, involving their arms, legs and necks. Bender, who teaches chair yoga twice a week, once at the Pembroke Library and once at the Hooksett Library, wants her classes to feel relaxing and empowering. Chair yoga adapts traditional poses to participants sitting in chairs or using them for balance, depending on the position.

“If you don’t want a more physical class that’s strenuous but you still want to gain strength and muscle and establish calmness it’s the simplest version of yoga, but simple doesn’t mean easy,” Bender said. “I definitely make everyone work hard, and we balance hard work with relaxation.”

She moved to New Hampshire two years ago and settled in Hooksett, where she noticed there weren’t any yoga studios there or in nearby Pembroke.

“I started going to community places and asking if we can hold yoga classes for the community because it’s a far drive if you want to practice yoga. We’ve been doing this for a year now,” Bender said.

For Elaine Melquist, chair yoga provided a way to build strength after an ankle injury. She didn’t feel like floor yoga would work well for her body. Melquist joined Bender’s Pembroke class when it began and has loved it ever since.

“People aren’t afraid to laugh,” Melquist said. “There’s an openness to it. It’s not overly serious, but what you’re accomplishing is significant.”

She and the other regulars enjoy talking before and after the yoga sessions, which have brought new friendships to their lives. Bender has enjoyed the connections that have flourished between participants.

“It’s a place for people to come and stretch and build muscle and breathe deep and clear their minds,” she said. “But we’re also very open and communicative and helpful to each other. We’re not at a studio where typically after class you need to leave because there’s another class coming in. We have plenty of time to talk and catch up. So that’s what makes our group a little more unique and special.”

Another participant, Pauline Belleville, looks forward to chair yoga each week.

“It gives me somewhere to go on Tuesday morning,” Belleville said. “It gives me camaraderie. I like the group. And the benefit of the exercise, which we all need.”

Like Melquist, Belleville finds chair yoga to be easier on her body while offering everything she seeks in a yoga class.

“I enjoy that I can get a decent workout without having to get up and down off the mat. Between bad knees and asthma, I’m not able to do that in a regular class and keep up and feel like I get the benefit from it,” Bellville said.

Bender wants chair yoga to be something anyone of any age, gender or ability feels encouraged to try.

“The aftermath of practice, when you look around the room and everyone gets a glow to their face, they have a smile, they have peace in their eyes,” Bender said. “We all offer gratitude and thanks for joining today and everyone just feel so ready for their day and so thankful that they could start their day with such peacefulness, such calmness, with some simple movements that energize their bodies and their minds.”

Rachel Wachman can be reached at rwachman@cmonitor.com