Yoga instructors at WSU are offering classes in different languages to form a connection with Cougars from different countries and backgrounds.

“I think that yoga moves people all around the world,” said Maria Serenella Previto, a clinical associate professor of Italian and Spanish, “And inviting to meditate, to relax, to breathe or to get into [a] yoga posture and to certain balance in different languages might be nice.”

Yoga balances the connection between body movements and emotion, Previto said.

Previto was a co-translator on some Spanish texts related to yoga. Each language’s tone induces different levels of relaxation, which links to various, serene psychological states of a person, she said.

Yoga classes in different languages help international students with homesickness, Previto said. In offering these classes, WSU has boosted the importance of other cultures, which helps these Cougs feel they belong.

Another beneficial side of these yoga classes is the presence of various perspectives, said Helen Shell, junior biochemistry major.

With yoga classes in different languages, WSU has revealed its respect to the diverse community, Previto said.

“[Yoga in different languages] can help you learn the culture,” Shell said.

The connection of body language creates a spiritual connection between people, Shell said.

Besides international Cougars, native Cougs with curiosity surrounding diverse cultures can benefit from these classes by exploring the link between body language and different verbal languages, Shell said.

“It might be the first stage to settle the meaning of the word,” Previto said. “The instructor can repeat the instructions in [multiple] languages.”

The instructors work to bridge verbal and cultural divides,Previto said.

“It is possible,” Previto said, “to give students … the peaceful tone kept in each language.”