Audrey Moss insists that yoga is for everyone -- even for the elderly or infirm.

She put her belief into practice Thursday when she led her first class in "gentle yoga" at California's Center in the Woods.

A retired French and Spanish teacher for the Ringgold School District, Ms. Moss started to study yoga more than 25 years ago and learned the poses with instructors as far afield as France, Colombia, Canada and New York City.

"I may be a teacher, but I also consider myself a student because you never stop learning," she said. "There are always new poses to learn."

The nimble instructor has been passing along her accumulated knowledge for 2¹/₂ decades at spas, senior centers and places like Westmoreland County Community College and the Center in the Woods.

Besides making the claim that yoga helps its practitioners become more calm and relaxed, she also said it improves blood and lymphatic circulation, agility, strength, balance, coordination and breathing.

"I begin each class with a breathing session," said Ms. Moss, of Washington. "The average person breathes inefficiently, in a shallow manner and too many times per minute. When you get older and don't use the lower lobes of the lung, mucus settles in and disease can result."

If you think of yoga in terms of a seated body with legs twisted like a contortionist, Ms. Moss said, her "gentle yoga" classes will introduce poses for beginners in a slow, non-threatening atmosphere that will take into consideration each participant's strengths and weaknesses so that each one can benefit and hopefully attain their goal.

"The sessions will be held in a lovely atmosphere -- a large, warm room with carpeting, a fireplace and dimmed light to encourage relaxation," she said. "Students should wear loose, comfortable clothing and do the poses in bare feet or socks. Although we'll provide the mats, they can also bring their own mat or blanket if they want."

Barbara Johnston, 75, of Fredericktown, said she's hoping yoga will make her more limber and ease the soreness in her muscles.

"I took Silver Slipper exercise classes two years ago, which increased my agility and energy level but had to drop out when I developed health problems," she said. "I know I can't handle regular yoga, because I tried two sessions and got really sore. This class is more gentle, yet helps me stretch my muscles and relax."

In a sample session, Ms. Moss began by having class participants sit on a mat on the floor. Before giving them simple breathing instructions, she advised them to sit on the floor at home as often as they could.

"The floor is your friend," she said. "In our culture, we never think of sitting on the floor, but in India and elsewhere, it's a common practice. I like to sit on the floor when I'm on the phone and suggest that you do the same when you're watching the evening news, for example. The chair is really our enemy in that it makes your body stiff."

Ms. Moss said she doesn't delve into the meditation aspects of yoga in her classes, not that she doesn't agree with it but because she likes to "address the pertinent aspects of our own culture."

"My two-hour-long yoga sessions may seem a bit lengthy, but the time goes quickly," she said. "As you practice, the body opens up more and more, and you become stronger and more flexible. But you have to practice outside class, preferably for at least an hour each day," she said.

Joan Tedrow, 77, of Brownsville, sat in on the introductory session to see if it might help alleviate the stiffness in her back and neck. She said she attended exercise classes for 20 years at the YMCA in Monongahela and also participated in the Silver Sneakers exercise program.

"I managed to do the yoga poses today and now feel better with no apparent soreness," she said. "The instructor gave me a lot of tips I think will help me, such as sitting on the floor instead of the couch. I'm really enthused about taking the yoga sessions."

Gentle Yoga will be offered at the Center in the Woods on Route 88 south of California. The sessions will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Fridays through Oct. 31. The cost is $40. To register, call 724-938-3554, ext. 102.