The Sanctuary Garden or Native Garden hosted a session of tai chi on April 29 from 2 p.m. to 2:50 p.m.

The class was taught by Dan Layne who has been teaching tai chi for 50 years and practicing for 60 years.

Layne said he stumbled upon tai chi as a kid and kept up with the practice as he does tai chi daily.

“It’s been a lifelong pursuit, it keeps me healthy, it keeps me sharp and I love it,” He said.

He teaches tai chi which helps with balance and mobility, tai chi was originally a form of martial arts, a form of self-defense.

“Over time it became clear that it’s also very good for a person’s health. So gradually it evolves into what we frequently see now, a health practice, health and wellness,” Layne said, “good for mind, good for body, great for circulation, great for lowering stress, great for balance especially for older adults.”

Layne also says that there is always a way for a person to get all the benefits of tai chi and that it can even be done in a chair.

It is very accessible, the moves are slow and can be relaxing and it does work out the body.

He said, “It’s kind of a form of hygiene. Like brushing your teeth that its a thing you do. It’s part of your routine.”

As an instructor, he has over 500 students taking his tai chi classes.

He travels to different locations such as Covina and has students from different age ranges.

He works with kids but works with a lot of older adults especially helping with balance.

Layne says “It’s part of living a healthy life, “as people get older they stop moving and it can be fatal.”

Vannia Ibarguen, who teaches dance at Cerritos College said she liked the class.

Ibarguen said “I loved it. It was very flowy and not too hard loved the environment. I was engaging also with the smell of the plants and flowers and the ground.”

Ibarguen said when she heard of the event she told her students about it, she wished that more people would know about the opportunity of the activity.

The event was put together by Lynn Wang a Cerritos College counselor for 10 years and alumni.

The class was held in the Sanctuary Garden this year as opposed to last year when it was held indoors in the dance studio.

Wang said, “Let’s use the outdoor space it allows people to come outdoors and see the space and do something that is more movement related so that it’s not just lectures.”

The Sanctuary Garden or Native Garden is located right behind the swimming pool area.