Lilias Folan, who introduced generations of American TV viewers to yoga as the host of Lilias, Yoga and You, has died.
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Often called “The First Lady of Yoga” for her nearly three decades as the host of the PBS weekday program, the 90-year-old died on March 9 in an assisted-living facility outside Cincinnati.
“Known to many as a trailblazer who brought yoga into American homes through her groundbreaking public television series Lilias, Yoga and You,” her family wrote in her online obituary, “Lilias dedicated her life to helping others find strength, balance, and inner peace. Her warmth, wisdom, and gentle spirit made yoga accessible to millions and inspired generations of students and teachers.”
Per the New York Times, Folan’s instructional program began in 1970 on WCET, Cincinnati’s local PBS station. It soon became popular enough for national distribution. Lilias, Yoga and You ran on PBS stations nationwide until 1999, often airing just before Sesame Street and bringing a somewhat obscure practice into popular culture.
Lilias Folan Started Practicing Yoga After Suffering From Postpartum Depression
Born Lilias Antoinette Moon in Boston on January 13, 1936, Folan attended Bennington College before marrying transportation executive L. Robert Folan. After giving birth to her sons, Matthew and Michael, in the early 1960s, she experienced postpartum depression. On the advice of her doctor, Folan joined a yoga class at a local YWCA in Connecticut. Of course, it was a decision that would change her life.
When the family relocated to Cincinnati in 1968, Folan began teaching yoga. According to The New York Times, one of her students was the wife of a local children’s show producer, which soon led to the creation of Lilias, Yoga and You.
Folan also made appearances on various talk shows and had a brief cameo in the 1979 film Being There, where star Peter Sellers attempts to follow her yoga routine on TV.
Beyond her TV series, Folan authored four books: Lilias, Yoga and You (1972), Lilias, Yoga and Your Life (1981), Lilias! Yoga Gets Better With Age (2005), and Lilias! Yoga: Your Guide to Enhancing Body, Mind, and Spirit in Midlife and Beyond (2011).
She is survived by her sons, Michael and Matthew; seven grandchildren; her brother, Harold Hamilton; and her half-sister, Melinda Moon. Her life will be celebrated in Cincinnati on May 16.