Therapeutic Yoga for People Living with Cancer
By Laura Yon-Brooks, M.A.
Co-Founder - Planet Earth Yoga Center (Published by the Swedish Cancer Institute)

For anyone with a diagnosis of cancer, yoga is an excellent way to help balance the stresses of everyday life, the illness itself and the after effects of treatment.

According to the Yoga Sutras, the practice of yoga is defined as "Citta Vrtti Nirodhaha", which simply means "to quiet all the thoughts that are spinning in the mind." As you may notice, this definition does not mention anything about postures, standing on your head or purchasing the latest in trendy yoga wear. What it does suggest, however; is the importance of the mind's in the healing process.

Integrative medicine expert and author Andrew Weil, M.D. offers a distinction between the idea of healing and curing. Healing may take place with or without curing, he says. Yoga, with it's 4,000 year old tradition of cultivating balance and inner peace, helps us to heal by integrating the body, the breath and the mind, making it a truly wholistic practice for these modern times.

From a yogic perspective, cancer might be described as a disease of excess heat. Our fast paced lifestyle only adds fuel to the fire. We are encouraged to push ourselves in our work as well as our play. Have you ever felt that you needed a vacation after your vacation? Frequently what passes for “relaxation” is often just as intense as our work. In our overachieving culture, even yoga itself has been reduced to just another workout. This creates tremendous imbalance in our lives , often manifesting as stress, anxiety and tension. With little or no time time set aside to slow down and recover, it's no wonder that the body and the mind become overwhelmed. Once in this state of overload our ability to cope with the challenges of daily life are also greatly reduced, turning even simple tasks into epic struggles. Over time, the body's natural defenses become compromised.

The real goal for people in treatment therefore, is to calm the body, slow down the mind and begin to rebuild and maintain a resevior of inner peace and resilience. The dynamic movements and breathing of Hatha Gaya Yoga are especially effective for someone who has been diagnosed with cancer. Focusing on the breath and getting quiet will help bring balance to the entire system and begin to mitigate the effects of the disease and the treatment. In this system, the body, breath and mind are balanced by connecting the breath with gentle movements, which calm the mind and relax the body. This type of yoga can be done at any stage of cancer treatment. The postures, breathing and meditation are adapted to each individual.  Even in-patients who can not attend regular group classes are able to enjoy the benefits of yoga in the privacy of their own rooms.

Just a few minutes each day will help us to relax and return to a more peaceful, supportive place. Over the next week or month, the practice will begin to have a deeper and more lasting effect. The stress of cancer and the side-effects of treatment get further away. We become more tolerant and relaxed. We find ourselves handling stressful situations with more grace and our hearts become open. The deeper this groove becomes, the more effect it has on our lives. This is the gift of yoga.

I hope that you will find some benefit from these ancient teachings and return often to your place of peaceful stillness. 

Namasté

Laura

Laura Yon-Brooks, M.A., RYT combines advanced degrees in sports medicine with extensive training and personal practice in yoga, dance, Buddhism and meditation. She teaches Hatha Gaya Yoga for people living with cancer and has founded yoga programs at many Seattle hospitals including the UW Medical Center, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Swedish Cancer Institute. She also teaches group classes and private sessions at her studio Planet Earth Yoga Center, in Fremont.

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