Noone wants to hear the diagnosis which starts with C, for Cancer.
Sadly, close to 160,000 persons received this news in Australia in 2022. With the improvements of treatment options the relative survival rate (living for more than five years) is on the rise. The probability of developing cancer increases as we age, most noticeably over 60.
The ongoing treatment leaves most patients fatigued, maybe depressed and / or anxious. There are also challenges with cancer survivorship, adjusting to a new lifestyle.
Cancer Council NSW has lots of information on the various types of cancers, support networks etc. One of their booklets is titled “Complimentary Therapies”. In that Mindfulness, Relaxation and Meditation and Yoga are listed as evidence-based modalities.
Yoga aims to unite the Mind, Body and Spirt and is a philosophical science, consisting of eight limbs or stages. The poses are the 3rd limb, breathwork is 4th and through one pointed attention we arrive to meditation.
Benefits of yoga for during cancer treatment:
There is evidence that yoga has positive effects on decreasing stress and anxiety, reducing sleep disturbance, improving muscle strength and mobility. The focus on breath may also help to reduce pain.
The key is to establish a regular practice, even if it is a few minutes per day.
Another great benefit of yoga that it is portable, can be practiced almost anywhere (think of using a bench in a park).
How is a yoga class for persons with Cancer?
The classes are sequenced similarly to general classes, there is warm up, energising / refining and finishing (relaxation, maybe with a short guided meditation).
We start the class with chair yoga (which is an accessible form of yoga suitable for people injured or recovering from operation or treatment) and might include some standing poses, using the chair for better balance. The aim is to move with the breath.
Often people with cancer have other pre-existing medical conditions. It is therefore important that the yoga teacher is experienced in modifying the poses for the individual.
Simple breathing techniques, such as slowing down the exhalation helps to calm down the overactive, stressed mind.
Expression of interest thought:
Please contact me by email if you are interested in participating in a small, chair yoga class in Bondi Junction (Sydney) area. To teach you better, you will need to have one individual class with me before joining the class.
Photos of our last cancer workshop – with permission from the group.
Tranquability 