2011 – A tour of Australia talking about yoga
and breast cancer.
During 2011 I had the great pleasure to travel Australia and
share some of my experiences in teaching yoga to women with breast cancer. The
tour consisted of three different types of workshops. The interaction and
sharing of ideas and experiences was always strong. I was also gratified to travel Australia so
freely, being able to cross borders and timelines so easily, and connect with
other Australians so effortlessly.
Annette was a wonderful presenter who conveyed a combination of
theoretical and practical knowledge with exceptional clarity and depth. The
group worked beautifully together and forged meaningful connections with each
other. The whole weekend was integral yoga in action. We each benefitted
from Annette's yoga therapy for our own practices, as well as gaining skills
and confidence in working with women with breast cancer, especially those with lymphoedema. More than that, we reached for our higher
attributes of kindness, compassion and unconditional acceptance that make us
therapists in all aspects of life, not just a therapeutic yoga setting. Chandrika Perth
Three hour workshops
The three hour workshops were for women having treatment, yoga teachers and allied health professionals such as breast care nurses, lymphoedema therapists and doctors. Held at night, the attendance of the participants at each workshop humbled me as so many women came straight from treatment, and others attended after work.
Brisbane, Coffs Harbour,
Adelaide
Canberra Melbourne
Teacher training Perth and Sydney
I also had two weekend workshops for teachers of yoga, after which they could continue to develop their expertise by enrolling in an Australian Association of Yoga Therapists course (AAYT)link to information under yoga and breast cancer. Both workshops in Perth and Sydney were full of discussions and practices, sharing and learning. It was wonderful for so many traditions of yoga to be represented in both cities and to experience the sharing amongst yoga teachers that occurred as a result of this.
Darwin
In spite of the heat in Darwin, the one day workshop for women having or who had finished their treatment for breast cancer was also inspiring, and reminded me of the great privilege I have in working with this group of women.
Three hour and one
day workshop
During this tour I referred to my dear friends Satyasankalpa – Alice Springs, Lynn -Tasmania and Sue -
Sydney, who continue to astound me with their courage and undivided belief in
the way yoga has helped them live fully in spite of living with secondary
breast cancer. Like the women and professionals
around Australia I was able to meet, they enable me to continue my work with
deepest humility.
“I have not received or needed any counselling
or anti-depressant medication. This calmness has enabled me to support my
children through this difficult time and allowed me to return to work. .
It has also enabled a pathway to
explore and accept death and incapacity, to accept change and come to terms
with my life experiences before cancer. It has shown me how to forgive.” Lynn
The warrior position was two fold
to me - I had this overwhelming feeling of peace
and "at one with myself", then I had a feeling of empowerment where
nothing was going to defeat me. I imagine this is what the warrior pose
was meant to do originally! Surprisingly I am at peace with my cancer, I
do not consider it the enemy as it is part of me and it has in many ways made
me a more tolerant, compassionate and giving person. Our lives
change for all sorts of reasons - mine I feel ultimately for the better because
of my experiences and my acceptance of what you cannot change makes you
stronger. My experience with yoga has definitely made me stronger physically,
spiritually and psychologically.” Sue
“Tell your students yoga chanting will remove fear.”
Satyasankalpa
Annette tells how her interest in Yoga and Breast Cancer came about
In my
experience, women who have had treatment for breast cancer demonstrate the
qualities that give them the ability to move on with flexibility and a loving
heart, as well as displaying their courage, resilience and groundedness.
"My experience with yoga has definitely made me
stronger physically, spiritually and psychologically." Sue
In fact,my favourite posture when teaching yoga to this
special group of women is the Warrior posture.
Women and men joined in to do it at the launch of my dvd. 
So, how did I get involved with such
women?
As a yoga
teacher, I began noticing in the late 90s an increase in the number of women
with breast cancer coming to my classes, which in turn led to my own research
and study into how best to cater for this special group of women, including
undertaking study in lymphatic massage for women affected by lymphoedema after treatment for breast cancer.
There is, in
fact, a large amount of research now on the beneficial effects of an
integrated yoga practice for women who are having or have had treatment for
breast cancer, such as the decrease in anxiety and depression that can occur
around diagnosis and treatment, and the reduction in recovery time. In fact, some hospitals in USA and India are
now including it in their treatment.
In time, this
led to my teaching a yoga session for my local Encore group at Frenchs Forest,
which I continue to do now with my wonderful Encore co-ordinators Julia and
Vicki.
In fact, it
has changed my life. I have also been invited to give sessions to women
attending breast cancer support groups in city and rural areas of
Australia. I have spoken to indigenous
and rural women about their special needs due to their isolation.
More
recently, I have been asked to give talks on this topic to yoga teachers. I have also been writing a book on this topic
and am currently doing my Masters degree in the effects of yoga on lymphoedema for women who have had treatment for breast
cancer.
In meeting
women facing breast cancer around Australia, I have heard remarkable stories –
they are, for me, the reason I continue in this area of yoga teaching.
The DVD Yoga for Women After Breast Cancer, launched on June 3rd, 2010
“If you get to say a few words at the breakfast, please say
how much people you have met along the way appreciate how others care so much
to listen to our stories and turn them into something positive.”Amanda, Young Women’s support group, The San
The making of
this dvd came from the
direct request from a very special student, about 4 years ago, and then was
taken up by some others of my students.
It is those
students who inspired me to bring about this project, Janet, Sue, Vicki and
Stephanie, and who continue to be my inspiration for this dvd.
This is
Janet, about 4 years ago. She then had finished her treatment for primary
breast cancer in each breast. At the
same time she was diagnosed with secondary breast cancer, about two years ago,
her husband underwent a heart transplant, and each Thursday morning she has to
take him to St Vincents. While needing care herself, she is his
primary carer.
Recently I
emailed Janet and asked her why she suggested the making of this dvd. This is her response:
"I have been thinking for a few days as to how
to word my answer. After Sue introduced me to yoga I noticed that I was
sleeping better and as I started to get the hang of what I was doing I noticed
that the breathing at the start of the class helped me to concentrate, and
during the class concentrating on the breath and movements helped to still my
cluttered mind, so I forgot about what I had to deal with in the future and
concentrated on the now. I loved the deep rest of the relaxation at the end.
As I progressed my feeling of well being and body
control and confidence increased. In the class one day there was someone about
to start radiotherapy following breast cancer. After the lesson I remembered
how tired I had felt after radiotherapy and so I suggested to Annette to
make a DVD so that people who were
undergoing treatment could do the yoga with someone to follow, at times when
they felt most able and which might not necessarily fit in with class times or
that they could use at home on a daily basis in between classes."
So began the
journey of this DVD. I began to ask my
students and women I met in support groups, what they would like in a DVD. They
told me they would like a lesson format with women who have had breast cancer. They wanted clear instructions and modifications
to be shown. They asked for explanations
about the benefits of what they were doing.
We made a
trial DVD , which was so popularly received that
Encore, through YWCANSW, agreed to support it with some funding and to
distribute it upon completion.
"Yoga
and massage helped quite a lot taking away the stiffness and soreness of
the scars. Yoga also helped me to
cope by teaching me how to meditate and relax. Also the friendship of my classmates was
a great support. Meditation has
helped me to relax and focus by practising awareness and presence" Vicki
Many
individuals and organizations then donated
willingly and generously in time, effort and goods, so that the making of this dvd could occur. This in fact is another aspect of yoga,
called Seva Yoga, the practice of giving
unconditionally. They are acknowledged
at the end of the DVD.
Our aim was
always to provide an affordable dvd
that women could access and be able to use in a way appropriate to them with
suitable modifications, including women who may be new to Yoga. To see an article written by Annette on Yoga
and Breast Cancer go to Newsletters and Articles.
What is in the DVD?
The
DVD consists of an introduction, two yoga sessions and a candle meditation.
The two yoga
lessons are preceded by a disclaimer and caution that must be agreed to each
time the lesson is watched. The lesson then
consists of breathing, appropriate postures in various positions - with
modifications - and finishes with a relaxation.
The postures
offer the full range of mobility to the arm and upper body. There are also postures to restore strength,
stability and balance.
The yoga is
done with a slow breath to relax the sympathetic nervous system and to enhance
the flow of lymph through the body.
There is a sequence at the beginning of each lesson specifically for the
lymphatic system based on the principles of Encore’s exercises.
The short
candle meditation can be done by itself, as can any of the sections within the
lessons such as the breathing or relaxation.
All the
practices come from researched yoga practices for women who have had treatment
for breast cancer to work on the mind, the emotions and the body.
The second
lesson is a little more difficult than the first one.
Here you see Viv and Lisa, the two Encore co-ordinators who star in the
DVD doing Warrior posture. Showing their strength,
courage and groundedness, but also the flexibility about opening up to whatever they have
to deal with in life. I think their
obvious joyful expressions are how we should feel when we do yoga.
“Liking the Warrior position was two-fold to me
– firstly, as with any yoga pose I had this overwhelming feeling of
peace and being "at one with myself", then I had a feeling of
empowerment where nothing was going to defeat me. I imagine this is
what the Warrior pose was meant to do originally! ” Sue
For
me, this DVD is the embodiment of yoga, as it came from one idea by a lady
whose life has become even more difficult, then so many people from such
varying backgrounds donated so generously and the Encore program, as part of
YWCA NSW, which exists to help people, supported and agreed to distribute the
DVD.
My
hope is that as many women as possible can benefit from this dvd “Yoga for Women after Breast
Cancer.”
To
purchase a DVD , please contact the Encore program:
phone 02 92856283