Perhaps the best way to introduce the book Dr. Ananda and I wrote is by quoting the foreword, written by a great Yogi scholar, retired psychotherapist and our close Friend. Here it is in his own words: “This work has been written by two authors with a profound respect for both scientific validation and for the depth and complexity of the yoga tradition, beyond what science can measure. Lee...
Healing of Sushma
In the last blog, I wrote about the transformative power of yoga and about building a connection with the divinity within. There are many stories in my book Yoga Therapy – As a Whole-Person Approach to Health, confirming that when we practice over time, we enter an inner transformation process. Such a process may manifest in different ways for different people however it always contributes to inner well-being and...
Yoga, Jesus and Religion…
It’s Christmas time and New Year is just around the corner, tempting us to make new resolutions for 2020. For me, it is also a time of reflection. This Christian biggest festivity brings the question – if and how does yoga fit in this tradition? Let’s look first at what yoga is. According to Parahamsa Yogananda “Yoga is primarily a spiritual discipline.” Another great teacher Shivananda stressed, “Yoga refers...
On Yoga Therapy
Here is the result of hard work over the last year! The book will be released in June 2020. The experience of working with cancer patients and years of study in the prime Yoga Institute in India instilled in me an understanding that yoga is a vast and deep science and philosophy, which escapes any rigid definitions. In turn, yoga therapy is a relational dance between client and yoga...
How to find the way out…
The most difficult part of my condition was that there seemed to be no light at the end of the tunnel. I was depressed, I was constantly exhausted and my mind was behind the veil. The world seemed different and I felt very lonely… But life had a way of showing me the way and bringing me back, although at the moment I didn’t realize that. About 3 months...
The End or The Beginning?
We come back home from our last visit to the oncologist disappointed with his reaction but at the same time elated that our ordeal is done. Finally finished!! … so now what?! I sat and pondered my situation. During the treatment, I felt somehow special. I was a “protected species” as someone undergoing extremely difficult times. People were sympathetic all around me and made me feel special. I remember...
Radiation – are we there yet!
As the chemotherapy treatment ends to our relief, we are usually in pretty precarious position. As indicated in previous blog the life energy is low, fatigue levels are high, we are often depressed and isolated socially. But at least we have this nightmare of every 3 weeks ordeal behind. I remember my initial visit with radiologist. First she asked me few questions and then she kept talking to me…...
Are you a victor or a victim?
There is also another side effect, which is so far not talked about anywhere. I remember my initial discussion with oncologist about the recommended treatment. After he explained the process of chemotherapy I asked “is there anything I can do to increase the effectiveness of treatment?” His reply left me speechless – “Don’t you worry your head about it, we will take care of everything”. Even if he meant...
Side Effects – Did You Know?
There are other side effects of chemotherapy, which are perhaps not as frequent as the ones mentioned in my previous blogs. Peripheral neuropathy, a result of the damage to the peripheral nerves, often causes weakness, numbness, and pain, usually in the hands and feet. Walking may not be problematic but difficult when the feet feel completely numb. Handling food or a simple activity like handwriting can be tricky if we...
Chemo Brain – Effective Resources For Healing
At the end of the six months of chemo, I was in a poor state. Mentally and physically fatigued, severely depressed, lack of focus, no short-term memory, unable to express myself, and often not understanding what I was being told. This created embarrassing situations – such as inviting friends for lunch and not remembering they were coming. I am a fairly good driver but my car during those six...