The sister sciences of Yoga and Ayurveda, India’s traditional system of healing, have much to offer modern medicine. They offer a holistic approach which sees each individual as a system which includes the mind-body-spirit and recognises that any treatment strategy needs to address these different levels of our being.
Being diagnosed with cancer is a scary experience and will mean different things to different people. As a practitioner working with people with cancer, it is important for me to understand what it means to the individual, to enter into their world. Time needs to be taken to acknowledge whatever fears and concerns are utmost in their minds. I then offer them another perspective on their situation, drawing from the traditions of Yoga and Ayurveda. This is a holistic perspective that sees cancer as an opportunity for growth and self-understanding, and which focuses on how the individual can promote healing in their life in practical ways.
In Yoga and Ayurveda, cancer is acknowledged as a deep-rooted disease which requires a multi-faceted approach that works with the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual planes of life. The model of the Panchakosha or Five Sheaths, handed down through Yoga is very useful when considering how to understand cancer. It views the human being as having a number of layers:
- The annamayakosha is the outside layer or physical body which is nourished by food\
- The pranamayakosha is the pranic or energetic body which underlies the physical body
- The manomayakosha is the layer of the conscious mind and relates to superficial thoughts and ideas
- The vignanamayakosha is layer of the unconscious mind and relates to the deeper aspects of our personality
- The anandamayakosha represents our core and which we can say is that quiet, peaceful place which is a silent witness of the ups and downs of our lives.
Yoga sees all these layers as being fundamentally interconnected, with the outside layer of the physical body mirroring what is going on at deeper levels of our being. The physical symptoms associated with cancer are thus the tip of an iceberg. An iceberg whose mass exists largely below the surface in these more subtle realms. In this way cancer can be understood as being related to the quality of our thoughts, emotions and underlying attitudes to life. It therefore follows that our treatment of cancer needs to address all these aspects of our day-to-day experience.
Within these traditions, it is held that individuals diagnosed with cancer do not consciously choose to get cancer, thus there is no place for self-blame or recrimination. Rather, cancer is seen as something that has just happened. It is viewed as a serious disease but how the future will unfold is essentially unknown. In this context, the focus becomes, “How can I give myself the best chance of recovering my health and wellbeing.”
Before addressing the subject of therapeutic approaches in the treatment of cancer, it is important to say that ancient Ayurvedic texts acknowledge that Ayurvedic approaches to treatment need to be modified for time and context. As a practitioner working in the 21st century, it does not serve my patients well if I rigidly practice Ayurveda formulated two and a half thousand years ago. As such I make use of modern therapies that, in my estimation, are in keeping with the essential spirit of Ayurveda, including body-oriented psychotherapy, modern approaches to bodywork and locally grown herbs.
Once I have introduced my clients to how Yoga would understand their illness, I present them with a practical approach which addresses the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels of being, an approach that will help to create the conditions whereby optimal healing can take place.
Both Yoga and Ayurveda acknowledge the divine healer within all of us. This has been given various names in the spiritual and healing traditions of India including: Dhanvantari, the Self,Consciousness and Atman. Whatever name it is given, it refers to our essential nature which is timeless and changeless. By living more closely in tune with that aspect of ourselves, we strengthen our life-force or prana immeasurably and hence the functioning of our immune system.
The Physical Quadrant
Both Yoga and Ayurveda acknowledge the divine healer within all of us. This has been given various names in the spiritual and healing traditions of India including: Dhanvantari, the Self,Consciousness and Atman. Whatever name it is given, it refers to our essential nature which is timeless and changeless. By living more closely in tune with that aspect of ourselves, we strengthen our life-force or prana immeasurably and hence the functioning of our immune system.
Dietary approaches will vary a lot with each individual but involve eating food that is fresh, preferably organically grown, easy to digest, appropriate for the season and Ayurvedic body-type, and most importantly, feels intuitively right. A lot of attention is also given to the timing of meals, especially avoiding heavy food at night, and getting the client more involved in the process of preparing and cooking food. It helps a lot if food is cooked with love and received with a sense of gratitude.
Regular exercise helps to promote immune system functioning and the elimination of toxins. A daily practice of yoga postures, appropriate for age, fitness and underlying health conditions and combined with yogic breathing has a fundamentally purifying effect on the body-mind and facilitates the release of underlying physical, emotional and psychic tension. Developing a home practice of yoga with the help of an experienced yoga teacher can be a profoundly supportive and meaningful experience.
Ayurveda advocates specify daily, seasonal and even nightly routines to help in the promotion of better health and wellbeing. This includes a number of self-care practices such as self-oil massage, tongue scraping and deep relaxation practices that are essentially empowering for the client and support the healing process. Kitchen herbs such as turmeric and fennel, have been found to have anti-carcinogenic properties, and can be used by the client in their cooking to strengthen their digestive fire (known as the agni). Medicinal herbs and vitamins are also used to improve digestion, support elimination and to nourish depleted organ systems.
The Emotional and Mental Quadrants
In our western society the emotional and mental quadrants are often the least supported in daily life, which can result in the chronic suppression of emotions, the build-up of toxic feelings and long-term unhappiness. Supporting these quadrants is essential in my view and needs to be undertaken with the help of skilled and experienced practitioners. This is particularly the case when there has been a history of betrayal and/or abuses of power and the ability to trust has been profoundly damaged. I advocate, what I call, pro-active psychotherapy, which involves finding a psychotherapist who is well-trained, experienced in their craft, someone who has also done a lot of work on themselves, and someone you feel intuitively comfortable with. Consulting with a practitioner who has these qualities helps build trust which is an essential ingredient to let go of long-held negative emotions and to create more life-affirming core belief systems.
Psychotherapeutic work of this nature can be profoundly transformative and can be further supported by sangha or spiritual community. This could include attending or joining 12 step programs, religious groups, Yoga schools, personal development seminars, natural therapies colleges, or women’s and men’s groups.
The Spiritual Quadrant
Psychotherapeutic work of this nature can be profoundly transformative and can be further supported by sangha or spiritual community. This could include attending or joining 12 step programs, religious groups, Yoga schools, personal development seminars, natural therapies colleges, or women’s and men’s groups.
Connecting with your personal dharma, or finding out where your individual thread fits into the overall tapestry of life, is a profoundly healing process. In this context, it is important to take into account your relationship with your livelihood. If you hate your job, your life force will inevitably become depleted which will impact on the body’s capacity to heal. Conversely, if you can reconnect with heart-felt passions in life and bring them to the fore, your prana or life force will be immeasurably stronger.
As a health care practitioner who has worked in the natural health industry for over 20 years, one of my jobs is to link my clients with competent health care providers and various kinds of healers. Those clients who have a broad support network of skilled and professional therapists working with them on an ongoing basis, tend to get the best outcomes in my experience. The health support “team” might include, though not be limited to, a supportive and caring GP or oncologist, a yoga teacher, a skilled herbalist, a gifted psychotherapist and a body-worker.
The approaches outlined in this article can be used in conjunction with modern medical treatments including surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. How this is done will depend on the individual and the type of cancer they have and will require a close and respectful alliance between the therapist and the client.