5/28/19

1 Spirituality and Therapy Lee Majewski, C-IAYT www.yogaforhealth.institute [email protected]

2 Spirituality • Traditionally connected to religion but in last decades it changed (Moreira-Almeida 2014): –“Spirituality is a personal quest for understanding answers to ultimate questions about life, about meaning and about relationship to the sacred or transcendent” –“Religion is an organized system of beliefs, practices, rituals and symbols designed to facilitate closeness to the sacred or transcendent.” • Misconception of for yoga, and spirituality for religion confuses Yoga Therapists and clients • 3 Spirituality and Yoga • - Yoga is primarily a spiritual discipline • Shivananda - Yoga refers to certain state of as well as methods that help one reach the state of union between one’s individual consciousness and the Universal Consciousness • Satyananda – Patanjali wrote yoga sutras to explain the process and practical methods of raising levels of awareness, gaining deeper wisdom, exploring potential of the mind and eventually going beyond the mind 4 What gets the headlines (and $) in Yoga and cancer care? • Symptom resolution: –Decreased fatigue –Decreased nausea –Enhanced cognition –Decreased pain –Increased range of motion, etc. • All part of yogopathy vs spiritual practice of Yoga Therapy. 5 Practical Steps to Consider for Priming for Yoga Therapy Spiritual Transformation

6 Yoga Therapy in Cancer Care Ideally Includes: –Deepening spiritual connection (Anandamaya) –Having a purpose in life –Embracing social support 1 –Taking control over one’s health (Vignamaya)

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–Decreased pain –Increased range of motion, etc. 5/28/19 • All part of yogopathy vs spiritual practice of Yoga Therapy. 5 Practical Steps to Consider for Priming for Yoga Therapy Spiritual Transformation

6 Yoga Therapy in Cancer Care Ideally Includes: –Deepening spiritual connection (Anandamaya) –Having a purpose in life –Embracing social support –Taking control over one’s health (Vignamaya) –Following one’s intuition –Releasing suppressed emotions (Manomaya) –Increase positive emotions –Using herbs and supplements (Pranamaya & Annamaya) –Radically changing the diet – 7 Beyond Cancer: Creating Spaces for Focused Inquiry • My experience with Retreats – 21 days, group – max 8; 6hrs yoga therapy/day; (, , , yoga Nidra, , chanting, education) – Profound healing on all levels –Published research • www.yogaforhealth.institute • “Healing Through Yoga Therapy: A Whole-Person Approach To Health” SYTAR 2020 – 8 Harry When we reviewed together improved test results at the end of retreat Harry said: “Yes – that’s about how I feel, at peace with myself and the world. And one more thing… when I came to the program I was afraid of death; now I am not. I will live as long as I can and spend as much time with my sons as possible”. Four weeks later we learned that Harry passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family and friends. The referring medical doctor commented “This Beyond Cancer retreat was the best present we could give him before passing on”. 9 Spirituality, Yoga & Healing • Yoga interventions in cancer patients reported improvements in measures of spirituality relative to control group –conscious interaction, compassion, lightheartedness and mindfulness • Spiritual transformation is achieved in prisons: –Intensive practices and group setting –Personality changes, connection to Self or HP – 2 10 In a word 1

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commented “This Beyond Cancer retreat was the best present we could give him before passing on”. 5/28/19 9 Spirituality, Yoga & Healing • Yoga interventions in cancer patients reported improvements in measures of spirituality relative to control group –conscious interaction, compassion, lightheartedness and mindfulness • Spiritual transformation is achieved in prisons: –Intensive practices and group setting –Personality changes, connection to Self or HP – 10 In a word • Yoga is a spiritual practice • The healing experience often demands a spiritual response • We create the safe environment to explore together allowing the individual the possibility of healing through THEIR spiritual transformation… no matter outcome of their cancer diagnosis.

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