I often hear how yoga became a lifeline for individuals navigating cancer treatment. Many describe their classes as “invaluable” or even “a lifesaver”. One student shared, “I thought medication and supplements would be the key to my healing, but in reality, it was the mind-body connection through yoga that has been most powerful.”
These stories highlight something deeply transformative about yoga – its ability to support not only physical healing but emotional and mental resilience as well.
In the UK, there are currently an estimated 2.5 million people living with cancer, a number expected to rise to 4 million by 2030, according to Macmillan Cancer Support. Thanks to advancements in cancer treatments, survival rates have dramatically increased, and more people are living longer after a cancer diagnosis. Cancer Research UK notes that the UK cancer survival rate has doubled in the past 50 years.
While this is great news, it also means more people are living with the long-term effects of cancer and its treatments. However, the support available to address these side effects is often lacking or insufficient. That’s where yoga can play a crucial role.
Yoga has the power to empower individuals at a time when they might feel the least in control of their bodies and lives. Many students report that yoga helped them shift from feeling like a passive recipient of treatment to becoming active participants in their own healing journey. In his book Waking the Tiger, trauma expert Peter Levine describes empowerment as “the acceptance of personal authority,” or the ability to “choose the direction and execution of one’s own energies.”
Research consistently supports the positive impact of yoga on cancer patients. Studies show that yoga can help alleviate pain1, reduce fatigue2, and improve sleep quality3, these benefits are vital in helping individuals manage the challenging side effects of cancer treatment and maintain their quality of life.
Cancer treatment is highly individualised, and the side effects can vary widely. Patients may experience pain, fatigue, nausea, digestive issues, anemia, neuropathy, lymphedema, muscle loss, cognitive changes, and the constant stress of awaiting test results. Beyond the physical effects, many individuals grieve the loss of their pre-cancer life and cope with a persistent sense of fear and uncertainty.
Yoga provides a space where students can connect with their bodies in a safe and supportive environment, often the only place where they might receive this kind of tailored support.
Yoga for cancer training equips teachers with the knowledge and tools to adapt classes for individuals experiencing these side effects. A specialist class can offer relief and teach practical strategies for managing symptoms like joint pain, lymphoedema or fatigue. But more than that, it offers an opportunity to create a nurturing inner environment that prepares the body for healing.
Yoga helps students shift from the often disempowering experience of being a patient to the experience of actively engaging with and caring for their bodies. In a time when their bodies might feel foreign or even unrecognisable, yoga offers a way to reconnect, honour, and listen to the body’s signals; fostering a sense of well-being on multiple levels.
For those teaching yoga to individuals impacted by cancer, it’s not just about alleviating physical symptoms – it’s about supporting students in regaining control over the well-being of the many layers of the body (koshas). Yoga offers a powerful tool for empowerment, healing, and transformation.
It isn’t easy but through yoga, students are reminded that, despite the challenges they face, they have the capacity to cultivate strength, resilience, and peace in both body and mind.
Vicky Fox is one of London’s most senior yoga teachers, and the author of Yoga for Cancer: The A to Z of C. Vicky runs a 40 hour yoga for cancer training at Mission, delving into how yoga can help with the side effects of treatment for cancer. Her next course is 21st – 24th January, 2025 – find out more and book your space here.