From Ilana Morris, y4c student

When I checked Facebook this morning, my news feed was exploding with Angelina Jolie’s op-ed for the Times. I thought to myself–finally, someone with a soapbox will explain what and how cancer and its related surgeries can affect a person’s daily life. After reading the article, I felt one thing, disappointment. Was Angelina’s decision courageous and brave? Yes. Was this a difficult decision to make and a good thing to shed light on? Absolutely. But could she have done more to explain what those of us in the cancer community go through? Yes, yes yes.

Although I am not a breast cancer survivor, I did however, have many of the related surgeries–multiple biopsies, lumpectomies, a mastectomy, and reconstruction. The biggest disappointment I had with the op-ed was that it made the entire process and all the surgeries sound like a cake walk. It is far from it. Angelina will never know what it is like to have that diagnosis, and wonder, “Will I need chemo? What if this does not work? What if they cannot save my nipple?” She will never know what it is like to sign a consent form, crying, because you never thought it would come to this. All of my friends in the cancer community have. She made a calculated, well thought out, planned decision. Cancer diagnosis is a wild ride–we, as survivors and patients, do not have the gift of time that Angelina did. I wish she had highlighted more of the side effects of the surgeries, what does it mean to have drains that need to be stripped twice daily? What limitations did the surgeries cause? What is the process of reconstruction like? For me, drains and surgery and reconstruction meant that I had to move back in with my parents and leave my job. After surgery, it took me weeks to even be able to lift my hands over my head or even wash my own hair. Reconstruction was an hour’s drive in a car every 2 to 3 weeks, just to have a nurse stick a syringe filled with saline into a port in order to stretch out the tissue, just to sit in a car for another hour to get home, while in extreme discomfort.

The other issue I take with Angelina, is that she is the exception, not the rule. She is by no mean a normal, everyday woman, as she would have us believe. She is an A-list celebrity, with extremely high self-confidence to begin with. She writes in her op-ed that “I do not feel any less of a woman. I feel empowered that I made a strong choice that in no way diminishes my femininity.” Well, good for you Angelina, but that is so atypical, that it makes me angry and want to laugh all at once. I was diagnosed at 25, but even those I know who were older had a very, very hard time with losing a piece of them, that society tells us is so important to our identity as women. I personally, could not look in the mirror for months after my mastectomy. I let my mom change the bandages, refusing to look down until, upon her urging day-after-day encouraged me to do so. It took me months to get used to having no nipple there at all, and while I am much more confident now than at the beginning, I still struggle with how and when to explain this to romantic interests. The most interesting point of all of this, to me, is that in all my struggles with cancer and trying to best express my feelings about the mastectomy, was my discovery that, in the English language there is no word to convey what it feels like to be stripped of your femininity. Yes, we have the word emasculate, but what is the equivalent for a woman? It certainly is not effeminate. So I was stuck explaining my true feelings as “I feel as though I am being emasculated, but whatever the word is for a woman”. The truth is, that while most of us wish we could be as confident about our decision or rather our reality as Angelina is, most of us do feel less or that our femininity has been diminished because we live in a society where femininity and breasts are so interconnected to what makes a woman a woman. The majority of breast cancer patients and survivors are women but the majority of us are not celebrities, and therefore our realities are much different than Angelina’s.

Angelina Jolie’s New York Times article about electing to have a double mastectomy has been all over the news today. Here is Tari’s response:

Angelina,

You are lucky indeed. Your femininity has not be been damaged and your kids are not seeing anything that makes them uncomfortable.
But you are wrong to say “mommy is the same as she always was”.
When one is really touched by cancer in this way, you are not the same. You have been changed.
You are different because:
You have been touched by the terror of thinking you could get cancer. Imagine what it feels like to be told, “You have cancer”.
You are now aware of the risks and struggles others who do not have access to the testing for this faulty gene.
You are indebted to a supportive husband, fine doctors and the best modern Western medicine, and adequate insurance coverage.
And you are now happy you are not a cancer survivor.
You are a lucky one but you are changed forever.

Thank you for sharing your story to inspire other women to make this difficult decision. You are also lucky that there has been so much research on the faulty genes that can cause this type of breast cancer to help you make this decision.

Would the same amount of money that is poured into breast cancer diagnostic tools and treatments be available for other cancers, there would be many more lucky souls like yourself and fewer cancer survivors living with the life-long threat of their cancer returning. (Victims of this Emperor of Maladies)

But you still are at risk of cancer… all the other kinds of cancer, not just breast cancer. Your job is not over. What you did was prevention on one level. What you must do for yourself and your children every day to prevent any cancer is to keep your immune system strong and alert, eat smart, exercise, be happy, and of course, do yoga.

Helping Women With Cancer
Using Powerful Eastern and Western Tools

by Kate English

Tari Prinster’s biggest obstacle is finally being taken seriously. As the Director and Founder of Y4C (Yoga for Cancer) her aim is to take the stigma and myth out of cancer through medical knowledge, and help people heal the horrible side effects of treatment through the curative powers of yoga.

Tari became a yoga teacher after her own diagnosis of Stage 3 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, a type of breast cancer, 12 years ago. Since then, she has used yoga as a powerful tool to manage the daily challenges of cancer treatments, as well as the side effects and lifelong vulnerabilities they create such as weight gain, neuropathy (damage to the nervous system that can affect nerve function), chemo-related long term bone thinning and the hardening of muscle tissue that can result from radiation.

She has developed a unique, carefully constructed system of yoga poses and sequences based on the specific needs of cancer survivors. With an ever expanding client base and class schedule, she is now ready to take on the challenge of merging eastern philosophy with western medicine.

But Prinster believes that in order to gain acceptance in the traditional medical community, there has to be consistency in what Y4C delivers. Teachers have to undergo their teacher training and come out with solid knowledge as well as compassion. Y4C for Women Cancer Survivors Teacher Training is open to 200 Hour level teachers (or above), it is a 45 hour CEU with Yoga Alliance.

There are a lot of factors that make teaching to this population different from a regular yoga class, and a lot of safety issues. Women who have undergone reconstructive surgery may have a limited range of motion in their arms or lack the strength to hold weight bearing poses such as downward facing dog; lymph removal may lead to an uncomfortable condition called lymphedema which can cause swelling, numbness and limited mobility. Other treatments such as chemo ports can cause discomfort or fear of displacing them during practice. Clients should be able to come to class and feel secure in the knowledge they are in good hand because their teachers have learned the proper techniques.

“Facts motivate,” said Tari, “and we want to find out how and why does something work? Why does this thing help and that one harm? What is it about pranayama that promotes healing? Because it is undeniable that it makes us feel better.”

There is also an emotional aspect to facing cancer. Even survivors who have come out the other side of a diagnosis are going to have a lot of heavy feelings and stress to deal with. Yoga is a great tool not only for getting exercise and keeping physically fit but also for managing the inevitable emotions that arise. Being a part of a community that can relate and offer advice and support can help ward off depression for those dealing with different stages of cancer.

Tari hopes that looking at facts and results will lead to a greater understanding of why this is; and lead to more acceptance. Studies done by The University of Texas show that cancer patients who practiced yoga had lower stress hormones, less fatigue and a higher quality of life.

One of the biggest goals of the blossoming Y4C program right now is to standardize teaching. Above all else, Y4C teachers must be knowledgeable about how to prevent injuries. There is a huge responsibility on the teacher to quickly know how to handle every possible scenario – such as modifying for students fresh from surgeries or simultaneously teaching to different levels of experience and mobility - while still making the student feel comfortable and safe.

Like physical therapists, Tari believes teachers should be trained and certified to meet set regulations. Also like physical therapists, there should be fair and steady compensation for these teachers- something that most yoga teachers can attest is hard to come by. Tari’s goal is to be able to take a Y4C class anywhere in the country or world at any time, and it is recognizably the same program going on in NY, CA, Canada, etc.

To accomplish this, there has to be recognition from the medical community. “There is research and evidence that yoga is a ‘relaxation’ tool for cancer patients, meaning that it improves their overall feeling of ‘well being’ and hopefulness. What is not researched are the benefits of yoga on the physical level. There has been little research on yoga as a benefit to any condition much less cancer. The research that has been done is focused on yoga as a ‘relaxation’ technique. The physiological benefits are only just beginning to be acknowledged.”

Studies at UCLA, U of Texas and Sage Medical Journals (among others) generally focus on the effect of yoga on the nervous system. Prinster hopes to build awareness and encourage more studies to be done that look at the actual effects of yoga on cancer patients and survivors more extensively.

A system of referrals and her website directory of Y4C trained teachers is available for those living outside of NYC. Prinster trained teachers are beginning to teach around the country. They are well trained and part of a working effort to team up with the medical community. As word and facts spread, this community will continue to get bigger and bigger.

Read the original article at Yogacitynyc.com 

Q: What originally inspired you to be a yoga teacher?
A: I actually wanted to become a yoga teacher specifically to teach people who have/had cancer. When I was diagnosed with cancer myself and in the middle of the long slog of hormonal treatment, a dear friend was kind enough to give me private lessons. Though I had practiced yoga before, this was my first real and consistent exposure to Vinyasa yoga. Then a studio in Brooklyn, Bend & Bloom, gave me free classes, and I was hooked. I wanted to become a teacher and to teach other people who went through what I went through because I wanted to be able to help them the way my teachers have helped me.

Q: What inspired you to teach yoga for cancer survivors?
A: See above!

Q: What have you enjoyed most about working with the y4c New York students?
A: The y4c New York students are wonderful — engaged, curious, funny, and very strong. I enjoy being part of this community of women and helping guide them to greater strength, mobility, and, I hope, contentment.

Q: How do you bring your own teaching elements into the y4c classroom?
A: I try to challenge the y4c students, but I always temper the challenge with my very dry humor. And I’m always looking for new orientations for poses — for example, if a pose is something we would normally do with a lot of weight in the arms, I flip the pose upside down or sideways to make it more accessible. Or if a pose is a difficult balancing pose, I will modify it to be done on the floor to start, so that more people can experience the benefits without having to worry above all about balancing. I enjoy these physical puzzles. I also try to get my students to listen well, so they don’t have to look at me, and they can really allow themselves to experience a moving meditation during the flow segments of the class.

Q: Has y4c training/teaching impacted you in any unexpected ways?
A: I was (only slightly) worried that working with women with cancer would be difficult in that it would continually re-traumatize me based on my own experience with the disease, and would keep me too much in the “world” of cancer. I think that’s a delicate balance for a lot of people who have been through cancer. But, actually, I find that because yoga is such a healing practice, this doesn’t happen. The practice of teaching, in and of itself, is very grounding for me, and I appreciate that the students are here and willing to accompany me. I very much feel like, even though I’m the teacher and they are the students, we are in this together.

Q: What is your favorite asana and why?
A: I LOVE backbending. Almost any backbending. Cobra, bridge, wheel, full pigeon, bow. I love the physical action of opening the front of the body, de-slouching, and engaging the back muscles in healthy ways. And I love the idea of opening the heart through these asanas. It’s very easy to get so protective of our hearts after going through cancer (especially if it’s a type of cancer that involves a lot of surgery to the chest area) that we slump forward and round our shoulders, both because of post-surgery tightness and because we want to be shielded. Backbending opens us back up to the world. It’s the future.

1) Instead of worrying about something you don’t want, imagine the things you do want
2) Commit a little act of kindness to someone else each day.
3) Be clear with your words.
4) Look for the good in you—not just in others.
5) Listen more than you talk.
6) Connect with others.
7) Reflect.
8) Move.
9) Breathe.
10)Be Grateful.

by y4c teacher Jennifer Brilliant

Why Do We Feel Better After Yoga?

Yoga gives us emotional support and tools for working with the fear, stress and anxiety of cancer. By slowing down to breathe and sense our bodies, we take a few glorious moments to be in the present moment.  During a yoga class, we focus our minds and bodies on the exact time and place.  The touch of the blanket, the sounds in the room and the movement of our breath are a huge relief.

The teacher shows us which foot goes where.  We are given hands on help and a soothing voice to guide us.  We are cared for and in turn learn to care for ourselves.  Cancer patients and survivors are already dialed in to pay attention to how they feel all the time.  In a yoga class, feelings of fear are put aside and our focus is placed on the here and now.  Yoga helps us to be selective and constructive about the way we feel about our body now.  Off the mat, this is training for life – learning to know when to rest and when to keep going.

Through yoga, we can reach into our tender, deepest layers.  It is at these special moments where we can connect to our unconditional love, peace and happiness.  We build our confidence and a sense of empowerment in a community that wants to see each person smile and succeed.

A yoga practice is like the rinse cycle; we end up feeling clean and refreshed.

Jennifer Brilliant teaches regular y4c classes at her studio in Park Slope, Brooklyn on Thursdays at 5:45pm

Rest your hands with palms face up and fingers folded inward on any surface. Begin to inhale and open your fingers wide as if waiting to receive a gift. Hold your breath and fingers like this as you count to three. As you breathe out slowly, curling your fingers into your palm. Count to three. Repeat with simple movement and natural breath.

Gather life’s gifts with open hands and full breath. Hold and savor.

Q:How did you begin to serve?

A: While I was in treatment my doctors commented on how quickly I recovered compared to others, and I began to ask if it had anything to do with the yoga. I came to a new relationship with my yoga practice through cancer, and I began to wonder why and how I was recovering so quickly and thoroughly, emotionally and physically. Because the doctors couldn’t understand why I was recovering better than others given the treatments that I was undergoing, and because the yoga community at that time had no answers, I began to research on my own and build a program around it. Once I had an understanding of the biological and physical relationship between practicing yoga and undergoing cancer treatments, I began to share a specialized practice with other cancer patients and survivors in need.

Purpose: Building Strength, Bone and Balance

Props needed: Wall, chair, or table

Instructions: Begin in Down Dog at The Wall, with the body forming an L shape, hands shoulder-width apart, and feet hip-width apart and parallel.

Bend left knee slightly and shift weight into your left foot. Inhale and reach your right leg up and back to hip height, or as high as you are able while maintaining a neutral “flat back” position with your spine. Keep the right leg straight as you lift it.

Exhale and press your left foot into the floor to straighten the leg. Engage abdominal muscles to support your spine. Reach the crown of your head forward while reaching back with right heel, right toes pointing down. Notice if one hip is lifting higher, and try to make the hips even.

Keep your gaze on the floor.

Inhale and reach your left arm straight back alongside the left hip, palm facing your hip. On another inhale, if you feel stable, try reaching the right arm back alongside your right hip. Now you are balancing on one leg without the support of the wall! Use your breath to support the pose, finding more length from your head to your lifted heel with each inhale, and pressing down through your standing leg as you exhale.

Try balancing for three breaths. To come out of the pose, return both hands to the wall, bend your left leg slightly and lower your right foot to the floor. Walk your feet closer to the wall and come up to stand.

Repeat standing on right leg and reaching left leg back.

______________________________

Modifications: The lifted leg does not have to be parallel to the floor. Just lift it as high as you are able (not exceeding hip height) while keeping it straight.

Special Benefits: Builds bone strength, improves balance and concentration, enhances awareness of breath practice, improves core and back strength, stimulates the lymph and cardiovascular systems.

(From a recent Huffington Post Interview)

Q: How do you model leadership when working with underserved populations?

A: By doing what I do. By providing access to safe yoga classes at a reasonable cost with teachers who have been thoroughly trained.
Also by providing scholarships to retreats and ways for people to discover yoga for the first time and to continue on from there.
Taking responsibility for one’s health and future is the most important part of one’s own healing process. I practice this myself and encourage students to do the same– to take responsibility in finding health. It is not something that the medical profession can give to us– it is something we have to create and maintain for ourselves. Owning that process changes everything. Staying healthy isn’t going to happen easily– it is an ongoing challenge with daily choices. Without effort, change won’t happen. No effort is a loss.
I teach students to walk through their fears.
It is most beneficial to walk through fear of change, of pain, of lack of control, by doing things that are challenging. What students need and want actually is to be treated normally. In the process of being treated normal, they are going to get stronger. If the practice is just restorative and not an effort to be normal and gain strength and stability, it is much less effective.