“I think the most significant impact of the training program was realizing just a very small piece of what women with cancer go through—a taste of that darkness, stress, and confusion, and for me, from that realization, getting really fired up to help”. -Katie G (Nov 2012)

“The training, and teaching to survivors and ‘acting survivors’ gave me back the confidence of being able to ‘see the room’ and teach to it. This is a tendency I always will have to be aware of and watch out for. But this can also become an advantage, not seeing survivors as victims. Really living and teaching to my life motto of “say yes” and choosing what is “yes” will be unique to each student” -Yael B (Nov 2012)

“…I also try to remember that while I may not have a cancer diagnosis, I am not entirely different from my students insofar as the reality of cancer affects everyone, and it always exists as a fear and a possibility. I may very well have cancer at some point in my life. As mentioned in the training, there are mutant cells within all of us. I think it’s helpful to see how there are similarities and not just differences between someone who has cancer and someone who does not”. -Erin T (Nov 2012)

“Learning that cancer touches/effects all of us differently. Not any cancer patient/survivor is the same and everyone has a different reaction/response to it (like snowflakes).  … I now feel much more confident in planning an appropriate class (especially now that I have Tari’s Y4C ‘class template’ as a model). -Michael L (Nov 2012)

“Cancer is fearful…It is said to be the times when one out of two people have cancer in Japan…I, myself have breast cancer, but I am fulfilled with the acceptance of being present and without so much fear through the yoga.  I can live if I accept myself in my present state, with or without cancer…  Thank you so much”! -Akiko U (Nov 2012)

The training was so comprehensive, it covered everything from A to Z from: What is Cancer?  To: working with survivors long after diagnosis, surgeries & treatment.  I could not get over (and still can’t) how much I learned in just five days!
- Maura B (Nov 2011)

I really enjoyed every minute of the course.  I gained so much from it in general.  (Tari) was very clear and precise and extremely knowledgeable in the whole subject matter and had a great way of teaching it so that it was easily understood.  I have worked with lymphedema for some time in a treatment capacity and whilst I knew exercise was important, I was also very afraid of recommending safe and useful asanas.  Now I feel at ease and confidant that I can conduct a class for cancer patients and survivors in a safe and effective way. Thank you so much Tari for an excellent teacher training experience.
- Caroline K (Nov 2011)

I have learned so much and can’t imagine teaching cancer patients without this training.  My confidence in what I already know changed during the training.  I was told by Tari, “you already know your yoga. It’s already inside of you.”  I had not made that connection before this training.  Thank you so much for everything, your experience, expertise, and passion for what you do make you a very special teacher, with a very special mission!
- Devin B (Nov 2011)

Tari provided an atmosphere that allowed for open and honest discussion.  I could see a lot of healing going on from my fellow students.  I don’t think they were expecting to get that out of the program.  It was far more than a teacher training for them.  For me it was an honor and a huge learning experience to witness that kind of healing.  I definitely feel more comfortable dealing with lymphedema.  A lot of misconceptions were cleared up.  I also feel more understanding of emotional aspects because of all the sharing of personal stories.
- Gail C (Nov 2011)

Thank you Tari (and Om yoga) for choosing to share your knowledge and experience with others.  The real benefit of your training will be the quality of life for many cancer survivors.  To my mind, it was the most “real” and complete training I have done.  Tari- keep doing what you are doing.  Can’t imagine the curriculum being better.  You were tough when need be, yet showed understanding and compassion for the emotions some students were going through.    In case you didn’t hear this- everyone I spoke with agreed the training was far more informative that they expected it “could” be.
- Gilbert K (Nov 2011)

I was reminded about the importance of the breath during training.  It may not sound as sexy as bone- building, but it works.  You don’t have to feel 100% to come to class and focus on your breathing.  You don’t have to be athletic, or bendy or an accomplished chanter.  You can take this safe yoga practice with you outside of class and practice yogic breathing at home.  You can do it when you’re 99.
- Jennifer F (Nov 2011)

I guess I feel this is a part of yoga I find beautiful, its not the perfect handstand and elite poses, its the warmth that fills your soul when you see someone at true peace in a pose they could not think about getting in before.  Its giving women a chance to find that moment of strength within them that during their treatment can be very liberating.  Thank you Thank you Thank you, is the last thing I can say.   For the past week I truly have never been happier with life and where I landed.  You have a way of bringing light to a subject people look at as gloomy.
- Michelle D (Nov 2011)

I believe that the meticulously planned, highly detailed hands-on training and accompanying written materials provided me with the resources to begin teaching breast cancer survivors.
- Patricia L

The training allowed me to understand what is going on in the physical and subtle body of a cancer patient.  As a cancer survivor, I knew what cancer was, but I had little knowledge about various topics such as the lymphatic system and the importance of moving lymph in the body.  Due to the training, I now have the knowledge to explain to my students what is physically occurring in their bodies.  After the training, I realized that teaching cancer survivors is a very special job.  The difficulty of poses doesn’t matter; instead it’s about impacting the life of a cancer survivor.
- Susan H. (Nov 2011)

The sense of empowerment achieved, calmed my fear of losing control.  I learned that most of the negative effects from cancer are actually from the treatments not the condition itself.  This opened up an entire new book of physical issues women cancer survivors would bring to their mat.  The role reversal class really was an “A-HA” moment for me.
- Susan M

As a cancer survivor who had taken healing yoga classes, I had some idea about how yoga can help bring basic healing.  However, the training opened my eyes to so many new and different treatment modalities that are more precisely geared to cancer survivors and the specific side effects they have to deal with.  From the very first moment of being in the training, I could feel Tari’s passion and her knowledge of teaching cancer survivors. I could tell that every single word was carefully chosen and important for me to learn. I felt very lucky to be attending and learning from someone who truly “walks the walk.”
- Lisa G. (Nov 2011)

The Women Cancer Survivor Teacher Training was one of the best trainings I have taken.  When I found this training on the Internet, I immediately knew I wanted to take part and see what more I could learn about cancer and how yoga can help survivors.
- Lisa S (Nov 2011)

One of the most important impacts was to see you, Tari, and all the other women who were there, as cancer patients or cancer survivors, doing such beautiful yoga and having such a beautiful smile upon your faces.  That was really meaningful and gave me the hope that surviving with quality of life is more than just a possibility, it can be real.
- Rita P (Nov 2011)

Additional Testimonials

The program made me less scared of teaching survivors. It made me realize that I won’t break them, that if I watch carefully and teach to who is really in the room, as opposed to imposing my agenda, that I won’t hurt anyone. There is a specific methodology to teaching survivors—it isn’t just gentle yoga. I feel like I have a handle on those ideas. The training has actually just reminded me what to consider when working with people who are simply less physically able than I happen to be. I was reminded that something as simple as getting up from the floor can be an opportunity for injury, humiliation, etc.
– Liz J

The training has made me alter my teaching style with my cancer yogis. I have found that my students really like hearing about the health benefits of each pose, as it relates to cancer, not just that it is a core strengthener or hamstring stretch. It is important to let the students know why the yoga postures are beneficial, instead of just being told that they are beneficial.  With my increased understanding of the science of many of the postures, I am excited about offering more of this knowledge to my students.
– Jean M

I came to realize that I have the ability to not allow the yoga class to become a therapy session by limiting such conversation in class and keeping the focus on the yoga.
– Susan P, Oncology Nurse and Cancer Survivor

I always feel a bit preachy when I get on the topic of yoga benefits, even in a case as specific as this. Here is what I will say: before the training I thought that yoga might benefit cancer patients in much the same way that it benefits everyone else. I assumed the benefits were of the general sort: it makes you feel better, it gets you back in shape, etc. I didn’t realize that the benefits were essentially tailor made for people undergoing this kind of physical duress.
– Stacy A

I was not able to convey to you the depths of my gratitude for being able to participate in such an amazing training. I believe that your intention, your instruction, and your compassion speaks for itself. You are a gifted teacher and amazing person who I was honored to be able to learn from. I truly believe that this training will grow immensely and continue to help and inspire teachers, survivors, supporters and healers who are working in this field.
– Cheryl G

Recently, I participated in your teacher training for female cancer survivors.  As a yoga teacher and a survivor myself, I found the training incredibly thorough, well facilitated, and extremely helpful regarding teacher female cancer survivors.   As a newly certified teacher on the 200 hour level, I answered a request for a sub this summer at a hospital program in Brooklyn to teach cancer survivors.  Not having taken Tari’s training at that time, I developed a class plan based on what I thought would be best for this particular population.  I asked the teacher who regularly taught the class what she did with her students and I took her class as well, (though she did not have training in this particular area either). The class I developed worked for our specific ladies, however, I never felt totally confident that I understood all of the nuances of teaching cancer survivors, nor did I feel like the hospital sponsoring this program knew either. Having taken Tari’s I now feel as though I know exactly how to teach this class, and exactly what I should stay away from when teaching survivors.
– Jenn R

Prior to training in with OM and Tari, what I feared most about cancer was the ambiguity of it and the intimidation of the medical terms around it. However, while training at OM I addressed these concerns head on.  Learning how to clearly define cancer has empowered me, after all knowledge is power. Understanding the anatomy of the immune system, the various organs that influence it, and particularly how the lymphatic system operates is by far some of the most valuable information I learned in this class.  As a cancer survivor myself with my long term health in mind, having learned this information I feel far complete in my knowledge of how to care for myself.
– Diane K

It was really helpful to see how you sequence the class. I was actually relieved to see that you don’t recommend a formal mantra in Sanskrit for these classes (something I’m not immensely comfortable teaching myself), and again, observing how you structured the class helped so much.
– Sarah M

I imagine myself teaching a class, trying to relate to the students and wondering if they are thinking to themselves something like, “What does she know about this?”  After the training, my understanding of the disease, the treatments and the physical and emotional consequences has improved.
– Madelyn F