Why I Chose Yoga by Michele Prater

Michele and her friend Alex the dog

"You have cancer."

Three words that unleash a riptide of emotions.  The kind I have is a chronic, live-a-long-time-with-it disease.  The anxiety of when I am going to get sick again and the constant worry is tough.  Especially when stress is my major trigger for the next cancer outbreak.  I had to find a way to calm and control my emotions of this self-fulfilling cycle of impending evil.  I knew that included a way to calm my whole being: mind, body, and spirit.  My oncology team encouraged me to try yoga, but I had heard all about yoga classes and was more than a little nervous to try.  I was desperate to find a class where I felt safe and would not feel discouraged if I wasn't "good enough."

So I chose Yoga Enlarged.  After the first couple class, I was awestruck, feeling almost addicted to how I was beginning to feel during and after class.  I had no idea just how wonderful yoga would make me feel and was surprised as to how happy the students and teachers were.

But then, how could they not be?  Yoga is the exact opposite of cancer: the latter is toxic what-ifs, the former is peaceful empowerment.  Now, six months later, here I am, healthy, in remission, and happily loving the class, the wisdom and helpfulness of the instructors, and the friendships I have made with my fellow yogis.  Yoga has helped me build that union of mind, body, and spirit I was desperately seeking in the form of relaxation, happiness, peace, and tranquility.