Yoga and Palliative Care: Merging Ancient Wisdom with Modern Healing

The word 'palliative' often evokes a certain dread in the hearts of many. Commonly associated with the days leading up to death, it's a term shrouded in misconceptions. But what if we told you that palliative care is not about those final moments, but rather about the journey of life, especially when it intersects with serious illness? And even more, what if this philosophy perfectly dovetailed with the teachings of yoga?

Understanding Palliative Care

Contrary to common belief, palliative care is not solely about the end. It's an approach, a philosophy, focusing on enhancing the quality of life for those living with life-limiting illnesses. This approach includes not just the patients but their families and caregivers, ensuring that everyone understands the process and is supported.

In our age of technological advancements, death has been largely institutionalised, occurring mostly within hospital walls, distant from the view of the everyday person. This protective shield around death has led to a lack of understanding about the dying process. People are often unaware of what "normal dying" looks like.

Palliative Care: A Journey, Not Just an End

Palliative care extends far beyond the days preceding death. It embodies a holistic approach, enhancing the quality of life from the diagnosis of a life-limiting illness, throughout the journey, up to and including the death process, while encompassing the well-being of families and caregivers.

The Intersection of Yoga and Palliative Care

Yoga, at its core, accepts and acknowledges death as an inevitable part of life. It encourages us to see things as they genuinely are, inviting us to face the realities of both birth and death head-on.

Kate Binnie is trained in palliative care and said "I've come to realise that yoga techniques, from breathwork and meditation to specific asanas, can be incredibly beneficial. These practices can aid in relaxation, help manage chronic pain, breathlessness, fatigue, and the natural anxiety that arises from living with a life-limiting illness", The weight of the existential burden is real for these individuals, and yoga offers a potent tool for managing this burden.

Dame Cicely Saunders, who set the foundation for modern palliative care, rooted her philosophy in strong Christian values. However, there's a beautiful synergy between this philosophy and that of yoga. By merging these two, we can create an encompassing approach that acknowledges the spiritual, emotional, and physical challenges faced by those in palliative care.

Join Kate for her Mindful Yoga in Supportive and Palliative Care and into Bereavement on 18th and 19th of November 2023.

Through our course, you'll delve deeper into understanding what palliative care truly is – not merely a focus on the final days, but an ongoing support system echoing the philosophies of yoga.

Empowering Through Breath, Meditation, and Movement 🌿

Breathwork, meditation, and specific Asanas or practices tailored to particular conditions become pivotal tools to aid those dealing with chronic pain, breathlessness, fatigue, and the inherent stress and anxiety that come with living with a life-limiting illness.

Help and support others

This course will give you the skills to navigate palliative care or illness for others, utilising yoga’s powerful framework to help others see and acknowledge the reality of birth, death, and every moment in between.

Your participation in our Mindful Yoga in Supportive and Palliative Care course will not only deepen your understanding of the philosophy and application of palliative care but also empower you to be a soothing, supportive presence through the challenging passages of life-limiting illnesses.

🌼 Who is This Course For?

  1. Yoga and Mindfulness Teachers: Enhance your skills and weave compassion into your practice by learning how to adeptly cater to those grappling with life-limiting illnesses.
  2. Professionals in Palliative Care: Whether you’re a doctor, nurse, therapist, chaplain, or any other role immersed in palliative contexts, gain the expertise to integrate yoga and mindfulness into your supportive techniques.
  3. Mind-Body Therapists: Explore new ways of incorporating mindfulness into your practices while dealing with patients immersed in the struggles of severe illnesses.
  4. Caregivers and Family Members: Equip yourself with skills that not only assist you in providing a comforting presence to your loved one during difficult times but also offer self-care during the caregiving journey.
  5. Bereavement Professionals: Expand your toolkit with yoga practices that can help navigate through the challenging terrains of loss and grief.

🌿 Expect

  • Learning from Each Other: This course manifests a blend of experiences and wisdom from varied backgrounds, enhancing collective learning through sharing stories and strategies used in mindful yoga practices.
  • Inclusive Care: The essence of palliative care lies in understanding and catering to the unit of care, which includes patients, caregivers, and families. Learn techniques that gently weave through these intertwined journeys.
  • Navigating through Bereavement: Special sessions are dedicated to employing self-regulating yoga skills to support individuals through bereavement, ensuring a gentle transition from loss to acceptance.

💐 Why Join Us?

  • Develop Confidence and Skills: Regardless of whether you are currently involved with palliative patients or aspiring to be, cultivate the skills and confidence to bring helpful practices into your work and personal life.
  • Holistic View of Palliative Care: From diagnosis through death and into bereavement, gain insights and abilities to assist through every stage, uplifting both patients and their caregivers.
  • Support and Self-Care: For those personally supporting a loved one through a life-threatening illness, this course provides not just skills to aid them, but practices to bolster your own emotional well-being.

🌸 A Platform of Educational Empowerment

This course is not a therapeutic programme, but rather an educational journey designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge to support others in palliative care contexts. While it offers a wealth of understanding and skills that might find a place in your personal life, the primary aim is to enable you to bring mindful yoga practices into supportive and palliative care settings.

Mindful Yoga in Supportive and Palliative Care and into Bereavement begins on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 November and runs 09.30 to 15.30 (UK time) both days, with a break for lunch. BOOK NOW.