Complementary Therapy

You probably wonder what I mean by 'Complementary Therapy'.  This is what I do at home to keep my brain clear, my body healing from my hemicolectomy and from the intense doses of chemotherapy.

I was intending to join a private support clinic but unfortunately that didn't work out as its downtown Vancouver, their fees are expensive and I find their sales tactics a little intense.  I still think that if I need to in the future I will attend some classes there but for now what I am doing for myself at home seems to be working.

You can see an overview of my daily routine at the bottom of the page.  Here I will publish every so often what I do for my complementary therapy called Mindful Living.  Enjoy.

Mindful Living:
...is using the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress, pain and illness. See below for a detailed overview of this type of therapy and the books I am using to help me learn this technique.  I will post periodically excerpts from the book that truly speak to me and I hope will hit home for you as well.

Nov 21, 2010
We routinely and unknowingly waste enormous amounts of energy in reacting automatically and unconsciously to the outside world and to our own inner experiences.  Cultivating mindfulness means learning to tap and focus our own wasted energies. In doing so, we learn to calm down enough to enter and dwell in states of deep relaxation.  This nourishes and restores body and mind. At the same time it makes it easier for us to see with greater clarity the way we actually live and therefore how to make changes to enhance our health and the quality of our life.  In addition it helps us to channel our energy more effectively in stressful situations, or when we are feeling threatened or helpless.  This energy comes from inside us and is therefore always within our reach and potenial control.

Cultivating mindfulness can lead to the discovery of deep realms of relaxation, calmness, and insight within yourself.  It is as if you were to come upon a new territory, previously unknown to you or only vaguely suspected, which contains a veritable wellspring of positive energy for self-understanding and healing.  Moreoer it is easy to get to this territory.  The path to it in any moment lies no farther than your own body and mind and your own breathing.  And this territory is always accessible.  It is always here, independent of your problems.  Whether you are facing a crimpling desease, cancer, pain or just a very stressful life, its energies can be of great value to you.



OVERVIEW:

Tai Chi

I knew if I started doing Tai Chi it would have to be fairly easy and short for my chemo brain to handle it.  I did some internet research and found something that seemed to match with my personality.  'Ch'i The Power Within.  By Geoff Pike.  There are 8 exercises you do and I do them EVERY morning. The stretching and breathing coincides with my Mindful Meditation theory as well. 

Mindful Meditation

This isn't what it sounds like...cross legged and chanting 'olmmmmmmmm'.  I was searching for a way to ease the stress of life as it is now and wanted to learn about meditating and breathing techniques. Amazing to me the Cancer Clinic I attend had a 'Mindful Meditation' course. Unfortunately when I phoned it was full so I put my name on a waiting list. Low and behold a couple weeks later I received a call from the counsellor there for me to come in for an interview.  Well the interview must have went ok because I was given the go to attend. There are some people that have been waiting 6 months to get into the course, I was very lucky for the opportunity and grateful of course.

The program follows a plan created at the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center by Jon Kabat-Zinn.  It has been used for over 15 years to help thousands of people use the wisdom of their bodies and mind to face stress, pain and illness.  To say its wonderful is a huge understatement.

It takes at least 45 minutes a day of homework and 8 weeks to get your grounding on how it all works.  And it WORKS for me.  Learning to breath through the stress, pain and sleepless nights helps immensely and makes you feel like you have some sort of control.

Yoga - the positions that are part of the Mindful Meditation program, I think its Hatha Yoga.

There are many books like I have borrowed from the library by Jon Kabat-Zinn.  All about living in the moment, learning to awaken your senses again and reduce anxiety and feelings of panic. The book that outlines this course I am taking is called 'Full Catastophe Living' by Jon Kabat-Zinn.

Let me know if you have any additional questions.  I will help with what I can or point you in a direction for more information.  I hope this helps.