3 wellness tips that helped me get through a cancer diagnosis (plus a bonus yoga instant de-stressor)

Let’s face it, it’s easy to hit the gym, do that yoga class, or be blissfully mindful when things are all rainbows and lollipops. However, it is much harder to maintain those healthy practices when life serves up one of its inevitable shit sandwiches. I have 2 daily wellness practices that I have stuck to for at least ten years — meditation and yoga. Both are essential to my mental and physical health and were vital to me getting through a recent cancer diagnosis. I’m going to share my 3 tips for building a practice that sticks:

1. get a great teacher

2. create a space; and

3. practice every day

First the cancer thing. At the end of 2019 as Melbourne emerged from whatever number lockdown, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Thankfully, it was found early and my prognosis was excellent. I underwent a right mastectomy and reconstruction. Being a triple-positive type of cancer meant no radiation or chemotherapy was required. I began ongoing endocrine hormonal treatment instead. I feel grateful that I survived, that I live in a country with accessible, high-quality health care and that I have a partner, family, and friends who supported me through the journey.

Regardless, having cancer is emotionally and physically confronting. Yoga and meditation were places I turned to for a sense of normality and self-care. Because these practices have become things I do every day without even thinking — they have become scaffolds for my recovery. As soon as I was physically able, I got my yoga mat out and did tadasana (aka mountain pose), just standing there and bringing awareness to the body, breath and balance. It was an emotional moment to be back on my mat. From that point, I gradually regained my ability to perform more and more asanas.

So how did I get to that stage of a daily practice that is almost second nature?

Tip 1: Get a great teacher

I’ve had two influential teachers that empowered me with the knowledge to practice on my own. I learned to meditate as part of a now-disbanded Melbourne Zen Centre group that was run by a Zen Buddhist monk. He taught mindlessness or just sitting derived from the philosophy of the Antaji temple. The idea of just sitting and doing nothing is a really radical practice in today’s nonstop world. I learned Iyengar yoga at the Rathdowne Yoga Room. Whatever you want to practice, find a qualified teacher and if possible a group of other people to learn with. Finding a great teacher doesn’t have to be expensive, try Meet-up or your local council.

Tip 2: Create a space

In this video for Headspace, cognitive neuroscientist and UC Berkeley professor Dr. Sahar Yousef describes how to create a space signal to train the brain that it’s time to think and feel in a certain way. This applies when building a practice. If your living situation allows, set up a permanent space you can use consistently. If that’s not possible, use the same set of equipment in the same place each time you practice. Having a constant set-up also acts as a visual prompt when you are establishing the practice. In Atomic Habits, James Clear describes this type of visual cue as one of the four keys to building a habit. I have a small space for meditation and use my yoga mat in the same place each day. These solid spaces are physical and mental positions from which to observe the emotions and thoughts of my life.

Tip 3: Practice every day (even if it’s only for 30 seconds)

This is the big one. Practice every day. Practice at roughly the same, in the same place, every day. Even if it’s just a 30-second nod to the practice. This advice, from the Zen Buddhist teacher, made building a meditation practice seem more achievable. Some days I’m running late or have other demands but I always acknowledge my practices. If it’s not possible to do it for whatever reason, make a conscious choice not to practice on that day. James Clear calls this type of conscious plan-making setting an implementation intention.

“Doing yoga and meditation every day must be easy when you don’t have kids,” I hear you say. You’re probably right. A popular wellness quote, attributed to Zen is “You should sit in meditation for twenty minutes every day — unless you’re too busy; then you should sit for an hour.” Something strange I have observed about meditation is it does increase your sense of time. In my experience, a small amount of time invested gives a big return.

I built my yoga and meditation practices by having inspiring teachers, creating a dedicated space, and practicing every day over many years. When tough times hit, those practices really proved their worth. Unfortunately, there is no magic bullet, one meditation session is not going to fix all your stress. However many small, intentional actions over time can add up to become an automatic go-to when life gets tough.

Finally, a BONUS yoga stress buster: Viparita karani

This restorative pose (legs-up-the-wall) inverts the body in a low-impact way. It is easy to do and ultra-relaxing as it activates the parasympathetic nervous system.

Viparita karani equipment

Comfortable clothes

Eye pillow, small blanket or anything that can cover your eyes

Yoga mat or towel

Viparita karani steps

Find a wall with some clear space around it.
Place your mat or towel against the wall.
Lie on your side with your bum as close to the wall as you can get it.
Roll onto your back and put your legs straight up the wall. Draw your feet towards you.
Place your arms out to your sides comfortably.
Cover your eyes with the pillow.
Lie still for as long as you like. 20 minutes is recommended.