The Mind, Body, And Soul Series Is Back!

sunrise over water

Join the young adult cancer communities of Dear Jack Foundation, Elephants and Tea, and Lacuna Loft during our month-long, Mind, Body, and Soul wellness series in October for an opportunity to connect, grow, and stretch!  We will be offering weekly, 90-minute sessions to help enhance the mind, body, and spirit and provide a chance to break down some of the isolation we’ve all been experiencing over the last few weeks.  Whether you are a seasoned yogi, meditator, doodle genius, or a newbie to the world of mind and body care, come and try something new in a safe, fun, and encouraging environment – your own home!

These classes will be free and hosted through Zoom and all experience levels are welcome!  You can come to one or come to all!  Sign up on the form below!

Schedule
All classes will start at 9 am PT/10 am MT/noon ET

Friday, October 9th – Soul, Zentangle with Lacuna Loft
Friday, October 16th – Body, Yoga with Dear Jack Foundation
Friday, October 23rd – Mind, Meditation with Elephants and Tea
Friday, October 30th – Halloween Mind, Body, and Soul Series Hangout

Want to learn more about each session in the Mind, Body, and Soul Series?

10.9 – Soul – Zentangle Workshop with Lacuna Loft

Join us for a short Zentangle doodle! Zentangles are the art of drawing simple shapes into repetitive, meditative patterns while creating a larger drawing, without having to worry about precision. All you’ll need is paper, a pencil, a thin black sharpie, a regular black sharpie, and a ruler! We’ll walk you through the basics, so you can then create your own, one of a kind, uniquely you Zentangle!

10.16 – Body – Yoga with Dear Jack Foundation

Let’s join together as an online commUNITY with a Slow Flow Yoga class. Yoga means union of the physical body through breath. That begins the journey inward where we can access the spirit, soul, and center of wisdom and bliss. We will take careful notice of the physical body and then connect intentionally with the breath that sustains and gives us a sense of ease. After settling in, the body will flow freely on the mat through a series of poses that will provide flexibility, strength, and connection to our true nature. We will end class with a short meditation to further develop mindfulness. This class is for everyone – all skill levels are welcome!

10.23 – Mind – Meditation with Elephants and Tea

This Meditation Session will introduce the participant to breathe and body sensing in order to tune-in and relax the mind and body. The session will be approximately 30 – 40 minutes. Participants will learn about how meditation can help reduce stress. At the end of the session, participants will be given the opportunity to ask questions of the teacher.

Angie is a Level II iRest Yoga Nidra Meditation Teacher.

10.30 – Halloween Hangout

Join Dear Jack Foundation, Elephants and Tea, and Lacuna Loft for the wrap up to our Mind, Body, Soul Digital Series in a fun and informal Happy Hour Hangout! We’ll talk about your overall month, any skills you learned during the month during the sessions, favorite moments, and opportunities for us to improve your experience. Hangout with other people who understand what it’s like to go through young adult cancer and costumes will be encouraged!

Guided Yoga Nidra Meditation with Elephants and Tea

yoga nidra

Over at Elephants and Tea, Angie Giallourakis (aka Momma G) will be leading four, guided yoga nidra meditation classes!  Each class will start at 3:30 pm PT / 5:30 pm CT / 6:30 pm ET every other Sunday starting on July 26th.  If you’d like to just join one class or join all four the choice is yours!

Sign up below to join Momma G! We look forward to seeing you! You will receive a confirmation email upon registering.

Session One: The Compassionate Heart and Your Thirty Trillion Cells – July 26th

Session Two: The Waterfall – August 9th

Session Three: Visualize Your Inner Strength – August 23rd

Session Four: Love Yourself – September 6th

Note: Each session will be approximately one hour. The session includes discussion following the group meditation for anyone interested.

To sign up, go here!

Are You A Rural-Living YA Cancer Survivor?

person walking in grass

Researchers at the University of Ottawa are studying the effect that rural living might have on a young adult cancer survivor’s access to participation in health behaviors, including physical education and nutrition, and they are looking for participants!  The study is exploring if receiving 12-weeks of one-on-one personalized health coaching *online* (you knew we couldn’t pass up an opportunity to tell you about an online study!) can help rural-living young adult cancer survivors become more physically active and eat more fruits and vegetables.

Participants will be asked to:
(1) Meet 1 hour per week with a health coach online for 12 weeks
(2) Complete a short online survey at the start of the study and 12 weeks later
(3) Complete a 60-minute one-on-one discussion about the online program, either online, over the phone, or in-person.

Individuals can participate if they:
(1) Completed primary treatment for non-metastatic cancer;
(2) Are currently between 20 to 39 years of age;
(3) Live in a rural area (locations with <35,000 inhabitants);
(4) Are able to move freely without assistance;
(5) Engage in less than 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity per week
(6) Eat less than 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day (one medium fruit is a portion);
(7) Have access to the Internet and an audio-visual device such as a webcam;
(8) Are able to read and understand English.

If you’re interested in getting more information or participating in the study, contact jenson.price@uottawa.ca or call 613-562-5800 x. 7300

10 Life Lessons Learned From Running

raising funds for lacuna loft

This post is one of our most read so we thought we’d share it again with you today!

Life lessons show up in the most unlikely places.  These are the 10 life lessons I have learned from running…

1.  drink water
Being hydrated just makes your whole day that much better and more manageable, running or no running.  Seriously!  I carry around a liter nalgene water bottle with me at all times.  My goal is to drink at least two of the full bottles each day.

2.  if you eat a doughnut for breakfast, eat something healthy for lunch

Ever try and do something active after only consuming carbs, fat, and sugar for breakfast?  Yea, it doesn’t go well.  Still, I didn’t used to eat doughnuts until after I was diagnosed with cancer and now they are one of my favorite Saturday morning treats.  And since everything is better in moderation, I balance out a morning of sugary wonder with a healthy and balanced lunch.  Know what is an easy and healthy balance to a morning of sweets?  Green smoothies!

3.  some days are good and some days aren’t

Some days you’re going to wake up on the wrong side of the bed for no reason, and some days life will be smooth sailing.  This is how it goes in running and in life.  Be kind to yourself on the off days…tomorrow will be much better.

4.  some things in life hurt and some things in life don’t

Running is tough, no doubt about it.  No ifs, ands, or buts.  Living through cancer treatments and into survivorship is hard too.  Sometimes life will be easy and sometimes it won’t be.  You can do it though…and we can help whenever you need it.

5.  if it is raining, wear rain gear.  If it is sunny, wear sunscreen

Preparing for what lies ahead is always a good plan.  In running this means planning for the weather and condition where you’ll be hitting the pavement or the trail…in life, this means figuring out what you need and trying to plan ahead to take care of yourself.  Ask for help, remember sunscreen, and be nice to yourself.

Read the rest of the 10 lessons here!

 

P.S.  Life lessons learned from my dogs

Yoga Video For Cancer Patients

yoga for cancer patients video

With the buzz of the holiday season almost upon us, sometimes it’s nice to slow down for a few minutes.  With that in mind, today we’re sharing a yoga tutorial specific for cancer patients.  With every pose done in bed, and a bit of guided relaxation, this yoga video is sure to relax and invigorate.  If you give it a try, let us know!  Have you used yoga in your survivorship?

10 Life Lessons Learned From Running

life lessons learned from running

Life lessons show up in the most unlikely places.  These are the 10 life lessons I have learned from running…

1.  drink water
Being hydrated just makes your whole day that much better and more manageable, running or no running.  Seriously!  I carry around a liter nalgene water bottle with me at all times.  My goal is to drink at least two of the full bottles each day.

2.  if you eat a doughnut for breakfast, eat something healthy for lunch

Ever try and do something active after only consuming carbs, fat, and sugar for breakfast?  Yea, it doesn’t go well.  Still, I didn’t used to eat doughnuts until after I was diagnosed with cancer and now they are one of my favorite Saturday morning treats.  And since everything is better in moderation, I balance out a morning of sugary wonder with a healthy and balanced lunch.  Know what is an easy and healthy balance to a morning of sweets?  Green smoothies!

3.  some days are good and some days aren’t

Some days you’re going to wake up on the wrong side of the bed for no reason, and some days life will be smooth sailing.  This is how it goes in running and in life.  Be kind to yourself on the off days…tomorrow will be much better.

4.  some things in life hurt and some things in life don’t

Running is tough, no doubt about it.  No ifs, ands, or buts.  Living through cancer treatments and into survivorship is hard too.  Sometimes life will be easy and sometimes it won’t be.  You can do it though…and we can help whenever you need it.

5.  if it is raining, wear rain gear.  If it is sunny, wear sunscreen

Preparing for what lies ahead is always a good plan.  In running this means planning for the weather and condition where you’ll be hitting the pavement or the trail…in life, this means figuring out what you need and trying to plan ahead to take care of yourself.  Ask for help, remember sunscreen, and be nice to yourself.

6.  drink water

I cannot repeat this enough…it could seriously be all ten tips.  As my mother used to say, Fluids are our friends.

7.  take a buddy

Everything is better with a friend.  Whether you’re out exercising or heading to chemo, take a companion to help ease the load.

8.  it’s always fun to go outside

Being in the outdoors just tends to reset all of my stresses.  Do you have a place that does this for you?  Get some fresh air every once in a while and life will feel so much better.

9.  sometimes a shower solves everything

I grew up a dedicated swimmer.  Ever since then, water has always been a place of peace and calm for me.  Whenever I feel in a funk, if a pool isn’t nearby, I take a shower.  It’s the perfect reset button.

10.  start with a brisk walk

Sometimes giving yourself permission to take it slow, fixes everything.  Stressing about going out for that run?  Taking that meeting?  Heading to chemo?  Start with a brisk walk, or by taking a shower, or by packing your chemo bag.  Little steps to get you to your final destination go a long way.

P.S.  Life lessons learned from my dogs

The Thing About Cancer + Exercise Is…

young adult cancer and exercise

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During the month of May, we’ll be bringing back some of your favorite posts in groups of 5!

Today, we’ve got 5 GREAT posts focused on getting to the nitty gritty of young adult cancer and exercise.

[/spb_text_block] [spb_single_image image=”14196″ image_size=”full” frame=”noframe” lightbox=”yes” image_link=”https://cactuscancer.wpengine.com/walking-for-exercise/” link_target=”_blank” fullwidth=”no” width=”1/2″ el_position=”first”][/spb_single_image] [spb_single_image image=”14194″ image_size=”full” frame=”noframe” lightbox=”yes” image_link=”https://cactuscancer.wpengine.com/partnering-with-friends-how-to-maintain-motivation/” link_target=”_blank” fullwidth=”no” width=”1/2″ el_position=”last”][/spb_single_image] [spb_single_image image=”14197″ image_size=”full” frame=”noframe” lightbox=”yes” image_link=”https://cactuscancer.wpengine.com/yoga-for-cancer-thrivers/” link_target=”_blank” fullwidth=”no” width=”1/2″ el_position=”first”][/spb_single_image] [spb_single_image image=”14193″ image_size=”full” frame=”noframe” lightbox=”yes” image_link=”https://cactuscancer.wpengine.com/inverted-yoga-pose-perspectives/” link_target=”_blank” fullwidth=”no” width=”1/2″ el_position=”last”][/spb_single_image] [spb_single_image image=”14192″ image_size=”full” frame=”noframe” lightbox=”yes” image_link=”https://cactuscancer.wpengine.com/beginners-look-yoga-for-cancer-survivors/” link_target=”_blank” fullwidth=”no” width=”1/2″ el_position=”first last”][/spb_single_image]

Developing A Home Yoga Practice (Pt. 2)

home yoga practice tips

There are so many benefits from a regular yoga practice.  Being in my body teaches me how to safely expand beyond what I thought were limits.  I learn to trust the teacher within me – the voice of intuition or deeper knowing that guides my next pose, my next breath, and my big decisions.  Of course a teacher and the support of a class of peers is helpful and feels awesome.  I need that, too.  I need someone to reflect back to me where I can adjust, what I’m doing that isn’t safe or best.  But I also need to be on my mat with just ME.  (And, you may save a lot of money this way).

I learned how to develop my own home yoga practice by starting with a plan and then learning to listen to my body (part 1).  I realize that not everyone has a teacher writing a plan for their body to start us on the path.  So here are some ideas for creating a little bit of a plan that may get you going towards something steady.

Home yoga practice tips:

1.  Make some note cards of poses.  You know, the poses you know.  The ones you want to know.  The ones you don’t like.  On each card, write the poses out in words (English, Sanscrit, made-up home name for a pose) or draw them (I tend towards stick figures).  Arrange them into an order that you want to practice and do it.  See how it feels in your body.  What transitions are awkward or awful?  Why?  Continue to practice the same pattern and see if it improves over days.  Or, change it up each day and notice what you like better.  What you don’t like.  What is good for you even if you don’t like it.  What do you learn about yourself and your body?  The INQUIRY is the yoga.  The poses are a vehicle into knowing ourselves.  When we know ourselves, we can be free to choose any way of being in the world.  And then we can experience joy, love.

2.  Get a Book.  If you are like me, you love reading these and hate doing what they say!  But seriously, for some people, this is awesome.  PS – books come from libraries, too, so you don’t have to break the bank on this.

  • Light on Yoga (BKS Iyengar) has a VERY detailed plan for home practice in the back and of course tells you a lot about each pose, how to enter it, how long to hold it, etc.  The tone is very direct and detailed.  (This is a great supplement to practicing with a teacher, especially at an Iyengar Yoga studio.  These teachers are trained thoroughly and know how to adjust poses and people of all types and maladies.  They have an understanding of the therapeutic workings of yoga.  Super safe, super effective, super detailed.)
  • The Heart of Yoga (TKV Desikachar) has various Vinyasa sequences.  His focus with Vinyasa is moving the the breath so you move back and forth between two or more poses using inhales and exhales.  He also has written a lot of great information about the philosophies of yoga.  This book is really approachable for even a raw beginner.
  • Jivamukti Yoga (Sharon Gannon & David Life) is a classic book about this stye of yoga.  Really respected.  Rigorous.  I love the voice of this book, it makes me love yoga more.  They have tons of mini sequences that move with the breath that you can link together however you want (but they also have complete practices for multiple difficulty levels at the back).
  • Yoga Mala (Sri K Pattabhi Jois) is a similarly designed book for Ashtanga yoga.  Ashtanga is a physically demanding practice system and has poses divided into Series.  One progresses from Primary Series to Secondary, etc., by practicing the same series of poses each day.  You may change, the days change, but the poses remain the same.  And thus, you can see how you progress.  I haven’t read this book yet but have browsed it at studios and think it would be a gem.

3.  Take a class (in a studio or online), write down what you remember doing, and do it again at home for a week until your next class.  This will challenge your brain and memory (yes we can all further develop our creative recall powers) as well as your body.  You will improve.  Notice if parts of your body are extra tired or feeling left out.  Here, you can learn to add what you need.  Maybe the class was all about backbends.  That’s cool for a day or two… but now you need to stretch your back because it’s getting so strong so you do some forward bends and twists… and then maybe you move into some standing poses because you are tired of looking upside down in bridge.  Awesome.  Strong legs and stretched hamstrings!  Side bends sound good too… look, you’ve started to create a rhythm of a balanced home practice!

4.  Mark up your calendar with different poses.  Draw one one each day and do it.  Then, decide what didn’t feel right and needed help.  Do some work to help out those tough spots and do the pose again.  For example: I do Down-Dog.  It feels AWFUL.  Okay, I need to stretch the backs of my legs.  Well, I can also stretch my hips to give my legs freedom.  And maybe massage my feet or calves to loosen them up.  I’ll do a little backbend or twisting to wake up my back.  I’ll stretch my arms overhead and do some side bends so I can really get length in my back.  Now, I do Down-Dog again.  I bet its much better.  My heels are even making their way towards the ground now.  And I did well today – savasana or meditation to end.  Way to go!

5.  You can also check out our posts on restorative poses and start with one a day!

Do you have any home yoga practice tips to add?  What do you use to help build or expand your yoga at home?  Where have you found yourself doing yoga?  What else do you need to help you grow?

Developing A Home Yoga Practice (Pt. 1)

home yoga practice

I got into yoga because there was a free class I could walk to.  Yoga wasn’t in my plans (or budget) but I thought that even better than taking a day off from running, I could get a different type of workout in. (This was during a stressful time in my life – I used workouts for self-care/sanity.)

I began to fall in love though.  I fell in love with the person I remembered that I really was, beyond the stress and frustration at work or in relationships.  I remembered how my soul ached to be bathed in (and bathe others in) compassion.  I loved the calling into love that I knew but didn’t always experience.  I loved that I could embody and practice my philosophy, my values, my faith.

So I became a yoga hopper.  I did classes at almost all of the studios in town.  When I traveled, I couldn’t wait to look up studios and visit.  To learn new moves, experience new styles, and glean wisdom from new teachers.  I was soaking it up.

Then, one winter, I got it into my head that I was interested in teacher training.  I loved how the teacher I went to the most (also a free class, mind you) moved in her body.  She had such freedom and power in her movements, her voice, and her presence.  I wanted more of that.  I also am the personality type that wants to know why and what and more and how (did I miss my calling as an engineer?)… so I needed to get deeper into these questions and find some answers.  I signed up and paid in full.

After a 12-day intensive with our teacher, we were told that we now had to go home and practice on our own and NOT go to other teachers’ classes.  WHAT?!?!  I mean I had done a little yoga on my own before that.  In hotel rooms, usually in dire circumstances without a class.  What would I do?  How would I know what pose to do when and how could I learn without a teacher?  She weaned us with a custom “routine” to do for three weeks.  After that, it was up to each of us.

I got sick of her routine.  I longed to do anything else.  And there I was, at the end of three weeks, with an empty mat.  It was up to me to make an hour a day happen (since I was in training I was doing at least this much a day – not true anymore).  I started by doing some Sun Salutations.  I knew those from my Ashtanga-inspired teachers.  And then I did some Warrior poses.  And then, all of a sudden, my body started ASKING me for poses.  My hip flexors almost begged for a lunge.  My hamstrings groaned with gratitude when I did forward bends.  The joy/agony/release of each pose was already known by my body.  I learned to listen.  To trust.  To know the voice of a deeper part of me than just my head.

And a home practice was born.  Not without struggle.  Oh man, I am good at coming up with urgent things that must be done on my computer, on my phone, around my house, “for someone else”… to avoid going to my mat.  I struggle to give myself time to be with me, to gain clarity and compassion.  And honestly, I still don’t understand why this is a human struggle, but it is.  It is good for me, it is good for others, and yet I avoid it.  Maybe I’ll have more for you in another decade of learning.  (See some posts on meditation to help clear the way.)

Do you have a home yoga practice?  What are your struggles?  What helps you carve out time for you and your body/soul?  

Check out Part 2 next week for some ideas on creating your own home practice!

Partnering With Friends To Maintain Motivation

how to maintain motivation

According to my neurologist, migraines respond well to structure.  That means I’m supposed to keep a regular sleeping and eating schedule, and also exercise daily.  The latter is particularly unappealing on my bad days, which is why I enlisted some friends as exercise buddies.  They hold me accountable, making sure I get out for a jog or a brisk walk every day, without fail.  If I miss a day, I’ll end up with two furry black monsters bouncing off the walls.

While not everyone has, or wants, a pair of rambunctious dogs, the general principle of making a joint commitment with a friend is a great way to increase your motivation and accountability.  When you cancel a workout or a study date, you’re not just canceling on yourself (which is often easy, especially when dealing with fatigue and/or pain), but you’re letting someone else down.  That external force can help keep you on track.

In addition to my canine exercise buddies, I have friends with whom I regularly schedule work sessions and chore days.  It feels a little silly at times, but it definitely helps, so I do it!

Have you ever used this method?  Did it work for you? How to maintain motivation is always challenging.  How do you do it?Â