This yoga feature is about Maria Villa, a yoga instructor, brain cancer survivor and a lover of life, living in Antioquia - Columbia.
It’s still kind of perplexing when somebody asks me: why do you practice yoga?
Since when are you interested in that? And why do you enjoy it? Until recently I certainly had to keep silent around those questions because it wasn’t easy for me to explain; the reason I started to practice yoga is somehow difficult to understand for a lot of people. Right from the beginning my dedication was faultless since I felt the need to establish a connection with my own self and to liberate myself from negative feelings. My approach to this practice was very particular; I was looking for a way to heal that would allow me to continue my actual existence. Literally, Yoga brought me back to life.
During the month of May 2007 I got diagnosed with brain cancer, and in that moment I became aware of life’s transitory nature. I was on the brim between life and death. I suddenly understood that to get healthy and well I had to locate myself in the present, “here and now,” and fight for that moment to be the most productive, fulfilling and joyful no matter what would happen after.
On May 18th I was tested for presenting seizures on the upper and lower right side of my body. A brain MRI showed brain damage, a tumor of 4,8 cm (about 1,5 to 2 inches) located in the left parietal region of my brain. On June 5th, between 8 and 9am, I was headed to the operating room for surgery. The doctors performed a left-front-parietal craniotomy with only partial removal of the tumor because of its dangerous location (the parietal lobe, which is involved in processing movement, orientation, recognition and speech). Days before the surgery I remember sitting with my doctor who explained to me that it was going to be a very risky operation and that most likely I would wake up unable to move my limbs and without the possibility to talk for several months. Nevertheless, that didn’t happen. When I woke up at the emergency room, I instantly tried to move my arms and legs and found out that I had conquered my first battle: the surgery.
Yet, I still had other battles left to overcome.
The anatomic-pathologic study (biopsy) showed an Olidendrioglioma II (classified by the OMS) partially removed and to which they recommended radiotherapy after surgery and subsequently chemotherapy with PCV combination (Procarbazine, CCNU-Lomustine, Vincristine). Hence, like any other cancer patient I found myself ignorant of all the procedures to follow but also unaware of my body’s capability to handle them. Thenceforth I decided to research with exhaustion everything related to the brain and cancer cells.
As human beings we all have cancer cells in our bodies but when the immune system is weak the cells multiply and develop tumors. More often we have to turn to invasive treatments such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy to fight them. However, there are other possibilities in order to annihilate those cells; one of them is the acquisition of abundant oxygen in the body. This is precisely what yoga does along with its inseparable ally: pranayama.
Unlike any other physical activity yoga has the ability to oxygenate the body in larger quantities, therefore killing cancer cells and avoiding mechanisms that allow the chaotic, constant, and accelerated cellular division that takes place in the cancer formation process. At the same time it is a way to balance and harmonize body, mind and soul. It is the science of life that interbreeds every aspect of the self: physical, vital, emotional, psychic, and spiritual. Because it combines different elements of the spiritual Indian tradition like postures (asanas) and breathing exercises (pranayama), it constitutes a complete and efficient system to find physical and mental wellness avoiding the harmful effects of invasive treatments used to heal cancer.
Additionally, since pranayama allowed me to situate myself on the present moment I managed to focus my attention on complete yogic breathing - initiating the inhalation in the pelvic zone, and then passing it through the abdominal zone, diaphragm, lungs and intercostals zone. During that difficult period of my life I simply kept focused on the complete inhalation and exhalation of the breath visualizing the air entering and exiting the body, and getting rid of all the toxic substances that were inside me.
My experience was very fulfilling. Due to the fact that I combined the harsh and tough radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatments with two sessions of yoga per day, everyday, I was able to determine that it is possible to cure cancer with yoga. Aside from the loss of energy that those types of treatment produced, along with physical decay, constant discomfort, nausea, dizziness, and excruciating pain in bones, joints and veins, with time and patience the sense of satisfaction, calmness and peace made the sense of discomfort easier to endure and easily achievable. The possibility of concentration on something outside the disease liberated my mind of negative thoughts and forced me to focus only on my inner being.
Through the secretion of sweat and the exhalation in every posture I manage to visualize how the chemicals injected in my body were driven out and at the same time how the oxygen obtained was cleansing my organism. I had to gear up with patience, perseverance and determination in order to reach my goal. It took me nearly three hours every morning just to get out of bed, take a cold shower to ease the sense of heaviness in my head, and then eat breakfast (without feeling hungry) to settle my stomach from the large amount of medicine that I had to ingest daily.
After this long process, I headed to my yoga practice, in which I struggled with my lack of balance and instability - the Warrior I (a basic but essential posture in yoga) constituted a big challenge. But still, I felt the enormous necessity to continue the practice inasmuch as all my internal organs felt relief as they received greater oxygen and strength. On top of that, there were asanas that influenced profoundly my recovery like the “twists” which were able to detoxify and improve blood circulation over the abdominal area to keep the organs healthy, Marichyasana (sage twist) for example.
I understood that twists play an important role in yoga by recovering the energetic flow throughout the body, as the energy originates at the spine and then it expands to every organ releasing them from any blockage that would produce harmful effects on health.
On the other hand, the headstand (sirsasana) was extremely difficult at the beginning. Because of my head injury it was impossible for me to support my head on the floor nor apply my body weight into it, so I had to turn to the use of blocks or props (with the help of my instructor) and depend on them to rest my shoulders leaving my head in the air. That’s how I was finally able to do my first inverted posture. As a result I experienced a whole new range of sensations not only because the blood flow changed from top to bottom, as there is greater blood flow to the brain cells and to the pituitary and pineal glands, which are the fountains of our health and vitality, but because it gave me another perspective of my surroundings and an indescribable sense of peace.
My life was reconstructed piece by piece approximately for a year and a half without thinking about the “future” but rather situating myself on the “present.” I came back to life physically and spiritually and now I can’t be more grateful for that. I learned the beauty of the simplest things in life. Having cancer teaches us how strong we can be, that physical and emotional pain are always temporary and it forces us to keep a firm spirit in order to handle life’s setbacks and face harsh moments, which are only transformations that every human being has to go through.
My first step into yoga began after the craniotomy, and nowadays I continue with my practice twice a day; all of my old habits changed completely. Now I pay a lot of attention to my nutrition, my daily activities, and the way I relate to those around me.
I’m a yoga instructor now so I feel blessed every time I practice or teach being healthy and without any physical or mental discomfort. I’m grateful that I can share the greatest gift that I’ve been given: the opportunity to dedicate myself to live through yoga and to help others who suffer or have suffered from any physical or emotional issue, or are currently facing an obstacle that won’t allow them to continue their journey.
May the transforming energy of the Supreme Being remove any negative thought and serve as a guide in this longstanding and permanent process about life and death.
To find out more about Maria and her transformational journey, follow her on Twitter.
Namasté,
Since when are you interested in that? And why do you enjoy it? Until recently I certainly had to keep silent around those questions because it wasn’t easy for me to explain; the reason I started to practice yoga is somehow difficult to understand for a lot of people. Right from the beginning my dedication was faultless since I felt the need to establish a connection with my own self and to liberate myself from negative feelings. My approach to this practice was very particular; I was looking for a way to heal that would allow me to continue my actual existence. Literally, Yoga brought me back to life.
During the month of May 2007 I got diagnosed with brain cancer, and in that moment I became aware of life’s transitory nature. I was on the brim between life and death. I suddenly understood that to get healthy and well I had to locate myself in the present, “here and now,” and fight for that moment to be the most productive, fulfilling and joyful no matter what would happen after.
On May 18th I was tested for presenting seizures on the upper and lower right side of my body. A brain MRI showed brain damage, a tumor of 4,8 cm (about 1,5 to 2 inches) located in the left parietal region of my brain. On June 5th, between 8 and 9am, I was headed to the operating room for surgery. The doctors performed a left-front-parietal craniotomy with only partial removal of the tumor because of its dangerous location (the parietal lobe, which is involved in processing movement, orientation, recognition and speech). Days before the surgery I remember sitting with my doctor who explained to me that it was going to be a very risky operation and that most likely I would wake up unable to move my limbs and without the possibility to talk for several months. Nevertheless, that didn’t happen. When I woke up at the emergency room, I instantly tried to move my arms and legs and found out that I had conquered my first battle: the surgery.
Yet, I still had other battles left to overcome.
The anatomic-pathologic study (biopsy) showed an Olidendrioglioma II (classified by the OMS) partially removed and to which they recommended radiotherapy after surgery and subsequently chemotherapy with PCV combination (Procarbazine, CCNU-Lomustine, Vincristine). Hence, like any other cancer patient I found myself ignorant of all the procedures to follow but also unaware of my body’s capability to handle them. Thenceforth I decided to research with exhaustion everything related to the brain and cancer cells.
As human beings we all have cancer cells in our bodies but when the immune system is weak the cells multiply and develop tumors. More often we have to turn to invasive treatments such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy to fight them. However, there are other possibilities in order to annihilate those cells; one of them is the acquisition of abundant oxygen in the body. This is precisely what yoga does along with its inseparable ally: pranayama.
Unlike any other physical activity yoga has the ability to oxygenate the body in larger quantities, therefore killing cancer cells and avoiding mechanisms that allow the chaotic, constant, and accelerated cellular division that takes place in the cancer formation process. At the same time it is a way to balance and harmonize body, mind and soul. It is the science of life that interbreeds every aspect of the self: physical, vital, emotional, psychic, and spiritual. Because it combines different elements of the spiritual Indian tradition like postures (asanas) and breathing exercises (pranayama), it constitutes a complete and efficient system to find physical and mental wellness avoiding the harmful effects of invasive treatments used to heal cancer.
Additionally, since pranayama allowed me to situate myself on the present moment I managed to focus my attention on complete yogic breathing - initiating the inhalation in the pelvic zone, and then passing it through the abdominal zone, diaphragm, lungs and intercostals zone. During that difficult period of my life I simply kept focused on the complete inhalation and exhalation of the breath visualizing the air entering and exiting the body, and getting rid of all the toxic substances that were inside me.
My experience was very fulfilling. Due to the fact that I combined the harsh and tough radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatments with two sessions of yoga per day, everyday, I was able to determine that it is possible to cure cancer with yoga. Aside from the loss of energy that those types of treatment produced, along with physical decay, constant discomfort, nausea, dizziness, and excruciating pain in bones, joints and veins, with time and patience the sense of satisfaction, calmness and peace made the sense of discomfort easier to endure and easily achievable. The possibility of concentration on something outside the disease liberated my mind of negative thoughts and forced me to focus only on my inner being.
Through the secretion of sweat and the exhalation in every posture I manage to visualize how the chemicals injected in my body were driven out and at the same time how the oxygen obtained was cleansing my organism. I had to gear up with patience, perseverance and determination in order to reach my goal. It took me nearly three hours every morning just to get out of bed, take a cold shower to ease the sense of heaviness in my head, and then eat breakfast (without feeling hungry) to settle my stomach from the large amount of medicine that I had to ingest daily.
After this long process, I headed to my yoga practice, in which I struggled with my lack of balance and instability - the Warrior I (a basic but essential posture in yoga) constituted a big challenge. But still, I felt the enormous necessity to continue the practice inasmuch as all my internal organs felt relief as they received greater oxygen and strength. On top of that, there were asanas that influenced profoundly my recovery like the “twists” which were able to detoxify and improve blood circulation over the abdominal area to keep the organs healthy, Marichyasana (sage twist) for example.
I understood that twists play an important role in yoga by recovering the energetic flow throughout the body, as the energy originates at the spine and then it expands to every organ releasing them from any blockage that would produce harmful effects on health.
On the other hand, the headstand (sirsasana) was extremely difficult at the beginning. Because of my head injury it was impossible for me to support my head on the floor nor apply my body weight into it, so I had to turn to the use of blocks or props (with the help of my instructor) and depend on them to rest my shoulders leaving my head in the air. That’s how I was finally able to do my first inverted posture. As a result I experienced a whole new range of sensations not only because the blood flow changed from top to bottom, as there is greater blood flow to the brain cells and to the pituitary and pineal glands, which are the fountains of our health and vitality, but because it gave me another perspective of my surroundings and an indescribable sense of peace.
My life was reconstructed piece by piece approximately for a year and a half without thinking about the “future” but rather situating myself on the “present.” I came back to life physically and spiritually and now I can’t be more grateful for that. I learned the beauty of the simplest things in life. Having cancer teaches us how strong we can be, that physical and emotional pain are always temporary and it forces us to keep a firm spirit in order to handle life’s setbacks and face harsh moments, which are only transformations that every human being has to go through.
My first step into yoga began after the craniotomy, and nowadays I continue with my practice twice a day; all of my old habits changed completely. Now I pay a lot of attention to my nutrition, my daily activities, and the way I relate to those around me.
I’m a yoga instructor now so I feel blessed every time I practice or teach being healthy and without any physical or mental discomfort. I’m grateful that I can share the greatest gift that I’ve been given: the opportunity to dedicate myself to live through yoga and to help others who suffer or have suffered from any physical or emotional issue, or are currently facing an obstacle that won’t allow them to continue their journey.
May the transforming energy of the Supreme Being remove any negative thought and serve as a guide in this longstanding and permanent process about life and death.
To find out more about Maria and her transformational journey, follow her on Twitter.
Namasté,
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