Donna Gianniotis is an experienced teacher who specialises in supporting students who are going through treatment for cancer. Having been through breast cancer herself, Donna's yoga story is fascinating and inspiring. We are honoured to have Donna join us at Adore Yoga.
When and why did you start doing yoga
I did my first yoga class on a trip to India 15 years ago. I tried it because everyone else was doing it in India! I was very sceptical about it, but from that first class, something happened. I felt, for the first time in my life, more of a quietness in my mind. I had made a connection to my body.
Tell us about how that connection has helped you in recent years.
I was diagnosed with breast cancer 4 years ago. I underwent surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. My yoga and meditation practise was my rock throughout the year that I underwent treatment for the cancer. I felt very lucky to have the tools through yoga to support my physical body, my emotional body and my mind.
What kind of yoga did you practice during your treatment for cancer?
Gentle asana was really important after surgery to regain the full movement of my arm (after having 12 lymph nodes removed) as well as supporting my body through the aches and pains associated with chemotherapy. Breathing practices and meditation were a daily practice (and still are). These practices were so important at that time because our minds can easily project into an unknown future. Meditation helps to keep you in the present moment, to take each day as it comes and to find some stillness and peace within the storm of the cloud.
What advice about yoga would you give a student experiencing a serious health issue?
Yoga is a great tool that can work alongside traditional Western medicine to look after your inner world. Yoga means 'union' and it is about re-connecting to ourselves. The reason that we have illness and dis-ease is because somewhere along the line we have disconnected from ourselves. To put it simply, our mind is not with what our bodies is doing. Yoga on the mat helps us to re-establish this connection to ourselves and then hopefully we can then start to take this into our daily living, in all that we do. So my advice, practice yoga to help re-establish this relationship to yourself. But the practice can't remain on the mat, it must go with you into your work, play and relationships.
What keeps you coming back to the yoga mat every day?
I love the re-connection that is made to myself in the practise and, as a teacher, I love the feeling in a class when students re-connect to themselves. It supports everything in my life, from swimming, snorkelling & bushwalking to my continued studies and practise in energy healing and energy medicine.
Donna is teaching a workshop for students going through cancer on Saturday 10th March, 12-2pm (book here) and will be running a 5 week course for students with cancer on Sundays at 10am from 18 March (book here).
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