Deep and Balanced Living: Chakra health for emotional wellbeing, wisdom and strength: Meet Sukeshi Arora

I went to my first yoga class in 2004, when my medical school roommate took me to a class at our school gym. Despite coming from a South Asian background in Vedic scriptures, I knew very little about “yoga,” in regards to the asana (posture) practice. However, as I began going to yoga classes, I learned more about how the asana practice decreased my stress and brought more peace and calm into my daily life. Today, yoga asana practice is a form of meditation for me, bringing regular peace into my daily routine, and it also prepares me for my spiritual practice.

Yoga allows me to give myself time to “feel” my emotions, so that I can have time to process them. I have not done that in the past, and by doing so, emotions get trapped or locked into certain areas of my body, causing aches/pains or imbalances–this wisdom has been present in many global communities and supported by modern psychological theory and research. Yoga is a tool for me to process my emotions in a healthy way, so that I can be a healthier version of myself. Given the impact of yoga in my own life, I wanted to learn more and take more formal training, so I enrolled in 200 YTT during the COVID pandemic, hoping that one day, I would have the courage to share the world of yoga with others on their wellness journey.  Currently, I also focus on expanding my and others understanding of yoga beyond asana (poses) practice and support the wisdom that yoga is an all encompassing practices aiming to support our spiritual journey throughout our lives and throughout generations.

As an oncologist who treats patients with cancer with chemotherapy, I believe in a holistic approach to include modern science as well as wisdom from traditions, such as the Vedic Sciences. I love that yoga is for everyone. There is no requirement to be a pretzel or a certain fitness level. Anybody can do yoga. As I wanted to create a yoga offering, I wanted to include persons with chronic illnesses, including cancer. Modern treatments can be life saving and curative, but sometimes, patients are left with chronic side effects, such as neuropathy (numbness in the fingers) or pain. In addition to allopathic treatment and medications, yoga can help mitigate symptoms. Further, with anxiety and fear associated with the cancer journey, yoga, including pranayama (breathwork) and meditation, can also be emotionally supportive and support healing. I am hopeful that together we can create systemic change and bring yoga and other healing practices into the healing journeys of patients with cancer and chronic diseases, especially those seeking complementary and holistic approaches. 

First, this is a movement practice. Physical movement can cause the heart rate to increase, so I would recommend asking your physician if it is ok to start a yoga program. For those new to yoga, I would recommend a “beginners” class or a “gentle flow,” so you can learn foundational asanas and focus on breathing (inhale/exhale)---our upcoming offering (hyperlink to course) is suitable for beginners! Also, let the instructor know this is a new class for you, so that the instructor can cue and modify the practice as needed. I would recommend you bring your own yoga mat (some studios may have one to borrow). And give it a try! Listen to your body and breathe during the practice. After your first class, you can also try a few different formats to find the right class for you. There are different types of yoga and instructors will vary in how they teach, so take your time exploring and have fun!