Yoga Keeps Me Sane & Strong

In 2000 I fractured my coccyx the night before an 18 hour flight from Sydney to Johannesburg [with a 1-year old on tow]. The stress fracture, while extremely painful, wasn't debilitating so I didn't rush off to the doctor. I didn't realise that I had actually fractured my coccyx until I went for X-rays 3 weeks later. The doctors wanted to operate straight away but I really didn't like the idea of a spine operation. Months later I was still in immense pain and went to see my homeopath for advice. As I still wasn't keen about the prospects of surgery and I started exploring other means to heal my body.

Along with a series of homeopathic and herbal remedies to help heal my back, I started seeing a chiropractor and practicing yoga. The chiropractor managed to relieve much of my pain but the yoga strengthened my whole body. Three months later the pain was completely gone and the fracture had healed.

Photo Credit: https://pixabay.com/en/people-woman-stretching-yoga-2568410/

During this time I fell in LOVE with yoga. I have been practicing yoga even since. My Swami was amazing and would explain each asana [pose] in detail - the meaning of the asana and it's effect on relative muscles and organs.

In 2015 I was diagnosed with cervical cancer and again wasn't happy about surgery or chemotherapy. Yoga kept me going, both physically and emotionally. After a combination of brachytherapy, BSR and homeopathic/herbal/nutrition remedies I am CANCER FREE.

And then just as I started feeling strong again I landed up in hospital last year! OMG! Bowel adhesions had caused a complete intestinal obstruction and my kidneys were shutting down. I was rushed into theatre for an emergency laparotomy.

I started doing some modified yoga exercises the day after surgery and I was up and about within days! Usually it take weeks to recover from a laparotomy. With daily yoga practice my stomach muscles have healed beautifully and I'm back to doing everything I used to be able to do.

Yoga keeps me sane and strong! I put this chart together with some wonderful information I've gathered over the years.
Namaste
Ursula

Photo Credit: I'm not sure to whom credit is due - the series of poses appear on several websites