Yoga For Palliative Care

YOGA FOR PALLIATIVE PATIENTS by
Mercedes Murcia Fanega

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE
Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of
life of patients and their families facing the problem
associated with life-threatening illness, through the
prevention and relief of suffering by means of early
identification and impeccable assessment and treatment
of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and
spiritual. Palliative care:
Provides relief from pain and other distressing
symptoms;
Affirms life and regards dying as a normal process;
Intends neither to hasten or postpone death;
Integrates the psychological and spiritual aspects of
patient care;
Offers a support system to help patients live as
actively as possible until death;
Offers a support system to help the family cope
during the patients illness and in their own
bereavement;
Uses a team approach to address the needs of
patients and their families, including bereavement
counselling, if indicated;
Will enhance quality of life, and may also positively
influence the course of illness;
Is applicable early in the course of illness, in
conjunction with other therapies that are intended to
prolong life, such as chemotherapy or radiation
therapy, and includes those investigations needed to
better understand and manage distressing clinical
complications.
The goal of palliative care in the western perspective is to
achieve the best quality of life for patients and their
families, and to provide a support system to help patients
live as actively as possible until death . Ideally, palliative

care is applied early in the course of illness in conjunction
with other therapies intended to prolong life (such as
chemotherapy or radiation therapy), and investigation and
management of distressing clinical complications (NCHPSCS
2002; DH 2000). Conventional treatments used in palliative
care include drugs such as opioids, NSAIDs, antiemetics,
corticosteroids, tranquillisers and laxatives; radio- and
chemotherapy; and surgery. People may be cared for in
their own homes, hospices, care homes or hospitals.
AYURVEDIC PERSPECTIVE
While approaching death, the process of destruction is

initiated in the body. Functions of various limbs and organs
of the body get disturbed. drainage of strength from
limbs, cessation of movement, destruction of
sensory/tactile, impairment of consciousness, restlessness
in the mind, affliction of the mind with fear, deprivation of
memory and intellect. radical change in the
conduct...wasting of muscle tissue and blood. morbid
changes in the smell of the body...discoloration of the body,
dryness in the orifices of the body.
The process of dying is neither controlled nor precise. This
can be a challenge for pitta individuals who can be over
controlling and demanding, especially in times of stress.
Strong-willed people who are used to being leaders and
making things happen find that they have no control over
the dying process, and this is difficult for pitta. Sometimes
pitta patients and/or family members are very direct and
intense, and communicate in a way that is explosive and
sharp due to their feelings of helplessness and
powerlessness. Strategies to support pitta patients and
families in the dying process include cooling, relaxing and
stress diffusing forms of aromatherapy, breathing practices,

yoga nidra and guided meditation.
When working with kapha individuals in the death and dying
journey, it is important to understand that they may
experience a longer grieving process. Watery emotions such
as tears may be present. Kaphas can also internalize
emotions and not show them, even though they feel very
deeply. Honouring relationships is very important, as is selfcare for caregivers and families who have created deep
attachments to individuals who have passed on.
So from an Ayurvedic perspective we have to treat the
palliative patient focusing in his body type to understand
how he is living the process.
TCM PERSPECTIVE
The goal to treat palliative patients from the TCM
perspective is to make less painful and stressful the end of
the patient life using different kind of treatments like
acupuncture, diet, and naturopathy
TCM may relieve pain in palliative settings and in addition it
may reduce the need for cancer pain drugs. One recent
systematic review found evidence that acupuncture may
provide long-term pain relief in patients with and the most
recent trials have strengthened the evidence.
Pain arising indirectly from cancer treatments may also be
addressed with acupuncture, for example for
chemotherapy- induced neuropathy. Patients with HIVassociated neuropathic pain may also benefit. Filshie
reported that pain from cancer treatments is likely to
respond better, and for longer, that that from the disease
itself; nevertheless, there are still benefits possible for
patients with late-stage cancer.
THINGS THAT WE ARE NOT TO OFFER TO THIS KIND

OF PATIENTS
We are not to offer in our program:

1) Strong practices.
2) Technical and complicate asana practices.
3) Massage and hands on (alignment or massage
relaxation).
4) Very active pranayamas.
TOOLS THAT WE CAN USE
Chanting.
Sharing circles.
Outdoor activities.
Group activities.
One to one classes.
Meditation / Yoga Nidra / Tantra meditation
Gentle asanas.
Painting / Writing / Cooking.
THE SESSION CAN CONSIST ON:

- Guided meditation to empower their calm and
happiness,
- Gentle asana to keep the mobility of their joints and
help the blood circulation and water retention improve.
- Guide them to make to themselves massages to
support their love for themselves and their
independency,
- We can offer classes also with the family to help the
connection and the communication between them.
CHALLENGES THAT CAN APPEAR TO THAT KIND OF

PATIENTS IN THEIR DAILY LIFE AND HOW TO CONNECT
WITH THE 5 ELEMENTS.
We can try to focus our classes or sessions trying to

empower the earth element to make the patients feel
grounded and supporting for us and try to help them to find
their calm and stability. Also could be helpful work with the
water element to try to unblock the hidden emotions and let
them to express their emotions.
- Treat the patients normally, they need to feel normal

and not feel like ill people all the time.
- Talk with the illness in the most normal way to let them
express themselves.
- Dont create false expectations or support fantasies,
be kind but also honest at the same time with them.

Yoga For Palliative Care

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What are the different perspectives on palliative care discussed in the text?

What tools and activities are suggested for palliative yoga sessions?

YOGA FOR PALLIATIVE PATIENTS by

Mercedes Murcia Fanega

live as actively as possible until death . Ideally, palliative

While approaching death, the process of destruction is

stress diffusing forms of aromatherapy, breathing practices,

THINGS THAT WE ARE NOT TO OFFER TO THIS KIND

We are not to offer in our program:

TOOLS THAT WE CAN USE

THE SESSION CAN CONSIST ON:

CHALLENGES THAT CAN APPEAR TO THAT KIND OF

We can try to focus our classes or sessions trying to

- Treat the patients normally, they need to feel normal

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