Cancer Warriors

5Rhythms Reach Out partners with You Can Thrive! Foundation to present a weekly moving meditation for breast cancer warriors. We come together to indulge in being alive, to allow the opportunity to love each body as it is; and, in a way that is unique to this class, be happy.

The class is clearly a place where everyone can drop into the body as a place of pleasure, and drop the mind as a place of concern. Group members are eager to keep moving no matter how they are feeling. When someone’s neuropathy acts up we find ways to practice Flowing in a chair or sitting/laying on the floor, giving the feet a chance to rest and come back to feeling. When we are in Staccato, moving as a tribe, we truly walk in each other’s shoes, each participant selflessly taking on someone’s slow pace or the essence of the exuberance of someone else’s beat with a gentle kindness to both themselves and each other. We practice Chaos, exploring how many ways the wall (in addition to chairs and the floor) can support us in letting go without becoming exhausted. Lyrical unites the group in a joyous and buoyant celebration of aliveness, moving beyond all that has been and embracing this one moment. Stillness is our gateway to giving thanks, after which we end every class with a period of either guided or silent sitting meditation.

The participants come from all walks of life, backgrounds, age groups and diagnoses. The simple act of moving is a highlight of their week. For many of the participants it is the first time in a long time that they have felt able to move in a joyful and unrestricted manner.

As one participant wrote, “I came to the 5Rhythms shortly after my surgery. I came because it sounded like good exercise. I was never into dancing. I was also very self-conscious. Now since I've been doing the 5Rhythms I think I probably always wanted to dance and express myself to music but didn't know how. I surprise myself at the way I move. Sometimes I feel silly and playful. Sometimes I go deep inside. Five Rhythms class is the highlight of my week.”

-- TAMMY BURSTEIN - 5Rhythms Teacher, New York