Cancer Teaches One Woman to Love Herself
“She knew I’d been a student of yoga for many years and asked me to teach a class. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I didn’t have the knowledge or skills to address the multitude of physical conditions that afflicted students.”
Laurie completed Kripalu’s yoga instructor certification to better meet the needs of diverse patient populations. Laurie worked hard to create a life doing what she loved. For the past 12 years, Laurie has operated Facilitated Healing Center in Connecticut. Breast cancer was going to put all of it in jeopardy.
Two years ago, the economy was in the crapper, people were stressed but couldn’t afford to do anything about it, and Laurie had just relocated her business to a larger space. She had bills and loans to pay; class attendance was mediocre. She was struggling. Then, she learned she had breast cancer.
“When I teach a yoga class, I give 110%. I have very high expectations for myself. When success or failure is based entirely on what you do or don’t do for your business, you push. At least, I did. Cancer taught me many lessons. In relation to my business I learned that you have to allow yourself to not be perfect at everything.”
“Cancer would kill my dharma, and that was what was going to kill me.”
As a self-employed person, Laurie had limited health insurance to cover the expense of treatment. To make matters worse, what was supposed to be one or two “simple surgical procedures” turned into five surgeries over nine months.
To her surprise, Laurie’s yoga students came to her rescue, holding fundraisers, donating their time, talent and offering emotional support.
“I knew I wasn’t going to die from cancer. They’d caught it early enough. But cancer was going to kill my business. So, in that sense, cancer would kill me because this business is my dharma, my life’s purpose. Without the support of students, friends and colleagues, I’d have lost everything.”
“Laurie’s spiritual name, in Sanskrit, is Kamala—meaning “lotus.” I was present when Laurie was initiated with this name that describes her so perfectly: She is rooted in the earth, in the muck of reality. She strives to stay above water as a businesswoman while coping bravely with breast cancer. She is a beautiful soul,” says Candice Weigle-Spier, a long time student.
