TF04: Yoga Therapy at the End of Life

Speaker bio: Natalie Buster, C-IAYT

Death is a complete mystery for many of us. Although we all know that we die, this fact can nevertheless be scary and troubling. Yoga therapy can help take some of the mystery and fear out of death and the dying process.

During this session, Natalie will take attendees through the stages of dying using the lens of panchamaya kosha. Learn practical applications for working with people at the end of life, those grieving the loss of a loved one, workers in the death care industry.

Together we will explore physical practices, breathwork, sankalpa (intention-setting), mudra, and meditation to support the people we serve at end of life with compassion, understanding, love, empathy, and dignity. We will also consider how our own biases can affect a client’s experience of dying, as well as how yoga therapists can advocate for those who face medical bias.

Learning Objectives

1. Develop an awareness of mortality, including one’s own, through yoga philosophy.
2. Understand specific techniques for using yoga therapy to serve people at the end of life.
3. Recognize unconscious biases regarding those at the end of life.