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West Kootenay Yoga for MS Support Group

 

The WK Yoga for MS Support group celebrated our two year anniversary in February. 

 

The seed for our group was planted many years ago when a young man came to one of my yoga classes and was having great difficulty balancing.  During the next few years Ryan received medical testing and was diagnosed with MS. 

 

I met Ryan again just by chance at a coffee shop  and invited him back to yoga saying I would help him in a beginners class.  The WK MS Society has a fitness allowance for their Members and this includes yoga .  After a few month the Director of the Society asked me if I would teach a class to the  Members of the Society who have MS and their unpaid care providers. 

 

So we began with one class a week but the students with MS wanted to talk to each other about their individual situations,
medications, joys and sorrows and their daily challenges of living with MS.  Talking in yoga class was taking up a lot of our time and so we started going out for coffee, then having coffee parties at my home.

 

One class a week just wasn't enough so I added a second class.  We needed more equipment to support this special group so we did fund raising and with the help of many wonderful people in our community we were able to purchase more yoga props and have a prop cart built. It is also great storage for  the microwave that heats up our favorite thing; rice bags. 


We added a summer picnic at Syringa sponsored by the MS Society and a Christmas dinner party prepared by Jack Ferraro.  We all went to Ainsworth sponsored by Under The Sun Yoga. 

Our newest adventure is the monthly Craft Club where we are making wellness products that you will see at this event.  And included in those products are the much loved rice bags for your hands, eyes, and heart.
 

Our focus this year is Deep Relaxation and some of the many ways to experience it.  Deep Relaxation is so needed for people living with MS to calm the nervous system, deep breathing and to restore even a small measure of health and ability. 

 

We are asking our community to help support the MS Yoga group by offering our Day Of Peace Yogathon where we can all come together to pray, sing, laugh, eat, meditate and practice asanas in a very beautiful and peaceful setting; the Brilliant Cultural Centre.


The funds raised by our community will be used for people living with MS to travel for medical expenses, better clothing, assist in daily life, and to support the continuation of our group.


This day will be wonderful for everyone and I hope you will join us, support us and create greater peace in your hearts by helping others.

 

Namaste,

Janice Ferraro,

Yoga Teacher, Day of Peace facilitator. 

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