Yoga therapist Dr. Kimberlyn Cahill shares how a near death experience led her to yoga and how it has changed her life.
Dr. Kimberlyn Cahill
DMOL, E-RYT-200, E-RYT-500, RPYT, C-IAYT, Yoga Therapist, Founder & Owner of Life’s Work Yoga
Imagine being so active, you run every day, dance, even cycle across the country and then one wrong turn takes it all away from you in an instant. Dr. Kimberlyn Cahill, yoga therapist and owner of yoga studio Life’s Work, unfortunately had this exact experience when she was in a horrific bicycle accident in 2008.
“After my bicycle accident I was on bed rest for over six months…almost a year total and my friend said ‘Hey why don’t you go with me to yoga’ my body and brain trouble was still recovering but I said yes!”Cahill shares, “laying in the simple child’s pose I felt that I didn’t need to be fixed, I needed to heal but not be fixed.”
After many trials and misdiagnosis from doctors she decided to get serious about yoga and heal her body. She took many classes, got certified, and opened her own business where she could nurture and heal others.
There are plenty of benefits of doing yoga consistently. Cahill shares that she has integrated yoga into her daily routine, and she notices a difference if she misses a day or two. “I love my life! I haven’t had a crash and burn; I haven’t even had a panic attack. I realigned the way I was living, and I don’t need a vacation or an escape from my daily life. I’m happier and healthier, and I have better relationships with my family and friends. I am stronger than I have ever been.”
The accident Cahill faced emotionally drained her. “When I was on bed rest, I couldn’t even remember my name or finish sentences.” She explains, “Mental health has been a battle for me my whole life. From body image, to anxiety, to depression, you name it, it heightened rapidly during the duration of my accident. I found that the practice of yoga is not only the best medicine, it’s the most reliable in a crisis. I have the strategy and tools of breathing, moving, and resting which is what yoga truly is, and I would never do it any other way after learning the ways.”
Young adults, especially since Covid, are stuck in their phones and are losing human connection. Cahill is the owner of Life’s Work yoga studio; she leads people on their healing journeys and encourages young adults to join. “Youth adolescence is all about getting clear about who we are and that is true but our whole life is about self-discovery. There is a sutra lesson in the yoga tradition that says yoga is the practice of getting to know yourself. What we do is very much a supportive personal practice in order to not only yoke the body and the mind together. To me it’s all yoga, but it’s not if it doesn’t facilitate connection.”
Every Wednesday she leads a class to the park where everyone can choose to cycle, run, or walk with friends while being mindful. I happened to attend this week’s class. Before we left everyone gathered so we could ground ourselves in nature and hear our breath. “Nature is such a powerful tool to connect with ourselves. Grounding, the energy and the sense of belonging and connecting is so powerful.” Everyone takes a moment to stretch, meditate, and reflect. The gratitude becomes overwhelming, and I can say it was an inspiring experience and an encouraging way to start my day.
“Being in nature is a powerful mechanism of belonging and healing…pair yoga and meditation too and the energy speaks volumes.”