How The Yogic System Views Cancer: By Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev

Wikipedia describes breast cancer as “a type of cancer originating from the breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk.” 22.9% of all cancers in women worldwide are related to the breast. In 2012 alone, the American Cancer Society reported 226,870 new cases of breast cancer in women and 39,510 deaths from the disease. Some of the most prominent risk factors for breast cancer are related to lifestyle: lack of physical activity, smoking, poor diet, obesity, high hormone levels, and lack of childbearing or breast feeding.

In this article, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, Founder of the Isha Yoga Foundation, shares how the yogic system views cancer and what can be done to avoid the disease. 

How cancer occurs as per yogic system





Causes of breast cancer as per yogic system

bcBreast cancer is very rampant today, especially in societies where a lot of women never conceive. In today’s world, for most women child-bearing happens only once or twice and is over before a certain age.

So the next 15 to 20 years of their life that they still have the capability to bear children and the necessary hormones are still being produced – they are not being made use of. According to the yogic system, this is one of the main reasons for both breast and uterine cancer occurring among women.

The mechanism of the breast, which was mainly made to feed the offspring, is not made use of. Or, it is made use of at a very early age and not after that. If a woman went through the normal process of conception, from the age of 16 to 18 until about 45, she would be conceiving periodically which would have kept her whole system active and kept the energy flowing.

Because it is not made use of the way it should have been physiologically, that part of the body becomes low energy. Such an atmosphere always attracts cancerous cells, and it becomes a place for them to accumulate and do the necessary work that they do.

What is the solution

So does it mean to say we must produce more children? Please don’t. There are ways to find solutions for

  1. Period fasting: One of the simplest solutions for curtailing cancerous cells in the system is periodic fasting. One aspect of these cells is that they need a lot more food than a normal cell, up to 30 times more. Just by denying yourself food on certain days, you could bring down the level of cancerous cells.
  2. Spiritual practices: There are also certain types of sadhana (spiritual practices) one can do, to control one’s hormonal secretions. The Shakthi Chalana Kriya and asanas we teach help in correcting and balancing the system.
  3. Lifestyle changes: We have seen many women with uterus-related problems, such as polycystic ovaries getting completely cured by simply practicing certain asanas and kriyas. The hormonal conditions inside the body can be regulated, rather than simply reacting to the kind of food you eat and atmosphere you live in.




  • How do you manage the flow of energy in your body, particularly if it feels blocked, stuck or stagnant?
  • In addition to physical postures (Asanas) and breathwork (Pranayama), the Yogic approach also emphasises periodic fasting and regular spiritual practice. How can you incorporate these into your daily routine?

Article courtesy: The Isha Blog <>


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