Turning Point: Tari Prinster

Tari Prinster considers herself a living testimony that it’s never too late to change. Through yoga, Tari has found not only a way to reduce pain, strengthen her immune system, feel younger, stay healthy, and manage the stress of life, but also guidance throughout her cancer recovery and seven-year survivorship. Her student-centered classes offer the OM Yoga method, using vinyasa, alignment, mindfulness, and compassion along with her own life experience to focus on therapeutic yoga for chronic disease, pain, addiction, and sports injuries. www.omyoga.com

KOL Describe what you do in 15 words or less.
Tari As a cancer survivor and yoga teacher, I work with other survivors and their caregivers through the science and wisdom of yoga.

KOL Tell us about a turning point in your life.
Tari Both cancer and yoga were turning points in my life. When I was 50, I started a yoga practice on a hunch that it would ease menopausal symptoms. It did! That was 16 years ago. Ten years ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I found yoga a powerful tool to manage the daily challenges of cancer treatments as well as the side effects and lifelong vulnerabilities they create. I discovered yoga was more than a way to stay healthy. It gave me the emotional support and spiritual comfort so needed during recovery.

KOL What do you love about teaching?
Tari The glow on my students’ faces when they are in Savasana. Seeing how the wisdom of yoga has guided them to a moment of quiet surrender and peace on their journey to recovery. And knowing that, in some small way, I have been useful to them.

KOL What are you passionate about right now?
Tari Educating other yoga teachers about the specific needs and vulnerabilities of cancer patients/survivors; teaching the proper use of yoga as a healing tool; building sangha for yoga teachers and cancer patients/survivors around the benefits of yoga; and finishing my book, a guide to doing all of the above.

KOL What do you do in your downtime?
Tari Paddle a Dragon Boat with my survivor sister in the East River of New York.

Find out about upcoming programs at Kripalu with Tari.

Read Turning Point interviews with Kripalu presenters John Demartini and Kelly Woodruff.