Be
realistic - expect a miracle!
Overcoming Cancer Part 8
CANCER
MIND THERAPIES
Walter Last
Our mind is the most important healing
factor in cancer therapy. With the mind we decide which therapy we want to
adopt, how much effort we put into it and how strongly we believe in our
ultimate success. With our mind we can mobilize
deep inner resources and open ourselves to healing energies and spiritual
guidance. Clinical studies have shown that mind therapies are more effective in
cancer therapy than any other properly evaluated conventional therapy.
There are a number of useful steps and mind
tools, such as a spiritual philosophy, prayer and affirmations, visualization or guided imagery, meditation, and emotional
therapy. However, the key to overcoming
cancer is in the New Medicine of Dr Hamer as shown
below.
Emotional Therapy
Many cancer individuals are inhibited in
their emotional expression. Often they are unselfish, quiet and dependable, the
caring and enduring partner in a relationship. However they also tend to harbor
resentments as they hold back in expressing their anger or their own needs. For
them, family and partner come first, while they sacrifice their own desires and
dreams. This then inhibits their life force, their inner drive and vitality.
This type of behavior has been called the ‘Type C Personality’ as
compared to the Type A Personality with the opposite
character traits, and a susceptibility to heart disease.
These emotional cancer causes need to be
rectified in order to give any additional therapies a chance to work. If you
have the opportunity and financial resources, see someone who specializes in
emotional therapies, otherwise just work with your partner or a friend.
Sit down and write in as much detail as
possible about ‘the worst experience of your life’. Get into the
emotional side of it. Then preferably share it with a trusted person. Also
search your mind and write and talk to someone about your other resentments,
hurts, disappointments, losses and shattered dreams.
Practice expressing yourself forcefully;
even exaggerate gestures and body movements. Remember incidents that you did
not like and induce and release anger by kicking and punching something, cry,
scream if possible. Afterwards formally forgive yourself as well as everyone
else for past hurts and mistakes.
Practice expressing emotions and feelings
with your body. Read poetry aloud and with feeling, express feelings through
dancing and arm and hand movements, also through pantomime. Find another dream,
something worthwhile and exciting to do after you have recovered from your disease.
Be assertive, especially with medical and
other authorities; make sure that your emotional needs are being met.
Preferably get together with other cancer sufferers in weekly sessions for
emotional group therapy and support as well as sharing information and
meditating and visualizing together. Inform yourself and take control of your
therapy program. Your emotional transformation, learning to express your needs
and emotions, is the part of winning the battle with cancer.
To
sum up:
Most
cancer patients have a so-called Type C personality or behavior:
In
addition to any of the other therapies, change this behavior by:
Keep these points in mind and move towards
changing your behavior in small steps in your daily life whenever an
opportunity presents itself. In addition, use mind improvement methods, such as
meditation, affirmations and guided imagery or visualization to help you shape
yourself and your future, as you want it to be.
Overcoming Fear
We attract what we fear. One of the most
basic forms of fear is the fear of dying. You may overcome this by seeing
yourself as an immortal soul that temporarily inhabits and operates a
biological body to gain certain experiences. Numerous near-death experiences
show that death, or shedding the biological form, is generally a liberating and
pleasant event for the consciousness, and you may even have similar experiences
during meditation.
Another aspect is a fear of pain and
dependence on others, and especially in an impersonal and technological
hospital setting. However, by using a holistic program you remain in charge.
There is hardly any pain on raw foods, except from radiation and chemotherapy.
If death is inevitable, then holistic therapy lets you spend your last days in
a dignified way. Instead of trying to cling to the body, or being drugged
semi-conscious, this can become the spiritual
After the shock revelation that you have
cancer, you must gradually progress to hope, belief and faith - faith in your
spiritual guidance and that all will be well. You just do your best and the
rest is in God's hands: 'whatever will be will be', there is nothing to be
afraid of. This inner transformation can be achieved with the indicated mind
tools. Preferably develop a daily routine, which includes prayer, affirmations,
relaxation, guided imagery and meditation.
Karezza
Most
cancer patients are emotionally rather fragile, and benefit greatly from a
close-bonding loving relationship. With a suitable partner Karezza
can provide this in an easy and pleasant way; with Karezza
we can be in love everyday. When we radiate love, we feel invincible, and
disease processes cannot touch us.
High
levels of testosterone are a negative factor with prostate cancer, while high estrogen levels are detrimental with most breast cancers.
It has now been shown that when we are in love (or create a feeling of love as
with Karezza), hormone levels in both genders become
more like each other. In males testosterone levels fall to make them less
aggressive, gentler and more spiritual. Females, on the other hand, produce
more testosterone, which makes them bolder, and helps to balance excessive estrogen levels.
In Karezza the emphasis is on the inner feeling awareness as
well as on the feeling of complete union with the partner. Orgasm is avoided or
at least minimized. Caresses and slow controlled movements during intercourse
generate a steady stream of sexual energy that is consciously converted into
feelings of sublime joy and love. Typically, this may continue for an hour or
more. It is not necessary for the penis to be erect or even inside to enjoy
this type of lovemaking. Part or all of the time the tip of the penis may just
touch the entrance of the vagina, or the sexual organs may not touch at all.
The fundamental emotional cause of cancer is
an unexpected emotional shock. This may be the loss of a partner or close
relative, a job, business, financial security, or it may be a betrayal, or
sexual assault. Dr Hamer has shown that emotional
shock may trigger tumor growth; the location of the tumor depends on the
emotional content of the shock. To cure cancer, it is essential to discover and
neutralize this emotional trigger.
Commonly it takes one to two years after an
unresolved emotional shock for a tumor to be discovered. Therefore, go back in your
mind to this timeframe and carefully investigate it. Sometimes it is necessary
to go further back in time. If you cannot find anything, use relaxation,
prayer, meditation, and especially regression.
When you discover the emotional cause, you
need to release the emotional energy associated with it, and then you take
steps to repair the damage. Assuming that your shock stems from an unexpected
loss, get down to feeling the sadness, grief or anger as deeply as you can.
Cry, scream, kick, sob, whatever is required to empty yourself. It may take
hours, days or weeks, each time try going deeper to release more.
Then investigate ways of repairing the
damage. If you lost a partner, take steps to find a new one, if you lost
financial security or your job, take steps to replace what you lost. If you
lost a child, consider becoming a parent again, or adopt a child, or buy a pet.
If you have been assaulted or betrayed, try to understand the spiritual reason
for this, and from the bottom of your heart forgive the one who did this to
you, try helping others in a similar situation. For more details see The New Medicine of Dr Hamer.
Regression
Regression is a very useful tool for
exploring the subconscious level to discover the emotional conflict shock that
caused our cancer.
Basically, regression is guided imagery led
by a therapist. It is easy to learn, and you may experiment with a suitable
friend. The patient lies relaxed on the back, while the therapist gives
instructions in a soothing voice. The initial aim is to induce deep relaxation,
which may be done with the methods previously described.
Then it is suggested that the patient move
mentally back in time, and scan his life for the event that triggered the
emotional shock. When he has arrived at a significant event, let him describe
it in detail, but suggest that initially it is only experienced at the mental
level as an impartial observer. If it appears to be the genuine trigger,
suggest that the patient gradually starts feeling the emotional impact. If the
emotions become too strong, suggest that the patient withdraw from the
emotional level and move again back into mental observer mode. Move back and
forth between observer mode and emotional experience until the full emotional
impact has been re-experienced. End each
session with positive suggestions.
Repeated regressions may probe deeper into
the emotional content of the shock experience, or explore different situations
to see if there are other unresolved emotional shocks. Finally ask the patient
to re-invent the shock experience with an emotionally satisfying ending. The
patient can also continue to work on unearthed problems with affirmations and
guided imagery.
Affirmations
While prayer is addressed to a higher or
guiding consciousness, affirmation is used to re-program our subconscious mind.
To be successful, we must make a believable statement of how we want to be and
then repeat it daily for a considerable period. Our subconscious is not
impressed with intellectual or left-brain statements, which are generally
ineffective.
There are, however, several ways of making
affirmations acceptable to our subconscious. One possibility is by creating an
emotional carrier wave, as explained for prayer, which can then be modulated
with mental statements. We can also support an affirmation by trying to feel or
visualize it at the same time. Our subconscious will like a statement phrased
in poetic language, spoken rhythmically, or in rhyme, or melodically, even
singing it. Finally, we may sedate our left brain with relaxation exercises
while using affirmations, or say them in a meditative state. Experiment to find
out what suits you.
Carefully choose the best affirmations for
your condition, then write them down, and say them several times daily, either
aloud or just in your mind; best both. Also ask your subconscious for a comment
on your chosen affirmations. Repeat each one slowly and feel into yourself
whether it sounds genuine and believable, or if there is any resistance, or a
suggested change comes to your mind.
When you are sick, it may sound phony if you
assert: 'I am happy, healthy and fit.' Easier to accept is the affirmation,
made famous by Emile Coue: 'With every day in every
way I am better and better.' Remember that your affirmation is a statement of
your goal, not a description of your present condition. Therefore, your
subconscious is only asked to accept the chosen affirmation as a goal. It may,
however, suggest to say instead: 'We are happy, healthy and fit' to feel
accepted as a partner of the conscious part of your mind. Make it a habit to
say some affirmations shortly after waking up and before falling asleep.
In addition to such general affirmations,
select also a set of affirmations that are specific for your condition. You
may, for instance, say: 'My liver is healthy, the thyroid is strong, my nervous
system is balanced, my immune system is in charge, it kills all cancer cells
and microbes, the tumor is shrinking, all toxins leave my body' and so forth.
As a daily body-mind tonic, I like the
system of affirmations used by John Diamond in his book, 'Life Energy'. With
muscle testing he found that specific affirmations and their related attitudes
and emotions are linked to specific organs via the acupuncture meridians.
¥ For the thymus gland you may say: 'I
trust, I have faith, I have courage, I am grateful, I feel love'.
¥ For the lungs: 'I am tolerant, humble and
modest'.
¥ For the liver: 'I am cheerful and happy'
while the gall bladder is strengthened if you say 'I reach out with love.'
¥ For the spleen and pancreas you affirm
your faith and confidence in your future and say that you are secure.
¥ The kidneys respond to the suggestions of
balanced sexual energies. For the large intestines you affirm being worthy of
being loved and that you are basically clean and good.
¥ For the blood circulation, which is also
related to the sexual organs and functions you state that you are relaxed and
generous and renounce all past conditioning and negativity.
¥ The heart responds to feeling forgiveness
in the heart, while the stomach wants to be content and tranquil.
¥ The thyroid needs to feel light and buoyed
with hope and the small intestine wants to jump with joy. The bladder likes
peace and harmony.
Two well-known books about affirmations are:
'You Can Heal Your Life' by Louise Hay and 'I Deserve Love' by Sondra Ray. Also
many other good affirmation books and tapes are available. Experiment and
change your affirmations from time to time to suit your changing
circumstances.
Emotional Freedom Technique
The EFT technique, mainly developed by Gary Craig, is
very effective for overcoming negative emotions and disturbing memories, and
their harmful effects on body and mind. The basic principle of this method is
to combine consciousness with energy flows. The fundamental discovery of this
therapy is stated as: "The cause of all negative emotions is a disruption
of the body’s energy system."
It is claimed that single aspect problems, such as
fear of public speaking, of heights, of snakes or spiders, can often be
overcome within minutes. Also many health problems seem to yield to the same
formula. In addition we can expect a direct beneficial effect on the physical
body by balancing the energy system, especially if this is combined with
conscious awareness.
You may select a health problem or a memory that
still evokes a negative emotion when you think of it or feel into it. Gary
Craig used the following formula: "Even though I have this ___________, I
deeply and completely love and accept myself." For instance, if you have
been negatively affected by the diagnosis of cancer, then you may say:
"Even though I have this fear of cancer, I deeply and completely love and
accept myself." You may also try variations such as: “Despite my
fear of cancer, I fully expect to overcome it.” Therefore, you first
state the problem that you want to overcome and then your expected goal or
solution.
However, the more specific you can be in selecting
this statement, the more effective it will be. Your fear of cancer may be a
composite of multiple aspects, such as the fear of dying, a fear of pain or
suffering, a fear of having to leave your family behind, perhaps just fear of
the unknown, the emotional impact of the original diagnosis, apprehension of
financial hardship, of becoming incapacitated and a burden on your family and
many others. You need to address each of these different aspects separately and
say, for instance, "In spite of my fear of dying ..." or
"Although I am shocked by my cancer diagnosis ...".
In order to make the selected affirmation effective,
you tap on selected acupuncture points. This temporarily normalizes the energy
flow of the tapped meridian. Each time, while saying your affirmation you tap
each selected point about 7 times. Do this firmly with the tips of the index
and middle fingers, preferably on both sides of the body. These meridian points
are:
1. At the top of the head
2. At the inner end of each
eyebrow
3. On the bony ridge at the
outside of the eyes
4. On the bone under the eyes
5. Between the bottom of the
nose and the top of the upper lip
6. Midway between the point of
the chin and the lower lip
7. Where the breastbone,
collarbone and first rib meet
8. On the side of the body
level with the nipple of a men or the bra strap
9. On the inside of each
wrist.
At the beginning of the procedure and again after a
series of tapping assess the emotional intensity of the stressful memory or
fear by imagining the corresponding situation. Assign to it a number from 0 to
10 whereby you do not feel any emotional content at 0 but it is overwhelming at
10. If the intensity has lessened but not returned to 0, repeat it with an
adjusted affirmation. Now you may say, for instance: "Although I still
have some of this fear of cancer, I deeply and completely love and accept
myself." Later you may adjust this still further and say: "Even though I still have some of this
remaining fear of cancer …."
If your negative memory is not easily put into words,
then you may just imagine a movie scene lasting for several seconds and repeat
this when tapping each point. This may be suitable in abuse situation with many
different aspects to address. In addition to performing the tapping on
yourself, you may also work on a friend or relative. If you do not get results,
then you may need to re-formulate your affirmation to address a different
aspect of the problem, or make your affirmation more specific.
With some problems, especially of a physical nature,
it may help to repeat the procedure many times during the day for an extended
period. To overcome a strong addiction, such as for drugs or smoking, it may
need to be repeated every half waking hour for several days.
Some individuals may also be blocked by what has been
called "Energy Toxins". This may be electromagnetic pollution,
chemical sensitivity, food allergy or medical drugs. If no progress can be made
with different affirmations, then try to perform EFT in a different and
preferably unpolluted place. If this does not help, clean yourself thoroughly
in a bath or shower without any soap, and then test before putting any cloths
on. Stand on a tiled or hardwood floor instead of a carpet. If that does not
help either, you may need to go on an elimination diet as described elsewhere.
The most common energy toxins are often the foods
that we love most, in addition to perfume, herbs and spices, wheat, corn,
sugar, coffee, tea, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine and dairy products. You may
also try muscle testing to find the source of your problem.
While you may experiment with these instructions and
achieve good results, I suggest that you visit Gary Craig’s website www.emofree.com. From here you can get much
more information, case histories, a free instruction manual, and more. In
addition, you may visit www.emotionalrelief.org
for similar techniques. A good EFT protocol for beginners is on www.mercola.com.
As an extension of this method, after
freeing yourself of negative memories, you may experiment with positive
affirmations, especially for improving body conditions. While you may start out
formulating your phrase as given above and say: "Even though I still have
some remaining weakness in my immune system, I deeply and completely love and
accept myself", you may eventually rephrase it to: "Every day in
every way my immune system is stronger and stronger". In the same way you
may augment any other positive affirmations.
Relaxation
Relaxation is a pre-requisite for successful
visualization and meditation, and also affirmations are much more effective if
used in a state of deep relaxation.
An easy method is slow, rhythmical
breathing. Inhale for a slow count of eight, hold for two, exhale for eight,
hold for two, and so forth. Then focus your attention on your breath, how it
quietly flows in and out, and forget counting. In addition, you may imagine and
feel how you drift lower and lower in a long tunnel, or towards the bottom of
the sea, or walking down a shaded path to the bottom of a waterfall, or
contract your consciousness into your abdomen.
Very successful, too, is progressive muscle
relaxation. Lie comfortably with closed eyes. Focus your attention for a while
on one foot, feel it becoming heavy and warm. Then shift your attention in turn
to the ankle, the calf, the knee and the thigh. After this start with the other
foot and work your way upward. Now move gradually up the back and the front of
the trunk. Pay attention to the shoulders, the neck, the jaw, the eyes, the
forehead and the back and top of the head. With continued practice a whole leg
or arm or the torso may be relaxed at the same time.
When fully relaxed, let your affirmations
casually drift into your mind, and hold them leisurely for a while. In the same
leisurely way keep your attention on feeling the various body areas associated
with any affirmations. You are in the correct state of mind if you startle at
an unexpected noise.
Before opening the eyes when finishing your
relaxation or meditation, or after awakening, give yourself a positive
suggestion, such as: 'When I count to five I will open my eyes and feel
refreshed, energetic and joyful'.
With your consent, a friend or relative may
also give you a pre-arranged suggestion in your sleep, or you may use a
tape-recorded message with automatic timing. Sleep suggestions are especially
recommended for sick children. Also commercial tapes are available for
relaxation and guided imagery.
Autogenic Training
This is the most thorough body and mind
relaxation technique. It requires diligent practice for several weeks or even
months to master, but it is worth the effort, especially for those who are
tense, or who have difficulties contacting their body.
Lie comfortably on your back, arms loosely
alongside the body, palms down, or hands folded over the abdomen. Close your
eyes and breathe slowly into the abdomen for a few minutes. At the same time
focus your mind on the formula: "I am peaceful".
Afterwards repeat slowly in your mind:
"My right arm feels very heavy". Feel your arm becoming
limp and heavy like a leaden weight. If you are left-handed use the left arm.
After a few minutes bend and stretch the arm energetically and repeat mentally:
"Arm moves firm and free". When you can readily feel the
heaviness after several days of practice, include the other arm, and finally
also the legs and the torso. At the end of each session give the suggestion
that the whole body is now light and free.
For the next step add the focus: "My
right arm is streaming warm". After you can easily feel the warmth in
the arm, include also the other arm, the legs and the torso. The warmth does
not need to be taken back at the end of a session, only the heaviness.
For beginners in mind-body work it may take
about three weeks until the heaviness and warmth can be readily felt together.
Now you can move to the next step. Support your right elbow with a pillow so
that your right hand lies over your heart. Feel it beating and hold the mental
focus: "My heart is peaceful and strong".
When you can experience your heart, you may later keep the right arm in the
usual position.
During further practice, add the focus: "It
breathes me". Feel the breath flowing in and out without mental
control. After a week or two include the solar plexus (inside the upper
abdomen):"My solar plexus radiates warmth" or "My solar
plexus is streaming warm".
While exhaling imagine the warmth of the
breath accumulating in the stomach and abdomen and heating them up. The final
focus is: "My forehead is light an cool". You may mentally
transfer the coolness felt in the throat from the incoming breath onto the
forehead.
Each time go first through all the previous
steps, such as heaviness, warmth, peaceful heart, and then focus on the next
step you want to learn. Practice each new step until you can readily feel it.
Eventually it will be easy to relax the body completely within a very short
time. Body and mind will be still and peaceful, with the body feeling warm and
heavy, and the head cool and light. You may be in an altered state of
consciousness but should be inwardly alert and definitely not drowsy. This is
an excellent preparation to follow up with guided imagery to strengthen the
immune system and destroy any tumors.
Prayer
Prayer can be a powerful healing tool.
However effective prayer is not easy. In a dangerous situation it tends to be
much more effective than in everyday life. This is because of the spontaneous
outpouring of emotional energy at a time of great need. Like a carrier wave,
this energy easily succeeds in catapulting our prayer into the highest
spiritual realms.
A normal prayer, on the other hand, without
emotional charge, is like an earth-bound rocket, it just remains within our
mind like an affirmation or simply wishful thinking. Therefore, the first
requirement for a successful prayer is an emotional opening and outpouring that
can be achieved in so-called higher states of consciousness, as in devotional
services or meditative states, or just as a feeling of unconditional love or
compassion.
Furthermore, I do not believe in prayer as a
means of receiving a free gift. I believe we generally have to pay for what we
may receive in answer to our prayer by our willingness and effort to change,
trying to understand what God or our spiritual guidance wants us to do, and
then do it. The details may be different, but I believe the general terms are
the same for all of us: learning complete forgiveness, acting out of love
instead of fear, and developing a child-like trust and faith in our higher or
divine guidance.
When we are prepared to take these steps
towards God, then our daily prayer should mainly be concerned with asking for
guidance and strength on this, our spiritual path. When in this way we become
gradually healed on the spiritual level, our prayers for healing our biological
body will become much more effective.
A final requirement for a successful prayer
is faith that it will be answered. You can be confident of that by asking that
the will of God be done. I am sure God does not want you to suffer and will
grant you all the health and happiness that you deserve. You just need to
remove your own fear and resistance that prevent you from receiving these
gifts. Conclude with giving thanks.
Guided Imagery
Guided imagery is one of the most powerful
tools in cancer therapy. Visualization is a specific form of guided imagery.
The most effective way is to visualize as well as feel what you want to
achieve. At the beginning and end of each period of guided imagery you may
visualize and feel the following affirmations: 'All cancer cells are now being
destroyed, all toxins leave the body, the immune system is powerful, and the
metabolism is normal in every way'. Visualizations or affirmations work best if
they are immersed in positive feeling energy. Therefore, combine guided imagery
with an exercise that arouses feeling energy, such as autogenic training, the
love cure or chakra meditation. Surround the tumor
with love, and see and feel it melting and convert to normal tissue.
You may visualize the tumor as a black or
gray mass. With each inhalation see and feel a flood of white, blue or
golden-yellow energy entering your lungs and spreading from there to the tumor
site. See the healing energy gradually dissolving the tumor. This generates
discolored healing energy that you exhale. With the next slow breath, fresh
healing energy flows in and dissolves more of the tumor, and so forth until
after 5-15 minutes it has completely disappeared, and only pure healing energy
remains in the formerly diseased organ. See yourself as being already healed.
As an alternative picture, you may see and
feel a golden or white healing energy flow in through the top of your head,
wash away at the tumor, and carry the discolored energy down to the feet and
out of the soles as a stream of dirty-gray energy, which gradually becomes
clearer as the tumor gets smaller.
Finally, visualize the white healing light
in the affected organ becoming brighter and brighter, until it is a brilliant
white light that fills the whole body. At the same time feel the body being
filled with love and joy.
You may also visualize your immune cells
(B-cells and T-cells) in any shape or form charging into the tumor and
destroying cancer cells. You may see the tumor as a big cheese and the immune
cells as white mice nibbling away at it. Repeat this tumor destroying
visualization several times for a total of 15-20 minutes at a time, and in
serious conditions several times daily.
With leukemia send the healing energy
through your bone marrow and through the lymphatic system, cleaning out any
discolored obstructions and normalizing the functions of bone marrow, liver and
spleen. Also feel the healing energy as a warm, tingling presence in these
organs, bones and lymph glands.
Body Talk
Guided imagery is even more effective if you
combine it with talking to your body. Imagine that the body has many different
layers or levels of consciousness. Your mind usually works at the mental level,
while your subconscious mind is in charge of the emotional level. Below that is
the life-force level, and that is where your body-self operates. Even organs
and cells have their own distinct consciousness. Imagine that you can talk to
all of these levels, and that they are willing and eager to comply with your
wishes.
In a relaxed way talk to any organ that you
want to improve. First talk to the body self that is charge of all the
different organs. Give it a name, such as your unused middle name, and talk to
it as you would to a child with a problem. Tell it repeatedly what you want it
to do, such as shrinking a tumor, putting on weight, strengthening the immune
system, removing toxins, and so forth. Give it enthusiastic encouragement and
convince it that it is able to do it.
Then in the same way talk to the affected
organ. Tell it what you want it to do. Tell it that it is strong enough to heal
the tumor and any lesions. Ask it to turn to the body self for help. Assure the
organ that you love it, and promise frequently to send it love energy and any
other support that it may need. Then do not forget to do as you said. Tell you
body self, as well as the affected organ, to let you know what else you can do
to support them, and in a relaxed state listen for an answer. A helpful idea
may unexpectedly cross your mind.
Talk audibly to your body, and frequently
repeat talking to it. After the initial contact you may not need to be in a
relaxed state, but talk whenever you feel like it. You may find it effective
talking in front of a mirror. You may also directly talk to your army of immune
cells, giving it a pep talk as their commander in chief, or ask the red blood
cells to carry more oxygen, or the lymph fluid to remove waste products more
efficiently.
Meditation
There are many different forms of
meditation. A healing meditation aims to raise our consciousness to become more
closely aligned with our spiritual self or the Divine Will from where all
healing originates.
During meditation we should be wide-awake.
If you feel tired beforehand, do a few minutes of deep, fast breathing,
possibly while rebounding, or shaking the limbs or the whole body. Then you may
either do the full sequence of relaxation, affirmations, visualization, prayer
and meditation, or just a short relaxation followed by a prayer or affirmation
in which you state the goal or theme of your meditation, and ask for guidance
before you still your mind with slow rhythmical breathing.
Assume a comfortable position in which your
spine is straight for an extended period. You may sit erect in a chair with
good back support and both feet on the ground, or cross-legged on the floor, or
sit Japanese-style on your heels, or lie flat on your back if you can remain
wide-awake in this position.
The aim is to reach a meditative state in
which breathing becomes slow and shallow, almost imperceptible, and the body
sensations fade away. You feel as if you are in your spiritual home: content,
safe, with a warm inner glow and no inclination to think. You may not notice
the passage of time. After the meditation you may retain, or be able to recall,
that warm inner glow for a considerable time.
It may be several weeks or months of daily
meditations before you reach this meditative state, but even the initial
pre-meditative states are already of considerable benefit. In these, the mind
is occupied with a structured activity, such as following the breath, or trying
to feel and radiate love.
For me the easiest way to reach the
meditative state is by intentionally changing my breathing to a shallow 8-2
rhythm, focusing my closed eyes and awareness behind the middle of the forehead.
Others may find it easier to start by
concentrating on the heart center behind the middle of the breastbone. You can
keep your attention there by imagining that with each inhalation the breath
energy or prana moves from the outside through the
middle of your breastbone towards your spine, while during exhalation you
imagine that it moves out again through the same point. After a while you may
feel some pressure or warmth in that area and then you concentrate on this
feeling and intensify it.
When thoughts arise, just let them drift
past like small white clouds on a blue sky without paying any attention to
them; the same with outside noises, just ignore them. Initially meditate for
only 5-10 minutes but gradually extend this to 30 and even 60 minutes, as long
as it feels good doing it. Preferably make meditation a regular habit at the
same time and the same location each day. The following is an example of a
meditation using guided imagery.
Healing and Love Meditation
Sit or lie relaxed but with a straight
spine. Take some slow, full breaths; mentally follow each breath as it
continues to flow quietly in and out on its own. Feel how your body gradually
becomes immersed in cozy warmth - you may imagine being in a warm bath.
Then concentrate on the idea that with each
inhalation vital energy or prana begins to fill the
body. Direct this energy into your abdomen and feel it becoming very warm.
After this, you direct the pleasant feeling energy stream to those areas of the
body that are especially in need of healing.
Finally, you concentrate on the middle of
the chest where you create a feeling of intense love and compassion. You may
initiate this feeling by remembering an actual situation or person that invoked
such feelings in you previously. After a while you forget the actual memory and
feel love and compassion in an abstract way.
Now imagine that you radiate these feelings,
like being a sun, just radiating love and compassion instead of light and
warmth. You radiate these to all your body areas in need of healing as well as
to the outside, filling the room, the house and finally all the world. Realize
that you are not the originator of this powerful energy flow, but just a
channel through which it emerges from higher dimensions.
Chakra Meditation
Instead of or in addition to conventional
meditation, try the exercises described in The Love
Cure. In particular, focus on the energy center or chakra
that dominates the region where the cancer is located. With cancer of the
breast and lungs, for instance, focus on the heart center, with cancer of the
liver, pancreas, stomach or upper abdomen on the solar plexus, with cancer of
the sexual organs or glands on the sacral center, and with cancer of the lower
bowel also on the base center. With brain tumors activate the head chakras, and with throat cancer the throat center. For more
information see The Chakra
System.
Centering
Frequently during the day try to recall the
feeling of love and warm contentment enjoyed during meditation. If you are not
yet able to do this, try to keep part of your attention focused on your
forehead or heart center, or just on your breath while performing your daily
activities.
Initially you may just repeat an affirmation
over and over in your mind, this is called a mantra. You may inwardly say: 'I
am healed' or 'God loves me' or 'Jesus Christ', preferably in a very short but
highly meaningful statement. Even more helpful than repeating a mantra in your
head, is to project it into your heart center and repeat it there.
A highly recommended exercise is to feel and
send love from your heart. Whenever you meet someone or think of someone, smile
and silently say: "God bless you" while feeling a wave of love or joy
or compassion radiating from your heart center. Another exercise is to think of
someone and extend your arms with palms forward in the so-called Madonna
gesture. Again, smile and feel the love, joy or compassion in your heart.
During the day remember this feeling of love in your heart and focus on it.
Initially you may forget a hundred times a
day to center, but a hundred times something inside you causes you to remember,
until gradually you can remain centered most of the time, except during
concentrated mental activities. Being centered allows us to gather our energies
and gives us strength, poise and serenity; we are more alert, intuitive,
mentally and emotionally balanced.
A Spiritual Philosophy
A spiritual philosophy is our basic belief
system about the nature and purpose of our existence. Everyone has a philosophy
of life that forms the basis of their decisions and actions, even if they are
not consciously aware of it. With a spiritual philosophy of life we try to
understand our relationship with any higher or guiding forces. It gives us
guidance and support in our daily interactions.
I suggest that you contemplate the following
outline of a spiritual philosophy as a basis for your healing efforts, suitably
modified according to your present religious and spiritual beliefs.
Our existence is meaningful and has purpose.
This purpose can be expressed in different ways, such as learning to do the
will of God, following Christ, becoming one with our Source or just learning to
lead a spiritual life, and manifesting the spiritual attributes of love and
faith.
Whatever it is, it requires a conscious
effort, and our health problems show us what we need to learn and provide the
opportunity to advance spiritually. Disease cannot continue to exist if we
learn to live in harmony with the natural and divine laws that govern our
existence.
Our individual life-stream is more or less
eternal, our consciousness continues to grow and expand. It does not need a
physical body for this. We can live in an etheric
body, an astral body, a light body, gaining experiences on many different
levels of consciousness. Our present personality is only a small part of our
whole Self, and the goal of our spiritual journey is to become aware of all of
ourselves. Therefore, there is nothing to fear, nothing to lose, we can only
gain in experience and expanded consciousness.
Attitude
I regard attitude as the most important
single factor in cancer therapy. But what is the right attitude?
Regard your disease as an opportunity to
learn and grow, not as a punishment. Whatever the final outcome, we can greatly
advance on all levels of our being by seeing our therapy as a great learning
and healing adventure, something exciting that stirs us up to bring all of our
inner resources to the surface.
Do not focus on fighting your cancer. Do
what needs to be done but focus instead on improving your health.
Changing Reality
Your reality is that you have been diagnosed
as having cancer, and you may have various physical signs and symptoms to prove
it. However, the crucial point is that you cannot change reality by focusing on
what is. This is so because we create our own reality by what we focus on. If
we focus on having and fighting cancer, then we reinforce cancer as our
reality. The harder we fight it, the harder it fights back. Resist and it will
persist.
Therefore, to change your reality you need
to change your focus. You need to focus on what you want instead of what is.
That is real magic. You focus on what you want your reality to be, and fill it
with your mental and emotional energy. To do this, you may use various mind
tools such as affirmation, visualization, guided imagery, prayer and
meditation. But most importantly, you must live in harmony with the new reality
that you want to manifest. You must live as if - as if your healthier and more
joyful reality has already started to manifest. It is not enough to expect
tomorrow to be better, or on awakening in the morning to expect having a better
day. It is good to expect that but expectation is not enough. During the day
you actually need to act according to your new reality by embracing life to the
fullest.
Do whatever you need to do to improve your
health. You may have a cleansing period; you may take certain supplements, make
juices and eat certain foods, but do it with the focus of improving your health
rather than fighting the cancer and, whatever you do, do it willingly and
joyfully. Make your day as interesting and joyful as you can. The more you
succeed in this, the more you will forget that you have cancer, and the less
you will have it, and the less it will have you.
Change your focus, deny your present reality
your emotional and mental energy, and it will gradually vanish, allowing your
new reality to manifest to the degree that you invest it with your energies.
But in our physical reality that takes time. You need to be persistent with
your new focus. Any period of doubt or negativity may invalidate a long effort
of positive refocusing, and you may have to start all over again. Therefore,
avoid people and situations, mainly of a medical nature, that tend to generate
doubt and negativity. Train your mind to see only the good in everyone and
everything. Even your cancer may be good by helping you to refocus on a new and
better life.
On Death and Dying
Here, I offer some of my own views, hoping
that they may be helpful, but without intending to convince you that I am
correct. Coming to terms with our biological mortality is important to anyone,
but especially to the elderly, and those with cancer and other serious diseases.
Our emotional reaction towards death depends
largely on our beliefs about the purpose of life and the afterlife. Taking into
consideration my own experiences, inner knowledge, and studies of Near Death
Experiences, I have no doubt that our individuality, as a part of our soul,
survives the death of the biological body, and also that existence without a
biological body is generally much more enjoyable than life in a deteriorating
body.
Furthermore, the actual dying is pain-free
and an exhilarating experience. Therefore, the only regrets about the
approaching death would be the separation from loved ones, and leaving parts of
our dreams and intentions for this life unfulfilled. This will be offset by the
possibility to visit and help our loved ones from the other side, and the
chance of fulfilling our dreams in another life under more suitable
circumstances. Also, while separating from family and friends here, we will
meet previous family and friends on the other side.
Finally, I believe that we will not die
accidentally just because we used the wrong remedies or healing methods. Our
personality is just a tool or instrument of our soul to gain certain
experiences, and the soul decides if the personality is still suitable for its
purpose. The personality is most useful to the soul when it starts traveling
the spiritual path, and while I regard this as an important factor in surviving
cancer, it is not a guarantee for a cure. Perhaps it is best to say, as Jesus
did: "Father, your will be done", and be confident that everything
will be well, not only for ourselves but also for out loved ones. If and when
we should lose our body, we can expect to get something better in return.
Embrace Life
As an essential factor in overcoming cancer
make a conscious and formal decision to choose life rather than death. Fully
and joyfully embrace life with all its ups and downs by seeing it as an
exciting adventure, rather than a struggle of life and death. See yourself as
an actor and producer in a play that is still being written. You write it
yourself. The goal is not to keep your body for as long as possible, but rather
to lead an interesting life in which you learn and grow. If you adopt a
spiritual philosophy, then you realize that you have nothing to lose, nothing
to fear, you can only gain from your experiences as your individual life-stream
carries on with or without a biological body.
If you truly realize this, then it will set
you free to enjoy your life without fear, you are willing to take risks just to
see where they lead you.
Even if you have to endure temporary
hardships, see them as an athlete does who is training for the Olympics, or a
mountaineer who climbs Mount Everest. They ache with pain much of the time, but
they still push on. You do not need to push all the time. Give yourself
frequent rewards or treats for following a restricted diet or enduring other
hardships. You may occasionally break the diet and nourish your inner child.
Listen to it and try to keep it happy by giving it little surprises, going to
the movies or dancing, or a gentle massage, or beauty treatment, whatever your
inner child fancies and what is in your ability to do.
After your early morning meditation,
affirmation and visualization get out of bed with the rhythms of some lively
music. On a sunny day admire the beauty of whatever you can see from your open
window, even if it is just the sky. On a dull day expose yourself to bright
yellow, golden or orange lights and colors indoors. Try to be in nature as much
as you can. Look at the bright site of any event. The more pleasure you can
discover and create in your life, the more your body and mind will relax, the
more energy and the less pain you will experience.
Dream about what you would like to do, the
next hour, the next day, the next year. Try to have dreams that are possible to
come true, and then start planning to make them come true. Do not postpone work
on manifesting your big dream until you are healed, working on your dream is
part of the healing process.
Overview
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Cleansing Nutrients
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Mind