Cancer and Conciousness - Healing Images and Thoughts
by Brad
These pages I dedicate to healing in the names of Quan-yin, Lu Tung-pin (Immortal Lu) and the Medicine Buddha
who deliver all from the sea of suffering and have compassion for all beings.
Sara has asked that I state that these pages in no way reflect her own philosophical or religious point of view . . . these are thoughts and feelings of my own experience . . . .
I have set up the following pages to reflect upon cancer, consciousness, and the Tao. It is a look at images and thoughts that I have with and would like to share with you regarding healing of not just the body but the soul as well.
Disclaimer: The views and ideas presented here and are NOT to to be taken as an option to medical treatment. I truly feel that chemotherapy and Western (alopathic) medicine are vital to the treatment of cancer - that said I also feel that complimentary medicine is of great value, even neccesity; whether it be Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Ayuerveda, North American Native Traditions, etc.
From a caregiver:
For myself, one of the ways I have been dealing with the stress of Sara's cancer has been to pay more attention to my own health. Studies that look at how people handle stress caused by life crises show that 60% of people become physically ill within 18 months of the crisis. Those that don't become ill were either fortified at the genetic level, or handled the challenges in their lives in a way that promoted good health.
It is quite a strong desire to say that "this all will pass and be over with soon". But even after treatment there is still a long journey of healing ahead of you. In the best case the treatment will be successful and lead to remission but there will still be the years of check-ups and fear of reccurance.
It is important to care for yourself. Myself, I have found that my Taoist traditions have given me alot to draw strength from. Taking the time to care for yourself daily will help you get through the stress, avoid the illness, and allow you to be fully present to heal or to be with the one you love.
Kenneth Cohen, a Taoist Priest and practitioner of the Taoist arts states "In order to overcome a serious life-threatening condition, the ancient Daoists of China advised practicing qigong frequently and intensively during the "Four Sacred Periods": Sunrise, Sunset, Midday and Midnight. In the course of the year, these periods correspond to: Spring Equinox, Autumn Equinox, Summer Solstice, and Winter Solstice, respectively. At such times of transition, when yin is changing to yang or yang is changing to yin - whether during the day or the year - we are most susceptible to disease. We can also use these periods to maximize the benifits of qigong in curing disease" (Kenneth Cohen, TheWay of Qigong; RandomHouse Canada, 1997).
Now whether or not you practice qigong or any other form of yoga, etc. I think that the message here is still invaluable. Take the time to do something that will promote your own well being: call friends amd family; meditate or use visualiztion to help you through the anger and stress; work out, jog, do yoga, taijiquan, Pilates, Feldenkrais, or any other physical exercise that you feel comforable with; or even just go to a movie or read a book.
Myself, I practice qigong (chi kung), taijiquan (tai chi), xingyiquan (hsing yi) and other physical and internal Taoist arts and it has helped me immensely. So what I would like to share are some images, thoughts and meditations I have found related to the healing of cancer. (Note: wherever possible I will attempt to give the artists (if known) their due - thank you).
Meditations & Image Work:
Healing Imagery pictures of:
I hope that these images and meditations will prove useful to you in your Healing.