A common response to any cancer diagnosis—especially stage four—is to focus all of your energy on healing the physical body. After all, our bodies failed us in order to get to this point, right!? That's how I initially felt.
I immediately changed my diet by cutting out fast food, soda, red meat, alcohol and dairy. I also began exercising, or at least just moving my body, for a minimum of thirty minutes a day. This resulted in the shedding of unhealthy weight. Then, I began searching for any and all supplements that had an inkling of possible cancer curing and/or prevention properties. A dozen amazon shipments later and my cupboards were full of hope-filled powders that I couldn't even pronounce.
Overwhelming wellness, anyone? I was going about regaining my health all wrong by failing to see the totality of what optimal health really was. While eating right and exercising is necessary for promoting optimal health, even beyond a cancer diagnosis, it’s important not to forget about the whole self—body, soul & spirit.
Housed within the soul is our mind--our emotions. I've learned, albeit the hard way, how incredibly powerful the mind is. A negative thought creates a feeling (typically fear) within the physical body. That feeling signals the body's natural response to danger by the release of hormones, among other things. That release of hormones can wreak havoc on our bodies--particularly our immune systems--if it becomes chronic and unchecked. What we think, our bodies literally begin to believe--cell by cell. If we take it a step further and prophesy the doom and gloom, we are destroying our lives through the power of the tongue. Think and speak life so as to preserve it, not destroy it.
At the core of our being is the spirit--the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. Nurturing our spiritual growth into maturity is also an incredibly important part of total wellness. When we sit with God in silence, meditation, prayer, etc., feelings of security and peace can be felt all around. You know, that peace that surpasses all understanding. It truly exists--I've felt it. As we allow the Holy Spirit to guide us towards love, we can feel that physically also. It's like our cells begin to heal in harmony and function as God intended. Loving God and loving others leaves no room for fear, but promotes healing and life instead.
Healing our body, soul & spirit may take some time. In all fairness, undoing all the damage we've done to our bodies by consuming and being exposed to toxins will not happen overnight. Likewise, changing our indoctrinated perspectives on life may take some time. Quieting our minds to the outside world does take some practice, so be patient with the process. With God's help and consistent effort, tuning out the noise of the world will get easier.
My sweet friend, Carrie, wisely reminded me before her passing that if we seek God first, everything else will fall into place. She was right.
May we all be reminded that If we focus on walking in the Holy Spirit, and allow His light to shine through all of our broken pieces, there we will find true healing. True healing of the whole self.
Love & Sunblock