cancer as a spiritual disease

[Guest guest]

Although the overall prevalence of cancer probably increased with the

advent of the industrial revolution, it can be seen from a survey of

the traditional literature that cancer has long been with us. Thus

holistic medicine has much to offer conventional medicine from a

variety of perspectives, some of which inform modern medicine, such as

the use of toxic plant alkaloids like vincristine, antioxidants like

beta-carotene, and herbal immunomodulants such as Ashvagandha.

 

Perhaps the most important perspective that holistic medicine can

convey is that cancer is as much as spiritual disease as it is a

physical one. In Ayurvedic medicine the cohesiveness of the body is

maintain by ahamkara, a psychospiritual principle and emanation of the

divine order (mahat) that provides each of us and every cell with a

self-identity. Indeed, my concept of self is no different from yours:

we both perceive a self-identity, and it is this self-same identity

that is operant in every biological system - only the conditions are

different. It is remarkable, when examined from a strictly biological

perspective, how the eukaryotic cell evolved, and how some organelles

within each and every cell are semi-autonomous such as the

mitochondria, that despite the fact that these organelles have their

own DNA they function as a collective to form the normal human cell.

What was it that told these primitive beings to evolve into a

collective vision? From an Ayurvedic perspective, the myriad nature of

our biology and all of its various components held within this

collective vision is what is called ahamkara. From the highest

perspective ahamkara is the self-identity of the Self, the Atma or

'great soul' of the universe that exists in all dimensions and planes

of existence. Although Indian spiritual traditions suggest that it is

this ahamkara that serves as an obstruction to deeper spiritual

realizations, in reality the problem is only a confusion between what

is Self and what is condition. Self exists as a timeless and boundless

essence: spiritual ignorance is when we confuse this Self for our life

condition, so that we believe we are this conditioned existence that is

born, experiences pleasure and pain, and then fades away with death.

According to Vedanta, the most esoteric and highly evolved component of

Indian spirituality, true wisdom (jnana) comes when we see that these

factors are superimposed illusions (maya) that mask the face of the

'great soul' that is each and every thing.

 

The nature of ahamkara provides for proper self-regulation and is

easily affected by life conditions. In particular, negative emotions

and thoughts disturb the balance of ahamkara, and promote a state of

disunion within. Any experience, emotion or thought that splits the

awareness of our being into separate and distinct fragments is a factor

in this process of self-dissolution. From this perspective, it can be

seen that cancer is a fundamental disruption of this ahamkaric

self-knowledge, where negative emotions and thoughts send messages from

our awareness to our body, telling it to dissolve and spoil this

collective vision of self. Negative thoughts and emotions cause each

cell in the body to lose trust in itself, in its neighbour, and even

though the notion of unity is essentially hardwired into these cells, a

potent experience or sustained emotion or thinking pattern is

sufficient to tear away at the fabric and notion of collective unity.

Thus in the prevention and treatment of cancer it is key to learn and

practice positive thoughts and emotions while dissolving negative

feelings and emotional obstructions. Like a plant in springtime that

rises up out of the hard frozen ground to meet face to face with the

brilliance of the sun, we must begin to know this power that resides

within each of us, and as our awareness expands, it unites with the

power that exists without, completing the cycle, where we begin to know

that We are That, that We are Self, that We are God.

 

This notion of collective unity also extends beyond individual self,

into the community at large. We are part of a grand vision, a

collection of communities within communities, and thus external

dysfunctions in community can also pull ahamkara apart. One of the most

dynamic components in our sense of collective unity is our

relationships: with parents, siblings, spouses, children, friends,

co-workers and acquaintances. These people and our relationships with

them are an external map of our own consciousness, the characters in

the tragicomedy we call our lives. When a dysfunction exists within

these key relationships the messages we receive affect ahamkara, and

ahamkara in turn, affects these relationships. Thus in the treatment of

cancer it is key that we heal old wounds and unite broken spirits,

reaching out at all costs without expectation of reward, to heal the

communal wounds and bring a return to balance, order and harmony, both

within and without.

 

Another dynamic component in our sense of collective unity is our

relationship with the world at large, our physical environment, what we

call nature and the myriad creatures that live on this earth. We are

but a cell in this giant organism, and can choose either to integrate

ourselves within the collective vision of what this organism called

earth, or ignore it, like a cancer cell, and isolate ourselves from

this communion. Our relationship and attitude with nature and all its

creatures is very important in mediating influences within ahamkara.

The rise of certain cancers secondary to environmental pollutants is

simply a reflection of this dysfunction, where as a collective, humans

have attempted to isolate themselves from nature and pillage the

earth's resources like a tumor cell hungry for oxygen and glucose,

thinking of nothing except its own growth and proliferation. The next

time you hear somebody referring growth in the economy, remember what

fuels this economy, and what happens when growth isn't balanced in a

collective vision. Thus besides thinking and creating positive

thoughts and emotions, healing wounds between family and friends, the

treatment of cancer requires that we engage with nature, that we

surround ourselves with the wisdom of this great natural community:

commune with it will speak to us, will speak to ahamkara and all the

cells that comprise it, gently reminding it of this collective vision.

 

Ultimately, life is a training ground for the transition we call death.

Nobody escapes this truth, and yet death and dying are often ignored in

our daily lives. We try not to think of it, or try to think of other

things instead, putting it off until some indefinable time in the

future. Whether caused by cancer, another disease, an accident, or

simply aging, death represents the ultimate dissolution of the

collective spirit of the body. Sometimes cancer is a fatal disease: the

condition is advanced and the prognosis is poor, and there is nothing

left to do except die. Although this can generate great fear and

sadness in both the dying patient and their loved ones, it is important

to die well: complete, happy, empowered, and focused on the next stage

of the journey. According to many different spiritual traditions, death

is a journey that decides the direction of your next existence: in

fear, anger, and grief death directs consciousness to lower levels of

being, where these feelings are perpetuated until this state too

dissolves. Living in fear, anger and grief it is easy to see how it is

difficult know anything else, and thus upon this death if you choose

these thoughts and emotions you may never escape from them. Thus while

you still have the capacity to make a decision, direct your

consciousness to love, and allow the spirit of ahamkara merge with

itself: let the conditions of your life fall away, because they were

never important anyway. Hear the whisper of your heart: "come to Me,

come to My arms, come Home."

 

Caldecott

todd

www.toddcaldecott.com