Cancer and Enlightenment - 5 Steps of Awareness
What do cancer and enlightenment have in common? Even though they seem light-years apart, they actually share a lot of common characteristics. First of all, people want to know more about both. Secondly, both cancer and enlightenment still remain sort of a mystery in our minds. We want to know the roots of both. Lastly, we still have yet to tame both the these phenomena. Of course, the distinguishing point between them is the fact that people want less and less of cancer and more and more of enlightenment.
This article is not about how to attain enlightenment. Rather, it's more about how to initiate your journey toward enlightenment after you have been diagnosed with cancer.
When we say that cancer is a disease, we are actually saying that we are at dis-ease with ourselves. I like to refer to disease as an imbalance of the mind, body and soul. When our Pranic energy (life force) is not channeled the right way, we become more immune to contracting a disease.
Now, there can be many factors as to why we experience dreaded diseases like cancer. Cancer can be caused by exposure to harmful radiation, bad eating habits, hereditary factors and of course, the biggest of all: Stress. The sacred sciences of spiritual healing believe very strongly that every disease (or wellness) first start in our minds and then it manifest itself into a physical form. The Eastern sages have often mentioned that we can heal ourselves by talking to our cells, practicing breathing techniques and programming our mind to create the life we want to create.
Let's start with a very basic routine. A minor shift in our lifestyle can create a significant change for people fighting cancer. If you are diagnosed with cancer and reading this article right now, it already means that you haven't given up! It also means that you are ready to fight the dis-ease in yourself and unlock your true potential. We will follow a 5-Step plan toward our enlightenment in the midst of cancer:
Step 1:
Know that you have power to choose: It doesn't matter how troubling your circumstances are, you always have the power to create and control your life. When you accept this fact, life automatically gives you power to build this energy and create your life map as you walk on. Choose the people who will encourage you. Choose the words that will heal you. Most importantly, choose the actions that will bring only positivity in your life.
Step 2:
Rise above the cancer: You cannot heal the cancer by acting on the plane it was firstly created. Be it the stress or a hereditary factor or some physical accident, you have to get out of that zone before you prepare yourself to fight it. Good health happens when discipline meets the will power to restructure your inner self. Promise yourself that you will never ever get into the same mindset again. Tell yourself that your every action will take you beyond the circumstances which put you in this situation. You can start this step by meeting different people, reading good books, or just observe and practice self-awareness every morning.
Step 3:
Accept yourself without any judgments: Rumi said, "The moment you accept what troubles you've been given, the door will open." Apply this exact principal in your life. Accept the fact that you have been given a tough diagnosis for a reason. Once you get out of your inner fight and stop feeling sorry for yourself, only then you can find the hidden meaning behind this situation. No safe and sound person ever created any revolution in human history. Use this opportunity to live your deepest fears and confront them. Once you accept that cancer can even be a life threatening disease, only then you will start looking at life from a different perspective. It may not be right that it took cancer to make us realize beauty of life but isn't that the human condition? We take everything for granted until it starts getting away from us. As they say, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!"
Step 4:
Know that everything is temporary: Once you get equipped with the fact that nothing in life is permanent, your obsession with the body will go away. Your healing will only start once you transcend your obsession with the physical form into pure love. Understand that you are just pure consciousness manifested into this physical form. Panicking about your disease will only make it worse. But understanding the science behind it will make the journey a better experience.
Step 5:
Medication to Meditation: I would be wrong if I claim that only meditation will cure you from a disease like cancer. I would also be equally wrong to say that only medication will get rid of the big C-word from your life. In fact, a balance of both will absolutely bring you to your equilibrium. Meditation is more practical and less theoretical. Each of you will have a different experience in meditation. So, don't be discouraged or overconfident in your meditation journey. Make up your mind that you will be disciplined enough to devote a few minutes every day to your self-healing via meditation, breathing techniques and mantras.
In my other articles, I will discuss more in-depth about how meditation can achieve harmony between mind, body and soul. Your homework should be to meditate and meditate more on the above mentioned 5 steps. If you are a caregiver or a cancer patient, tell yourself that it is cancer-schmancer after all and you are going to trash it before it trashes you!
About the author:
As Founder of the self-discovery center Break The Norms (BTN), Chandresh Bhardwaj is one of the youngest inspirational New Age teachers of our time. Pursuing initiatives as a life coach, spiritual healer, and friend, his work emphasizes techniques in the Eastern Science of Healing and Transformation. Sought from people all over the world, his guidance allows for a uncorrupted and honest approach towards spirituality. Primarily, Chandresh conducts programs at Break the Norms to transcend the mind, body, and soul in heightened awareness. He is currently serving clients in the USA, India, England as well as Canada. As a published writer, Chandresh provokes spiritual dialogue in themes such as meditation, repressed emotions, power thoughts and Tantra. Presently, he contributes to Tathaastu Magazine, Natural Awakenings, Intent Voice and Elephant Journal. Moreover, Chandresh is a featured guest on Karma Mantra's Spiritual Labs video series on self-growth and wellness. Chandresh is an active member in the 'Cancer-Schmancer Movement' and is leading the 'Medication to Meditation Movement' as part of BTN's collaboration with Cancer Schmancer.