This writing is dedicated to all those who follow the Way of the Cross and the Christ. It has been said that one should write with one’s own blood, and this I do. For the Way of the Cross demands everything of who you are, everything you wish to be. And what do you receive in return? Everything that is God becomes our own. You walk this path alone, even as Jesus was stripped of everything, even his dignity as he went the Way of the Cross. Blessings to all who strive to emulate our beloved Christ in every detail—in his crucifixion and in his resurrection.
The Rose Blooms from the Blood Upon the Cross
It is upon this cross that I am nailed. I have come but for this purpose. The past, my limitations and my all is purged from this little cup of my self; for new wine cannot be poured into an old wineskin, least the skin burst at is seams and the elixir is lost.
I cry out in my agony, I writhe and groan, for it is a heavy price that I pay. “I cannot do this,” says my humanness, and yet somehow I do. It is Grace that has put me upon my cross, it keeps there and will not abandon me, ever. However, I am often more aware of my suffering than sweet Grace—that only wants my highest good.
I suffer not just for my soul’s sake, but for all creation. For the lifting of one link of life’s chain lifts all. “Oh Lord, when will this end?” And Grace answers, “When every contaminant has been scoured from the cup, so that nothing of the three lower natures will sour My wine of pure Spirit.” Thus am I nailed, in this way I suffer. But, it is the suffering to end all suffering. The bridge may groan under a tremendous load coming over it, but still it stands. And if this body were to drop off when the work is done? What of it! I have an eternal reward that surpasses the life of this body in the way the sun’s light is greater than the firefly.
My friends, be not afraid. Each cross is perfectly fitted to its wearer. Yours is perfect for you, even as mine has been for me. It is Love that sees you through, it is Love that makes all possible. Go boldly forward, knowing that all is in His sweet hands, shaping your soul into His likeness and image with the utmost care. For you are not different from He; He cares for you even as you love the Infinite Beloved. It is love that gives to love—and the rose blooms in the desert.
Shiva: perfect balance of male and female–perfectly balanced energies
Periodically we read about the public downfall of men and women due to sexual misbehavior. However, while these cases are portrayed as spectacular, sexual energy is very much with us and is highly influential in all of our everyday lives. It can be innocently “making yourself look nice,” or two available people flirting. Then it can take a dark turn, to the extremes of predatory deviancy and sexual violence—and everything in between. To find the high road of sexual energy is the task of all incarnated souls—this is especially true for those treading the path of spiritual practice who require keen awareness of its benefits and pitfalls.
God designed human bodies to represent sexual opposites; male and female. It has been said that in the higher yugas, in more enlightened times, a couple could produce a baby without sexual contact: through the power of thought or a touch of the hand. However, for most humanity today coming together as man and woman is the typical means. What has been the most successful formula around the world is for a man and woman to form a bond of committed marriage, then to raise children as a family.
However, sexual energy does not simply run in straight lines of husband and wife. We must learn the wisdom of what it can do for us, and how it can lead to our downfall. There is no doubt that Western society has become highly sexualized, with advertising, film, television and print media all capitalizing upon the power of sex energy to sell products and ideas. There is precious little in these medias to support the beauty of a committed relationship, the sacrifice of love, and the benefits of transmuting sexual energy into creativity and spiritual realization. The effort to liberate sexual repression of the past all too often results in debasing relationships into serial affairs, the blatant use of sex to sell anything and everything, as well as the means to gain and exploit power.
Those of us following a spiritual path must come to a right understanding of the role of sexual energy; finding in this most powerful human drive the very means for unleashing its spiritual potential. We know through our own experience how potent a force sexual energy is. From childhood to getting on in years, it plays a part in our lives. In religious traditions sex is many times demonized for the downfall of mankind—and there is truth in this, but that teaching must be properly understood.
The preexistent soul is free of desire nature and common human needs—it is of pure light and consciousness. When soul consciousness mingles with earthly expression it can be done with a light touch—producing no binding attachments. However, the soul can also become focused on the object of the senses, creating a desire for more and more. This desire nature creates a split of the human self from the real Self. Now, instead of being a pure Soul-expression, awareness is driven by desire nature. Sex, along with survival instinct and desire for power are incredible allurements that are occasionally satisfied, but always calling for more. Consciousness, controlled by these forces falls from its original state of freedom, is now at the beck and call of lower impulses. Sexual energy being so powerful and having such a drawing power becomes binding when unregulated in human affairs—it literally and symbolically is the counter-opposite of spiritual freedom.
For animals, sexual energy is powerful but regulated by nature. Certain mammals mate only a few times in life, going years without reproducing. Higher human evolution loses connection with natural regulation; many times, the higher the intelligence the more cunning and dominant sexual desire can be. To recognize how powerful, pervasive and destructive sexual energy can be, is not say it is all-powerful, but to recognize its importance and how demanding of a task it is to purify and transmute it. You can think of our mission as twofold, one is purifying sexual energy on a human level, and the second is raising and transmuting it into a wholly new paradigm—the super fuel for Divine Consciousness.
In addition to transmuting sexual energy for spiritual advancement, we also know from history that many great artists and writers have been abstinent during times of intense creativity. The uprush of compelling creative energy draws upon transmuted sexual energy; that is why there is no interest in the sexual act when the energy is flowing up the spine to creative centers. This transformed energy takes away any urge for procreative activity—this is not in any way repressing the energy, but giving it creative expression.
Purifying sexual energy on a human level means finding beauty in complimentary relationships between the sexes, the ability to transmute it into a creative force, and appreciating its sacred power to bring about new life—a truly remarkable miracle. Mother Hamilton is perhaps unique in spiritual annals, particularly in the West, for teaching the uplifting beauty in relationships between men and women. Anything from the tasteful use of makeup by ladies, to gentlemanly behavior by men, she sought to bring out the best of behavior and consciousness between the sexes—not for exaltation of base drives, but coming to know the real expression of Soul through the body. At the infancy of the sexual revolution of the 1960s, Mother had a mature vision for finding the higher road of sexual energy. She delighted in being a woman, she deeply appreciated the role of men, she was for equal pay for equal work, but also knew that men and women have some great and good differences. I have never known anyone, man or woman, so perfectly balanced in male and female energy, yet she was always the perfect expression of a woman.
Even with this great example before them, there were many who followed Mother’s teachings that were tripped up by sexual energy in their path toward God-realization. Every aspirant knows that sexual desire is one of the great oppositional forces in their sadhana. In addition to this general battle, there is also a particular time when entering into spiritual experiences when the full power of sexual energy emerges and seeks to reassert its dominance. Whatever latent desire nature is present, it is now given high octane fuel from the serpent or kundalini force. Given the powerful role sexual energy plays from the beginning to the end in our spiritual journey, we must know its proper role and be its good and faithful steward.
Keeping the utmost integrity in thought, word and deed is your greatest ally as a devotee. When you feel sex-energy stimulated (outside of marriage), avoid the situation, go deeper into prayer and communion with your infinite Beloved. Surrender this impulse at the feet of the Lord and visualize the energy flowing up from the base of the spine into the higher centers of the heart, the ajna (the third eye) and the sahaswara (the crown of the head). This shifts your spiritual practice from any sort of crude form of repression to that of the transmutated energy. Teach yourself to appreciate the superior experience of spiritual purity and freedom. Instruct the mind and desire nature, “Oh mind, observe, see how the energy flowing up the spine leads to bliss, expansiveness and freedom. Contrast that to how confining, demanding, and ultimately unfulfilling it is when I give into it.” Sexual energy is like a snowball at the top of the hill, if you stop it immediately at its beginning you can more easily master it. But, if you give into it, it starts rolling down the hill and when you try stopping it after it has become as big as a house, you will be hard pressed to change it—however, a strong determination backed by divine will can move mountains and change the course of a run-a-way snowball!
Spiritual freedom and purity are vastly superior to anything the five senses can offer. The body uses divine power and directs it through the nerves, when channeled through the senses you are experiencing pure spiritual energy indirectly, and much diluted. However, when you have God-experience, you tap directly into the Source of the intelligence and power that is creating this entire universe. You may think of the yogi sitting in his cave in deep meditation as the one who is doing without—sitting all alone and nothing interesting happens. In reality, he is united with the kingdom of heaven that is all bliss, fulfillment, and knowledge of God—he is a monarch not of this earth, but of infinite Spirit. By comparison this earth in a carnal sense will seem grubby, shabby, and low grade.
Husband and wife through time and experience of a deepening relationship and spiritual attunement can successfully transmute all experiences into spiritual awareness. Through divine prompting there may be physical union that plays a part in their lives, which elevates the sexual experience into spiritual union. The after-effect is merging into an ocean of Infinite expanse. On a human level there will always be differences between two people, but in Spirit there is a perfect joining of two souls into One. Mother said that such a union is the highest experience on a human level.
When raised, transmuted sexual energy becomes the very fuel for total spiritual union with God. The sex force that plagues the aspirant in his sadhana as an oppositional force and proves to be the downfall of many, now becomes his or her greatest ally. That is why the downward facing serpent in Genesis is later changed, and in the teachings of Moses and Jesus the serpent force becomes upward facing and leads to spiritual illumination.[1]
Through intelligent application of will with a higher purpose, the aspirant realizes the fullest benefit of transmuted sexual energy. Creating a list of “don’ts” without understanding its tremendous positive potential leads to perversion. However, with a clear awareness of all that sexual energy can do, the ways it is transformed into creative endeavors and spiritual upliftment, the aspirant discovers the real source of a truly liberating sexual revolution.
[1] Elizabeth Haich speaks of this transmutation with great wisdom in her book, Sexual Energy and Yoga.
Years ago I took a solemn vow to God: always speak the truth. There are many disciplines one can take up, but this is one of the most stringent. You may think, “Well, I generally speak the truth,” but generally won’t do—it must be every word.
When I was young I would tell a lie to avoid getting into trouble. It was based on fear; so truth and courage must go hand in hand. Even into my adult years I might have said something that was untrue, even if it was shading a thing to make myself look better. So, to speak the truth means you are simple, open—without guile or pretense—like an innocent child.
There is one essential component that must accompany truth for it to be complete, and that is love; the intention of what is said must be for the highest good of all. I have seen so-called truth used like a bludgeon; a cruel stroke not meant to heal but to hurt and dominate. This is not truth, for the intention behind the revelation comes with a crooked purpose—it is based on a lie. In the Mahabharata, Krishna works to mediate a solution with Duryodhana before the great war, but the egotistical king is spoiling for a fight and refuses to budge. After the war Duryodhana angrily berates Krishna for causing the war, and relates a number of events when blaming him—as the reader we know that what Duryodhana is saying is factually true. Krishna tells Duryodhana that all he says is a lie! To understand Krishna’s response, we must go behind the scenes and understand that the Lord is not responding to the outward facts, but Duryodhana’s premise that the war was Krishna’s fault—in reality it was Duryodhana who pushed the world into cataclysm. A series of facts alone does not alone determine truth.
I have seen an individual tell all the worst things about himself at a first meeting in a social situation. On the surface it may seem he is a humble person. But looking a little deeper, rather than self-abnegation being the reason he is truthful, he is actually trying to preserve his ego. It is an attempt to inoculate himself, “If the worst is said by me, then you will not criticize me, for I have already done that, and even exaggerated my faults.” So, you see, it is not the truth because one, it is an exaggeration, and two, the motivation is not humility, but egotism-the socially intended purpose is a falsehood.
Once when I was crossing the border into Canada the guard asked me a question—I went on to add information to my answer. He very curtly cut me off and said that I should only answer the question asked! I took this to heart. Always speaking the truth does not mean we must say everything we know; we only need to know that what we say is true. To make sure this is not a “sin of omission,” we need to know our purpose in choosing our words. If by not saying something someone is harmed, then we should carefully consider our action—we must be clear if it is the falsehood of fear or desire nature that was driving our words.
There are many tests in everyday circumstance for us to speak and know the truth. Some people have the tendency to see the worst in everything. Listening to the news can make the world seem a terrible place. However, the news is very one sided: almost all of it is bad news. Little is said about the vast, vast majority who did not suffer trauma on a particular day—because there is a lack of balance it is not the truth. On the other hand, there are those who do not want to face a truth because it makes them uncomfortable or it is painful, this is lopsided in the other direction. And, some will watch a show about an extremely bad situation, and say, “Now, that is real life!” But who’s real life is it? Does that mean that all those who are not drug addicts, victims of abuse or murder do not have real lives? And then there are those who become livid at what they hear about a public figure—yet, how are we to know the inner person and the whole situation from what is reported? Truth means we do not distort the reality—truth goes to the heart of the matter with clarity, not swayed by emotion or bias.
When truth and love go together it does not diminish the clarity of truth. There are some very hard realities about life, and people commit acts of evil that should not be swept under the rug. However, as a member of this world, and that world includes the evil which is done, if our outrage for wrong action disconnects us from God and the universal vision, then our emotional reaction cannot be said to represent the whole truth. If someone has suffered some trauma in his life, then he sees someone else suffer a similar fate and he sees red, consumed with hatred at the action, then he is not dealing with the whole truth, but a painful reaction to his own past that is projected upon the present. Those committing terrible acts must be stopped, and that is a loving act for the villain as well as the victim, because although the victimizer may be jailed and face consequences for his actions, he is prohibited from further heinous actions which would continue to further darken his soul.
To know the truth in its totality you must have a calm mind. By meditating deeply you pierce the veil of separation and realize the all-pervasive Spirit—you know truth as God knows it and through the universal vision you realize that you cannot be separate from any part of creation. To perceive truth on this level entails more than always speaking the truth—however speaking the truth is a pre-requisite to attaining and becoming established in this higher plane of consciousness. Those who lie and try to cover things up and then go on to say they represent the highest truth cannot be what they say they are.
Let us explore together the practice of speaking the truth—it is one of the great disciplines we may engage in. As we go even further into it, let us then be focused on realizing the supreme Truth at its highest level. How do we know we have come into knowing this higher truth? The great Master Jesus said that when you know the truth, it sets you free—no truer words have ever been spoken.
And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall
remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Matthew 17King James Version (KJV)
Faith is such an interesting word, especially as it pertains to our spiritual understanding. The dictionary tells us faith is complete trust or confidence in someone or something. Jesus often relates faith to spontaneous healing of a remarkable nature. Faith in God, faith in yourself, faith in the goodness of life—so many elements to such a deep word.
You start by mastering the ABCs of spiritual living, and faith is basic foundation block. Your basic attitude about life tells a lot about your real inner life. Faith in God means you shift the burden onto Him—God is the operator, you are the machine. Your part is to sensitively attune yourself to the Operator of the machine, be an extension of His will, intelligence and power.
Acting in perfect concert with Divine Consciousness you are free of fear and doubt. Perfect faith means absolute comprehension that God is in control. I have had numerous medical tests and procedures and it has surprised me how much fear is exhibited by patients. You can understand concern, and a natural desire not to have to be there, but health hits very close to home, to our attachment to this body, imagination can run rampant and add worry upon worry.
There are, of course, other challenges to faith. Money problems can be a great strain, not having enough, being in debt, feeling the pressure that you should have more and it reflects on who you are if you do not. Faith in God is knowing who you are independent of outer circumstances; faith is knowing that God is your supply and through active attunement with Him, He will lead you toward prosperity that is exactly right for you.
Another area is in relationships. Having that perfect someone in your life, children who behave correctly, problems with parents, friends, workmates. Faith in God means He is your primary relationship in life. Through your attunement to Him you feel His love, His companionship, you are a friend to others and in time draw good associates to you, and He is your protection in difficult relationships.
Faith runs through every part of your life, and each day you can assess your progress in the development of perfect faith. With faith you have peace, inner assurance, and a true knowing that God is guiding and protecting you. It is a true basis for your spiritual life.
Swamiji asks me to read from STORIES AS TOLD BY SWAMI RAMDAS during Satsang
Today we mark the mahasamadhi of a great soul, Swami Satchidananda of Anandashram. Swamiji is my second “spiritual Mother,” being an indispensable help in my sadhana to realize God. His life is a shining example of perfect humility, a dedicated and loving disciple of Papa Ramdas and Mother Krishnabai, and a tireless servant of God.
So many thoughts of him flood into me, each memory a thread that by itself is wonderful—and making a woven fabric that is far more than the sum of its parts and past description. So, the puny human mind can only take up a strand at a time and sense its quality—it is all that it can do, and it is so inadequate for the task of knowing the greatness of his beloved Soul.
When I first went to Anandashram in 1998 I was there to do deepened spiritual practice. After two months of pilgrimage around India I was exhausted from travel and looking forward to being at the Ashram for the next four months. I had thought that I would have my room, chant at the mandir, and practice meditation while there. However, I was to discover there was a hidden treasure at the Ashram. Daily I came into contact with Swamiji, his inner worth slowly making itself clear to me.
Somehow I made my way into his room one evening, the door was open and I came in and sat on the matted floor, my back against the wall across the room from Swamiji. Swamiji, Gopi (later Swami Muktananda), Ananthraman and a small group of his intimates carried on the business of the Ashram, answering letters and attending to endless details. I pronamed on the floor across from him when I came in, sat for an hour, then pronamed, silently rose and left. Someone came to know that I was doing this and told me no one was allowed in his room at that time! I wondered if I was doing something wrong, but Swamiji gave me a nod when I came in, and another nod when I left—at the Ashram inmates are not shy about telling you if you sit in the wrong place; so I continued my nocturnal sittings.
One evening I did not attend Swamiji, I was not feeling well. The next night he asked about my not coming, it was only then my mind was completely settled that I was not an unwelcome intruder! One night I entered and Swamiji immediately said, “close the door and lock it,” to one of the attendants. This was new, totally unexpected—what is happening! “Tonight, we are going to show David how to wear a dhoti,” a single cloth that wraps around the waist and hangs to the feet. After giving me a cloth and showing me how to fold it at the waist, Swamiji gave me his own belt for keeping it secure. Swamiji said, “Papa said it is ‘dangerous’ for Westerners to wear dhotis!” That night I discovered that I managed very well without the training wheels of a belt and wore the dhoti quite comfortably for most of my time at the Ashram after that.
At another time Swamiji presented a wooden carving of Ganesha to me; such a lovely and unexpected gift. He told me about a statue of Ganesh in India that drinks milk when it is presented to its trunk. He then called for a glass of milk and a spoon; they were soon brought to his room. So childlike, so innocently he took a spoonful to the wooden statue’s trunk, we both watched in expectation, but alas no milk disappeared. Finally, without any self-consciousness Swamiji said, “He is not taking today.” Swamiji’s role was that of a CEO of a large ashram, responsible, conscientious, well in command of the ship he navigated, yet standing there together, watching the trunk and spoon full of milk, we were two divine children looking to see what God might do. It left a deep impression on my soul.
Returning to the Ashram every few years Swamiji and the Ashram treated us with such love and solicitude. Swamiji was holding satsang outdoors after his walk. A chair was brought out for him under the banyan tree that Papa had sat under years before. I sat on the ground; mats would appear as if by magic for everyone to sit on. Swamiji called for another chair, all wondered who the visiting dignitary was? Then Swamiji asked me to come and sit on the chair next to him! He reached over and took my hand, and we sat hand in hand for the rest of the satsang; this was repeated at each satsang thereafter. Oh, what treasured moments, my heart fairly bursting its banks, wordlessly singing in awe and gratitude; no thought could intrude upon this feeling of upliftment from this remarkable God-man—my second spiritual Mother.
The next memory thread comes at the end of my last darshan with Swamiji. I ask him for permission to leave. He says, “No, I want you to stay always.” I am touched and surprised by this response, but I will not leave without his permission. Suddenly my mind has to consider living at the Ashram only—is this what God is willing for me? Then, after a few minutes he says that he knows that I must go. “Swamiji, will I see you again?” “Not likely.” These simple words wrench my heart, tears brim in my eyes. I am aswim in grief at the prospect of not having Swamiji living here on earth. Cruel master time is pushing us to make our departure. I bow at his feet, I take a few steps back and bow to the floor again. With all the Ashram in attendance on either side, I bow again after a few more steps. During the recession from the long room, seven times I take a few steps and bow to the floor. It feels like tearing my own skin off to leave, but God has ordained the moment.
Once Swamiji said, “Whenever you think of being here, you are.” It was his blessing for me, and it has proven to be true. And when I think of being with him, I am—not just in memory or thought, but in living spirit. These memory-threads are pulled out of my heart and shared with you in all love and reverence. May you taste his spirit, feel his quiet, and know who he is in God—for he was, and continues to be a great blessing for one and for all.
All humans strive for happiness, this is a commonality amongst everyone. Even those who have self destructive behavior, if you go deeply enough into their motivations you will see there is some anticipated payoff. In a very real way this world is an experimental laboratory in which every person is testing each one’s theory on what will produce the greatest amount of happiness.
Even for one who is ruled by fear, you might say he is miserable, and that would be true–however the need to guard against some perceived threat is thought to be preferable to living life free of the fear. The masochist gets perverse pleasure from his own suffering, the sadist from the suffering of others–all seek happiness in one form or another.
Those of us who seek out God-experience have come to the conclusion that there is nothing in this world that can give complete happiness, for anything that is born must die–death being the end of things must necessarily take happiness with it. Therefore, only that which is eternal can give fulfillment to one’s heart’s desire. But eternality alone is not enough, for life without abiding joy is hell; so ongoing bliss must be part of the equation. The other required element, that may seem self-evident but is also necessary, is that one must be a conscious participant in this experience of eternal bliss. The combination of an eternal self, consciousness, and bliss–sat, chid, ananda–must all be present for real and lasting happiness. There are other elements of course, such as truth–no one would be satisfied with a life based on lies–expansiveness, purity, openness, the happiness of others, connectivity, etc.
Happily, these elements or qualities are all met in our conception of a Divine Life, or God–fulfilled happiness is a reality when all of these aspects are realized in one’s life. Inspired by saints and realized beings around the world you enter into the experimental laboratory of spiritual practice. You meditate and pray, you chant and sing to the Infinite, you serve others, and you indeed get a taste of happiness. In the beginning of discovering your deepened spiritual practice you may have a honeymoon phase in which happiness comes so easily, but like all honeymoons this is a stage, not the mature fulfillment.
This is because you are not one hundred percent of one mind. A part of you seeks God, other parts are ruled by passions and fears. Like adding green wood to a fire, if the heat is not intense enough the green wood can dampen the fire. I have watched green wood stream water out of one end of the log furthest from the intense flame. If the fire is too weak, the green wood will only smolder and even kill the flame. Therefore the fire of spiritual practice must burn brightly in order to consume all the green wood of conflicting desires.
Association with realized souls and those aspirants with burning zeal adds to the flame of enthusiasm and makes you burn bright. Reading or hearing inspired wisdom adds dry seasoned wood. Making God-contact in deepened meditation and singing His name throughout the day inflames the soul and makes it mad for God. Love for God radiates a luster of Divine Light in you and helps others to burn brightly. The ego-mind of separation is consumed in this flame and the Divine Goal of Satchidananda–the eternal Self, full consciousness and bliss are now enjoyed, fulfilling your deepest heart’s desire. The experiment is proved–QED–you now know from your own experience that realizing God alone is the source of true and lasting happiness!
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Since God has not arranged for me to give a talk this Sunday, I wish all Canadians a very happy Thanksgiving. I am also including this most perfect song/poem from the Gospel of Ramakrishna, a song that Bhupati sang for the great master and his devotees when Ramakrishna was suffering from advanced throat cancer.
Hallowed be Brahman, the Absolute, the Infinite, the Fathomless! Higher than the highest, deeper than the deepest depths! Thou are the Light of Truth, The Fount of Love, the Home of Bliss! This universe with all its manifold and blessed modes Is but the enchanting poem of Thine inexhaustible thought; Its beauty overflows on every side. O Thou Poet, great and primal, in the rhythm of Thy thought The sun and moon arise and move toward their setting; The stars, shining like bits of gems, are the fair characters In which Thy song is written across the blue expanse of sky; The year, with its six seasons, in tune with the happy earth, Proclaims Thy glory to the end of time. The colours of the flowers reveal Thy sovereign Beauty, The waters in their stillness, Thy deep Serenity; The thunder-clap unveils to us the terror of Thy law. Deep is Thine Essence, truly; how can a foolish mind perceive it? Wondering, it meditates on Thee from yuga to yuga’s end; Millions upon millions of suns and moons and stars Bow down to Thee, O Lord, in rapturous awe! Beholding Thy creation, men and women weep for joy; The gods and angels worship Thee, O All-pervading Presence! O Thou, the Fount of Goodness, bestow on us Thy Knowledge; Bestow on us devotion, bestow pure love and perfect peace; And grant us shelter at Thy hallowed feet.
I have completed the health tests for this current round, and they have come out with positive results. Yesterday I had consultation with my oncological naturopath; he has played a central role in my healthcare these past two years and contributed to the clean health reports with his recommendations for supplements based on blood tests and his knowledge about how cancer cells proliferate. These plant-based prescriptions have been targeted for the support of the body by strengthening the immune system, robbing tumors of what they need to grow (i.e. zinc interferes with the delivery of copper which cancer cells require), and supplements that have shown cancer fighting ability (specifically for melanoma that, in the past, grew in my internal organs). Cause and effect is not always easy to determine, however his is the only medical treatment I have been receiving–allopathic doctors have had nothing to offer without tumors being present.
There are things I can do on my own as well. For instance I have had weight gain, and that is not only hard on my overall system, but can be an aid to tumor growth. Being overweight affects cancer risk factors such as insulin growth factor 1, it can result in chronic low-level inflammation, fat cells produce estrogen and affect cell regulation which are additional risk factors; of course being overweight can affect general health and quality of life as well.
With that in mind I have set some goals for myself–if this is an issue for you this is a time we can all join together to attain our ideal weight. The doctor suggested I set a goal of losing 2 lbs a month–seems extremely doable. I will see him in six months and I will have trimmed 10% weight off and look to increase lean muscle. With good intentions only and no specific goals it is too easy to continue on as I have, so I will check in weekly with the scale for feedback on how I am doing.
My method will be to take advantage of “low hanging fruit” for commonsense weight loss: no desserts, baked goods or chips. Eat healthy vegetables, easy on fruit and grains. For me, limit or eliminate snacking. When traveling my biggest offense was snacking on chips; those days are over. I have a good sense of what foods trigger cravings, no more of those. I have been successful in the past losing weight when I set my mind to it, however I know others who have greatly benefited from programs such as Weight Watchers, which offers good structure and support.
At the end of six months I will asses how I feel with 10% loss to see if it should be more. When I am happy with the results I will spend the next six months maintaining my weight without gaining any back. After that I will regularly check in with the scale, the truth teller for trends, to maintain what I have set out to weigh. This longterm followup is essential, for in the past I have lost the weight, but the slippery slope leads to gaining it back over time.
If this a goal for you as well I would love for you to join me in this journey. Weight is a big issue in our prosperous times, learning how to manage our eating and activities to produce the maximum health benefits is one of our great challenges as machines do more work for us and high calorie foods are so easily and cheaply available. Bon appetit and good health to you at your right weight!
