by Michael Ketterhagen
During my close work these past months in bringing myself back onto a healing path from my diagnosis of multiple myeloma, a blood cancer, I have learned that I need to be my own doctor/healing practitioner. I have learned that I need to seek much information about how to treat my health and healing.
My oncologist, my acupuncturist, the numerous experts via online services all have definite suggestions about what I should do in reference to medication, eating, thinking, alternative healing practices. Even my family members and friends lovingly give me their opinion about what might help.
Because each person is very interested in my health and tells me what they think would give me a longer and healthier life, I hear many different ways to deal with my cancer and resume a wonderful, purposeful life.
My medical doctor and acupuncturist often provide me with opposing advice. Each has confidence and faith in their own practice and methods of treating cancer. That is important because in my studies of healing, faith is very important. The patient/client must have faith in the medical provider and the doctor or practitioner must have faith in his or her science and training. Both faiths are necessary for healing to advance, says Larry Dossey, MD, in his book, Healing Words: The Power of Prayer and the Practice of Medicine.
According to the dualistic thinking of most of us, I must put my faith in either my doctor or my acupuncturist in order continue my healing. I can’t have faith in both of them at the same time. I would have to make one or the other my “medical God.”
Or so I thought.
However, Yoga teaches non-duality, all is one. I realized that I could learn from both of their ways of treating my cancer and not make either of them “God”. I could make myself my “medical God” and have faith in what God within me was saying. I had originally found myself stuck in duality, thinking that one was right and the other wrong. I lost contact for a while with the ONENESS, my Divine Source within me. I had forgotten that the Divine Mother and I were one. I had to put my faith in the real God and not some human being who was giving me important information that I must use to decide what is best for me.
Another challenge for me was being taught that I should believe in the experts in my life, like medical doctors, or degreed holistic practitioners, or priests, or teachers. I should have total faith in them, especially when they were telling me to do something that might save my life. However, I was putting my faith in the wrong place. I needed to take responsibility for my own health and knowledge. My yoga practice has taught me that. God within me will never let me down. I just need to have faith in that loving, compassionate source of my life and not, out of fear, put my faith in a human being.
May the Divine Mother continue to give me strength and faith in her loving presence within me. May I continue to listen to Her Wisdom!
I pray to the divinity in you!