| On November 21, 2004, my sister Carla, at 58 | | | | Kabalistic teachings (mystical knowledge of the |
| years of age, died of breast cancer. My sister | | | | ancient Hebrews) talk of the body being the |
| was a beautiful woman who rejected her own | | | | vessel for the soul's expression. According to the |
| beauty. She had a passion for conversation and | | | | teachings, if the body is cut off from the soul's |
| loved to give advice whether you wanted it or | | | | life-force, then disease can occur. But even today, |
| not. She wove her husband and three sons into a | | | | the media has become involved in bringing this |
| tight-knit family structure, believing that they | | | | important message to the forefront: |
| would never leave her. Eight years prior to her | | | | The recently released movie "What the Bleep Do |
| death her husband Larry died of leukemia. Before | | | | You Know" explores-through the conscious and |
| her husband died, Carla had a will to live. | | | | subconscious-how repressed emotional expression |
| Afterwards, she slowly slid into a depression. | | | | weakens our immune system. To delve into the |
| Therapy and medication weren't able to help, nor | | | | self to heal, a person needs to enter into the |
| did her affinity for shopping or her supportive | | | | shadow side of his or her psyche. Though a |
| family. | | | | therapist/healer can try to help an individual dig |
| For the past two years my sister hid that she | | | | deep to recover a lost and wounded soul, the |
| had breast cancer. She blamed her ill health on a | | | | person has to ultimately choose to make the |
| car accident. She disregarded medical intervention, | | | | journey on his or her own. To direct a person's |
| refused to get a mammogram and sought | | | | attention through years of defense into deeper |
| treatment that kept her in denial of her prognosis. | | | | feelings and expression takes focus and |
| By the time she allowed an oncologist to examine | | | | dedication. Through the use of breath work, |
| her it was too late. The family was shocked by | | | | creativity and experiential mind/body processes I |
| the revelation that Carla was going to die. | | | | help awaken the body's trust to release painful |
| As my sister lay dying I cried out to the heavens. | | | | emotions. |
| How could this happen? I stared at her swollen | | | | There are many answers and questions that |
| face aching to receive an answer. Carla remained | | | | guide us to make choices. I hope these facts, |
| silent, entering into another realm of existence. My | | | | both medical and humanistic, will spark at least |
| mind's eye wandered through menageries of | | | | one person to choose life. |
| memories: Carla and I dancing on the front porch | | | | Here are some tips to help you keep your body |
| of our Brooklyn home; playing tag; dressed in frills | | | | free of disease: |
| and lace; fighting over a dress, a brush and our | | | | " Eat a balanced diet and exercise. |
| parents' attention. We were sisters through and | | | | " Hug yourself often. |
| through. | | | | " Express, feel, express. |
| But now, our differences became apparent; Why | | | | " Ask for help. |
| did she avoid getting a mammogram? I read | | | | " Never give up. |
| somewhere that 13 million U.S. women 40 years | | | | " Be creative. |
| of age or older have never had a mammogram. | | | | " Intimacy heals. Spend time talking with family |
| What made my sister one of the 13 million | | | | and friends. |
| women? Perusing through breast cancer Web | | | | " Receive life as a gift. |
| sites, I found a multitude of interesting information | | | | " Remember: Your life has purpose. |
| about technologies, treatments, prevention, | | | | " Ask: What makes me feel alive? |
| genetics, detection, surgery, improved outlooks | | | | " Say: I am enough just the way I am. |
| and more. However, there was no coverage | | | | " Realize that you alone create the meaning of |
| regarding cancer and depression, cancer and | | | | your life. |
| nutrition, cancer and meditation, cancer and healing | | | | There was so much my sister loved in life; but |
| childhood abuse, cancer and creativity, cancer and | | | | what she loved could not save her from what |
| anger, nor cancer and grief. Though I do not | | | | she hated about herself. She stopped caring and |
| disregard proven medical treatment and the | | | | therefore denied her body life. My heart hurts |
| urgency for early detection and treatment, I do | | | | knowing my sister is gone. I will miss her smile, |
| advocate for extended research into the | | | | her voice and her flamboyant laughter. She will live |
| emotionality of cancer, more education on | | | | on in my mind and soul forever. Hopefully, my |
| carcinogenic foods (sugar, caffeine and food | | | | story will inspire, educate and motivate at least |
| additives) and high-caloric diets, and an | | | | one of you to encourage a sister, mother, |
| investigation regarding the negative mental | | | | daughter, brother, father or son to never give up |
| influences that activate cancer. | | | | on themselves or life. |
| As a trained metaphysician and an emotional-body | | | | IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BREAST |
| practitioner, I believe stress to the body is caused | | | | CANCER |
| by traumatized emotions and repressed | | | | " Every two minutes a woman is diagnosed with |
| expression, and that negative thinking causes | | | | breast cancer. |
| mental, physical and emotional disorders. And it | | | | " Each year, 182,000 women are diagnosed with |
| seems I'm not alone in my beliefs. One of the | | | | breast cancer and 43,300 die. |
| leading pharmaceutical companies in the world, | | | | " Approximately 1,600 men will be diagnosed with |
| SmithKline Beecham, distributed the video to | | | | breast cancer this year. About 400 of them are |
| hospitals throughout the United States. | | | | predicted to die. |
| Metaphysician, publisher and author Louise L. Hay | | | | " One woman in eight who lives to age 85 will |
| wrote in her best-selling book "You Can Heal Your | | | | develop breast cancer during her lifetime. |
| Life" that "The thoughts we think and the words | | | | " Breast cancer is the leading cause of death in |
| we speak create "our experiences" After she | | | | women between the ages of 40 and 55. |
| self-healed vaginal cancer, she wrote the book to | | | | " Seventy percent of all breast cancers are found |
| guide individuals to uncover emotional beliefs and | | | | through breast self-exams, but not all lumps are |
| traumas that cause illness. A breast problem, | | | | detectable by touch. |
| according to Hay, is "a refusal to nourish the self" | | | | " A mammogram can detect breast cancer up to |
| and causes behaviors such as "over-mothering, | | | | two years before a lump is large enough to be |
| over-protectiveness and overbearing attitudes." | | | | felt. Thermo grams (which measure changes in |
| She also wrote that cancer is caused by "deep | | | | the skin through heat) can detect an abnormality |
| hurt" and that people who are afflicted with these | | | | approximately seven years in advance. Found |
| unexpressed wounds "carry hatreds" and "blame | | | | early, there is a five-year survival rate of 96 |
| and give up." These intense emotions and | | | | percent, so get at least one of these tests done |
| thoughts were the exact issues my sister denied | | | | yearly. |
| throughout her life. | | | | |