BC - A Spiritual enlightenment ?

Firstly, I should apologise for posting under inspiring stories, but there wasn’t a suitable category, so I thought this was the closest.
The thing is, although I am not, and have never been particularly religious, I have found that since being diagnosed with metastatic BC last February, I have become aware of Gods presence, and wonder if anyone else feels this ?.
Obviously, some would say that if a person is given a terminal diagnosis, it’s natural for them to start contemplating life after death etc, but that’s not the case with me. Rather, it’s that God seems to have made me aware of his/her/it’s presence. Shortly after being diagnosed, I went into our village Church , and prayed for the first time in many years. I instantly felt the weight lifted, and thereafter treatment avenues that were previously closed to me, were instantly opened (even to the extent of getting my Cyberknife treatment paid for by Charity). Where I had been very materialistic and cynical about people, I now see how shallow I was, and how God works through people. Obviously nobody wants cancer, but I have spoken to many cancer patients, who feel that this aspect is in fact a blessing.
I hope this doesn’t offend other religions, or atheists.

Hi Lemongrove,

Just getting ready for bed but seen your post. I was an atheist, but was converted well before my dx and knew I wouldn’t be able to cope without it.

Some people have abandoned their faith because of it and some don’t see a connection either way.

I’ll send you a PM tomorrow.

Take care xx

Hi some lovely ladies started a thread on here called “prayers” a few years ago.I don’t think it has had many posts lately,dont know if it will interest you but I have put a link below.

breastcancercare.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=26982&p=439053&hilit=+prayers#p439053

Best wihes Melxx

Lemon-grass
Thanks so much for posting and sharing; I was someone who pre-diagnosis just accepted in a low key way my Christian faith but since diagnosis I “know” this faith and God’s hand is at work. Prayer has become part of my life - hearing the birdsong when walking in the morning whilst the Bondronet tablet activates is a reason to say,“thank you for being part of life” and yes, His power comes in many ways. On a down day the other week a former work colleague and Christian contacted me after not being in touch for quite a while and her support was a turning point in my feeling able cope again. Others will cope in different ways but I’m finding my journey into faith very important as part of my life now with breast cancer. I’ve also found it very helpful to explore Buddhism and see lots of wider religious aspects to me life. Do PM me if you want. At work we had a prayer group that was very supportive - maybe we need that virtually ourselves now and anyone could join in who wanted to?
Fran

I became a follower of the Brandon Bays Journey its different for everyone. thejourney.com/welcome.htm
Brandon cured herself of cancer.

Hi Lemongrove

A very sensitive post, thank you. I don’t share your beliefs, and have not had any “spiritual awakening” kind of experience, but I wish you well with yours.

Hi hatty,I think the spiritual is fine but the part I have a problem with is the self healing rubbish (sorry if it offends but it is my view). Wasn’t Caron Keating a folower of this women.

Gloria Hunniford, in a moving account of her daughter Caron’s battle with breast cancer, told how “she fell under the thrall of alternative therapists - some of whom were charlatans.”

Melxx

Stressy each to our own no offence taken, its not the healing that got me with Brandon it was the meditation and the journey i went on, the discovery that has helped me. Religion i dont give a hoot for its caused to many wars but as i say each to our own and at the end of the day its what gets you through with peace and hope.
Brandon you have to read to understand so perhaps me saying she cured herself was a part of it. Its the belief of how the cells work and the emotions that are hidden within them that cause cancer. If im still alive in 20 years i will say it worked until then who knows.

Hi Hatty I agree, meditation,yoga,visualisation and faith etc,anything that will get us through diagnosis and treatment and bad times.I agree about religion and war.But will never be convinced about the cure cancer with thought alone process.But like you say each to their own :slight_smile:

Melxx

Im not sure about the cure the cancer thing either but i have to say they still havent found my primary, so i like to believe its left my body. Ive had hundereds and hundreds of scans all over my body and the only cancer was in my axillary nodes. Heyho but thats typical of CUP cancer.

What a lovely post Lemongrove, even if it has been sidetracked a bit!

I feel I am on a spiritual journey through the bc. Having been brought up Roman Catholic, I gradually became more and more athiest. When the bc came, I was so determined that it would not change anything in my life, that I would beat it. Then I got a new primary during chemo. It was then that I realised I had to accept bc and that life had to change.

Gradually I have been working less, doing more yoga and walking, spending more time with my lovely boys, friends and family.

I was in New Zealand over Christmas and it was so beautiful and peaceful that I felt very close to ‘god’ . (The "Godness’ was everywhere and I have never been so happy and relaxed. 2011 is my year. MY year to be kind to myself and to explore spirituality through yoga and meditation. I don’t think it is facing death that has made me want to find peace, it is the acceptance that life has changed and that to enjoy every minute, every ‘now’, is so important. I can accept bc as a gift that has helped me become a more whole person.

I too feel like God has put special people in my life to help show me the way.

p.s. My God is not a man, my word for it is "Godness’,

sorry hadnt meant to side track the post i considered it very much on the theme of things.

Me too hatty :slight_smile:

but I don’t think it was aimed at you though :slight_smile:

Melxx

I was just saying just in case as i had gone off on a slightly different tangent to religion although its much the same in my book lol. as what works works.

I was brought up to be presbyterian, but I’m not religious. However, I do give thanks every day for the fact I’m alive and able to get on with things. I also believe in some of the wise sayings from Buddhism (I worked with Japanese people for 10 years, most of whom were Shinto and it fascinated me a bit).

I lived in London for 20 years and have friends there and abroad who are from many faiths - RC, Anglican, Hindu, Sikh and Muslim. When I was diagnosed they all contacted me to ask if they could offer prayers and to say I was touched is an understatement. My Anglican friend is very devout and she asked if her bible class could have a photo of me so they knew who they were praying for. It left me feeling very humble and I am grateful to them all at a time of great turmoil in my life. They were the same when my dad died a year before I had BC.

I find my own spirituality in walking by the sea near my home, also anywhere else close by that is beautiful as these places have a very meditational quality for me and bring peace when I’m troubled.

Ive never been religous or gone to church in adult life,but have always believed in “something” but didnt know what,Bc did;nt bring me any Spiritual enlightenment but my dads sudden death did make me realise that theres more to us than this life, on the night he died i had a expierence which i shall never forget and since then have changed my views on this whole topic, ive had lots of things happen in my life since his death which has convinced me that there are somethings that happen to us that just cant be explained,im not sure about a “God” or what but i do believe in angels , but thats another story!
Linda x

I know how you feel about something with your dad. I was living in my dad’s house when he was taken into care with dementia (I’d come back from London to look after him for a while). My mum died in my teens, but I had a very vivid dream one night where she was sitting at the top of the stairs telling me we had to try to pull together as a family to get through this. She was dressed in one of those big toque style hats like Queen Mary wore, and I always remember as a child if my mum had to buy a hat for a wedding she would refer to it as a toque,because she was young in the 30s when Queen Mary was still around.It was Christmas and New Year 6 weeks after my dad died and at the stroke of midnight all of the cards fell down in the front room and the lights flickered.

I was diagnosed almost exactly a year to the day my dad died and I had a dream that I was sitting having a cup of tea with him. I said “I’m not very well and I might be coming to visit you”. He replied “oh you silly b****r, you are not going to be visiting me for a very long time”. Just before I started chemo I had another dream that my dad’s sister who died about 15 years ago phoned me - she said “your dad has told me you’re ill, but I’m phoning to say you are going to be OK”.It might just have been on account of all the shock and upset that I had these dreams, but I’ve always taken comfort from them.

My sister went to a psychic before I was diagnosed and was told our parents were there and they were saying one of their children was going to have a difficult time, but they were looking after this child from the other side. My sister has this on tape and it is spooky given what happened a few months later. All very strange experiences.

Hi Lemongrove,
What a wonderful topic to post! I feel the same, but would never have the courage to begin one. I started going back to church (after a childhood of being dragged kicking and screaming) shortly after I began nursing 8 years ago, because it was the only place I could find comfort from the suffering that I saw. I’ll never forget the first dead body I had to wash and how I became certain of spirituality. Since then, my confidence in prayer and God’s love has grown and has been totally indispensible while I’ve been on this journey. My faith did wobble last year when I got my mets diagnosis and a pregnancy miscarried, but I light a candle everyday for my baby boy who couldn’t be here, so he can see us more easily. Since this winter I have had new, profound spiritual experiences and my mets is healing! I get such strength from the power of my prayer and I’m so happy that there are others too.
xxxxxx

After the expierence i had with my dad when he died, 6 mths later me and my mum actualy went to see a well known uk Spiritualist Medium in our town,(he does’nt do TV because of the editing) id always poo hoo’d all this kind of stuff before because ive always been extreamly cynical of these sort of things,i thought it was all a load of rubbish,thought they were all charlatans or just very good at cold reading and made lots of money out of other peoples misery , when we went to book i was so sceptical that i even insisted on paying cash at the box office gave no names or address lol, nothing at all that could be traced.
When me and mum got back home i actualy said to her , we must be nuts going to see this stuff, but its my birthday the day after the show so if any of this rubbish is true the only way il ever believe it is if my dad says happy birthday for tomorrow.
When we went to the show ,even though my dad had only died 6mths earlier ,me and mum were the first to be picked out for a message out of the 300 or so people there, this guy knew days ,dates, stuff that noone else could possibly know, he even walked around the stage simulating using a sucking tube pushing it up and down his throat,this was something that was exactly what my dad was doing after his sudden stroke while in the hospital as he couldnt swallow anymore, it was all very weird , he told me so many things about my dad ,my sister, who wasnt there as she lives up country, things about my kids ,my mum and me ect at the end of the message he then looked me straight in the eye and said your dad is going now but wants me to tell you he says happy birthday for tomorrow! needless to say i nearly fell of my chair lol.Very wierd but also very comforting .I also have a copy of the tape of that night, the other thing i thought was pretty amazing was that a physcic artist also draws a picture of the person very odd ,
Sorry if ive side tracked this thread didnt mean too lol, just one of my expierences.
Linda

Cherub i also saw my father and said i might be seeing you soon and he told me to go and enjoy life it wasnt my time yet. Its good to feel that, not sure if the brain conjures up these things for our sanity or whether it something special. I like to think its something special.