that, in his thirty years of hospital ministry, he had never experienced the Presence of God as he had during that weekend.
Drawn to Share with Others
Tim and I have gone on to facilitate over 25 retreats in fifteen cities, across Canada and abroad, and the experience has been the same every time. Given the opportunity, it seems we humans naturally and deeply care for one another.
The feedback from the retreats has been tremendous. The high scores on the evaluation forms and follow-up questionnaires are telling, but don’t match the stories of people transformed by the retreats. Their willingness to take the next steps on the healing journey fills my heart with joy.
Because Tim and I have witnessed the benefits of teaching this integrated approach to over a thousand people, we now want to share this with a wider audience. We have formed a registered charity called the Healing and Cancer Foundation, hoping to freely offer the teachings to as many people as possible. We’ve videotaped eight retreats, creating documentaries and educational sets. We’ve transcribed the interviews and weekend footage of dozens of ordinary yet extraordinary retreat participants. We are continually awed by their lived wisdom and willingness to share the intimate details of their lives.
Reading this Book – Being at a Retreat
This book closely follows the experience of attending a ‘Skills for Healing Weekend Retreat.’ The chapters more or less alternate between the ‘teachings’ presented during the weekend and the true stories of people who have attended our program. You will ‘listen’ to the lectures and talks, learn from the experiential exercises, and sit in on both large and small group discussions. You will ‘meet’ people who will tell you their stories of how they have worked with the issues being discussed in each section.
The book is divided into four sections, approximating the material presented during the weekend.
Section I, from Friday evening, is called “Empowering the Body.” It covers a powerful and integrated approach to a cancer diagnosis, bringing together the best that conventional medicine has to offer with other practical and effective ways to empower yourself physically. Also included is clear advice about how to negotiate the medical system and the science supporting healthy lifestyle choices and the mind-body connection. Following this scientifically-proven advice and practicing the recommended healing skills maximizes the chances of recovery from cancer.
Section II, titled “Settling the Mind”, parallels the Saturday morning agenda, and covers mindfulness-based stress reduction and the power of loving kindness. You will learn how to recognize your unique stress reaction and tap into the relaxation response. Tim explains mindfulness and teaches meditation in a way that is simple yet profound. Practising the skills taught here is invaluable in unleashing your body’s innate healing potential.
Section III, “Reframing Distressing Thoughts”, covers the material taught on the Saturday afternoon of a retreat. The content is a unique combination of modern psychology, mindfulness and loving-kindness. Using multiple real-life examples, we teach how to develop a different perspective of your most difficult situations by drawing on your innate wisdom and kindness. Learning the skill of ‘reframing’ can have a transformative effect on how you feel about your life.
Section IV, “Reclaiming our Wholeness”, offers the experience of a Sunday at the retreat. During this time we introduce the concept that looking at your fears directly and embracing ‘negative’ emotions can open the possibility of healing your life at a deeper level. Recognizing that your wholeness already exists, we present ways to nurture your inner light on the spiritual path.
I’m excited to offer this book to you because it includes and goes beyond my perspective as an oncologist and presents a practical and integrated approach to the cancer diagnosis. This book focuses not only on physical healing, but also healing that occurs on the psychological and spiritual levels, and your capacity to transform the cancer journey into a journey of the spirit. This book is grounded in love - love for self, love for others, and love for life itself. With mindfulness you can cultivate the energy of loving-kindness to weave love and meaning right into the fabric of your life.
Perhaps, most importantly, I want to share with you the inspiring true stories of many of the retreat participants who have touched me so deeply. These ordinary yet remarkable people have integrated the philosophy of the weekend’s teachings into their lives, and demonstrate such courage and resilience through their struggles and triumphs. Each story is different, yet there are universal themes that go beyond the personal stories into the realm of possibility – releasing healing energies that can profoundly affect every aspect of your life.
SECTION I
Friday Evening • Empowering the Body
In this section of the book, you will sit in the healing circle with fifty strangers as they experience the opening exercises of a ‘Skills for Healing Weekend Retreat’. The evening includes hearing stories of some remarkable people and a lecture entitled ‘Complete Cancer Care’ which outlines a practical and effective approach to a cancer diagnosis.
Integrating conventional medical care with healthy lifestyle habits and wisdom-based healing techniques provides the best chance of healing and recovery from cancer. Through empowering yourself physically, developing the skill of mindfulness, and embracing an attitude of pro-activity and loving-kindness, you will begin to see how wisdom and self-care can manifest in the healing of your body.
To view a seven minute documentary about Andrew (the subject of chapter 5) visit the ‘video’ link at www.HealingandCancer.org
Chapter 1
My Healing Journey
We love because it’s the only true adventure.
Niki Giovanni
Friday evening. Rob introduces himself to the group by telling the story of how he was inspired to become an oncologist and to run cancer support groups.
When I was a medical student, I didn’t know what type of doctor I wanted to be. While psychiatry and working with people with addictions were interesting, what I really wanted to understand was how people cope with the stresses we all face. Medical school catered to my inclination to look at the world as a scientist but I felt there was more to life – something was beginning to awaken in me.
One day as I was browsing in the library, a book seemed to fall off the shelf into my hands. As I stood there, looking at this book, an inner electrical charge surged through me telling me to pay close attention. The book was called “Love, Medicine and Miracles” written by Dr. Bernie Siegel, a cancer surgeon from a prestigious medical school. Bernie was the type of physician who wanted to understand the human side of the cancer experience and was a pioneer in cancer support groups. He felt called to share the wisdom he had gained from his ‘exceptional’ patients, the ones who seemed to recover quickly from their treatments, whose tumours shrunk faster than expected, who lived longer than all expectations or who even defied the odds of being cured.
Bernie emphasized that his exceptional patients found meaning in their cancer experience and ways to express their love for the people in their lives and for life itself. The stories of ordinary people, showing great courage and strength in their cancer journey, touched me deeply. I remember crying as I read on the subway. From that point on I knew, more than anything, I wanted to be a cancer doctor and to run support groups for those dealing with the disease.
