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Writer's pictureMary Maciel Pearson

Dying to live better

Updated: May 30, 2021



[M]y body is only a reflection of my internal state. If my inner self were aware of its greatness and connection with All-that-is, my body would soon reflect that and heal rapidly.



Last week my husband Dave had a virtual appointment with a doctor he had not spoken to before.

The doctor reviewed Dave’s case history and insisted that he was in remission from his 2019 cancer diagnosis.

Dave strongly emphasized that, no, he was not in remission. He was cancer-free.

He explained that a follow-up PET Scan showed “complete resolution” five months after his stage 4 lymphoma diagnosis.


Lab tests since show that his immune function and overall health are optimal. Other than targeted supplementation, he is not medicated.

Dave’s language did not resonate with the doctor. She insisted that the correct terminology is in remission. It was frustrating to overhear the conversation.

The doctor had good intent. She did not want Dave to become complacent. But, she seemed unaware of how beneficial it is to overcome the fear and live like a victor, not a victim.


Thinking you’re in remission implies you have cancer lurking in the background, waiting to ravage the body at any moment. It is very disempowering from my husband’s perspective.


Being in a perpetual state of needing to do battle is not conducive to optimal health and recovery.


The doctor's tone was expressive of detached concern as taught in medical school. She failed to connect with her patient.

Cancer: a wake-up call


To Dave, cancer was a wake-up call. It served its purpose. He embraced the spiritual lesson embedded in the experience. I wrote about it here. He felt the fear and let it go.

Spiritual distress is an aspect of health that is often overlooked in conventional healthcare. Yet, it is foundational to our physical, mental and emotional well-being. It takes into account our values, relationships and the quest for meaningful contribution in our lifetime.


As the healthcare system progresses toward placing greater emphasis on addressing: the underlying causes of disease, prevention, and finding a cure rather than just managing symptoms, a partnership with spiritual mentors becomes paramount.


A holistic approach that treats the person, not the condition, and assesses the patient in the context of their living environment is forward-thinking. With the help of advanced technology, a holistic approach will become less time consuming - more feasible.


When we believe we played a role in creating our health afflictions, we are more likely to feel empowered to heal ourselves in partnership with a team of trusted caregiving professionals.

The power of the mind


The following is an excerpt from U.S. Andersen's guided meditation, The Secret Universal Mind, effectively presented by Kelly Howell.


Through the power of our minds, we can create prisons or palaces, wealth or poverty, joy or suffering. The thoughts and images we repeat in our minds like a personal mantra are what our very powerful minds turn into reality. This is the secret. This is the knowledge that will free your life from lack, limitation, loneliness and fear.


Dave quickly recognized that his thoughts, emotions and beliefs were the invisible factors underlying his cancer diagnosis.

Thinking I am cancer-free is a belief that has served him well. Moving towards the thought that I am healthy will yield even more significant results.

Dave has since built a cottage that, to us, feels like a palace. He has recognized the wealth in well-being and embraced the joy of daily rituals.


My husband has come a long way to freeing his life from the perception of lack, limitation, loneliness and fear. Of course, this is a work-in-progress.

While he would not wish it upon anyone, he accepts the hidden gifts that came packaged in his dire cancer prognosis. He has experienced spiritual growth and transformation - the death of the old self and a rebirth to live better. It has changed the trajectory of his life.

Dying to be me


I will close with another story that provides hope.

In 2006, after a four-year battle with lymphoma, Anita Moorjani fell into a coma. She had a near death experience but chose to come back to heal, live better and heed the call to share her powerful story.


Much to the amazement of observing doctors, within weeks her countless and massive tumours disappeared. She was cancer-free.


Anita wrote a book entitled Dying to be me.


Because of my experience, I absolutely do strongly believe that we all have the capacity to heal ourselves as well as facilitate the healing of others.


~ Anita Moorjani


As with athletic world records, we often don't see what is possible until someone shows us.


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