Cancer, just hearing it mentioned strikes fear, dread, sadness, and anger: emotions now prevalent in our daily lives. Cancer is "the disease" of these modern times. Why has this illness become as common as owning a computer in this country? How did cancer become such an epidemic? Where does it come from? What can we learn from it and what can we do about it and with it?

As I look upon our society as a whole and examine the overall infrastructure, I feel and see a society that is ill; overrun with materialism, competition, coldness, sadness and a sincere lack of true community and a sincere lack of having a real interest in and heartfelt thinking towards each other.

I peer through these observations with a heavy heart because I have experienced these feelings and pressures of life. Striving to see the positive, I know many folks are waking up and seeking and building community, peace, a higher calling to serve mankind, and heartfelt thinking and feeling towards one another.

However, cancer is not going away anytime soon, and why is that? From the spiritual/emotional/ mental aspect, I sense that isolation and loneliness, coupled with the lack of real communication and the over stimulation of our senses with materialism, is a core factor. People, on the whole, are rather lost and isolated in the true sense of human connection and community. Loneliness, anxiety, separation, and stress all lead to a feeling of despair, a feeling of life as a struggle; this in turn weakens all of the bodies that make up the human being: physical, etheric, astral, and ego. When the bodies are not properly aligned, illness and disease can manifest. Two quotes by Rudolf Steiner come to mind in regards to disease and suffering.

There is exactly as much suffering and pain in the world as there is interest only in the physical and material.

And for the whole human being, there is hardly anything worse than being far away in the soul, with one's heart, from what the head must perform. The more people have to do what does not interest them, the weaker they make their ether body.

From these statements, we realize the gravity and seriousness of why cancer is so prevalent in our society. Most folks, including myself, have experienced that painful feeling of doing something with your head that your heart has no interest in. Now, I am not saying this in regards to doing chores or other obligations and responsibilities of life, but in regards to a vocation or project that you have no interest in or a relationship that is not fulfilling, yet you are afraid to leave it and move on. These things can literally tear your soul and drastically weaken your etheric body. This, I feel, is a huge phenomenon in life, especially the working of a job that is slowly killing your soul. New creative jobs and community-based industries that support the local economy in all aspects are needed to create a feeling of worthiness and respect for many people and for the good of the entire community.

The quote about the relationship of pain and suffering and an individual's interest only in the physical and material holds true, though not in direct proportion to the person who only has material interests. Many people diagnosed with cancer are loving and caring individuals and many people with only material thoughts and interests do not contract this disease. Perhaps those with cancer are better able to deal with it, or perhaps they are taking a higher role in taking on the consequences of all the material and physical thoughts that are produced every day in the world. I really do not know, but it is definitely a huge and deep thought to ponder. What are the spiritual aspects behind someone contracting cancer? I think deeply on this because my mother, Kay Gillette, lived life with a passion for helping others with love and kindness; yet, she left the physical world at the age of 63 from the effects of a brain tumor.

We also need to look at the prevailing materialistic forces, as they are definitely influencing mankind in a way that is out of balance. These forces go hand in hand with modern diseases like cancer; they strive to infuse materialistic thoughts in everyone, with no inclination toward spiritual forces and a living spiritual world.

Unlike in the past when different forces influenced diseases infused with heat (fever), accompanied with hallucinations, vivid images and a sense of lifting out of the physical body, the materialistic forces of today are connected with cold, accompanied by hardening, homogenization and a feeling of being driven deep into the physical body.

Our society is cancerous and it is deeply affecting everyone.

Looking to the physical world, we have to take into account, the "Toxic Load" of this world in which we live. There is no need to go into detail as it is blatantly obvious that the water, the air, the commercial food, and the chemical products that are a part of our daily lives are affecting the health of everyone and the health of our society and are, clearly, a part of this cancer epidemic.
Therapeutically, what can be done to decrease the risks of cancer and effectively nourish someone who has this disease, with a high possibility of transforming that person's health so that the cancer is no more an issue and health and vitality are restored?

The total view of life must be taken into account when someone is working on breaking free of cancer and breaking into a new life. Aspects of nutrition, relationships, spirituality, mental/emotional powers, movement, vocation, and other life attributes have to be brought into balance and harmony. New ways of living, feeling, willing, and thinking must be brought forth.

Nutritionally, I have found that a predominately raw foods diet, including raw meat, raw eggs, and raw dairy, especially raw butter, gives the body the necessary nutrients to remove and dissolve toxins, dead cells and cancerous cells and to regenerate new cell growth that allows for rebuilding and revitalizing the effected areas of the body. Raw meat is the best source of food to generate new cellular growth and raw fat is the best source of food to dissolve and remove toxins, dead cells and cancerous cells. Raw fresh vegetable juices will alkalize and oxygenate the body and aid the raw fat in dissolving toxins. This diet can take some time to get used to, but in my professional opinion, it is the best diet to heal from cancer and bring forth health and vitality. All foods should be free of chemicals and the dairy, eggs, and meat should be from pastured chickens, wild fish, and cows that eat grass. Various herbs and supplements are also very important to facilitate healing and detoxification.

In addition to cleansing the body with organic whole foods, supplements, and other natural protocols, the home must be cleansed of all toxic cleaners, detergents, body care products, etc. The water for drinking and bathing must be filtered. Even the clothes a person wears should be natural, like cotton, wool, and silk.

To a certain extent, those with cancer need to get back to nature as much possible, including walking with and enjoying Mother Nature and all her healing and comforting attributes.

Furthermore, any negative relationships, vocations, and or mental/emotional states need to be addressed and guided back to harmony through diligent and courageous inner work. The serenity prayer is a wonderful prayer to take to heart and soul during a challenging time.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change:
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.

Although cancer is normally seen as a tragedy in our society, a new prospective must be considered. Cancer must be looked upon as a calling to change our society and ourselves: a deep change that brings life back to a balanced living state where the physical and spiritual worlds are working together and guiding mankind to why we are really here: to evolve as the universe evolves with higher spiritual thinking, to fully grasp and understand the spiritual mysteries, to develop heart felt and loving relationships that can be continued into the spiritual world, and to develop a true sense of brotherhood and sisterhood by sincerely becoming interested and concerned with how your fellow human beings are doing and living.

Cancer can take our society and us on the present currents of fear, isolation and gross materialism, or we can alter the currents and change the direction of cancer with love, a real sense of community, the cleansing of our bodies and the environment, and the persistent and devoted work we must perform with each other and with the spiritual world.