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Reiki and Breast Cancer
by Margaret Dubay Mikus, Ph.D.
This is a story of courage, hope and success in one woman's healing from
breast cancer.
By nature I am a practical and cautious person. My educational background is
in science, I hold a B.S. in zoology and a Ph.D. in microbiology. Serious
illnesses have transformed my life in unexpected ways, drawing me into the
world of complementary medicine.
Using my own combination of therapies, I was successful in healing from
multiple sclerosis. In June of 1996 I was diagnosed with two different
cancers, one in each breast. At the time I was only 44 years old and had few
major risk factors for breast cancer.
After much consideration I chose to combine conventional medicine with my own
blend of unconventional therapies. I integrated surgery, chemotherapy,
radiation, Reiki, spiritual connection, energy balancing, visualization,
psychotherapy, affirmations and yoga. I formed a healing circle for family
and friends who sent me positive energy and prayers. At every stage I used
Reiki, sometimes in quite unusual ways. I never felt helpless because I could
use Reiki, regardless of what was happening to me.
I used Reiki directly on the larger tumor, which did not vanish, but
according to the pathology report, the cancer was breaking down. There could
be other explanations besides Reiki, but it was an intriguing finding.
Before surgery, I was quite fearful. I decided to give myself Reiki sessions
regularly and for about two weeks I sent Reiki every night to the surgeon and
the surgical team to ensure the best healing experience for all of us. The
surgery was to take place in a large teaching hospital and I was afraid that
my needs would get lost in the cold technical atmosphere.
On the day of surgery I encountered only warm and supportive people. I
requested only local anesthesia so I could be fully aware the whole time. I
was able to speak to each person on the medical team myself. I sent Reiki
into the cold surgical suite.
As surgery progressed, I asked to see the tissue samples that were excised,
sending them off to the lab with my blessing. Everyone was most caring and
considerate. My sense was that the Reiki energy set up a deeply healing
experience for all members of the team, including me. I felt most empowered
and the surgeon, nurses, resident and medical students were exposed to a very
different way of doing medicine.
After surgery I sent Reiki directly into the bandaged areas. Even though
large amounts of tissue were removed, I needed painkillers for only one day
following the double lumpectomy. Scarring has been minimal and internal
healing has been amazing. Much of the breast tissue has filled back in!
About a month after surgery I prepared for four chemotherapy sessions, as
recommended by my medical team. To prepare for this I had an advanced Reiki
attunement, and received a full Reiki treatment before each session. Bill
Farber, the Reiki Master/Practitioner also did some psychic surgery.
The night following each chemotherapy session I used 10 to 15 minutes of
Reiki treatments directly on my abdomen, along with accupressure bands on my
wrists to control nausea. Reiki also helped boost my immune function. As seen
in blood tests prior to each chemotherapy session, my immune cells stayed
within normal healthy range, allowing me to complete the treatments on time.
The night before my last chemo treatment, after much consideration and
consultation with a number of health care professionals, I decided not to
take the anti-nausea drugs that were prescribed for nighttime. I felt the
negative side effects of these drugs outweighed the positive benefits for me,
but this was a very personal decision. In addition to Reiki, this time I used
energy balancing techniques, a ritual to call spiritual guides to my aid, and
used Reiki to bless my drinking water. I incorporated affirmations from the
book "Heal Your Body" by Louise Hay.
I listened very carefully when my body spoke to me. If it wanted three sips
of water, I gave it exactly three sips of water. I made it through the night
and awoke clear headed, feeling a tremendous sense of empowerment and success.
One month later I began radiation treatments. I used Reiki to help recover
from the burns, as well as the emotional and spiritual effects of cancer
treatment, which is very stressful.
Probably my most unusual use of Reiki was during the actual administration of
the gamma rays. I drew the Reiki Master power symbol and the distant symbol
in the path of the radiation beam, calling on the spiritual guides to help
protect me from harm and to help send the gamma ray energy to the earth,
which is so in need of energy. I also used visualization techniques. I
continued this during 23 sessions, each time with eight different positions.
I continued to use Reiki in the post-cancer treatment recovery period. I knew
from my inner guidance that the cancer was gone and would not return. All
medical tests done so far confirm this. I have done what I needed to do to
heal completely on all levels, body, mind and spirit. Reiki was a crucial
part of my integrated approach to recovery from life-threatening illness and
difficult medical treatment.
I think this is the future of Reiki, that each individual will find the
combination of healing tools that is right for them, selecting from a large
"menu" of choices. We are limited only by our openness and our imagination.
It has been my experience that the healing of one individual heals all around
them.
I continue to use Reiki on a daily basis in my own journey to wholeness. I
have also created two volumes entitled: Shrink Wrapped and Heat Sealed:
Writings to Nurture and Heal Body, Mind and Spirit Book I and Book 2. These
contain the writings I collected during my cancer treatment, including poems,
photographs, letters and inner listening conversations. These pieces have
been very healing for me and for others. I use them in my workshop series
"Expanding Our Possibilities", which is designed for groups of adults or
children. If children learn these skills early, they'll be better able to
heal as they go through life. My intention is to spread the word!
Margaret lives in Lake Forest, Illinois
Copyright 1998 by Margaret Dubay Mikus. Reprinted with permission.
We would like to thank Margaret for her beautiful story, for her courage to
document her journey into wellness, and her willingness to share her success
with others.
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