Employing the mind/body connection—in the form of qigong (Chinese internal energy exercises)--helped me immensely in my successful battles with four bouts of supposedly terminal bone lymphoma cancer in the early nineties. I practiced standing post meditation, one of the most powerful forms of qigong--as an adjunct to chemotherapy, which is how it should always be used.
Qigong kept me strong in many ways: it calmed my mind--taking me out of the fight-or-flight syndrome, which pumps adrenal hormones into the system that could interfere with healing. The deep abdominal breathing pumped my lymphatic system—a vital component of the immune system. In addition, qigong energized and strengthened my body at a time when I couldn't do Western exercise such as weight-lifting or jogging--the chemo was too fatiguing. And it empowered my will and reinforced it every day with regular practice. In other words, I contributed to the healing process, instead of just depending solely on the chemo and the doctors. Clear 14 years and still practicing!
I learned qigong from Ramel Rones, disciple of Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming of Boston. It's very important to learn qigong from a highly-qualified teacher who has learned from a bona fide master with a lineage originating to China. Beware--many self-proclaimed "masters" teach untested qigong!
Bob Ellal
Author, 'By These Things Live: Chronicles of a Four-Time Cancer Survivor'
