The topic of Spontaneous Healing fascinates me. This is a brief summary of some very important research done on the topic, and also some of my own insights.
Definition Spontaneous: occurring as a result of a sudden inner impulse or inclination and without premeditation or external cause. A reminder that spontaneous does not mean instantly.
Background Story
I follow the work of an organization called IONS – Institute of Noetic Sciences, which researches topics involving aspects of consciousness and spirituality like dreams, near death experiences, energy healing, meditation, psychic phenomena, and similar.
In 2012 IONS put out some information about the work of an undergraduate student at the University of California Berkeley, Kelly Turner. Kelly had decided to write her thesis paper on the Spontaneous Remission of Cancer, and IONS included a link to her published paper. I stayed up all night and read the entire thing – SO INTERESTING!
Side Note – this thesis paper later became her published book, “Radical Remission” by Kelly Turner Ph.D. If you want the juicy details, read this book.
How Kelly’s Research Was Gathered
Kelly initially had some problems because the many letters she sent out to hospitals and mainstream doctors went almost completely unanswered. She let them know she was working on her thesis and asked for any available data on Spontaneous Remission of Cancer. How often did this happen and under what circumstances?
Guess what – mainstream medicine doesn’t track any data like this.
Enter Plan B – send out the same letters to ‘alternative’/natural clinics and practitioners. And now, success! This is where the data can be found, and there is a lot. This makes me wonder how much more prevalent spontaneous healing would be if people were taught how often it actually happens. Our beliefs do play a huge role in creating our reality.
In order to be considered for her study a person needed documented proof of being diagnosed with cancer. They also needed documented proof that the cancer no longer exists, and there is no known medical reason for this remission.
From an international response, Kelly first interviewed numerous alternative practitioners and healers (Group A) about what their treatment methods were and how they applied them. These answers were coded in a way that allowed them to be run through a software program that could analyze for common data found.
After looking at these results, Kelly realized she also needed to talk to the actual patients who had experienced healing (Group B). From their perspective, how did they heal? These answers, which were very different from Group A, were also coded and analyzed for common data.
The Importance Of The Healer vs Healee Viewpoint
In my own practice, when someone heals I love to ask from their perspective how it happened. I am always humbled and mind-blown from their response, because it is almost never what I would expect.
I would like to think that it was specific techniques, herbs, or topicals I used. While those are brought up as important pieces, there is always something that came from within the person themselves – a thought or an insight that was an epiphany – this is the catalyst.
As a direct example, my father spontaneously healed from Stage IV cancer. Along with receiving treatment from an acupuncturist in his local area, I worked extensively with him on diet/nutrition, herbal supplements, and mindset. When I asked him how he healed, he said two things: First, he had complete confidence in his practitioners. Second, he profoundly KNEW it wasn’t his time yet, and this knowing created a sense of ease through the overall experience.
At his 6 month checkup after his diagnosis and refusal of western treatment, there was no sign of cancer in his body – from that point on.
The Data Results
In Kelly’s thesis, there were 3 main beliefs, and 9 strong items that showed up in the data analysis. They are:
- Belief #1: Change the condition (internal and external environment) under which cancer thrives
- Belief #2: Illness = Blockage/Slowness, Health = Movement
- Belief #3: A Body-Mind-Spirit interaction exists, and there is an energy that permeates all 3 levels
9 Commonalities In People Who Spontaneously Healed
**The details were different for each person and it was very clear that there is not just, for example, one diet or one herb that works. However changing from current circumstances and habits is required.**
- Changing one’s diet
- Experiencing a deepening of spirituality
- Feeling love, joy, happiness
- Releasing repressed emotions
- Taking vitamins and/or herbs
- Using your intuition to help make treatment decisions
- Taking control of health decisions
- Having a strong will to live
- Receiving social support
I hope you find this information inspiring so far, and that it reminds us that there are many more possibilities than we have long been ingrained to believe. It does leave one question, though.
What Does Healing Mean?
The answer to this question is likely different for each person. I know my personal definition of Healing has changed dramatically over the years.
I believe that Healing is not usually an event, it’s a journey. I also believe that death is not failure as at some point it is inevitable, and that the time of our death is exclusively between our Higher Self and The Creator. Every moment of life is precious in some way, even if we don’t understand it right now.
These are some questions I would ponder: the answers to these are never a judgement, only awareness.
- Has there been forgiveness, especially of the self, maybe of the body too? Does anything remain unforgivable?
- Is there an acceptance of life and all of its lessons, hardships, and joys?
- How much has the Heart opened, particularly to self-love?
- Are there any fears being held on to, including fear of death?
True healing means much more than just curing a disease. It is about finding peace, balance, and meaning in our experience of life, regardless of whether or not the body fully recovers. It is about being different than we were before, and being a more loving and compassionate person than we were before.
The catalyst of spontaneous healing cannot be forced, and all of the above information can help to spark our curiosity into the internal environment where catalyst possibility abounds. Our level of creativity in these matters is astonishing!
May you and your healing be blessed with Light,
~ Cynthia
