Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Breast cancer and the Pink Ribbon distraction


If you know someone who has or has had breast cancer, what I’m about to say make shock you, or even make your angry ~ I don't give money to breast cancer charities.

It’s not that I don’t care, or that I don’t have compassion. It’s tragic that so many women are succumbing to this dis-ease. Let’s look at this word. DIS EASE.

Why are so many women uneasy with their breasts? Why are they creating dangerous growths in this part of their body? Cancer is a disease of the 'environment'. What environment has been created within a woman's body which allows this cancer to grow?

I don’t give money to research because I believe we already have the answers and if money is to be given, it should be given to the promotion of breastfeeding and self-care.


Breast cancer, whether we like it or not, is a massive wake up call to reclaim breastfeeding and to reinvent our FEMININE role as mothers. How much more obvious does it have to get? Our breasts are screaming out to us. We live in a time where mothering is so far removed from what Nature intended. Something as big and tragic as breast cancer is NEEDED precisely because the 'wound' reveals the cure.

Looking for lumps in our breasts each month is a way of drawing them into your reality. I realise what I’m saying is completely counter to mainstream beliefs. But I do believe that if you look for fish scales on a cat you’ll most surely find them.

Breast cancer is rampant. In fact, in the USA, it’s the major killer of women between the ages of 30 and 50. In the UK, 1000 women a year die from it.

Physically, there are many reasons for this, however, numerous studies have shown that the longer a woman breastfeeds for the less likely she is to develop breast, ovarian or uterine cancer.

With so many women opting to not breastfeed, it's not surprising that breast cancer rates are sky rocketing. Mess with nature's plan and we pay the price.

Any disharmony in the physical body is a symptom of discord on an emotional level. Our body is essentially the last place it manifests. Ironically, we then try and treat the physical body rather than healing the cause. I believe we must address the metaphysical reasons for breast cancer as well as the physical.

Our breasts are symbolic of nurturing.

Metaphysically, which means to look beyond the physical, problems with the left breast have been associated with a refusal to nourish and nurture one's self. These are the people pleasers, always putting everyone else's needs way ahead of their own. Some people do it willingly, others with a more martyred tone, making it quite clear that it's a burden but they have no choice. The irony is that these people, who are willing to do so much for others, tend to feel unloved. You’ll have heard people like this say “I’ve given up everything for so and so…”


At the right breast, problems manifest for those who have trouble giving life. They tend to express it through dictating the relationship, being over-bearing and over-protective. Their path is to learn to trust that relationships can be safe without control, that love is a two way thing ~ given and received.

Breast problems, such as cancer, can be treated chemically or naturally. The true healing though, must always come from the emotional body, otherwise the issues will manifest again, in a louder way, until the message is heard. The Celestial Amplifier will just keep getting louder. When we follow the middle path of balanced expression, we find our attention in the area of the heart, rather than the breasts. This is an integration of mindful awareness. We need to nurture our self as well as others.

Let’s find a wholesome, positive way to give attention to our breasts.

Firstly, let’s encourage a new language where breasts are honoured for being important, beautiful, vital and expressive aspect of our being. Let’s integrate holistic health care which sees massage and exercises, such as yoga or pilates to build up our pectoral muscles. Let’s stop seeing breasts as only being visible if used on pornographic magazines. Let’s remove the cultural embarrassment of breastfeeding.

Being mindful of seeing the heart area positively, will help us find balance and peace in relation to breast health.

It is interesting that pink is used for the ribbons in breast cancer awareness programmes as it is associated with nurturing. Breasts, too, are associated with nurturing. They are symbolic of mothering ~ this of course doesn’t just mean the way we relate to our children, but also to others in our family, community or the world at large. When we have problems with our breasts it is mirroring our insecurities in how we feel we can nurture or protect them. It’s interesting to note that our breasts call out to us when we don’t nurture ourselves adequately either.

Understanding that the breast is about nurturing and nourishment, we should look at issues of 'the mother'.


Metaphysicians have found that there is a direct correlation with the way you were mothered, and issues developed in the breasts.

It’s too easy to become workaholics or whatever in order forget childhood, and it is just as easy to whine about what we went through with our terrible parents, but the lesson for all of us is that we weren’t put on this earth to look out for everyone.

We must practice self care and self love first. If you’ve been on an aeroplane you’ll know that the air hostesses always tell mums that in the event of an emergency, they must put on their own oxygen mask first. It’s a brilliant analogy. I remember the first time I heard it, I thought “are you crazy? Do you REALLY think I’m gonna put a mask on myself first? NO WAY!” But, you know, those air hostesses are right. We have to give ourselves oxygen first…not just on a plane, but in life, as mothers. It doesn’t mean abandoning babe or going off for a girls’ night. It’s in the simple things…drinking when thirsty, going to the loo before your bladder bursts...sitting down for five minutes when you’re exhausted.I don’t think we should hesitate to help others if they ask for it, and we can willingly do so. We must do it with pleasure, joy and love, not resentment or obligation. It’s always ok to say NO. When we say to another, we’re saying YES to our self. It always helps to look at it from this positive angle.

We can always offer maternal love and nurturing to those we love…but that doesn’t mean we need to smother them.

If you wish to avoid breast cancer, do the obvious thing and breastfeed your child until s/he is ready to wean. Avoid processed foods, and eat fresh fruit, vegetables, seeds, nuts and herbs as close to their natural state as possible. Drink plenty of pure water. Breathe fresh air. Leave a peaceful lifestyle. Meditate. Allow happiness and harmony to be your currency of choice. Find balance in your day to day choices.

Next time you consider donating to breast cancer research, take a moment to consider whether than money might be better spent on prevention through the promotion of breastfeeding.

11 comments:

Tech said...

not just breast cancer charities, any cancer charities IMNSHO!

Unknown said...

DITTO
I don't give to any charities which claim to seek medical 'answers'...

Libby said...

'Any disharmony in the physical body is a symptom of discord on an emotional level. Our body is essentially the last place it manifests.' But I had 5 miscarriages. My sister said words to this effect to me and I was very distressed. In the end I was diagnosed with a genetic blood clotting disorder, factor v leiden. post diagnosis and with treatment I gave birth to my second and third cchildren. Sometimes physical disease has a physical and not emotional cause. Love your blog and your stance by the way. Are you coming near Cheltenham on your tour? Libby

Unknown said...

Although I'm sure you mean well, quite a bit of your commentary is misconstrued...

Firstly, the leading killer of women 30-50 in the USA is cardiovascular disease, not breast cancer. Breast cancer inevitably affects approximately 1 in 8 women (and not just in the USA!). Although breastfeeding is recognized as a hindrance to ovarian, breast, and other estrogen fueled cancers, it is not a sole or magical prevention. Breast cancer can be detected genetically, by way of BRCA 1 and 2genes, specifically. As an oncology specialist, I have met women who breastfed 4 children and ended up with breast cancer. Some cancers are simply genetic. It's as simple as that.

Nature in its pure form is grand. And, you're right, clean living and nutrition contributes to maximum health. But to boldly suggest that breastfeeding will prevent cancer?

That is simply not true.

Nature isn't all berries and clean water, unfortunately. Nature can be destructive and genetically unfair, whether we like it or not.

Unknown said...

hi Libby ~ As someone who has also had miscarriages (I have had four) i empathise completely with how you felt when your sister said that.

our health, like every other aspect of our life, is something that is easier to understand AND live with when we take 100% responsibility for it...even if we don't know why we've created certain conditions.

Many people believe, like you do, that physical diseases haev physical causes. This is what our culture would have us believe.

I'm from a different camp..where mind, body and soul work together. Our physical body, I believe, is the last place disharmony shows up.

Thank you for your comment.

I'm not sure if we're getting to Cheltenham yet :-)

Best wishes, Veronika

Unknown said...

hi Christine ~ clearly we have different information sources :-)

As for the women you know who breastfed and got breast cancer, you didn't say how long they breastfed for, the type of environment they were living in etc.

Again, all the studies show that the longer a woman breastfeeds for (we're talking years, not weeks) the less likely she is to get breast cancer. Perhaps it needs to be reworded for medics to understand: if you DON'T breastfeed, or only breastfeed a short time, you greatly increase your chance of breast cancer.

It always saddens me when people in the medical profession close their eyes to new information or common sense, don't you think?
You also mentioned genetics playing a role in breast cancer..i highly recommend Dr Bruce Lipton's book The BIOLOGY OF BELIEF....you might come away from it with whole new outlook.

Again, take a look at the studies regarding breast cancer prevention and then you won't need to dismiss my comments out of hand.

with my best wishes,
Veronika

Anonymous said...

I agree with breast feeding preventing breast cancer and I believe that disharmony of the physical body is a symptom of discord on an emotional level but I think that it is much too simplistic. I will admit to not having read Dr Bruce Lipton’s book, but from my own observations it doesn’t work quite like that.
A friend (who has happily beaten breast cancer for the moment) has a family history of the disease, if she had had a daughter, however holistic the daughter’s lifestyle, the odds would have been stacked against her from the start.
I have just had my cholesterol measured and the bad cholesterol was extremely low, the nurse put it down to my diet but my mother has a very similar diet and her reading is high.
My father- in- law was over 100yrs when he died and healthy (although everything wearing out) until the end and yet he broke every rule in the book! Some of our ‘aging rock stars’ have abused their bodies in terrible ways and yet will most probably be dancing round the stage in 10 years time!
We can’t breast feed in the way nature intended. My great, great, great grandmother had 12 children starting aged 20 and finishing when she was 44 so I would imagine that she was breastfeeding almost continually for over 25years!
I think that promoting breast feeding is a good idea but an uphill task! I went on Mumsnet recently and didn’t realise that it was such a contentious subject, I made one mild, pro breast feeding comment and was told to ‘shut up’ and that I was far too naïve! I shall keep well away from the subject in future! I can understand women not getting the right support and giving up, but there are women on there who have never even tried it or who are too embarrassed to even breast feed in front of their partners. I think it has a long way to go with those sorts of attitudes.
In the meantime I shall give money to cancer charities.

Nikki said...

I definitely acknowledge the link between emotional and manifesting physical. But I had never put this together with breastfeeding and breast cancer. It makes complete sense!

I don't give to cancer charities because we will never be 'allowed' to find a cure. The pharmacutical companies would be well ahead to block it. Some say it has happened already.

Glad you're back blogging.

love Nikki xxxx

Michelle said...

Rather than donate money to breast cancer charities, I give a donation to a group called Sarah's stars. It's a support group for young women with breast cancer. It was named after a schoolfriend who died of the illness a few years ago. Sadly she developed breast cancer in her early 20's and died about 5 years later. She never had the chance to start a family or breastfeed. Yes prevention is always better than a cure but I still want to support those people who do become ill.

Libby said...

can I ask a very personal question then Veronika? one you do not have to answer. do you hold that your miscarriages were down to emotional imbalance in yourself? how do you klive with that? excuse my boldnesss. i speak as one miscarrier to another.

Anonymous said...

Some interesting points to think about.. But, I'm curious - what do you think causes breast cancer in MEN? I know it's less common among men, and I've heard of men lactating (though the men's milk is very different to breastmilk..) Men can't breastfeed, so how can they reduce their risk? I would say that men in general are less nurturing and less able/willing to express emotion etc, so if breast cancer is caused by emotional discord, why don't more men than women suffer from it?
Also, I don't have any data as yet, but I have a theory that as the average life expectancy increases, so too does the risk of chronic or terminal illness. In other words, when people often died very young from infectious diseases, they avoided developing cancer, diabetes etc because their bodies didn't have enough time to get that sick. Perhaps by using artificial means to extend life expectancy (chemicals and technology) we are trading early death for slower, more painful death, and by weakening ourselves, we weaken future generations (hence the rise in childhood cancers). Blessings to all.