062_Living with Cancer

The crux of the yummy way philosophy is accepting life just exactly as it is, however it is showing up in each present moment — no matter what arises.  And loving every aspect of it — because that’s what you’ve got!
It is really recognizing that it is the only way to live in equanimity with life — in the pulse of life itself. Acceptance is only way to live in peace and joy. Regardless of any particular circumstance. Even cancer. What is, is what is. Resistance to accepting it is ultimately (as the Borg would say) futile.

This brings us to the topic we’ve chosen to discuss in the upcoming series of podcasts, this one being the first. Living with cancer — the yummy way.

Lar was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer nearly three years ago. We’ve been living with cancer each moment and it has been accepting it fully as part of the dance with life we’ve been invited into, allows us to live each moment with grace. Grace that each is the whole of life. To see each moment as a miracle of life itself — grateful to be living it.
So, whatever feelings arise, we feel them as part of the dance, such as life is, when cancer comes to visit, and stays.
Part of the dance is not inching when resistance show up —  the temptation to be afraid, to hope, to want it somehow be something different than it is…
These become the springboard for deep conversation, processing, and ultimately surrender of the resistance, so we can see what really is — Life doing what it’s doing, right here and now.
There is such sweetness in surrendering resistance to what is. A serene peace that we’ve found incredible by simply showing up with our truth with each other, moment by moment, day by day, week after week — living life fully through treatments, while the body breaks down, recovers a bit, and then adjusts to each new reality as cancer does what it does.

In today’s podcast, Lar shares his experience since the recent prognosis that treatment is no longer viable. The treatment had become more toxic to the body, than the cancer.  That is the reality. Accepting reality as it actually is right now and making the decision to discontinue treatment,  and to let cancer take its natural coarse.
For us, finding that place of acceptance brings grace to live each moment, without the wishful thinking that robs us of presence. 

The whole ‘battle with cancer’ storyline is such a crock. It’s perpetuated by modern medicine and the fear of death,  keeps us from presence. None of us are getting out of this gig alive. The body’s natural course leads to death. 

Being authentically honest with ourselves in each moment is crucial to acceptance. Become aware of the patterns of our programming and notice how we feel when we aren’t being true to ourselves, our love, and the dignity of living authentically… to speak our truth, because that is what’s honest. Once we do, we can allow others the dignity to their response and not attach some fabricated personal responsibility to what they do with the information.

What are you living with that you are denying in part, hoping for something different than what is? 
Can you pause a moment and accept what is, because it is what is?
What if this were you last day on earth? How would it change the choices you make with your time and the people in your life? It could be…
Would you be totally, honestly authentically you?
Why not make today that day?

We’re going to continue to share our conversations with each other and our experience with living with cancer in the upcoming episodes — so stay tuned.

Have a yummy day!
https://theyummyway.com/