A big tropical thunderstorm is rolling its way through the sky right now. The thunder was so loud, it woke the whole house at 6:30 this morning.
It feels like Hawaii here. Moist, wet, with the birds singing and big dark clouds pouring warm rain off and on onto my covered patio.
It gets me in a thoughtful mood.
Out of the hundreds of blog responses I’ve received in the last month, wishing me well, one has been clinging inside my head.
The sender, Karen, wrote:
“I cannot wrap my mind around the ‘Why Summer??’ I have always known you to be a positive, happy, content woman. I thought cancer engulfed people who were worried and unhappy on the inside. This takes it to a whole different level for me.”
Yeah, for me too, Karen. I admit to having harbored a bit of the same bias.
People in personal growth often get caught up in the self-blame act. We look at everything and try to rationalize it.
“Cancer means lack of self-love.”
“Cancer is your wake-up call, because you were going down the wrong path.”
“Cancer means you’ve been stewing in negativity and a toxic environment.”
“Cancer means you weren’t paying enough attention to your body.”
Gosh, that sucks. Look at all I’m doing wrong!
Or wait a minute. Because, this is not at all how I’m experiencing this cancer.
I’m going to throw all the books and homilies and self-flagellation (that means whipping yourself, great word, huh?) away for a minute.
Let’s think about writing a new playbook for cancer, or any disease for that matter.
First, I do love myself. A whole lot. That’s one issue I’ve never ever had any trouble with.
And these last few years of my life? I’ve dumped enormous loads or grief, anger, frustration, envy”¦well you name it and I’ve dumped it. I feel as light as a feather in the wind.
Working with Flow has stripped away these feelings layer by layer.
As I’ve learned how to manifest and be in a constant state of excited alignment, I’ve learned that I am what I create, and I create what I am.
I never “pull” or attract things. Too much effort. I simply am those things that I expect Flow to gather up around me. This has meant cultivating myself from the toes up. It feels marvelous.
So as for being on the wrong path, I’d be pretty surprised to hear it. I mean I’m happy, and getting happier, and that’s my #1 sign that I’m on a good path.
How about my body? Ok, yeah I do need to give it more love. That’s why I began a Crossfit-type workout just months before more diagnosis. I eat organic foods and shun most processed items. I’m in pretty good health overall, and certainly not needing a “cancer-sized” wake up call there.
So what gives?
To go back to what I just said ”¦ “I am what I create, and I create what I am””¦ I’ve been trying to piece cancer into that.
Am I cancer?
No. But I am all the things cancer is doing for me.
I am the person who’d accept an accelerator like cancer in her life, propelling me to go deeper faster, and wake up to a lot of new teachings fast.
I’m also the person who’d “take one for the team” if some higher part of me wanted to experience a major path adjustment, or simply required the experience of “strengthening up” that cancer encourages in yourself.
I know for sure that I’m not a one-size-fits-all girl, and the idea that I lived wrong or wasn’t paying attention isn’t hitting any chord in me at all.
So I’m going to (once again) break with a lot of personal growth dogma and state that not every bad event is a result of you having “F’d it up” in some way.
Some curveballs are here because you ready for them. You don’t want the slow route. You want the fast one. You have things to learn and grow into, and some situations are going to force your hand.
Some curveballs are here, too, because some bigger part of you (your soul, higher self, your Flow self, your Source self) has a few bugs in the design it wants to work out.
And whammo, it’s picked you, and this life, and it needs you to do this so it can grow through or into something bigger and better. That’s what I mean by “taking one for the team.”
And I’m sure there are tons more reasons why we suffer, why we get ill, why things we don’t want and didn’t ever think we’d create still end up getting created and plopped in our life.
But we can stop the self-blame. We can stop the, “I’m not good enough, so this is what I got” cycle. We can instead say, “I’m doing the best I can with I know, and this is what I’m experiencing as a result.”
How much more gentle with yourself does that feel? A lot?
Many great teachers get cancer. Dr. Wayne Dyer got cancer. So did Louise Hay. And Debbie Ford, and Jerry Hicks (of Abraham). And many regular people get cancer. I just joined the club. (Now don’t you get envious, wink wink. You don’t need cancer to grow!)
And many great teachers get other things: heart disease, strokes, ALS”¦you name it, someone has it.
Disease is built into us as biological beings. There’s got to be a reason or reasons.
And rather than try to answer that big question, let’s answer the smaller questions:
What is my disease causing me to learn and experience now?
How is it blessing me?
How is it deepening me?
How is it opening my heart?
What kind of person is it molding or shaping me into?
That last question is particularly poignant. I don’t want cancer to shape me into anything that isn’t better than what I now am. If it does, then I’ve totally missed the boat.
All of these questions are in your power to respond it, and to create with. Take that creative power, and run with it.
Much love to you all.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on these ideas. Please post below.
Much love to you all.
P.S. If you’re suffering with a health condition, please check out the Heal My Body (Feel Better Now) Playlist. It will get you into the right state of flow for healing.
Summer, you are such a beautiful and amazing person. I was curious to hear your take on this. I agree 100 percent. I can apply this to a situation in my life right now. I couldn’t figure out why it was happening but this makes complete sense. I will get through it and learn years worth of lessons in record speed, and so will you. Much love!
I love you and I love how you changed the perspective of all the teachings that have been a part of the “New Age” movement for as long as I have studied. You have lifted a burden off my shoulders and I will certainly share this new perspective with everyone I know because it will certainly help with the multitude of challenges we all face in our lives. Thank You!
Dear Summer I thank you, love you and see you as perfect in every way, take care and have fun x
You are an amazing teacher, Summer. I look forward to the lessons you’ll be able to teach as you learn from this experience.
Much love to you!
Hi my dear Summer, thank you for sharing your thoughts and approach to facing cancer. Illness is illness but it cannot separate us from God. You are a courageous person and self-love will put that beam on your face and in your heart always. I wish you long-lasting comfort. Lots of love and thank you for Flowdreaming
Summer, I just met you virtually in the last two weeks. And I’m like many other readers, I don’t believe cancer has anything to do with something you’ve f’up or aren’t doing for ourselves.
Even cancer just wants to grow, as all things alive do, even if that growth creates some destruction.
One of the biggest lies?, myths? in personal growth which has been hard for me to grip is that somehow if I do everything “right”, for the “right” reasons, with love and compassion then everything in life is going to be grand.
And frankly it is – because I have the choice to use everything life gives me.
The myth is that grand = easy, strife and struggle free.
Everything we experience in life is intended for this purpose if we choose to answer the questions with our living.
Thank you for sharing these thoughts with us. May abundant health return quickly and may you be a better person for it.
I see you with my inner eye already healthy and wealthy.
🙂
Hi Summer. I agree wholeheartedly! We are not our cancer. I once said that I have to be hit over the head to hear what the universe is trying to tell me. It has happened several times in my life in very profound ways. Next week will be my 20th year living cancer free. An out of the blue breast cancer diagnosis when I was 28 set me off on a path of life changing experiences. I have completely changed compared who I was before! I feel that I even look different! This is why I call my cancer ‘my gift’ as the lessons that it taught me have indeed been a gift!
I wish you well on your journey. Just know that whatever choices you make, make them your own, own them and honour them. Trust me, this helps the healing process no end! And as I always used to say to people who would say ‘why you’-well why not me. I am just the same as every other person on this planet, no more and no less. It just is what it is and that’s that. Wishing you all the loving kindness in the universe. Julie
Brilliant! Cancer can happen to anyone is what I believe no matter how spiritual, positive, fit and healthy. It happens. It’s not a lesson or a teaching UNLESS we choose it to be something we can learn from. Every moment of our life can be a lesson. This Cancer just happens to be one of the toughest.
Summer your RESPONSE to this Cancer and the choices you are making are why so many of us find COMFORT in how YOU are dealing with what is happening. I hate this for you and for the pain, suffering, frustration, sense of betrayal and loss that you may be experiencing. Flow dreaming has certainly helped you cope and dare I say rise above the cancer. I wish only the very best for you. May you grow stronger and better every day. I love you. In between your many thoughts about the cancer I pray you are able to find the peace and joy of NOT thinking about the cancer. Thank you so much for sharing so much of your personal journey that is helping me and others. Bless you.
I am a stroke suivivor. I spent 30 hours on the floor before a friend found me and called an ambulance. I had a severe stroke during my sleep. I was left with hemiplegia. I couldn’t use my left arm and couldn’t walk. After 15 months, I can walk, drive, play piano again, use the computer.
The approach to healing is a tricky one and we have to be careful about easy generalization rules especially the ones concerning the mind/body relation.
“Any kind of illness is a shift of energy followed be a change in reality” (Panache Desai) This change in reality is associated with a de-pression in the body identity or image. illness in the body is caused by the guilt and fear of what we really are (pure souls, pure spirits) that we experience in our identification with the body. Hence the body can’t be real or sick, but the mind can be. Magical thinking is the belief that the body would heal the mind. Finally the message of illness is to keep alive the flame of being aware of the Truth of us viewed from the sane part of our mind and not viewed from that sick part which sees reality through the filter of illusions.
Normand Bourque,
Perth, Wstern Australia
http://www.wordsbeyond.us
heh Summer,
Q. What do you call 2 ducks and a cow.
A. Quackers & milk.
Remember to laugh… Relax. Rest.
Have you tried Essiac Tea to reduce the effects of chemo?
Hi Summer, hope you are getting along well. I survived breast cancer, chemo, and radiation and you can too. Cancer has a lot to do with how strong your immune system is, and you, being a high energy person, may have stressed your immune system to the limits. Normally cancer cells pop up here and there in the body but your immune system destroys them. When we become over stressed cancer can gain a hold. My advice is to rest, especially while you are undergoing the chemo and radiation. Eat high protein foods so your body has building blocks to repair itself. Do all you can to boost your immune system. Look up jokes on the Internet and laugh at them. This is psychological healing. Life is a crap shoot, ruled by statistics. Learn to use statics as predictors and to avoid becoming one.
All the best, hang in there! Meg
All our PROBLEMS of all kinds are the result of our Perceiving Reality as an Overwhelming Burden that Leaves us Emotionally and Mentally Stressed.
When you HURT it is because of How U Respond to your Thoughts.
To be HAPPY is to have the Habit of Activating Positives you Put in Your mind.
It’s all a matter of our ATTITUDES — Actually Taking the Thoughts I Think and Using them to Decide to Enjoy my Self.
Simple, but not necessarily completely true. Again, you’re assuming Summer or others who have had cancer were thinking thoughts that got them there. It’s obvious Summer wasn’t. We’ve seen how she thinks in her blogs and her products. Many who have contracted cancer were embracing life, positive and happy when it came out of nowhere. It’s just a random thing that cannot be warded off with amulets or positive energy. The positive energy helps in the healing process, but nothing anyone thinks or does is responsible for cancer landing inside of their body. It may be a bigger cause, such as pollution that happens because not enough people are fighting it as Erin Brockavich discovered. Our thoughts cannot act as armor against an assault like that. A friend of mine used to say “You can’t wear armor against fate.”
Hi Summer,
Wow! What a superbly expressed article!
Thank you so much for sharing your heart with us.
I’ve suffered from an auto immune issue for years now
at times feeling overwhelmed & exhausted.
Your words & thought processes are Sooo helpful on
many levels.
I, too, will keep this email to read over & over & to share
with others.
Love you,
Margaret
Wonderful post. Even if it was about cancer, it still would have been wonderful. Really wishing you and your whole family the very best.
Beautiful! Thank you for always being so open with us.
Hi dear Summer,
i only very recently heard about Flow Dreaming and it really strikes a cord with me as i know for sure that it is in the pre-experiencing our goals and dreams where our true creation power lies!
And your post regarding cancer & you is very upbeat, uplifting & inspiring. Now, i personally don’t have cancer and pray i never get. And i’m certainly far from giving unsolicited advice, but i would like you to check out The Journey method by Brandon Bays. Just like you, many years ago, Brandon was happily and healthily immersed in the personal growth / development arena. In fact, she ran Tony Robbins health events! AND THEN, she got cancer! AND she dissolved it within 6 1/2 weeks with the Journey method which was born through her during that time and is now helping multitudes around the globe. Including myself when i had a pre-cancerous spot on my cervix some years back which tracelessly disappeared after just one Journey process! So, no more raving about that. I feel a bit self conscious writing this but then, not saying it feels worse because it might just support your beautiful being in being with us longer, healthier and happier! Feel free to message me for more info if you wish or find me on fb, Naraya Naserian.
Because of the amazing benefits i derived from the Journey, i have become a fully qualified practitioner. Though i now live on my dream beach in Africa and can only work via phone or Skype. Sending you buckets of blessings, heaps of healing, tons of transformation and loads of LOVE, Naraya
I sure like your take on looking at disease. I kind of feel like you look at it as an extra push for you flow. Go with it!
My love goes to you
Almut
I absolutely love this blog, Summer. So accepting, uplifting, and inspiring. Thank you for sharing your insights and discoveries as you traverse this latest journey. Your insights here feel spot on. – Love. Self acceptance. Open heartedness. Curiosity. Presence. And willingness to BE the expansion you are becoming…
Much love and blessings to you.
Donna xox
Dear Summer,
I wanted to respond to some of your posts for a while now. Today, I am taking the chance.
I do not have cancer, but your suggestion to focus on answering the small questions struck a chord. The run-up to last weekend’s harvest moon was not a peaceful one because what resonated with me the most was the viral stuff about that heralding the fire and brimstone of the end of the world. On top of that, realizing that I will die some day is too scary for me because I just do not know what to expect.
What kind of person is this molding me into? I don’t know yet. I only know I don’t want to live in fear anymore.
Summer I really love your attitude and thinking!! I hate this had to happen to you, but I really believe it IS because it is making you a master teacher xoox
Overall, I am beginning to believe diseases like cancer really just happen …whether we are “good” or ” bad” …healthy eaters or rageaholics…or whatever. You touched on this perfectly in this email.
BTW Marianne Williamson has a similar view.In an article in Aug. sept. 2015 Whole Life magazine she tells the interviewer, a 3-time cancer survivor, that getting it has nothing to with being toxic or angry either.
I’m printing this to read several times. I’m experiencing daily and nightly pain with who knows (autoimmune?) symptoms and asking all the “what did I do to deserve this” questions. Thank you, Summer, for an entire new repertoire of approach to disease. I love your thoughts on acceleration and perhaps that’s it! I’ve been sailing with good health for years and just recently I’m learning to look at hurting people with more compassion and patience. I’m finding pearls of wisdom coming from sweet moments in slowing down. You truly are a wise woman and selfless. Thanks for sharing new ways of considering what we are delivered in life. Blessings, Nancy Chapin
Thank you for this article, I am recovering from a major stroke and have been asking all the same type of questions. When Rikka Zimmerman became ill I knew that a lot of the negative self talk was way off base but was lost about where to find the right angle. You have set a totally new and wonderful perspective out there for me to contemplate. I have appreciated you for many years starting with HayHouse and now I am really grateful to you. I hope the circumstances of your illness allow you to continue to be happier and happier. Much love.
Yetta
Wow – it’s about time someone said this. So much of the suffering for those involved in natural healing, etc, is this concept that you did something wrong to bring it on yourself. That’s just a burden someone who has this curve ball doesn’t also need to have heaped onto them. You’re my heroine, Summer!
Thank you Jean. 🙂