The Cancer Healing Journey of A National Champion Swimmer
Ginny Walden, Honolulu, Haiwaii
Aloha Friends!
Here is my complete Testimonial, up to date, as of 4-30-2000.
As a child I was an avid swimmer and athlete. When I was 17, I was
training for the 1964 Olympics and broke the national record for the 1500
meter Freestyle. All my life I was health conscious. I did not smoke or eat
a lot of junk food. For a period I drank alcohol lightly. My diet was full of
vegetables and fruits and not a lot of meat, but I did eat dairy, sweets and
red meat. When I was 21 I moved from NY to Santa Fe, NM
to pursue my calling as an artist. Now at 53 I have been a sculptor,
classical and flamenco guitarist, and an unconventional teacher for over 30
years. Then in August 1997 I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Advanced
breast cancer.Actually,2 years before my healing had begun. At that time I
let go of some destructive patterns in my life and began to feel truly
happy. So when they told me I had had cancer 8-10 years I couldn't connect
with the illness. I told my doctors that just because I now knew that I had
cancer for ten years didn't mean I was going to stop being happy! So I began
treatment with a positive attitude. The oncologist said with great
seriousness that the AMA now approves a positive attitude. I laughed and
asked "And how much does that cost?." A native American shaman told me that
if I knew I had cancer ( in other words I am not in denial) and I could not
"connect" to it, then it has no home, no place to land, and that it would leave
my body. Also I went to talk to Dorje, a Tibetan monk connected with the Dalai
Lama in Santa Fe. I asked him about cancer. He said "Ginny, do not be
fearful. Fear increases illness. Do whatever medicine you choose, it does not
matter. Just be joyful, be happy! Do what makes you happy!". This appealed to
me so I maintained a truly joyful attitude throughout the next 9 months of
treatment.
Being mystical by nature but also having an inquiring mind I was
praying to the Universe that I would not have to go through treatment and
was searching through alternative therapies. The doctor was strongly against
this and said I would be dead if I chose alternative. That was a strong fear
message and I wondered why he didn't just say "let's try everything!". He
said I had an aggressive cancer and needed surgery,3 months of
chemotherapy (Adriamyicin and Taxol, a bit higher than normal dose), stem cell
rescue and 6000 rads of radiation. I started praying and decided to begin
acupuncture. My acupuncturist (I called him my "real" doctor) knew how to
treat cancer patients. He suggested I lower my high stress levels by taking
his Mind Body Stress Reduction program which entailed a little
yoga, meditation and a body scan(1 hour a day) I brought my stress levels
down 60%.I also chose a macrobiotic diet for breast cancer (Michio Kushi, The
Cancer Prevention Diet) and cut out dairy, red meats and animal
fats, sugar, stimulants and foods that create mucus. Then I went into surgery.
The surgeon did not believe in mastectomy. She said cancer cells are
left in the body anyway. Her specialty was large breast tumors and I am
grateful for a small scar only 1.5 inches long! She took out a tumor from my
right breast the size of an orange and found 21 out of 23 lymph nodes
positive. She had to sever the nerve in my right arm to get the lymph nodes. I
was diagnosed with a Grade 1 slow growing cancer, ductal
carcinoma, Stage 3 Advanced breast cancer.
I stopped chemotherapy after the first week to research more
alternatives. The doctor was alarmed saying no-one stops chemo, but I insisted
I needed 2 weeks to do more research on alternatives. He did say I had a slow
growing cancer so I figured I could take off two weeks. But I could not find
anything that would (note) convince my MIND that something other would
work, so I continued treatment.
I sailed through 3 months of chemo with no nausea, a good appetite, no
diarrhea and my blood counts stayed normal! I attribute this to
acupuncture (balancing of CHI) and his MBSR program (also balancing CHI). The
nurses were amazed that my blood counts stayed normal.
Then after a short break, I started stem cell rescue. Meanwhile I made a
cassette of "Don't Worry Be Happy" by Bobbi McFerrin and played it
continuously daily to keep my spirits up. Stem cell rescue is a rigorous and
dangerous procedure. I insisted in going as an out patient to the clinic. I
did not choose to be in the hospital because I thought I might be more
vulnerable to infection there. This time they take out 5 bags of induced
harvest of stem cells through a port in my neck and freeze them. Then they
give me 3 High Dose Chemo drugs a day,8 hours a day, for 2 days. After that
supposedly a majority of cancer cells( IF they are there, they really can't
measure) are killed off (as well as all fast growing cells like the lining of
my digestive system and white blood cells!) and they give me back the stem
cells, hopefully" new blood". A good plan but unfortunately many die from the
procedure.
I got nauseas, fainted twice, couldn't eat, got endless nosebleeds and internal
bleeding. But I laughed the whole way through it! It was so bizarre and so
outside my experience as an athlete and healthy person I just couldn't
relate to it. After the High Dose Chemo they give the stem cells back and it
takes 10 days for the new blood to function. On the ninth day I got a slight
fever. Because my white blood cell counts were below 50 (and maybe 1,since
they cannot measure below 50!) I had no way to protect myself from infection
so I was put into the hospital. The nurses there said it was unheard of to
come in on the ninth day!
In the hospital, they told me I would be there a month and a half or two
before my blood counts would rise to a safe level. I was in an isolation room
with red flags on the door to indicate I was neutropoenic and vulnerable to
infection. So I could not have visitors and would be alone a lot. I said to
myself, I can do this, and proceeded to fix up my room. It was 10 o'clock at
night. All was quiet and I went into the bathroom to wash from the sink. I
looked into the mirror and I saw Tweetie Bird. I was bald for the second
time, had lost 12 pounds, had dark hollows under my eyes and pale skin. In that
moment a miracle happened. My mother was unable to give me unconditional love
.When I was 2 months old she threw me around. Where does the fear go? Into
the cells and it stays locked there until someday I give myself that
unconditional love. I believe this is the underlying condition that was my
dis-ease. I needed to really love me. In that moment I felt this deep
compassion for my body. Tears came down my cheeks as I slowly and gently
bathed my body the way a mother would bathe an infant. I pressed the hot
washcloth against my skin with love and compassion. Each touch was full of
CHI. (I was doing Chi-Lel and did not know it yet.) Afterwards I felt lighter
and happy. I went to bed and I said to the Universe: "I know I will get
through this, and when I do I want to help with healing others. There are too
many people suffering through cancer treatment. I want to help. Show me how
and I will do it. My life will feel totally fulfilled. "Then I went to sleep
and I had a dream. The Dalai Lama came to me in a tall triangular crystal. He
had his hands in a praying position and looked up at me and said "Now
Ginny, remember, BE JOYFUL!" I woke up at sunrise that morning feeling energetic
and happy. I danced around the room singing "Don't Worry Be Happy". The nurse
came in and took my blood as usual. The Italian doctor came in to check the
report. He threw his hands up into the air in surprise exclaiming "WHAT!?"
and the nurses came running. He said "Yesterday her white blood cell counts
were 600,now they are 13,000! How can that be?" The nurses said they dad
seem stem cell rescue patients for 5 years and had never seen this! The next
day my counts were 22,000 and I was sent home. I was in the hospital a total
of 4 days! How do I explain this? I believe it was CHI.
After this two people in my cancer support group went through the same
procedure. They both died.
Recovering from this I still believed that my body could heal itself. I
was looking for a common denominator that could heal my immune system. When
you ask you get an answer. A friend said to try Spinal
Qigong. She had had a uterine tumor (malignant) 15 years ago. She was taught
by the top master in the USA and she practiced 5 hours a day. In two months
she went through a lot of pain but her tumor disappeared completely. She
continued to practice for 2 years. She never did any other treatment. To this
day she is cancer free. I thought that this was for me. We did 20 minutes
doing 4 exercises using breathing and arm circular movements but there was no
engagement of the mind. I was weak from chemo toxins. My knees and joints
hurt, I got dizzy and was very weak and found this difficult to do. Then my
acupuncturist gave me the video and book on Chi-Lel Qigong. I watched the
video. When I saw that bladder tumor disappear in less than 40 seconds and
when I saw the students who were healed giving back to others , I knew I had
found what I was looking for. I started practicing immediately. When you find
what you ask for everything begins to flow.
A remote friend of a friend called from L.A. to tell me Luke Chan was
doing a workshop there. She lived 10 minutes from the workshop, I could stay
at her house and use her extra car. All I needed was a plane ticket. That week
a sculpture sold and I went to my first Chi-Lel Qigong Workshop.
I beamed at Luke the whole time. I felt energized, happy and knowing in
my heart of hearts that CHI was the common denominator I was looking
for. Luke took me aside and gave me some advice. He said "Ginny, because you
believe in CHI and because I know you will do the work, if you do THREE Wall
Squats a day for 100 days in succession, your cancer WILL go into remission."
He had seen it happen before. He also said because the video account of the
bladder tumor disappearing got my spirits up that I could visualize those
doctors' hands, Dr. Pang Ming's hands and lots of hands delivering chi to me
while I am waiting on the bed for the radiation beam. Then when the beam went
on to see cobalt blue sky coming into my breast area. I did this faithfully
each treatment. They told me I was getting 6'000 rads (1000 rads will kill
you if given all at once!) over a period of 6 weeks,5 days a week. They said
I would get severely burned and to prepare. So I bought some Chinese burn
ointment. At the same time I re-discovered my spoons I had "bent" 15 years
ago. I realized this was gross evidence of CHI at work and this increased my
belief. If a thought could bring CHI into that spoon and bend it, what would
it be doing in my body to cancer cells? So each day they zapped me 4 times
with radiation I visualized. I also had started my 100 day gong of :30 LCUPCD
daily and attempting Wall Squats. At the end of 6 weeks, the last day of
treatment, the tech looked hesitantly under my gown and looked puzzled. She
asked Ginny, you are hardly even pink! Are you visualizing?" I said "Yes! Like
Mad!" and she said they had one other patient who was a red-head with fair
skin who didn't get burned either. She went to a hypnotist. This is another
account of the Mind-Body connection and its healing validity.
In June 1998 my treatment was over and I began to repair myself, taking
supplements, doing the Blood Type diet, resting and practicing Chi-Lel
faithfully every day. I was doing :30LCUPCD in the morning and evening, 10-25
Wall Squats daily with some trouble with joint pain from chemo toxins, and La
Chi :30 daily (1.5 hrs) and slowly working up to the recommended 3 hrs. a
day for cancer. I was also reading the stories of the 101 Miracles daily. This
sustained my belief and gave me the spirit to get through the hard
days. Within 2 weeks after treatment I was swimming a mile a day. A month
later I made a steep 3 hour climb up a mountain and was not even sore the
next day! (As an athlete I know that I get sore after a long period of time
with no exercise.) How could this be? It had to be CHI unblocking in my body.
Then after 5 months practice I experienced pain in my right breast
where the lumpectomy was, pain in my sternum bone, slight swelling under my
right arm and I couldn't extend my right forearm completely and felt the
fascia like tight runner bands, and there was large swelling between my thumb
and forefinger (an important acupuncture point). What was this? Cancer coming
back? I felt the fear programming try to come back in. Should I go to my
oncologist? I decided not to. I knew he would program my mind back into that
fearful place. Instead I decided to have faith in the first story in the book
about Teacher Ren and how he held his arms up for 8 hours and healed his
heart. If he could hold his arms up so long , maybe I could attempt :30 of
Push Pulls! So I started with that form and the La Chi with Chi Massage on
the breast area using:30 continuing to do 100 Wall Squats a day and :30
LCUPCD twice daily. Then when I was doing the Chi Massage I experienced the
"chi worm" effect. First my palm got so hot it felt like it like as hot as an
iron! I sent the Chi in with compassion for the area, tell in it it was
ok, well, cured, cancer gone. Then I felt this worm-like movement burrowing
through my breast tissue. Wherever it went the pain disappeared. The
Push-Pulls were very difficult to do because I felt pain in my shoulders I
would do as many as I could, then put may hands on my navel and rest, then
attempt more until I completed :30 minutes. Again, Teacher Ren's story
sustained me. After 3 weeks everything returned to normal. I had healed
myself! This was totally self-empowering.
Meanwhile people were coming to my house to join me in the
practice. Others began feeling results. We practiced together using the
video. I went to my first retreat in October 1998 at Sedona. I broke the
barrier and did :45 Wall Squats. It was an exhilarating workshop and I
decided to become an instructor. I increased my hours to three daily and
focused on Push-Pulls to prepare for my next retreat. Meanwhile my medical
reports showed no evidence of cancer. I was in remission!
My femur neck bones however showed considerable weakness while my spine was
stronger than normal for my age. The doctor was puzzled. I figured it was
Chi effects. At one point I was determined to bring my blood counts back to
normal (after stem cell they stay at a lower range) and I got "obsessed". Then
my blood counts actually went down! So Luke advised not to be obsessed
because it blocks the Chi. He said just keep doing it and enjoying the
practice and do not expect anything. I took his advice.
Slowly I detoxed, hot flashes went away, I slept soundly, my energy came
back rather quickly, my weight regulated. I experienced Chi effects like pain
in the ankles, joint pain, lots of sweats, meridians sparking and popping and
buzzing, tingling in palms and surges of heat in several areas during the day
or night. Food tasted really good and my appetite was normal. Two planters
warts disappeared which was an indication my immune system was well. My
heart opened , I still feel joy daily and like everyone is my family.
I went to the Glen Ivy Retreat in March 1999 and became a certified
instructor. I taught over 800 people in Santa Fe, New Mexico with many
positive results. Then I went to China with Sal Debari that June for 2
weeks. We received healing Chi from 7 different Chi-lel masters. We met Jin
Lao-Shi and he looked at me and said I had healed myself of cancer!( He had
just healed 51 people in 50 days of cancer!) I saw Sals swelling lymph node
on his neck disappear in ten minutes when Jin Lao-Shi sent Chi to him. The
masters said they would continue to send Chi to me at 4:30 daily for one
month when I returned to NM. Each day I sat down and received Chi from them
and felt Chi tingles up through my palms and all over my body all the way
from China!
Then I got the calling to move to Hawaii to continue my healing and to
teach Chi-Lel. I am also that much closer to China. (I will never forget the
joyful loving spirit of the seven masters and the wonder of that
experience!). It is two years and eight months since my diagnosis and I am
still cancer free! Now in Hawaii I have gone to another level of healing: the
emotional plane. I am also still detoxing from radiation. But my body is
stronger than before I had cancer and my energy is steady and full. My
emotions have been clearing away old patterns. At first I cried a lot,
during Wall Squats especially. Now after 9 months in Hawaii I feel refreshed
and renewed and balanced on the emotional plane. I went through some
difficult times here and the Chi-Lel practice sustained my energy and
emotional balance. I am instructing here and many are responding. There is a
strong request and energy going toward creating a retreat center here for
Chi-Lel. The Aloha here is like being among Chi-Lel people; no judgments, just
a lot of love and joy and support. I practice daily 3-4 hours a day and I am
curious to see where Chi-Lel is going to take me! My whole life has changed
dramatically for the better. My physical health is now just a small part of
this change. I feel like I have something to give back, just like the teachers
that moved me on the video. Now I am one of those teachers and I know why we
want to give back. My life feels totally fulfilled as I make real the promise
I made in the hospital.
I find what makes Chi-Lel so effective is the sustained interest for
the mind through the use of the audio tales. This must be the key. I learned a
fact recently that it is now proven that the cells of the brain and the
cells of the immune system are THE SAME CELLS! This means the immune system
has a brain. When we talk to our bodies, our bodies listen. This is the wisdom
and power of Chi-Lel. I am using this in group healing as a focus as well as
in my own practice, using affirmations that focus on the result, and how does
the mind see this visually? I can use on all levels: physically, emotionally and
spiritually. The mind is serving Chi. I am full of gratitude daily for Chi-Lel
and see this practice as on the crest of the wave for mind-body
healing. Thank you, Mahalo Nui Loa, Dr.Pang Ming for this gift and for my life.