Yesterday, I received a pink umbrella. It was a small gift from my mammogram provider following my annual breast examination. If I carried this umbrella anywhere in the United States, especially during the month of October, the pink would let you all know that I support breast cancer awareness and the search for a cure. This is true. I do. I truly wish that this scary, disfiguring and too often fatal disease is eradicated during my lifetime. My greater hope, however, is that women learn to listen to their bodies and the lessons that are present through the manifestation of this and all disease. If we can all learn to really tune into our bodies and understand how we are out of balance, we will all be armed with a very powerful tool to not only help us heal from breast cancer, but also prevent it.
I have long believed that disease is your body’s way of communicating with you about how you might alter your thought and behavior patterns in order to maintain perfect health. If you suffer from regular headaches, you could take pain medicine and ignore your body’s message. Alternatively, you might ask yourself what messages your head has for you. Why are you suffering from these headaches? First, it’s helpful to determine the function of the diseased or painful body part. Your head is generally used for thinking. Thus, if you’re getting lots of headaches, you might examine the role of your head in your life. Are you overusing it? Consider asking yourself if you’re spending too much time thinking and worrying. Your body might be telling you to make more time for relaxation, nourishment and exercise. Your body’s energy can become stuck in a particular location, such as your head. Your body likes balance, and a healthy body will have a healthy flow of energy.
Likewise, when we are dealing with breast cancer, we might start by looking at the function of women’s breasts. Women’s breasts are a nurturing center. Whether or not you’re a woman who breastfed babies, the biological function of a woman’s breasts is to nurture offspring. The breasts are also a pleasure center. Following along with this process, you can examine the role of these functions (to nurture and give pleasure) in your life. Are you nurturing yourself, as well as others? Are you allowing yourself to accept and receive pleasure? Are you able to receive what you need and deserve? Are you allowing yourself the pleasure of being nurtured with love, kindness, joy, rest, relaxation and sleep, to name just a handful of ways in which we can nurture ourselves? Many women push away pleasure, joy and self-nurturing, because they’ve been raised to believe that they should continually sacrifice their own needs and only give to others. They don’t want to appear selfish and actually give to themselves.
To change behavior and thought patterns that are keeping you from nurturing yourself, positive affirmations can help. Try reciting these two affirmations in front of a mirror twice each day:
“I easily and lovingly give and receive.”
“I experience and love the joys and pleasures of living!”
Reciting these affirmations daily can, over time, actually help change your thought and behavior patterns. Meanwhile, give yourself permission to take a nap or a nature walk. Consider taking a mini beach vacation and spend some time listening to the healing sound of ocean waves breaking on the shore. Spend an afternoon curled up with a good book, despite the housework that needs to be done. Take a long hot bath. Luxuriate in a long hug with your partner and really enjoy it. Take in the love that surrounds you. Accept that meal or help from a caring neighbor, even if you can do it yourself. Giving and receiving in balance is very healing. If you have breast cancer, your body is speaking loudly. Listen to the message.
If you’re a woman, consider carrying a pink umbrella this fall to remind yourself to think about what each of us can do 
for our own breast health–listen to the wisdom of our bodies. Nurture yourself and be open to the pleasures of living this wonderful life! Doing this may help you heal from breast cancer. If you are cancer-free, doing this may prevent cancer from ever rearing its ugly head in your breast tissue. If you don’t have a pink umbrella, a pink ribbon tied to your green, red, yellow, blue or black umbrella will do just fine.
In peace and good health,
Susan