Cancer, Yoga & A Close Shave With Death: A Survivor Shares

C.J. Fessendon of Ellijay, Georgia, United States, tells us about his close shave with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and how his yoga practices helped him recover from the brink.

Unpredictably, just two months after taking the Inner Engineering online course, I was diagnosed with 4^th stage Large B Cell Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. My bone marrow was 90% involved with cancer cells and several of my organs were also cancerous. I deteriorated quickly from one week to the next, and in short order I was near death.

I continued to do my practices with the help of my wife, even in my most weakened state, as best I could. I requested from Isha, and quickly received, the blessings of Sadhguru. My wife eagerly digested some of the clinical research on my cancer type while focusing mostly on building a regimen of the “natural” cancer healing remedies. As I took these supplements, I concurrently underwent chemotherapy once every three weeks. During this time, an Isha volunteer contacted my wife and told her about Bhuta Shuddhi and then put her in touch with an Isha Hatha Yoga Teacher. The teacher then came to our home and initiated my wife and me into the practice.

Within two to three days after our initiation into Bhuta Shuddhi, my health and energy noticeably began to improve. It was most remarkable. After practicing Bhuta Shuddhi for a short time, my oncologist, who was only able get my chemotherapy dosage to 65% of the protocol because of the pervasive cancer in my bone marrow, had difficulty “squaring in his mind” how sick I was according to the numbers (blood analyses) but how much “more alive and stronger” I was becoming.

In between my chemo treatments I became strong enough to make a trip to be initiated into Shambhavi at Isha Institute of Inner-sciences in McMinnville, TN. That was about 30 days ago from this writing of my testimony. I continue to practice Shambhavi twice daily, along with Bhuta Shuddhi, and the Isha Kriya meditation. I must add that in addition, my wife and I perform a range of daily practices as suggested by Sadhguru throughout his videos, blogs, and books, of which there are many.

After my recent bone marrow biopsy, the malignant cancer cell occupation in my bone marrow has declined from 90% to >5% (2% is considered “full” remission) and has disappeared from my organs. The lesions on my bones are also no longer active. These are the facts of what took place in my experience. Naturally, each one reading this testimony will have his or her own view of the individual contributions to my recovery: from my loving wife, her knowledge and care; to kriya and hatha yoga practices; to the increase of raw in my diet; to the intake of herbs and supplements targeting specific assistance to body organs and systems; and, last but not in the least, the Grace of the Guru which is becoming ever more apparent to me in so many ways.

Editor’s Note: Isha Hatha Yoga programs are an extensive exploration of classical hatha yoga, which revive various dimensions of this ancient science that are largely absent in the world today. These programs offer an unparalleled opportunity to explore Upa-yoga, Angamardana, Surya Kriya, Surya Shakti, Yogasanas and Bhuta Shuddhi, among other potent yogic practices.

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