Why healers fall sick or die from illness

Recently, I came across the book 9 Steps for Reversing or Preventing Cancer and Other Diseases- Learn to Heal from Within by Dr Shivani Goodman. The book is truly excellent and addresses a number of missing links in treatment of cancer.

Usually, I would always make it a point to check out about the author online. To my surprise, I found that Dr Shivani Goodman had already passed away in April 2005. Her book was published in 2004. Her official website was silent on this fact. I also noticed that all payments are no longer made to her name.

Dr Shivani’s work first become famous when she healed herself of her 3^rd cancer by changing her attitude, using affirmations and imagery exercises. Dr Wayne Dryer who wrote the foreword of the book, mentioned:

As a former psychologist with 25 years of hands-on experience helping thousands of people worldwide, Shivani discovered in 1992 that she had breast cancer. At first she thought that it was a joke. Here she had been teaching the techniques of self-healing only to find herself in a condition similar to that of her patients and clients. 

She now had to make a decision. Go the conventional route of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation or try her own method of self-healing. What followed was a roller-coaster ride from doubt to conviction, from deep sadness to great joy, which she so eloquently expresses in this book.

Many people can relate to her own heartfelt journey towards healing- as she spoke very honestly about her own fears and doubts.   At the critical stage, there is nothing much to lose and why not try to create a more positive frame of mind, undo past emotions and blockages that causes the illness in the first place and let go? Even if one eventually succumbs to the illness, at least one will leave with a peaceful mind.

However, because no information was released about the cause of her death, this would have shattered the hopes and dreams of many. After all, if the healer teaches the method to heal, and eventually still die, what hope that other people would have?

First, countless people had benefited from her method and other similar mind-body healing. There are testimonies of those whose lives she had changed. When the cancer strike for the third time, the doctors told her there is not much hope. But through applying her own healing methods, she led a life of quality, joy and meaning, dedicating it to help others for more than 8 years.

I personally have witness people who could heal from cancer and other incurable diseases through change in mindset, positive attitude, prayers and faith. But do note that the path to this is more challenging, and it requires a great deal of courage to search and look into neglected areas of yourself. To learn to forgive and really love yourself. It requires complete faith and belief in one’s own ability to heal- one can no longer think in the similar paradigm as others- it requires opening of one’s heart.

For many people who had been so disconnected with themselves, it’s very tough to face this for the first time in their lives. They may eventually find it easier to go under the knife, take pills and go for other host of treatment than to look within.

Why a healer can die from an illness that he/she had successfully healed in others

I personally know a healer friend. She was born with the ability to heal others many types of illness, including cancer by using herbs. She is 80 years old, illiterate and therefore she knew how the herbs look like but is unable to write it down. Her paternal grandma and her father also had the same ability. I have seen her heal people personally. She also used to tell me that after healing someone, a vengeful spirit of the healed person would go after her. When I pose this question to my spiritual teacher, she told me that it was because the healer had not transfer merits or love prior to starting the healing.

Another healer I heard about from my friend had been fairly successful in identifying kammic causes of people who had problems in life such as getting stuck, unrequited love, having serious illnesses, etc. But lately, he had stopped accepting anymore clients because he had developed some eye problems.

Most healers and even masseurs are aware of this unspoken rule of invoking protection before the healing or massage session start. In the West, it is done in order to deflect negative energies. In the East, it is done to seek protection from vengeful entities and ask for forgiveness. Unless a person has sufficient energy and power, sometimes there is a transfer of energy between the sick and the healer- resulting the healer absorbing the energies of the sick. It’s vital for anyone who wishes to learn to heal the sick to be able to deflect of the negative energies.

To me, Dr Shivani’s methods are effective- to the very least, it changes our mindset and give us courage. Of course, no healer can ever give us the answer if we should go ahead with conventional treatment like operation, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The final decision is always up to us.

We ourselves must search for the answers within ourselves by listening to our body. It has to be done in a calm manner- you cannot overwhelm and confuse yourself by listening to other people. In silence, and through deep relaxation, the answers would usually appear- and it takes practice to achieve that kind of peace and calm.

And regardless of the choice we make, there’s equal and heavy price to pay. If we chose the conventional route, we have to be resilient to the horrible side effects. Due to the nature of the invasive treatment, quality of life and survival are questionable.

If we opt for alternative method, we would need to ‘be on guard’ and make sure our visualization and practice are maintain continuously without break. For once we let our minds slip back to our past negative patterns or stop practicing the healing, the illness can reappear.

Whatever method you choose, your mind must believe that it will work, and that you will heal from it. Your survival depends on your attitude and your will to live.

This article was originally written by me on 29 June 2010.