Chile M.A. (67 years old, female)

〔Discovery of lung cancer〕

　I’m a 67 years old ordinary housewife. My three children already have their own family. Thus, I no longer have to worry about raising children. My husband and I, who live on a pension, enjoy art and occasionally go on trips. I was spending a normal life.
　In November 2006, I casually decided to take a medical examination. I was examined by Dr. R, our family doctor, who advised me to have a chest X-ray just in case. I immediately decided to take an X-ray at a specialized hospital.
　I wasn’t worried because I was spending my days without any symptoms. However, the result of the X-ray test was unexpected. A tumor of about 9 mm in size was found in my left lung. I couldn’t believe it and thought this was some kind of error. I tried a second X-ray, but the result was the same.
　At the recommendation of Dr. R, I had my entire body examined with the latest equipment at a cancer clinic. The diagnosis was the same. Fortunately, I had no metastases to other areas; thus, I was advised to have surgery immediately. I decided to have surgery on January 15, 2007, the following year, and left everything to my doctor.
　My husband and I used to live a normal life, but suddenly our lives changed to a life of anxiety and sadness. My husband was much more surprised and worried than I was. There were times when we both shed tears. We suddenly entered a dark tunnel from our normal life.

〔Suffering from radiation therapy and anti-cancer drug treatment〕

　The operation was six hours long. About one-third of my lung, including a 9 mm cancer in the upper part of my left lung was dissected. While rehabilitating, I tried to recover my physical strength and prepared for the radiation therapy scheduled from March.
　The doctor instructed me to obtain radiation therapy three times a week for a total of 26 times. Initially, I was receiving treatment smoothly, but with each session, I began to lose my appetite and became less energetic. By the 23rd session, when the treatment was nearing the end, I had a sore throat and I could not swallow any food. I lost weight and energy. I once angered my doctor, saying, “You want to kill me.” I was still on treatment, but I wasn’t confident that I would continue treatment because chemotherapy with anti-cancer drugs was programmed after this radiation therapy. I ended up stopping radiation therapy. Then, after waiting for my body to recover, chemotherapy treatment began.
　Treatment was five times every two weeks. After all the treatments, I suffered again from side effects. I had nausea, loss of appetite, dizziness, loss of hair and eyebrows, and pain even in my fingertips. My body was weakened. I didn’t have the energy to live, and I just lay in bed every day. I moaned, “Why should I have such an encounter?” My husband desperately cared for me and did all the household chores, including picking me up at the hospital, bathing me, and preparing my meals. I thank him very much.
　On the other hand, I wasn’t motivated and I wondered if the night would come soon. That’s because sleeping was the only way I could forget about suffering. However, I never gave up my hope of living. At night, I dimly looked at the stars and wanted to shed some light on this suffering.

〔Encounter with MOA〕

　Around May 2007, my mother recommended that I go to the MOA Center. I hadn’t heard of MOA before. She suggested, “It’s a Japanese organization. The Center is a very beautiful place. They also have Energy Healing, so why don’t you go there and try it?” I was interested in Japanese culture. My mother said, “Our family doctor, Dr. R, is also at the MOA Center¹. The therapy may alleviate the side effects of chemotherapy and may be psychologically effective. Why not try the Okada Health and Wellness Program.” I decided to visit the Center with my sister.
　At the MOA Center, I received Purifying Therapy as recommended. The first impression was that I was very relaxed, but I was completely ignorant of this kind of Energy Healing, so I couldn’t accept it honestly. I was wondering “The therapist is just raising his hand over me. What effect does it have?”
　However, receiving Purifying Therapy made me feel better. The Purifying Therapy therapists and staff at the MOA Center are kind and pleasant. There is a calm atmosphere where there are flowers and music playing everywhere in the facility. I enjoyed them all. Since the social class of Santiago is clearly divided and the difference between rich and poor is large, it is difficult to build a peaceful relationship with other people. One would only develop a relationship with his own family members and friends. In such a society, the MOA Center seemed to be a completely different world without feeling such coldness, loneliness, or disparity.
　After that, I went to the MOA Center two days a week. When the side effects of chemotherapy were severe, I had a Purifying Therapy therapist come to my home to administer Purifying Therapy to me. About two months later, around July 2007, I was looking forward to going to the MOA Center. From the moment I entered the entrance of the Center, it was difficult to express in words, but I felt like my heart was opening up. And gradually, I felt something like a new family was created.

〔Healing by the Okada Health and Wellness Program〕

　In addition to Purifying Therapy, I also experienced the Arts and Culture Program that allow you to experience various arts and Japanese culture, such as flowers, tea, ceramics, and sumie ink paintings. At Flowers, the MOA Arts and Culture Instructor taught me the importance of observing flowers, feeling the beauty of flowers, and feeling Nature. I didn’t realize that I was exposed to various beauty in my daily life. But now it’s different. I learned the importance of life, and I am grateful for being alive. Nowadays, there are always flowers in the home.
　Through this experience, I feel that communication with my husband, children, and grandchildren has changed. It’s natural to care for my family members, but now I have heartfelt affection for all of them. I think I have changed. I am much kinder to others. I always think that I have changed.
　In addition, through the Healthy Food Program seminar, I learned how to enjoy eating with gratitude, including eating a lot of fresh and seasonal vegetables, and paying attention to the balance of the entire meal. In the past, I ate a lot of everything. I wasn’t really conscious of a healthy diet. When I was hungry, I would eat as much as I wanted. To put it simply, that was my previous diet. Nowadays, I have changed to eating more vegetables and eating less meat. I keep in mind a healthy diet. Of course, my husband is also involved in this diet in a positive way. He jokingly tells me that “our home is filled with MOA ways.” My husband, who used to be angry, now feels calm.

〔Both mind and body have been energized〕

　I always had back pain, but by continuing the Okada Health and Wellness Program, the pain disappeared. In the past, it was difficult to walk due to lack of physical strength, but as my appetite gradually returned, I am able to walk. Mentally, my anxiety about cancer gradually disappeared.
　Dr. R, who was examining me around this time, said, “Usually, when one experience such a major illness, it is not easy to recover mentally. But when I look at you, I wonder if you have illness. You’re no different from a healthy person. When you find a purpose in life and enjoy your life, your QOL recovers quickly.” I think there are individual differences, but after the chemotherapy and radiation therapy, I was able to get back to almost normal in a short period of time. I hear that one usually has to go to the hospital for more tests or take other medicines as a treatment after chemotherapy. However, I didn’t have to do that and I’m doing better than before.

〔Volunteer as a Purifying Therapy therapist〕

　While experiencing the Okada Health and Wellness Program and interacting with the staff and volunteers who are practicing it, I thought it was my turn to give back and help those in need. Thus, I became a MOA member in June 2007. In 2008, I obtained the basic level Purifying Therapy therapist certification. From November, I started to participate as a volunteer once a week as a Purifying Therapy therapist at the MOA Center.
　I feel very happy when I am administering Purifying Therapy to others. As I pray for the happiness of the patient and administer Purifying Therapy with my heart, everyone is happy and grateful. It makes me very happy to see these patients happy. I have gained confidence as a Purifying Therapy therapist. I want to learn more and become a better Purifying Therapy therapist.
　I think the MOA Center is a spiritual oasis. This is because I’m starting to feel a sense of purpose that I’ve never felt before from a difficult situation. I learned that health is the most important thing for that. That is a healthy mind and body. A life that touches the beauty of Nature, feeling life in everything, is grateful for being alive, a life that loves people and all living things, a life that is dedicated to serving others are things that I have never had before. I want to do my best to live this second life of mine for others and society. It’s the feeling I have now that comes from my heart. I would like to increase the number of people, who have such thoughts, throughout the world.

＊１　There are part-time doctors at the MOA Center in Chile, but most of the domestic and overseas MOA Wellness Centers have full-time or part-time doctors.