Life is a Game of Cards: What's in Your Hand?

Alchemists, mystics and intuitives believed that the Tarot sprang from the anima mundi-soul of the world—the vast repository of knowledge also known as the Akashic records—the Universal Library filled with memories, wisdom and knowledge of the past, present and future. Ancient Tarot Cards, Conventional Playing Cards and Birthdates are all intertwined.

This blog is a summery and extention of my August 8th radio show Beyond the 5 Senses http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thebodymindandspiritnetwork/2012/08/08/beyond-the-5-senses-with-kathy-trudy The show airs on Wednesdays @ 1-3pm EST.
Call in # 347-884-9691 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 347-884-9691 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Each show begins with a protection blessing. If you are reading this blog you may do the same by cocooning yourself in protective mirrored light that only allows that which is of the highest and best to enter into any Tarot information. Everything else is reflected back from whence it came. We wish it so and therefore it is.

During the show, I introduce callers to their personal Conventional Playing Card and Tarot Divination Card by using their birthdates. These are then used for readings and dream interpretations.
After the show, I post the readings and additional pertinent information that correlates with the reading on my blog. Callers are identified by their name and area code.

Here are their stories, dreams, challenges and triumphs over adversity.

Caller: Leslie 626- DOB=January 30 =Aquarius = 9 of Diamonds= 9 of Pentacles
Pentacles revolve around health, wealth and physical well being. Leslie’s card suggests that she integrated the factors of her life into a secure financial base that has resulted in an independence from financial concerns and money worries. She may not have all that she wants, but she always has enough of what she needs.

9 is the number of the Initiate- that which brings things to an end and prepares for the new beginning of the number 10.

Leslie asked me to interpret the two dreams she had concerning a long lost friend named Lori whom she has known for more than fifty years. They have not spoken since an argument five years ago. Yet, her friend Lori had recently been in two dreams. They grew up across the street from each other as children and teens. They argued when Lori got married and did not share the news of her engagement with Leslie. Leslie found out from friends. Leslie says Lori tends to pull away from friends when falls in love. Lori’s world revolves around the new man in her life.

Q. “My friends told me that although I saw Lori as a friend she was never really my friend. She was not a true friened to me. Should I call her?”

Dream #1- Lori is in a store with Leslie picking out dishes. The owner of the store tells them they may take as many plates as they need for free but must hurry, the store is closing. Leslie and Lori sort through the same red, white and cobalt blue dishes. Leslie carefully chooses her dishes. But Lori quickly takes many dishes and can hardly carry them out the door as the shopkeeper reminds them that the store is closing.

A: A store is a place in which one makes choices among many choices. They may be shopping for new meanings, in this case choosing something to hold the choices that will give spiritual and/or emotional nourishment. Lori was balancing plates on top of plates. Red is the color of life force, new life and anger. White is purity and enlightenment and the combination of ALL colors. Cobalt blue is another name for Indigo blue which is the color of fulfillment and the sixth pineal or the Christ center. Indigo is a strong influence on soul development. All the choices in this store are free. The price they pay is time.

Interpretation: Lori is contacting her long lost friend Leslie thought the medium of dreams. Perhaps she is waiting to see if Leslie will be receptive to her calling out to her. Lori is making a move that is most likely life changing and she is on a tight schedule. Time is running out. She must make her choices quickly. True to her nature, she piles up more “stuff” than she can handle while Leslie watches her.
 
Q:Dream #2- Lori is talking about her husband (of the past 5 years) to Leslie and discussing things that had happened in their past as friends. Leslie says the color of her dream is blue.

A: The color blue is spiritual, contemplative, dejected and moody. It goes with the saying, “I’m feeling blue today,” when we have feelings of melancholy.

Dream Analysis: The theme of both dreams is time and memory. Lori is reaching out to Leslie. Something has happened to Lori and she is hurriedly making new choices and explaining decisions she made in the past, while reminiscing about good times they had when they were best friends. The dream could have been Leslie seeing aspects of herself in Lori, but the fact that both dreams are dealing with limited time makes that unlikely.

Leslie chose the Tarot Card 6 of Wands to validate the dream interpretation. Wands are cards for communication, the power of intentions and ideas, and new beginnings after long periods of inactivity. Wands have sprouting buds that prove they are indeed alive and under the right circumstances can grow again. We often forget that we are spirit inhabiting body. Dreams are the phone lines by which our inner ET phones home for help and information.

Conclusion: Lori and Leslie are still very connected, even if only though dreams. Their connection transcends time and space. And, Leslie’s dreams appear to show the seasons of their friendship. Although it has been dormant, it has the potential to bud again, but time is of the essence.

Mini 3 card spread reading:
Card #1= 10 of Pentacles= peruse it= 10 is the number of completion and the return to unity and plans to build a new home due to financial security.
Card #2= 6 of Cups= your attitude now=six is the number of love that has gone from passion to compassion. You are emphasizing home and family at this point in time.
Card #3= 7 of Swards= consider= seven is the combination of 3(heaven) plus 4 ( earth)- a complete period or cycle.

The spread validates that this situation is time sensitive and shows completion of a cycle in life. Leslie should call Lori, quickly!

*****
Caller #2- Vivian 972- DOB= Dec.1= Sagittarius = 4 of Diamonds= 4 of Pentacles
Vivian is someone who holds tight to her money and material possessions and always has something, no matter how small, stashed away for a “rainy day.”

The number 4 is symbolic of humans in the earth plane, the four corners of the earth, four winds, four elements…Vivian is grounded.
 
Q: Vivian wanted a card to give her guidance concerning a job or career. She chose
Major Arcana 3= The Empress which is the Universal Mother. This is a positive card for her question.

Vivian then told us that she wants to peruse a license in nursing.

*****
Chat Room # 3-Viki- DOB= July 19= Cancer= Jack of Clubs = Knight of Wands
Viki from Chat is the knight in shining armor. She thrives on love and encouragement yet her idealism and generosity are associated with compassionate understanding and a tender heart. Knights are messengers. The Knight of Wands is a bearer of good news.

Your number 19 = 1+9=10=1+0=1 The beginning and creative energy.
  
Q: Viki wants to write a book and doesn’t know where to start. She chose the Tarot Major Arcana 8= Strength.

A: Begin the book with your strengths. Be true to yourself and steadfast in your work. Use your creative energy.

*****

Chat Room Oracle Tree House- DOB= Oct 26 = Scorpio=9 of Hearts= 9 of Cups
Oracle Tree house is The Wish for Card. It doesn’t get much better than that! Oracle Tree House must be careful what is wished for because that wish will most likely come true. This is a person who has the potential for great joy and happiness.

Q: Should Oracle Tree House pursue being a clairvoyant? The 7th Major Arcana card was chosen. The Chariot says you can achieve greatness in your desire from hard work and that your goal is in sight. The number 7 is perfect order and a mystical relationship sacred number.
Yes, I think you should go for it Oracle Tree House.


About the author- Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos is a two- time breast cancer survivor who penned SURVIVING CANCERLAND. www.survivingcancerland.com, is a contributing author in FACES BEHIND THE PAGES THAT INSPIRE, Radio Co-host of Beyond the 5 Senses & is represented by Devra Jacobs- Dancing Word Group Literary Agency & Steve Allen PR Media. Follow her on FB@ http://t.co/aD3Zo3q T@https://twitter.com/psychichealing LI http://www.linkedin.com/profile/edit?trk=hb_tab_pro_top , http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thebodymindandspiritnetwork/2012/06/27/beyond-the-5-senses

THE KEY TO BEING A VICTIM NO MORE

 

“The greatest oak was once a little nut who held its ground.” 

 ~Author Unknown

My name is Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos and I am a woman on a mission to save lives and teach people how to become victims no more by living their lives to the fullest despite life’s challenges.   

There is almost always a point in the process of life where logic, reason, and medical expertise fail.  At this point people often slip through the cracks, sometimes never recovering from dire situations. We forget that we hold the key to a victorious life rather than victims of policies, practices and unpredictable circumstances.

 As a two-time breast cancer survivor whose cancer was missed both times by doctors and the tests on which they relied, I am determined to raise awareness about the importance of self advocacy, listening to our bodies, and trusting in our inner-guidance that often comes in the form of dreams. We can choose not to be a victim in life.

“Kathy, go home. You are healthy,” my doctor told me again after my third mammogram, blood test and physical exam. I knew I had breast cancer. But my doctos would not listen to me. “Mammagrams are our Gold Level Policy for finding cancer and you don’t have it.”

 But that night my nightmares returned, told me again that I had breast cancer and to return the next day to my doctor, without a scheduled appointment. “You need exploratory surgery to find the cancerous spot.” In the dream, my guide handed me a small white feather and said, “If you use this feather to verbally fence against your doctor’s tests tomorrow, you will win and get the surgery you need. Believe,” my guide said and stepped out of my dream.

 My choice was to trust my nightmare or be a victim of misdiagnosis. What a decision! My doctor had undisputable medical tests from a leading cancer hospital in his “war chest.” I had an imaginary feather from a dream in mine.  My biggest challenge was who to believe, my doctor or my dream. And how to convince the one I did not believe that my choice was to be taken seriously. I believed in my guided dream and lived to write about it. Five years later I chose to self advocate and trust my dreams again rather than be a victim of hospital policy that was not in my favor. Against all odds, I survived stage four cancer.  The medical community had let me down twice. Yet, I chose to use my emotions of anger and fear to spur myself to action rather than allowing them to throw me into the defeated mentality of a victim. 

 The chance of my dreams finding cancer missed by “state of the art medical tests” twice was as lucky as winning the lottery two times in a row. Luck had little to do with it. Devine intervention did. Listen to your physician within. Don’t tell your Higher Power how big your troubles are. She already knows. Tell your troubles how big your Higher Power is. Always work with your doctors, but never forget that you must make the final decisions, especially concerning life and death.

While undergoing months of chemotherapy, radiation treatment and surgery, I always carried jokes and affirmations in my pocket and read them aloud during challenging moments. This taught me to “laugh until it healed.” Laughter raised my level of emotional vibration from low patient to high Thriver. I also learned to live by the rule, “Fake it ‘til you make it.” This is a form of role playing. Role playing is therapy often used by psychologists and psychiatrists. It is pretending which  can change behaviors and emotions. This can be the first step toward becoming a survivor and ultimately a Thriver. Pretend to be happy until you truly are.  Smile when you want to cry, and you may find that you are filling with joy. Embrace your troubled emotions with inner-joy to help keep them balanced. That is a key to health.

Here are a few of my favorite affirmations and a joke that kept me balanced.

Affirmation ♥~ Loving myself heals my life. Healing my life heals my body.

Affirmation ♥~ I nourish my mind, body and spirit with dreams and meditations.

JOKE: A wife invited some people to dinner. 
At the table, she turned to their six-year-old daughter and said, 
“Would you like to say the blessing?” 
“I wouldn't know what to say,” the little girl replied. 
“Just say what you hear Mommy say,” the wife answered. 
The daughter bowed her head and said, 
“Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?” 

You cannot be a victim without your permission. That permission can be given as active actions, verbal agreements or passive acquiescence through silence. Take responsibility for your actions. Dare to be the little nut that stands its ground to become a tall oak tree. Know your boundaries. Learn to say “Yes” to yourself by saying “No” to others. This is not being selfish. It is being responsible. If you do not take care of yourself before you take care of others, you will set yourself up for defeat by being an empty well trying to give nourishing water. Nourish yourself first.

             Here are seven rules for becoming a victim no more:

·         Joy and sadness cannot share the same time and space because they are polar opposites. The same is true of victim and victor.

·         To be in pain is human. To suffer is a choice. Choose not to suffer.

·         View mistakes and difficult situations as opportunities to learn and you will never be victimized or defeated by challenges.  

·         Victory is a state of mind as well as a state of being. So, set your mind to be victorious in all circumstances.  

·         Respect your fears but don’t let them rule your life. They remind you that you are alive. Let them guide you to make correct decisions. 

·          Self advocate for the things you need in life and you will become a productive member of society and fulfilled human being.

·         Remember that you are never alone in your hour of need.  We all have spiritual guides. We are their job and they take their job seriously.

Loving family members who have died are often given permission to help us by appearing in our dreams with messages of love, guidance and strength. We often forget that we are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience on the earth plane. Surviving trauma of any kind is part of the experience of life. Our spirit can connect with spiritual and Devine guidance though dreams, prayer and meditation. The dream realm is a way our spirit can phone home for help. Listen to your inner-guidance. Believe in the power of your dreams.

 I am an advocate for organizations and movements based on encouraging women to stand up and be heard.  Stories of women who listened to their female intuition and connected with their inner strength despite adversity, are empowering. They learned not to take “No.” for an answer and they refused to be dismissed.

Be a squeaky wheel until you are heard. And remember to laugh in the face of challenges. It transforms you from victim to victor, takes away adversity’s power and transfers that power to you.

We must balance our body and spirit with conventional and intuitive practices for complete health and wellness. Learning to embrace both is as easy as loving both. This in turn will give us the strength to rise above being a victim of circumstances to become an active participant in our journey through the follies of life.

In the words of the esteemed Golda Meir, “Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life.”

  That is the key to being a victim no more.

ORGANIC SHAMPOO: CLEAN & GREEN!

 I admit, I am now obsessed with my hair after having lost it twice to cancer treatment. Now, I only use the best products available that are healthy and also environmentally safe, which means “green.”

 Fortunately, with the current trend in environment and health awareness, there are  more choices in safe shampoos. Some do more than clean your hair. They nourish, strengthen, and protect it in ways non-organic and some “natural” shampoos do not. 

What is the difference between commercial, natural, and organic shampoos? 100% pure may not be 100% organic, and that can be a problem. 

·         Organic shampoo is free of dyes, chemicals, synthetic ingredients or other potentially harmful irritants that could damage your hair or the environment.

·         All natural formulas do not contain synthetic chemicals, artificial fragrances, chemical preservatives, sulfates or other detergents that can strip or dehydrate hair, but they may not be organic.

·         Organic may be natural as well, but the ingredients are also organic.

According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), some of the preservatives used to protect products can actually harm humans.  The consumer industry sells harmful items to us because its goal is to make products look and smell appealing without thought to the products’ safety value. Buyer beware!

Here are some ingredients that we do not want in our hair products and why.

Chemical preservatives- help shampoos last longer. Preservatives can be natural, like salt or sugar, or complex chemicals manufactured in laboratories.

Synthetic chemicals- laboratory made compounds that do not exist in nature. During WWII, chemists invented plastics, pesticides, solvents, degreasers, insulators, and other materials. There are now more than 100,000 synthetic chemicals on the market and in commercial shampoos where they can be absorbed into our bodies.

Paraben- A study conducted by the Department of Biology and Biochemistry of Brunel University in the UK found that alkyl hydroxy benzoate preservatives (methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, and butylparaben) have the ability to mimic estrogen in the body.  They believe that parabens absorbed through the skin of pregnant women may act like an alien female hormone, affecting the development of the fetus. Professor John Sumpter wrote an article in The Independent expressing concern that parabens may play a role in explaining why sperm counts in men have fallen and breast cancer is on the rise.

Gluten- use gluten-free shampoos if you are suffering with any gluten intolerance symptoms. Here are some “scientific references” found on shampoo labels, which are biological names for gluten—amino peptide complex, samino peptide complex, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, hydrolyzed malt extract, phytosphingosine extract, stearyldimoniumhydroxypropyl, hydroxypropyltrimonium, beta glucan, prolamine, maltodextrin, and cyclodextrin.

Sodium nitrate and nitrite- preservatives that help prevent discoloration and unpleasant odor. Studies have linked absorbing them to various types of cancer.

Sulfates- create the rich lather you get from shampoos. Ammonium Laureth Sulfate (ALS), Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) and Myreth Sulfate are the most commonly used sulfates in the shampoos. Research has shown that it damages hair follicles and can result in hair loss.

Sulfites- preservatives and antioxidants used to preserve color and to prevent unwanted bacteria from spoiling the natural ingredients in shampoo. They occur naturally in foods. One in every hundred people is sensitive or allergic to them. If you have asthma, your chances of sulfite sensitivity are one in ten.

Here are some healthy organic shampoos available in stores and online.

mim-MORROCCO METHOD INT’L  www.MorroccoMethod.com is pure, raw, vegan holistic and organic. The four mim shampoos address different hair types and embrace the four elements of water, air, earth and fire. The Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo embraces fire.

Organix products http://www.organixhair.com/content/faq are paraben, gluten, sodium and sulfate free, contain no lauryl or laureth sulfates. Products may be purchased in stores and online from websites including: amazon.com, cvs.com, walgreens.com, cosmeticsolutions.biz   For years this product was only available in select hair salons. Organix will not bleach out colored or highlighted hair and are not treated on animals.

John Masters Organic Lavender Rosemary Shampoo- http://www.bestcovery.com/john-masters-organics-lavender-rosemary-shampoo-for-normal-hair-8-fl-oz  is made with 15 quality certified organic ingredients, does not contain sulfates, is designed to prevent hair loss and stimulate new growth, and is safe on color treated hair. 

Miessence Organic Shampoo- http://www.buygreen.com/miessenceshampoo.aspx is a natural, organic, ultra-mild shampoo that is so safe it is edible. It only uses certified organic cold-pressed and unrefined oils and therapeutic grade herb and flower extracts that are cold-formulated so precious oils are never exposed to damaging heat.

   

Desert Essence Essence Organic Fregrence Free Shampoo- an unscented organic shampoo available at Lucky Vitamin  http://www.luckyvitamin.com/m-391-desert-essence?search=1&Query=refine%253dy%2526Manufacturerid%253d391&view=&SearchTerm=Shampoo&gclid=CJ3P25X78bACFUff4AodQmloxg

Organic shampoos are also great options for kids and pets because they are environmentally safe, healthy, all natural, gentle and good for our health.

Resources:

http://www.nrdc.org/onearth/06win/chem1.asp

http://www.shellyventures.com/preservatives-whats-so-bad-about-them.htm

http://www.starflower.com/Dangers-of-Parabens_ep_32-1.html

http://www.livestrong.com/article/265025-why-are-sulfates-in-hair-products-bad/              

About the author- Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos is a two- time breast cancer survivor who penned SURVIVING CANCERLAND. www.survivingcancerland.com , Radio Co-host of Beyond the 5 Senses & is represented by Devra Jacobs- Dancing Word Group Literary Agency & Steve Allen PR Media. Follow her on FB@ http://t.co/aD3Zo3q  T@https://twitter.com/psychichealing LI http://www.linkedin.com/profile/edit?trk=hb_tab_pro_top , http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thebodymindandspiritnetwork/2012/06/27/beyond-the-5-senses

DREAM YOUR LIFE TO WELLNESS IN 6 EASY STEPS

“A dream which is not interpreted is like a letter which is not read.”  ~The Talmud

There is almost always a point in the process of illness where logic, reason, and medical expertise fails. It’s at this point a patient slips through the cracks, sometimes never to  recover.


I survived breast cancer twice that was missed by the medical community and the conventional scientific tests on which they relied. I survived by using something many in the medical field do not even acknowledge as being real—my innate intuition and prophetic dreams.   Listen to them. One day they may save your life, too.


Twice my female intuition and dreams encouraged me to self-advocate a course of cancer testing, treatment and healing, often against hospital policy and the vehement advice of my doctors. That is as lucky as winning the lottery two times in a row. Luck had little to do with it. Devine intervention did. I always worked with my doctors, but never forgot to self-advocate and make the final decisions.

Dream therapy was part of my Integrative Medicine which combined modern scientific treatments like surgery, chemotherapy and radiation with complementary therapies such as dream, meditation and REIKI.  We are far more than id, ego and super ego. We are spirit beings inhabiting a physical body that is experiencing life.  Dreams are doorways. When we are in crisis, those doorways between realms become very active.

 Connecting to and treating spirit through dreams can transform the physical, emotional, and spiritual lives of people living with chronic or life-threatening illness. Dreams used in concert with medical treatment and meditation can alleviate stress; reduce pain, anxiety, and other physical and emotional symptoms; and enhance quality of life. Learn to use your inner power in dreams to heal yourself and your doctors, especially during current times of change in the medical industry.

 Most dreams fall into seven categories that can overlap- Daydreams- you are awake but not focused on a task, Epic-a soap opera or entertaining storybook you pick up and continue nightly while asleep, Lucid-you know you are dreaming and  can control the outcome, Nightmares-who can forget that information! Recurring-because you didn’t “get it” the first time or solve the problem, Healing-emotional or physical information, Prophetic-comes true and can be validated by scientific tests or life events.

 Dream worlds are unique to the dreamer. What frightens one dreamer may enlighten another. A large snake in a dream may scare someone with a fear of snakes but to another it may be the Kundalini- the ultimate rising spiritual wisdom. Therefore, dream dictionaries based on universal archetypes are helpful, but limiting. As dreamers becomes more in tune with their inner-guidance, they will learn their own dream language.


If remembering or understanding  dreams is difficult, these six easy steps will help you develop dream memory and comprehend your unique dream language.

1.) Verbally voice an intention to remember dreams before you sleep. This will train you not to forget and subconsciously open the pathways to your guides and “physician-within.”

2.) Keep a notebook and pencil beside your bed.  Early morning dreams are easier to recall .When you awaken, write anything you remember. If you still have trouble, lie down in the same position you were in when you awoke and try to think back to the dream.

3.) If a dream is still allusive, describe your feelings when you first awoke—happy, sad, frightened or content and write down colors that pop into your memory. Over time, dreams will become longer as you begin to interface with yourself and your guides.

4.) If you are thinking about a deceased family member when you awaken, write their name and description. Chances are good that you saw them. They can give guided information and transform your dream or nightmare into prophetic or healing information. Family members are often given permission to return from the other side to guide us during times of crisis. We don’t just dream about them. We interact with them. They may appear younger or unrecognizable but will say or do something to identify themselves. That is validation. Sometimes validation is not immediate. It may come later from an event that jogs the memory.

    

5.) Give your dream a title, even if it is The Dream I Can’t Remember and categorize it. When some part returns during the day, jot it down on a piece of paper and add it to your dream journal. If you “didn’t get it” right you’ll probably have the dream again—a recurring dream.

6.) Trust but validate. You don’t need to watch or search for validation. If you had a prophetic dream, validation will present itself, possibly in the form of synchronicity; a meaningful coincidence of multiple similar events that are unrelated.

 My validation came in the form of surgery. After multiple mammograms, blood tests, and physical exams over a three month period, I should have been diagnosed with cancer, but wasn’t.  My lump was invisible to the medical community with whom I consulted.  However, my persistent self-advocating after recurring prophetic dreams told me I had cancer and to return to my doctor.  Exploratory surgery found a spot that couldn’t be felt and tests didn’t show existed.   The result was a diagnosis that shocked the medical community and changed my life, forever.

One of my most pressing challenges throughout this ordeal was deciding whom to trust—my doctors and their healthy scientific results, or my dreams and their dire messages. I decided to listen to both! I requested specific medical procedures and cross-checked them against my “guided information.” 

I remember the exact moment I received my validation.  “Pathology didn’t like what they saw when they cut open the tumor,” my surgeon said after closing the privacy curtain behind him.

“So, is it cancer?” I asked, holding onto the hospital gurney to brace myself for the answer I already suspected and feared.

“Yes, I’m sorry. It’s stage two. I’ll be referring you to a specialist, now.”

So my dreams had been right. The doctors and tests were wrong.  With my surgeon’s words, the first shot of my ensuing battle had been fired, and it was not a warning across my bow, it was point-blank into my breast. I glanced down at my painful wound and wept.
 
Thus began my Alice in Wonderland’s decent down the dark rabbit hole of breast cancer. The good news is I survived because I self advocated and believed in my dreams. They proved that we are never alone in our hour of need. Five years later, my dreams saved my life a second time when my stage-four cancer was missed by conventional tests.


 Upon hearing my diagnosis of cancer, I felt devastated, confused and alone. My diagnosis of recurrence was worse because I knew what I would go through, again. Not only was my life threatened, but also my quality of life. This disease leaves no belief system or relationship unchallenged while turning your world upside down and shaking it to its very foundations. My dreams were my saving-grace. They were a direct line to my Higher Power.


 Don’t tell your Higher Power how big your troubles are—tell your troubles how big your Higher power is and believe in the power of dreams—the celestial phone line.  


Throughout both of my treatments, prophetic and guided dreams urged me to be an active participant in my therapy. We seldom get anywhere by standing on the sidelines of the game of Life and Death with crossed fingers waiting for someone else to take action and make the right decisions for us. Life is not a spectator sport.  We are responsible for ourselves. I rolled up my sleeves and jumped back into the game. 


 My physicians and I worked as a team and taught each other important lessons. I learned that dreams do come true and that there is more than one way to skin a cancer.  My doctors learned to respect and listen to their patients.

In my dreams I met my doctor-within named Dr. Jules and my spirit guides who were dressed in brown hooded robes and leather sandals. They taught me that we all have spirit guides/guardian angels. We are their job. And, they take their job seriously.


 Meeting your doctor-within is a wonderful step to dreaming yourself to wellness.

About the author- Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos  is a two- time breast cancer survivor who penned SURVIVING CANCERLAND.  www.survivingcancerland  and is represented by Devra Jacobs DancingWord  Literary Agency & Steve Allen Media. Kathleen is a phone counselor for the R.A. BLOCH Cancer Foundation.

Wellness Authority- 4th of July Fun Grilling Healthy Desserts

My article in Wellness Authority.
http://wellnessauthority.org/4th-of-july-fun-grilling-healthy-desserts/

Mission- Not Impossible

My name is Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos and I am a woman on a double mission; to tell my story and save lives, one person at a time.  

As a two-time breast cancer survivor whose cancer was missed both times by doctors and the tests on which they relied, I am determined to raise awareness about the importance of self advocacy, and listening to our bodies. We must balance our body and spirit with  conventional and intuitive health practices for total health and wellness. Early detection of any illness is always important for complete healing.

   I survived aggressive breast cancer—twice—that was missed by physicians at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, in Boston Massachusetts and the scientific tests on which they relied; three mammograms, blood tests and physicals.

 “Go home. Your’re healthy,” my doctor said.  However, my dreams, inner guidance and female intuition empowered me with signs, symbols and information. I returned repeatedly and requested different  medical tests. The new test,  exploratory surgery and a pathology report, validated my dreams by founding the cancer.

While most women would be glad to hear that they were healthy and to go home, I knew my doctors words were incorrect and self advocated in order to live. I took chemo and radiation Therapy. I always worked with my doctors but never forgot to make the final decisions concerning my life.

 My first cancer was stage 2, the second was stage 4. The chances of dreams finding cancer missed by “state of the art medical tests” twice is as lucky as winning the lottery two times in a row. Luck had little to do with it. Divine intervention did. Listen to your Physician- within. Don’t tell your Higher Power how big your troubles are. She already knows. Tell your troubles how big your Higer Power is.

It is my goal to use my story to teach doctors how important it is for them to listen to their patients and patients how important it is not to give up in the face of adversity.

As an author, radio co-host, R.A. BLOCH Cancer Foundation Hotline Counselor, Cancer Question & Answer columnist, blogger for women’s online magazines and cancer sites, and inspirational speaker at Cancer Groups and Health Freedom Expos throughout the country, I am an advocate for organizations and movements based on encouraging women to stand up and be heard. Don’t take “No” for an answer and don’t be dismissed. Be a squeaky wheel until you are heard.

I continue to be inspired by sotries of women listening to their female intuition and becoming empowered by connecting with their physician-within.

We must find balance between our female intuition and conventional medicine for a healing that is greater than the sum of its individual parts. We are a combination of body and soul that uses conventional and spiritual healing. Finding balance is as easy as loving both.

About the author: Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos is an author, Radio co-host Beyond the 5 Senses, Q&A cancer columnist for Cape Women Online Magazine, & RA BLOCH Cancer Foundation Hotline Counselor. Her website @ www.survivingcancerland.com Follow her @ FBhttp://t.co/aD3Zo3q;Thttps://twitter.com/#!/PsychicHealing;LIhttp://www.linkedin.com/profile/edit?trk=hb_tab_pro_top

New Danish Research: The Graveyard Shift & Cancer

Although humans living in dark harmony with vampires is a popular entertainment theme, it is far from reality. New scientific evidence proves that working the “graveyard shift” may put women in an early grave.

We are wired to rise with the sun and sleep beneath the moon. Following natural sleep patterns help us stay healthy. The invention of electricity gave us artificial day at night. We extended our work hours. Has progress negatively impacted our health by turning our internal clock upside down? Questions surrounding the consequences of disrupted sleep patterns may have finally been answered.

A newly published Danish study set up a case-control group from more than 15,500 women who had been in the Danish military. Of those, 141 with breast cancer and 551 without filled in a 28-page questionnaire on work and lifestyle. But the analysis was only based on 132 cases and 505 controls.

The study also stated that women working three nights a week were at a 40% higher risk of getting breast cancer than women who did not. That number doubled to 80% if they worked 6 nights a week.

Rachel Crowson of American Radio News Network called me at home to comment on air about this breaking news.

RC: “Kathleen, you are a two-time breast cancer survivor who wrote the book, Surviving Cancerland: The Intuitive Aspects of Healing. Would you please comment on this new finding?”

 K: “It brings to light the health challenges of daytime vs nighttime workers when the obvious difference is natural light. Sunlight and darkness at the appropriate time is important to humans. The hormone melatonin is produced in the body during sleep cycles and regulates wake cycles. It is also a calming agent. Night shift workers may lack adequate amounts of it because the synthesis and release of melatonin are stimulated by darkness. Night workers are exposed to long hours of florescent light which inhibits melatonin production, and the room they sleep in during the day may not be dark enough to stimulate it either. Another consideration is the lack of cancer fighting vitamin D due to daytime sleep patterns. Scientific study has linked vitamin D deficiency to cancer.”

RC: “Kathleen, your story is pretty profound. Would you please share it with us?”

K: “I’m a two-time stage-four breast cancer survivor. What makes my story unique is that I used my female intuitive abilities through dreams to diagnose myself after doctors at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute told me I was healthy. I actually forced them into two operations they originally refused to perform where my true condition was revealed.”

RC: “How did you get doctors to listen to your dreams?”

K:  "I didn’t. My healing journey was a double blind study between conventional medical tests and Intuitive dreams. It is a story of faith, intuitive ability, and contact with a Higher Order that gave me the strength to ignore the weight of incorrect medical opinion and the statistical survival chances to survive. I always worked with my conventional doctors, but never forgot to make the final decisions. I think it is important to point out that my dreams told me to go back to my doctors rather than looking for Swami-wami Ramalama-ding-dong. My dreams had faith in my doctors.

RC: How does your story fit into this new study?”

K: “Listen to your body. Deficiencies that lead to illness will make themselves known with signs, signals and symptoms. Our bodies have been speaking to us since the beginning of time. Believe in your inner guidance.”

RC: “What do you see as a solution to this study? Is there an answer?”

K: “As long as two paychecks are required in homes to make ends meet, and there is a need for round-the-clock health care, there will be night shift workers and increased stress levels. Until more research is done on this information, I suggest taking vitamin D and melatonin supplements before bed.”

According to WebMD and the Mayo Clinic, the hormone melatonin is produced in the brain by the pineal gland.

Lisa Wilde, director of research at Breast Cancer Campaign, said: "Night shift working and breast cancer risk is a hugely complex area and two of the biggest risk factors – diet and physical activity outside of working hours – weren't considered in this study.”

It would be paradise to work substantial week-day nine-to-five jobs. The reality is our economic challenges have put many families in financial crisis. Unable to afford child care, one parent works day shifts while the other stays home with the children. At night those roles are reversed. Many mothers work the graveyard-shifts in caregiver facilities like hospitals. It pays time and a half. Coupled with financial problems, this can cause profound stress. Stress is a proven killer and is cited as one of the reasons for an increase in cancer.

Until we can all have the ideal life, job opportunities and work environment, do your body a favor; don’t put it in an early grave. Fortify it with supplements and exercise, empower it with love, and listen to it. You chose it for this lifetime. Don’t wear it out before its time. Meditate, count your blessings, and thank your Higher Power for guidance.

About the author: Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos is an author, Radio co-host Beyond the 5 Senses, Q&A cancer columnist for Cape Women Online Magazine, & RA BLOCH Cancer Foundation Hotline Counselor. Her website @ www.survivingcancerland.com Follow her @ FBhttp://t.co/aD3Zo3q;Thttps://twitter.com/#!/PsychicHealing;LIhttp://www.linkedin.com/profile/edit?trk=hb_tab_pro_top

Resources: http://www.philly.com/philly/health/HealthDay665152_20120529_Night_Shift_Might_Boost_Women_s_Breast_Cancer_Risk__Study.html?cmpid=138896554


http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/may/28/night-shift-raises-cancer-risk-study http://www.americasradionewsnetwork.com/


http://www.americasradionewsnetwork.com/rachel-crowson-joins-americas-radio-news-network http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/melatonin/NS_patient-melatonin