Skip to main content

Cancer turns your life upside down, But if Yuvi can, You can!

‘Cancer turns you upside down. In body, in mind, in spirit. You have to get used to retaining food in your stomach again before you go about expending energy. It would take me six weeks to get my system functioning well.” – Yuvraj Singh (The Test of Life)

No one likes to be diagnosed with cancer.For those who missed the first part of the book review, here's where you can read it Book Review: The Test of My Life by Yuvraj Singh.



Cancer in India: Pre-conceptions and Social Stigma
In his book, Yuvraj Singh takes on some pre-conceptions about cancer: 
·        Is cancer infectious?
·        Can cancer spread?
·        Can you go into a house that has a cancer patient and catch it?
·        If a parent has cancer, does it mean all his children will have it?
·        Should we allow our children to marry into a family that has cancer?

There is also a paragraph in the book where Yuvraj asks his doctor whether he will be able to have children after undergoing chemotherapy. It takes guts to write and open yourself to the world like this.

Develop an Inner Circle of Love Warriors
Many whom you considered dear to you may not want to have anything to do with you once they know you have cancer. Let them go, don't have regrets. Surround yourself with people who value you for the person you are. They are your Love Warriors and they are there for a purpose – their own awakening too.

Don’t Resist Chemo, Find a Way to Accept it
Chemo is a lot more painful and worse than it sounds but Yuvraj says you have to believe that you can come back to your life after a period of time. 

Positive Thoughts
For a fitness conscious cricketer like Yuvraj Singh, you can imagine what cancer could have done if he hadn't stayed positive in his thoughts. He fought depression even when he needed his mother’s help to put on his socks, to carry him when he collapsed after vomiting, and for everything, he needed some one’s support.


Gratitude is a great form of positive strength and energy. He thanks every friend, every nurse and every doctor who helped him through this phase. 

What he had to fight within himself – that cannot be helped because no one, however close, can help you through it. And there, most significantly, Yuvraj thanks his mother, God and his Guru for helping and healing him.

Concentrate on Health, Focus on Recovery
The world was moving along fast but my life had come to a standstill. I was an island. I was an island of silence, no longer a part of the team I had once belonged to. Indian cricket had moved on and I had been left behind." - Yuvraj Singh (The Test of My Life)

It is when we lose the hope and the will to live that the Universe shows us a way forward, usually in the guise of a friend. 

Out of the blue, Anil Kumble visited him and gave him a pep talk that changed Yuvraj’s feeling of suffering and being left out.

Anil’s advice went like this, “Stop watching YouTube videos of your matches. Cricket will come back one day, concentrate on your health, focus on your recovery.”

Simplify it further:

1.     Stop thinking of what you would have been doing with your life if you hadn't been diagnosed with cancer at this point.
2.      Whatever you love to do, whatever you are passionate about, it will come back to you at the right time. BELIEVE this.
3.     Concentrate on your health.
4.     Focus on recovery.

The end of Yuvraj’s book is perfect. It says, “If Yuvi can, You can.” Buy Yuvi's book 'The Test of My Life', don't miss reading it.

♥♥  I thank you with all my heart for reading my post. I dedicate this post with love and gratitude to all cancer care givers across the world including doctors, nurses, para medical staff and others who help in healing and making the lives of cancer patients bearable and happier through very painful phases. REQUEST: Please SHARE this article on your favorite social networks. Every share, like or tweet makes me reach out to more people who are in various phases of suffering and self-healing in a positive and  affirmative way. I am grateful and I appreciate you for doing so. ♥♥

Comments

Haddock said…
Some useful points he has mentioned, especially developing Inner Circle of Love Warriors.
@Haddock: Glad you liked the article. And I think we all need to develop our own Inner Circle of Love Warriors to stay inspired and focused.
Vishwas Anand said…
This is a must read. Grab your copy here http://goo.gl/JtxMvK

Most Popular Posts

The Ugly Truth about Caste in Kerala

Many years ago, when I wrote this post on Kerala's caste system, I had not considered that people would start sending in abusive comments about one caste over the other. It baffles me that this is how Indians, all of us, continue to judge each other on account of caste differences.  [ READ: Guru Kripa: Powerful Lessons at the Lotus Feet ] My question is - why do you ABUSE any caste or community? I suggest that you read about the lives of great Masters and their stories - none of them judged anyone on the basis of caste.  You can read the life stories of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagawadpada, Tulsidas, Jnaneshwar, Namadev, Sri Aurobindo, Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Paramahansa Yogananda, Shirdi Sai Baba, and many more Gurus in Sanathana Dharma. NONE of them endorse these caste hierarchies in Bhakti Marga. Assuming that Guru Sampradaya does not appeal to your sensibilities, do read this  new book 'Ants among Elephants' written by Sujatha Gidla, who writes about herself as being born

How do you light Deepam at home?

How do you light deepam at home? As a child, I loved watching the ritual of my grandmother lighting the deepam or the traditional lamp at home in the evenings. A sense of serenity accompanied her frail figure as she would carefully straighten every wick, dip it into the tiny puddle of oil and light the lamp. As my grandmother would read out the scriptures and chant the prayers, the fragrance of incense sticks and flowers added depth to the experience. In many Hindu homes nowadays, the lighting of the lamp (or the nilavilakku, as Malayalis refer to the traditional lamp in their homes) is not a regular practice. A lot of people have many questions around how to light deepam at home and which oil to use and so on. An important point to keep in mind - Maintain physical cleanliness and hygiene while lighting the lamp. Wear clean clothes while lighting the lamp. Frequently Asked Questions About Lighting Deepam at Home Collating most queries related to how to light the deepam at home, I'v

Mahamrityunjaya Mantra: Meaning, Benefit of Chanting and Who can Chant the Mantra

Mahadmrityunjaya Mantra: Benefit of chanting this mantra There are very few mantras that are as powerful as the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra. Do read my post: Does Mahamrityunajaya mantra really work?       Mahamrityunjaya mantra is believed to have the power to remove all sufferings, diseases and bestow the one who chants it with good health and long life.   It is also believed that constant contemplation of the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra can help spiritual aspirants to overcome the cycle of birth and death. What got me fascinated about this mantra is something personal.  I learned this mantra from my father but it is my maternal grandmother who chanted it all the time and repeatedly told me of its tremendous power to protect. However, I did not chant this mantra regularly.  At the age of two, my son was taught some mantras by my mother who explained what it means to him and he became very enthusiastic about chanting the mantras. Following this, my mother taught him the Maha Mrityun

Gayatri Mantra as Panchamukhi: Get it right or let it go

Most people do not understand the importance of chanting the Gayatri mantra because they are not aware of its power. It is only when I began to read Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's teachings that I learned how sacred and powerful the chanting of the Gayatri mantra is.    The Vedas represent the breath of God. The Gayatri mantra is the very basis of the Vedas. Try not to undertake chanting the Gayatri mantra as a light endeavor or as a hobby. It has to be chanted with faith, discipline and purity of mind and body. Be steady with your sadhana if you want to reap the spiritual dividend associated with the Gayatri mantra  and never once hesitate once you decide to do it.  Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba said that the Gayatri Mantra is referred to as Pancha Mukhi, the Goddess with five faces that represent the five pranas or life forces. Here's more on it. .  Also read: The Power of OM   Chant the Gayatri Mantra correctly: Pause Five Times Here are some important thi

Saree Woes 2

Our earlier discussion on Saree Woes really perked up my spirits. A big thanks to all of you for pepping me up. Okay, here's the good news. There was an unexpected late night party that I had to attend in Gurgaon. To be honest, I haven't had the time or energy to attend any such parties after Adi was born. I was sure I wouldn't have the confidence to make conversation with the glitterati, let alone feel confident to carry off wearing a saree. This is one of those parties where you have to be dressed very formally. Well, at the end of a working woman's day, you hardly feel ready to attend one of these parties looking like a moron, right? So, with very little preparation and very few hours left, I called on all the gods in Heaven to help me look a little younger and prettier since I don't have the magic to look young all on my own. Although I was tempted to wear one of my awesome Kancheevaram treasures, I knew it would be very difficult to drape it without any h