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Why you need to surrender to a higher power

In February 2022, after four rounds of chemotherapy, I was at a low ebb. But in March, I felt the life force moving within me again while listening to the song “I am Free” by Dutch electronic duo Tinlicker. The song begins with the line:

“There was a god, there was a way, there was a path.”

Belief in a higher power – the science

A 2015 study found that religious or spiritual beliefs, behaviours and experiences are beneficial for managing the physical, mental, and social challenges of a cancer diagnosis. Daily spiritual practices were associated with more self-assurance and less fear of cancer recurrence in a group of cancer survivors. Patients with higher levels of religious beliefs perceived greater social support in a sample of patients receiving treatment. Religious or spiritual beliefs allow patients to integrate difficult experiences that may help promote greater well-being and better quality of life.1

Another study in 2021 assessed whether the accumulation of religiosity (“spiritual capital”) had any bearing on the mental health of a cancer diagnosis. Results from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States suggest that having religious beliefs mitigated the psychological distress of a cancer diagnosis. This finding corresponds with my own experience after my second diagnosis.2 A strengthened belief in a higher power helped me cope mentally and took control of my healing.

It also seems that it isn’t just that faith in formal religion is of benefit for cancer patients. The Chinese have recently recognised the importance of improving spiritual well-being in cancer patients. The study found that the spiritual well-being of patients with gynecological cancer was no worse than formal religious beliefs. Patients with lower death anxiety have a higher level of spiritual well-being.3

Conclusion

Faith in a higher power is critical for survival and staying the course during this life-transforming journey. It was Kuan Yin, the Buddhist bodhisattva associated with compassion, that I clung to the first time, and I surrendered to the second time. Together with a higher power, I found a path and found a way to perfect health.

References

  1. Religion, Spirituality, and Health Outcomes in Cancer: A Case for a Meta-Analytic Investigation; Available from URL: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4618242/
  2. Psychological Resilience After Cancer via Religion/Spirituality: Spiritual Capital Through a Life Course Lens; Available from URL: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jssr.127653.
  3. Exploring the relationship between spiritual well-being and death anxiety in patients with gynecological cancer: a cross-section study; Available from URL: https://bmcpalliatcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12904-021-00778-3

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By Andrew

Hi, my name is Andrew McDougall. I'm a 61-year-old cancer survivor and outdoor enthusiast. I have a keen interest in health and healing - mental, physical and spiritual. I set this site up to help others explore the research, facts and fiction about health and healing. I also document my healing journey from Stage IV bladder cancer to perfect, vibrant health. Originally from New Zealand, I now live in Melbourne, Australia, with my family of four. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any comments, questions or suggestions.

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