More Some Side Effects of Prostate Radiation that Oncologists Kind of Tell you About; or, Cancer & LIM, Living in the Moment (Pt I)

Once upon a time, long ago and far away, the 60s, I was influenced a lot by what was happening socially, politically and spiritually.  It was a sign of the times…books we read, music we listened to, films we saw, drugs we dropped.  Of course, it was a time of political upheaval, not unlike today, which, for many of us, begged for a kind of “spiritual (re)awakening.”  In retrospect, it was kind of a “phase,” since neither I nor any of my hippy friends really continued with it, but then I was in my 20s and now I’m not.  Then it was a time of freedom to read and now, in some places, it’s not.  Then it was a time of sexual liberation and now it’s not.  Regardless, when dealing with prostate cancer and all its manifestations one may be inclined to think about existential things.  I’m reminded of something Jung said about one’s “Night Sea Journey,” that journey of “self-reflection and immersion into the unconscious mind.”  I read a lot of Jung in college, but I was also influenced by another major writer, Ram Dass and his book, Be Here Now.  After meeting with my mental health care providers I’ve returned to that text decades later with a different perspective.  I’m bringing this up to tell you that reading books such as this one along with mental health assistance (e.g. antidepressants, meditation) have helped me to live in the moment and when we have prostate cancer the moment is really all we have. 

The contents of the book are organized into four sections: (1) Journey: the transformation of Dr. Richard Alpert, PhD into Baba Ram Dass; (2) From Bindu to Ojas, the core book; (3) Cookbook for a Sacred Life: A Manual for Conscious Being and (4) Printed Cakes: Books for future reading.  The book is a compendium of philosophic pages.  Some numbered, some not; some written in page turning order, others written sideways, which forces the reader to turn the book in order to read the text, conscious attempt to force the reader to think in a different way of reading.  It’s not an easy read, but an enlightening one that might make a reader perceive things differently and in that way, focus on the special and present moment.  It’s not necessarily meant for everyone, just a suggestion for those who might be interested in a different approach to the moment.