Q. From the spiritual point of view, is smoking the cause of cancer?
A. From a spiritual point of view, no. If smoking were the cause of cancer, it would have to be a universal law that would dictate that everyone who smokes would get lung cancer. Nowhere in the universe is there such a declaration. How then can we account for the fact that among cancer patients there is a considerably higher percentage who are inveterate smokers?
Consider that our ancestors who were inveterate smokers are not known to have gotten lung cancer. There are to this day many senior citizens who still enjoy smoking without their lungs showing any signs of cancer. What differentiates those from others who do succumb to lung cancer? Once a belief or theory is accepted as fact, and statistics can be produced to support the theory—such as smoking causes lung cancer—a new belief is created. Hence those who believe that smoking causes cancer live in fear of acquiring lung cancer. And so they do. Others who do not believe they will get cancer still do because they are resisting and denying the belief out of fear, and their very resistance attracts the same condition.
Let me add that if someone feels guilty about smoking because of what others might think or say, a feeling of guilt sets up conditions that invite lung cancer even if one were to stop smoking. This is so because any action taken from a feeling of guilt, shame, or blame attracts the very condition one seeks to avoid or amend.
What needs to be learned from this regarding any belief is that it becomes operative in your experience through fear, powerful belief, strong negation, or a passive state of mind.
The successful smokers—those who remain untainted—are those whose clarity of belief is so strong that they simply focus on the enjoyment smoking gives them. This is not meant to encourage the habit of smoking, for I am neither for nor against it. Common sense must prevail, and moderation in all things is important to inculcate for balanced living. This principle can be applied in any area of your life regarding any belief, for the ancient wisdom remains intact: According to your belief it is done unto you (by your belief and the energy you invest in it).
One more aspect to be looked at and that is the nature of chemicals used by the cigarette industry. Generations ago our ancestors and the Native Americans smoked pure tobacco. Could it be that the chemicals used today contribute to lung cancer? If anyone has the answer it would be of great benefit to those who seek to know the truth about cigarette smoking and lung cancer.
