Healing in Hawaii
Faith and sainthood .. who dunnit?
Aiea, Hawaii. When cancer spread into her lungs, doctors told Audrey Toguchi she had six months to live and suggested chemotherapy as the only option. Toguchi, however, turned to another source: a Catholic missionary who died more than a century ago. "I'm going to Molokai to pray to Father Damien," Toguchi told Dr. Walter Y.M. Chang after hearing her death sentence. "Mrs. Taguchi, prayers are nice and its probably very helpful, but you still need chemotherapy," said Chang. Defying Chang and the pleas of her husband and two sons, Toguchi caught a flight from Honolulu to the remote peninsula of Kalaupapa to pray at the grave of the priest who had ministered to people with leprosy, until he too caught it and died in 1889. "Dear Lord, you're the one who created my body, so I know you can fix it." Toguchi prayed. "I put my whole faith in you ... Father Damien, please pray for me too because I need your help." On a doctor's visit on Oct. 2, 1998, a month after cancer was detected in her lungs, doctors expected the tumors to have grown. Instead they had shrunk, and by May 1999 tests confirmed that they had disappeared without treatment.
The Vatican conducted an extensive review and concluded Toguchi's recovery defied medical explanation. On July 3, Pope Benedict XVI agreed and approved the case as Damien's second miracle, opening the way for the Belgian priest to be declared a saint.
Jaymes Song: Associated Press . Rocky Mt. News, August 10, 2008
Photo: kalalau Valley: Holger Leue
posted by jm at 5:01 PM
7 Comments:
Since everyone's all talking at once, I'll try to get a word in edgewise here... ;o)
As a child of the 80's, I was nuts about Cyndi Lauper--and still am in fact. She's gotten better with age and her passion for equality and human rights is impressive to me.
I knew that at some point in her career, before she made it big with "She's So Unusual," she strained her vocal cords and lost her voice. Doctors told her she would never sing again.
What I didn't realize til now is that this happened at age 27, quite close to the first Saturn Return! Now for someone like her, that would have been a major crisis. However, she worked with a vocal trainer to restore her voice and was very successful.
Her birthdate is 22 June 1953, Brooklyn (Kings County), NY. No birth time is known but her birthdate indicates she's a Cancer. The Asc appears to be Libra, which could highlight the equality theme in her career. However, the birth time in use, 12:00 PM, indicates rx Saturn 20 Libra 33' 9" conj Neptune 21 Libra 8' 7" also rx.
She doesn't strike me as someone who has a vague self-identity, although I understand she was dyslexic and flunked just about everything in school, and set out at age 17 to hitchhike across the country. Perhaps Saturn mitigates the fuzziness of Neptune somehow.
Uranus in the 10th house might be the signpost for "She's So Unusual." :o) Her career was certainly unusual, as she blazed the trail for many female rock artists who followed her.
Anyway this is mainly speculation, with no definite birth time, but certainly interesting to me! :o)
:-)
I didn't know about Cyndi's vocal loss. That's not uncommon with performers as they all strain and force.
Saturn is like that. The perfect opportunity to achieve success if you focus and do the work methodically. Sometimes the hardships and depression actually serve the larger purpose in keeping one away from superficial distractions. I'm starting to go there myself with Pluto just about to turn direct and into Capricorn for good. I feel a discipline tantrum coming.:-) I think many are going to be surprised at the changes ahead. Some don't feel prepared now but they will be soon enough.
She doesn't strike me as someone who has a vague self-identity
Ahhh...what you see is not what is with these public figures. With anyone for that matter. Sometimes I think most performers have identity problems since they require excessive validation from the crowd. They often start to identify with the performing image and trouble sets in. Who are they without the audience? It can be devastating to go there and most have to eventually. Saturn-Neptune especially since Neptune is glamour and image, Saturn, stark cold reality.
The Saturn-Neptune conjunction is a fascinating one. It can work both ways. Saturn with its concrete reality can bring visions into manifestation. Or conversely, Neptune can ruin Saturn's well laid plans and sometimes set people adrift, making goals seem vague. Both often happen in a lifetime. Since Saturn is what the life destiny is trying to accomplish, with Neptune transcendence is the goal. So you can see how tricky that can be.
It can be divine for a practicing artist just like Saturn-Mercury aspects are good for writers.
In truth, goals are vague for everyone. People accomplish what they think they should and often find their achievements not delivering the fulfillment they desire. So I think ultimately Saturn-Neptune is a path to an advanced spiritually realized success. How to do that outside of cloistering and renunciation is a challenge.
So few get there and I can't say what makes the difference. Perhaps karmic influences and with Saturn-Neptune especially there is a vast calling that people seldom understand.
You see that with McCain's Saturn in Pisces opposite Neptune and with Obama's Saturn in the 12th. Interesting to observe. It can be the lowest route or the highest. Degradation and abuse vs. compassionate soul development. Confusing links to the father figure. God and man(authority) questions, etc.
So with Saturn-Neptune there is probably a building of image which then becomes false and a desire to strip it away and build another one. Or else become a film artist like Fellini who had the conjunction in Leo. Then one doesn't have to work with the persona. You can really see the far out fantasy wishes of Neptune with Fellini who was also a Capricorn.
He was also a dictator who HAD to have his visions become reality and he said in an interview when asked about puppeteering, "Well, if the puppetmaster is good, then it works." I've thought about that a lot. The interview was great and said a lot about the artist's path in understandable terms. He said most of all it's a search for authenticity.
That is so interesting, jm, and much grist for the mill. I'm too wiped out to have anything clever to say about it though.
I will say I recognize the truth in your comment "Sometimes the hardships and depression actually serve the larger purpose in keeping one away from superficial distractions." These past three weeks have been like that. I had to have an operation that will hopefully allow me to her better but the recovery time is taking me longer than I expected or desired. Much is beyond my control right now and there have been many pity parties in this house.
I keep wondering what I'm being asked to develop: patience? faith in the process? confidence in the workings of the universe to bring me what I need while I'm unable to work? So much to consider.
I wish you good luck with your coming tantrum. :o)
her = hear. LOL, I didn't have a sex change operation. :o)
Joe. I hope hope hope so much that the surgery improves your hearing. More than I can express. It would all be worth it. The temporary setback is just what it is. I think you are absolutely right:
confidence in the workings of the universe
That's Pluto to your Jupiter. It will come. The important thing to keep in mind is that all things Capricorn go back to your Saturn in Gemini. So the improvement in hearing will set you up to communicate with your people better. All in the cards. The hearing disability is the escape and if that changes, the whole thing changes and your Saturn in Gemini slowly comes around to fulfill your destiny, whatever crosses have to be carried to get there. In increments as you adjust. The Saturn lessons come hard for everyone. At least it's not on the 12th.
The pity parties are universal. I cowered under my desk in first grade afraid of the Commies. I thought that one was done, but no. Just in time for an election. A little war to scare the stoopids, which is all of us. I sure wish we could get a break. What a world. I hope hope hope the choice is clear to the majority.
I also hope you are relatively free from physical pain. My ears are my life so I hear you.
Thanks, jm. They wanted to do the surgery in late May but Mercury was rx so I asked to wait until July. No sense in taking chances.
There was pain for some days afterward but not as much as I expected. The hardest part has been the swelling which takes it own sweet time, but Neith reminded me that Tseka is a homeopath and would have something to recommend. In fact, Tseka just sent me some remedies for swelling and they arrived yesterday afternoon, so I have just started following her instructions. :o)
I do think, too, that this enforced downtime has reminded me that I've given a lot of myself out there in various places and maybe it's time to be open to receiving for a change and let other people do the nurturing. SN/NN anyone? ;o)
Looks like you're in good hands. The healing should pick up.
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