Magic Salamanders & the Zero-Point Field (4 of 5)
Spontaneous Regression
Spontaneous regression (SR) or “miracle”… which is it?
The formal definition of SR is when a disease that usually progresses improves or is cured unexpectedly.
The formal definition of a miracle is a surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency.
It appears that the only difference between the terms is that SR potentially can be accounted for mechanistically speaking while the “miracles” have no explanation based on scientific laws and therefore has divinity attached to it. In either case there is no disputing of the actual occurrence of the healing taking place but moreso the branding of the transpiration.
Before we dive into individual cases of these healings, let us delve into the modern history of SR.
In 1956, two American surgeons named Warren H. Cole and Tilden C. Everson coined the term “spontaneous regression” (SR). Prior to Cole and Everson creating this term, these cases of healing largely undertook a religious tone being referred to simply as “miracles”. One of the most famous sites regarding the occurrence of “miracles” is “The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes” in southern France. It’s been reported that over 3 million people visit this location every year. The site became known following an experience in 1858 in which the Virgin Mary appeared to a 14-year old girl named Bernadette Soubirous. During one of these experiences, Bernadette reported that she was told to drink the water from a spring that flowed under the rock. Being that there was no visible spring, Bernadette dug under the rock and a few days later, a spring appeared that continues to produce 32,000 gallons of water everyday. Shortly thereafter, she claims that Virgin Mary suggested that a chapel be built on the site and to have people visit in processions.
It has been reported that more than 7000 cases of miracles have transpired from the pilgrimages to Lourdes since the mid-1800s. Out of the 7000 reported cases, 70 have been identified by the Roman Catholic Church as legitimate miracles when utilizing the Lambertini Criteria (LC). This methodology of judging miracles comprises of the following 7 points:
1. The disease must be serious and impossible (or at least very difficult) to cure by human means.
2. The disease must not be in a stage at which it is liable to disappear shortly by itself.
3. Either no medical treatment must have been given or it must be certain that the treatment given has no reference to the cure.
4. The cure must be instantaneous.
5. The cure must be complete.
6. The cure must be permanent.
7. The cure must not be preceded by any crisis of a sort which would make it possible the cure was wholly or partially natural.
(Visitors waiting in line at the entrance of The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes.)
Regardless of one’s thoughts on the Catholic Church’s ability to quantify a medical anomaly, it’s clear that these criteria are quite stringent. In addition, dozens of medical professionals removed from the religious connotations of these occurrences are part of the LC examination process. While 70 verified cases out of an estimated 200 million visitors since the mid-1800s might seem like a miniscule percentage, the fact that these cases exist support the notion that spontaneous regression can be induced via distinct activation of a belief system and proper setting/location.
In 2013, a case study was published outlining the experience of Vittorio Micheli, a soldier in the Italian Army who visited Lourdes in the 1960s. Vittorio suffered from extreme pain in his left buttock region and X-ray examination showed significant destruction of bone tissue in the left hip and femur socket region. Following a biopsy of the gluteal muscle it was determined that cancer cells were the underlying cause of the pain. It was determined that he was not a candidate for medical intervention due to the extensive nature of the cancer. Follow-up X-rays in the subsequent months showed nearly complete destruction of his left hemi-pelvis.
The following year, after being placed in a hip-to-foot plaster cast to stabilize the leg, Vittorio would make the trek to Lourdes. Upon his arrival he would lay on a stretcher unable to walk all the while needing to be heavily sedated due to the pain from the cancer that had all but destroyed his left pelvis. He then immersed himself in the Lourdes water with the cast on his leg and shortly thereafter discarded the use of sedatives and analgesics for pain. Within one month after returning home from Lourdes he was walking on his own only with a slight limp. Follow up X-rays showed no trace of cancer, a regrowth of bone tissue loss, and the renormalization of his femur position.
Vittorio’s case is one of the currently 70 verified cases of miracles coinciding with the visit to Lourdes.
There are 2 questions that arise when taking into account a case or cases such as this:
The first one is simply… how?
The second one is… what are the differences in individuals who experience these spontaneous regressions compared to those who do not?
Regarding the first question of “how?”, we will cover the proposed mechanisms shortly.
In terms of the differences between individuals who successfully experience a SR following a visit to Lourdes compared to those that do not… there is simply not a whole lot of data out there yet. MRI based brain imaging of a sizable percentage of visitors would require an unrealistic amount of time and a budget bigger than the GDP of a medium-sized nation.
Nevertheless, in 2020 a study in the journal Brain and Behavior would utilize a questionnaire coupled with MRI imaging of the brains of 84 women regarding their belief in the miracles of Lourdes. The data indicates that the belief in miracles exuded a positive correlation between temporoparietal junction (TPJ) volume and a negative correlation with medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) volume. Interestingly, the group as a whole was considered to lean towards the skeptical side being that the average rating from a scale ranging 0 to 6 in terms of belief in miracles (6 = definite belief in miracles) was 1.87. Five of the 84 participants had previously experienced a miracle themselves (e.g., healing of cancer and disappearance of severe chronic pain). It’s important to note that meditation has been observed to increase TPJ connectivity and volume (Hölzel et al., 2011; Yang et al., 2016; Gundel et al., 2018; Zhang et al., 2021).
In the majority if not all of the SR cases associated with Lourdes, the subjects also reported an experience of spiritual transcendence. It would appear that the mystical experience is an integral part of the SR experience although it doesn’t seem that a perceived connection with the divine guarantees a dramatic disease reversal. In 2021, the Journal of Religion and Health published a research paper regarding a questionnaire completed by 67 people (between 15 and 87 years old) who had made the pilgrimage to Lourdes. About 40% of the participants reported an experience of transcendence described as closeness or communicative with the divine.
Whether there are geological and/or environmental differences in the composition of the Lourdes area contributing to these experiences or simply the belief itself as the primary driving force is unclear. It could very well be a combination of all mentioned potential factors as well as unknown components. Nevertheless, a mystical-type experience does seem to be a regular theme among a strong percentage of SR cases.
Interestingly, one manner in which researchers have been able to reliably measure physiological and neurological changes coinciding with transcendental experiences is following psychedelic administration. The shamanic brew known as Ayahuasca has been observed to induce mystical-type experiences for 4 to 6 hours following ingestion. The visionary journeys do not seem to have traditional religious themes or deities. Instead, experiencers report a feeling of transcendence, the presence of “Mother Aya”, contact with intelligent beings, and the experience “ego death”. In addition to the visionary and emotional insights, vomiting and shitting are a commonly reported effect known as “la purga”. Following the journey, many people report a sense of viewing the world with a new perspective as well as the alleviation of negative patterns such as addiction and depression. In more recent times MRI brain imaging data has shown the neuroplastic effects following the experience as well as changes in regional cerebral blood flow associated with these changes in emotional processing (Riba et al., 2006; Frecska et al., 2016; Sanches et al., 2016; Almeida et al., 2022; Mallaroni et al., 2023).
Being that there seems to be some overlap in terms of the descriptions of transcendence described from visitors to Lourdes as well as from Ayahuasca drinkers, it leads us to wonder if there are any documented cases in which the shamanic brew has been associated with SR. A 2013 paper published in the journal SAGE Open Medicine reviewed 9 case studies in which Ayahuasca was utilized specifically for the treatment of cancer of various types. One of the case studies was that of Donald Topping who was diagnosed with liver cancer in 1996 at the age of 64. Topping would refuse chemotherapy and underwent 2 ayahuasca sessions and 2 shamanic healing sessions in 1997. Following these experiences he visited an oncologist who found that his carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) test was unexpectedly below normal. One year later in 1998, it was reported that his cancer was in full remission. Mr. Topping would pass away from other non-cancer related causes at the age of 73 in August 2003.
(Figure 2 from the 2013 paper outlining hypothetical mechanisms of cancer healings following Ayahuasca ingestion.)
Another case study in the review paper was that of a woman named Margaret De Wys who was diagnosed with breast cancer. She would travel to the Amazon in order to undergo shamanic healing coupled with Ayahuasca. De Wys stated that she did not disclose her condition to the facilitator of the ceremonies but that the Shuar healer was able to sense her diseased state visualized as black smoke in her breast. She subsequently underwent 11 Ayahuasca sessions between 2000 and 2003 which led her to undergo an examination in which there was no trace of cancer found in her body. De Wys would go on to author the book titled, “Black Smoke: Healing and Ayahuasca Shamanism in the Amazon”.
It seems rather important to point out that the same chemical components of Ayahuasca are also found within the human body (Barker et al., 2012; Shen et al., 2010; Cao et al., 2022; Pfau et al., 2004; Mosaffa et al., 2021; Fernandez-Novoa et al., 1991; Kumar et al., 2022; Jiang et al., 2009). There is speculation that upregulation of these chemicals (DMT, 5-MEO-DMT, Harmane, Isatin, Neurocatin) contribute to non-drug induced mystical-type experiences. While the experiencers of Lourdes have a religious connection and Ayahuasca experiencers have a chemically induced experience, are there any other types of well documented SR cases?
One of the most famous cases of SR is that of Anita Moorjani. This case comprises a woman who suffered from advanced stage lymphoma which had metastasized throughout her body. She was admitted to the hospital and entered into a coma as her organ function shut down due to advanced stage carcinoma. Moorjani would wake up from her coma 30 hours later and experience a reduction of her tumor size by 70% within 4 days of awakening. Within 5 weeks, she would reveal no traces of cancer and was released from the hospital. During her coma she experienced many classical elements of a mystical experience including an “Out-of-Body Experience” and conversing with deceased relatives. Anita would go on to publicize her experience in the book titled, “Dying to be Me”.
One of the commonalities among those in deep prayer/meditation, Ayahuasca, and coma states is that they’ve all been observed to quiet the default mode network (DMN) in the brain (Garrison et al., 2015; Galanter et al., 2016; Perez-Diaz et al., 2023; Palhano-Fontes et al., 2015; Norton et al., 2012). This suggests that changing the neural network connectivity associated with the sense of self as potentially being key to experiencing a SR.
This brings us back to the question of spontaneous regression or miraculous healing?
One question that comes to mind in terms of differentiating between both terms is… what is considered to be true “scientific law”? Does this solely refer to the classic perspective of biology? When we state “classic perspective”, we are referring to blood composition and genetic expression changes associated with disease states. Traditionally speaking, diseases such as cancer are diagnosed via imaging (X-ray, CT scan, MRI), blood test biomarkers, tumor biopsy, and genetic testing. The traditional manner in which cancer is treated is usually by a combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.
This perspective of biology and cancer leaves little to no room for mechanistic explanations for SR occurrences. While the compounds in Ayahuasca have been cited to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects, we do not believe that it is the chemical distribution in the blood stream that is the primary driver of SR (Maia et al., 2023; Goncalves et al., 2024). Instead, we believe that it is the effects on the brain and central nervous system that are the primary drivers.
We hypothesize that it is a systemic re-normalization of physiological abnormalities in the cancerous cells such as greater depolarization of cell membrane potential, hyperpolarization of mitochondria, ionic imbalances, clock gene disruption, and hormonal imbalance that contribute to SR occurrence (Yang et al., 2013; Bortner et al., 2014; Bhat et al, 2015; Sulli et al., 2019; Nguyen et al., 2019; Ding et al., 2020; Mani et al., 2020; Battaglin et al., 2021; Yu, 2022; Cheng et al, 2022; Begum et al., 2023; Huang et al., 2023; Satpathi et al., 2023). We speculate that the perspective that offers the potential of SR in a rapid fashion is based on alterations to the bioelectric layer of the body. Causing dramatic changes in the body from altering blood composition and endocrine secretion simply isn’t realistic in terms of a mechanistic explanation for rapid healing. Since bioelectric signaling throughout the body can be directly affected by changes in brain activity, focusing on the neurological changes coinciding with SR is pertinent to understanding the true “scientific law”. The classic perspective of biology wouldn’t have a primary focus on brain activity if a person had cancerous growths in their digestive system as there lacks a clear identified pathway of influence.
The normalization of autonomic nervous system signaling, clock genes, mitochondrial polarization, and cell membrane potential can all take place rather quickly via a distinct change to the brain and nervous system. We speculate that rapid SR events occur due to a person accessing a state of consciousness far outside of the norm. This experience must change them fundamentally and it would likely be reflected via a reorganization of neural networks, vagus nerve activity, and suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) signaling. The vagus nerve regulates activity of the heart, lungs, and digestive organs. The SCN is a small cluster of neurons in the hypothalamus of the brain which regulates a person’s circadian rhythm as well as providing a feedback loop of clock genes. Without a complete change to these neural structures to alter top-down signaling, SR would seem unlikely.
Where do we get the confidence to speculate on such a medically perplexing occurrence?
It’s not so much confidence as it is rationality. These experiences occur… so either we can throw our hands up and claim “magic” or we can actually attempt to understand the mechanisms based on the environment, speed, and mind-frame during their transpirations.
In the 1970’s, an Australian psychiatrist named Ainslie Meares observed significant improvements in cancer patients who utilized a specific meditation and published numerous case studies on those that experienced SR (Meares, 1976; Meares, 1977; Meares, 1978; Meares, 1978; Meares, 1979; Meares, 1981; Meares, 1982; Challis et al., 1989). The type of meditation Meares would implore could only be described as nothingness. The technique he promoted was to sit in silence and focus on nothing… not even the breath. However, it was important to maintain a level of intense focus on… nothing. Interestingly, in 1978 Meares published a case study of a woman with advanced cancer who experienced SR from this type of meditation to only have a relapse once she began incorporating a vivid visualization of her healthy cells eating the cancer cells within the meditation (Meares, 1978).
You mean to tell us you can’t just visualize your tumors shrinking away to induce a SR?
Crap.
Perhaps it is the emotion and intent associated with that specific visualization that caused the relapse. The patient was essentially initiating an attack within her own body. There lies the possibility that a different type of visualization such as a soothing or cooling effect of inflamed cancer growths might offer a different result. Being that this is such an under-explored perspective of oncology, much research needs to take place within this specific genre to better understand the mechanism of effects.
In more recent times, Dr. Joe Dispenza has become one of the most well-known practitioners of meditation specifically regarding it’s effects on cancer. In fact, research at UC San Diego to the tune of $10 million is currently underway to measure the various biological processes and changes that take place from Dispenza’s week-long retreats. Interestingly, the style of meditation that occurs at these events is quite different than the style implored by Ainslie Meares. Instead of silent meditation with a focus on nothingness, Dispenza combines guided meditation, walking meditation, eyes-open mandala meditations, and breathwork with a focus on the pineal gland. From what it appears, the strategy is to offer a variety of altered states practices for prolonged periods of time (6 hours a day) in an attempt to constantly upregulate neuroplasticity and induce a mystical-type experience. It seems that the full-blown mystical-type experience can potentially be the catalyst to reorganize neural networks and autonomic signaling leading to the SR. There also lies the potentiality that this experience of transcendence correlates with an altered resonance with the zero-point field (ZPF) and the morphogenetic blue-print of the body. If one can resonate with the ZPF in a more optimized state, the body would theoretically be forced to follow it’s optimal blueprint and SR occurs.
Theoretically that is.
In the book “The Body Electric”, Dr. Becker outlines the fact that animals who have greater regenerative capabilities are the least likely to experience incidences of cancer. Perhaps part of the reasoning behind the positive effects of inducing altered states is emulating the bioelectric signaling and states of consciousness similar to that of the magical salamander?
(A chart on page 217 of “The Body Electric” comparing cancer incidences of animals with varying degrees of regenerative capabilities.)
Another technique of inducing altered states seems to have SR inducing potential is the Wim Hof Method (WHM). This technique incorporates breathwork, cold exposure, and meditation. The straightforward efficiency of the WHM makes it optimized to conduct clinical research. There is evidence indicating that breathwork can induce an accelerated change in mood in comparison to meditation (Balban et al., 2023). There is also evidence showing that just one 5 minute exposure to cold water immersion can induce significant changes in large scale neural network communication inducing an improvement in mood and self-regulation (Yankouskaya et al., 2023). An excellent meta-analysis of the historic usage of cold therapy for cancer has been produced in the journal iScience (Grazioso et al., 2023). As with everything, dose is the key and if a person is trying to induce a SR of cancer, they’d likely need to engage in more intense or customized utilization of WHM than the standard daily maintenance of 10 minutes of breathwork and several minutes of cold exposure. An example of this would be a 2004 case report of a hypnotherapist utilizing 20 sessions of hypnosis in one day for each client to absolve substance addiction (Potter, 2004). According to the practitioner, there was a 77% success rate following a 12 month follow-up.
Another tactic that has been observed to induce neuroplastic effects, autonomic plasticity and even visionary type experiences when utilized for prolonged periods is fasting (Fond et al., 2013; Wang et al., 2016; Solianik et al., 2016; Gonzalez et al., 2022; Stec et. al., 2023; Schwertfedger et al., 2024). There has been an increasing interest among researchers in recent times to consider the effects of fasting on cancer (Nencioni et al., 2018; Deligiorgio et al., 2020; Clifton et al., 2021; Tiwari et al., 2022; Thompson et al., 2023). Interestingly, it appears that the techniques employed by many religious traditions for “spiritual healing” combine many of the facets we’ve presented thus far including deep prolonged praying (altered states) and fasting.
One aspect to ponder regarding the effects of chemotherapy is that in certain cases, subjects experience remission of disease from this treatment. While the classic mechanisms of affecting cancerous cells directly via bloodstream distribution of the chemotherapeutic agent is commonly cited to be cause, there could be additional bioelectric factors involved. The term “chemo brain” is the term used to describe cognitive issues that can occur in cancer patients during and following treatment. There is evidence suggesting that chemotherapy can alter connectivity in the default mode network (Kesler et al., 2013; Cheng et al., 2017; Chen et al., 2022). There is also data indicating that autonomic nervous system signaling is altered following the treatment (Adams et al., 2015). Could it be that an indirect side effect of chemotherapy such as altering neural connectivity and autonomic signaling is the reason for remission in certain patients?
There lies the possibility that the future of oncology lies in fields of neuroscience and bioelectricity. What is the quickest and most efficient way to alter one’s signaling pathways throughout the body?
It is part of human nature to want to understand how things transpire and spontaneous regression of terminal disease is one of the most interesting fields of study to date. Our evolution as a species depends on unraveling mysteries of the universe in order to apply them to our lives. We speculate that an evolutionary leap is on the horizon for our planet and everything that lives on it.
Coming soon in Part 5!
P.S. Another even more obscure occurrence than spontaneous regression of terminal illness is that of “hysterical strength”. This phenomena can be described as taking place during a moment of emergency such as a child being stuck underneath a car and the child’s grandmother lifts the car with one hand while dragging the child out from under the car with the other. Adrenaline is a very poor explanation for these types of occurrences as the amount of physical damage to muscle, tendons, and bones on the elderly from lifting a 3000 pound object is indisputable. There have been reports of subjects on PCP being able to lift cars… but they ultimately do severe damage to their arms, sockets, and shoulders. While hysterical strength is obviously extremely difficult to conduct research on being that it seems to arise in time of crisis, we do believe that there is a bioelectric and consciousness based component to this phenomena. There’s something about not thinking about whether something is possible and just willing it into existence it seems…