0:00:06.959,0:00:09.126
It's such a thrill for me to be here.

0:00:09.147,0:00:12.430
And I'm so happy to see all of you.

0:00:12.431,0:00:16.511
You know, one of the biggest reasons[br]that I'm happy to be here

0:00:16.512,0:00:19.972
is because I shouldn't be alive today.

0:00:19.973,0:00:24.055
I should have died[br]on February, 2, 2006.

0:00:24.056,0:00:29.030
That was supposed to be[br]my last day here, in this physical life,

0:00:29.031,0:00:33.667
because on that day, the doctors[br]had told my husband and my family

0:00:33.668,0:00:36.796
that I only had a few more hours to live.

0:00:36.797,0:00:39.975
I was dying from N-stage lymphoma,

0:00:39.976,0:00:43.144
which is a form of cancer[br]of the lymph nodes.

0:00:43.145,0:00:47.458
I had struggled with cancer[br]for four years up to that point.

0:00:48.920,0:00:53.980
For four years, this disease[br]had devoured my body.

0:00:53.981,0:00:57.199
It had traveled[br]through my lymphatic system.

0:00:57.200,0:00:59.598
It started with a lump in my neck,

0:00:59.599,0:01:03.167
and then, it spread[br]throughout my lymphatic system

0:01:03.168,0:01:06.774
and by that point,[br]by the end of four years,

0:01:06.775,0:01:09.938
I had tumors,[br]some of them the size of lemons

0:01:09.939,0:01:13.774
that had spread from the base of my skull

0:01:13.775,0:01:16.902
all around my neck, down into my chest,

0:01:16.903,0:01:20.722
under my arms,[br]and all the way to my abdomen.

0:01:21.644,0:01:26.265
By that point also,[br]even before I had gone into the coma,

0:01:27.247,0:01:30.174
my lungs had been filled with fluid,

0:01:30.175,0:01:32.857
and every time I would lay down,

0:01:32.858,0:01:35.837
I would choke on my own fluid.

0:01:35.838,0:01:39.252
My muscles had completely deteriorated

0:01:39.253,0:01:42.555
so I weight about 85 pounds.

0:01:42.556,0:01:46.535
I looked like just a skeleton[br]with skin on.

0:01:48.049,0:01:52.526
I had these big gaping-opened skin lesions

0:01:52.527,0:01:55.681
where the toxins[br]were oozing out of my body.

0:01:55.682,0:01:58.533
I wasn't able to digest any food.

0:01:58.534,0:02:01.662
I had a persistent low grade fever,

0:02:01.663,0:02:05.349
I couldn't walk,[br]because my muscles had been deteriorated,

0:02:05.350,0:02:10.923
so I was constantly just lying down[br]or been taken around in a wheel chair.

0:02:10.924,0:02:14.125
I was connected[br]to an oxygen tank all the time.

0:02:14.126,0:02:17.855
I couldn't breathe[br]without the aid of oxygen.

0:02:17.856,0:02:23.674
And on that morning, on February, 2, 2006,

0:02:23.675,0:02:26.503
I went into a coma.

0:02:26.504,0:02:29.261
The doctors had said[br]these were my final hours

0:02:29.262,0:02:32.515
because now my organs had shut down,

0:02:32.516,0:02:34.436
my organs were failing;

0:02:34.437,0:02:39.144
so my family were told that if there was[br]anybody that had to see me before I died,

0:02:39.145,0:02:41.303
this was the time.

0:02:41.304,0:02:44.610
Unbeknownst to everyone around me though,

0:02:44.611,0:02:47.658
even though it appeared[br]that I was in a coma,

0:02:47.659,0:02:49.889
and my eyes were closed,

0:02:49.890,0:02:54.124
I was aware[br]of everything that was going on

0:02:54.125,0:02:55.788
all around me.

0:02:55.789,0:02:59.362
I was aware of my husband[br]who was distressed,

0:02:59.363,0:03:01.943
but he was by my side holding my hand.

0:03:01.944,0:03:05.444
I was aware of everything[br]the doctors were doing:

0:03:05.445,0:03:07.580
they were putting tubes in me,

0:03:07.581,0:03:12.182
they were removing fluid from my lungs[br]so that I could breathe easier.

0:03:12.183,0:03:15.528
I was aware of every single thing[br]that was happening.

0:03:16.471,0:03:22.286
It felt as though I had[br]a 360-degree peripheral vision.

0:03:22.287,0:03:26.633
I could see everything happening[br]all around my body.

0:03:27.796,0:03:33.798
But not just in the room[br]where my body was, but even beyond.

0:03:35.171,0:03:40.053
And it was as if I had expanded[br]out of my body.

0:03:40.054,0:03:42.265
I was aware of my physical body,

0:03:42.266,0:03:46.785
I could see it, lying there[br]on that hospital bed,

0:03:46.786,0:03:50.891
but I was no longer attached to that body.

0:03:50.892,0:03:56.382
It felt as though I could be everywhere[br]at the same time.

0:03:57.185,0:04:01.497
It was like wherever I put[br]my awareness, there I was.

0:04:01.498,0:04:05.342
I was aware of my brother,[br]who was in India.

0:04:05.343,0:04:07.188
My body, I was in Hong Kong.

0:04:07.189,0:04:09.575
This was happening to me in Hong Kong.

0:04:09.576,0:04:11.860
My brother was in India

0:04:11.861,0:04:14.970
and was rushing to get on a plane[br]to come and see me.

0:04:14.971,0:04:18.772
He wanted to see me[br]before I took my last breath.

0:04:18.773,0:04:20.755
And I was aware of that.

0:04:20.755,0:04:23.886
I felt as though I was with him.[br]I saw him on the plane.

0:04:24.886,0:04:30.293
And then I also became aware[br]of my father and my best friend,

0:04:30.294,0:04:32.419
both of whom I had lost.

0:04:32.420,0:04:35.099
Both of them had crossed over, had died.

0:04:35.100,0:04:38.044
But I became aware[br]of their presence with me,

0:04:38.045,0:04:41.732
as though they were guiding me[br]and communicating with me.

0:04:42.945,0:04:47.392
One thing that I felt[br]in this amazing expansive state,

0:04:47.393,0:04:53.184
I felt I was in like a realm of clarity,[br]where I understood everything.

0:04:54.106,0:04:57.199
I understood why I had cancer.

0:04:57.200,0:05:00.712
I understood that I was much greater,

0:05:00.713,0:05:06.152
in fact all of us are much greater[br]and more powerful than we realize

0:05:06.153,0:05:08.682
when we're in our physical bodies.

0:05:08.683,0:05:13.806
I also felt as if I was connected[br]to everybody,

0:05:13.807,0:05:16.876
like all the doctors[br]that were treating me, the nurses,

0:05:16.877,0:05:19.583
my husband, my mother, my brother,

0:05:19.584,0:05:24.912
and everybody, I felt as though[br]we all shared the same consciousness.

0:05:24.913,0:05:29.112
I felt as though I could feel[br]what they were feeling,

0:05:29.113,0:05:31.783
I could feel the distress[br]they were feeling,

0:05:31.784,0:05:35.288
I could feel[br]the resignation of the doctors.

0:05:35.875,0:05:41.825
But at the same time, I didn't get[br]emotionally sucked into the drama,

0:05:41.826,0:05:44.493
but yet, I understood[br]what they were feeling.

0:05:44.494,0:05:47.646
It's like we all share[br]the same consciousness,

0:05:47.647,0:05:51.460
it's like when we're not expressing[br]in our physical bodies,

0:05:51.461,0:05:57.473
you, and I, and all of us, we're all[br]expressions of the same consciousness.

0:05:57.474,0:05:59.360
That's what it felt like.

0:06:00.322,0:06:04.765
I felt as though my father[br]was trying to communicate with me

0:06:04.766,0:06:09.833
that it wasn't my time,[br]that I needed to go back into my body.

0:06:10.387,0:06:13.416
At first, I didn't want to go back,

0:06:13.417,0:06:16.166
because I still felt[br]as though I had a choice,

0:06:16.167,0:06:17.907
weather to come back or not.

0:06:17.908,0:06:20.928
So at first, I absolutely did not want[br]to go back into my body

0:06:20.929,0:06:24.085
because I couldn't see[br]a single good reason

0:06:24.086,0:06:27.850
to go back into this sick and dying body.

0:06:27.851,0:06:32.658
I was a burden on my family,[br]I was suffering, there was no good reason.

0:06:32.659,0:06:34.496
So I didn't want to go back.

0:06:35.247,0:06:41.076
But in the next instant,[br]it felt as if I completely understood

0:06:41.077,0:06:43.883
that now that I knew what I knew,

0:06:43.884,0:06:47.436
and because I understood[br]what caused the cancer,

0:06:47.437,0:06:51.157
I knew that if I chose[br]to go back to my body,

0:06:51.158,0:06:53.914
my body would heal very, very quickly.

0:06:54.834,0:06:57.805
And so, in that moment,

0:06:58.666,0:07:01.454
I made the decision to go back,

0:07:01.455,0:07:05.081
and I heard as though my father[br]and my best friend said to me,

0:07:05.082,0:07:08.363
"Now that you know the truth[br]of who you really are,

0:07:08.364,0:07:12.019
go back and live your life fearlessly."

0:07:12.020,0:07:17.785
And it was in those moments[br]that I woke up from the coma.

0:07:18.556,0:07:21.733
And my family was so relieved to see me.

0:07:21.734,0:07:24.400
And the doctors, they couldn't explain it.

0:07:24.401,0:07:26.851
The doctors were there,[br]and they were surprised,

0:07:26.852,0:07:28.783
but they were being very, very cautious,

0:07:28.784,0:07:32.007
because there was no way[br]of knowing; I was still so weak.

0:07:32.008,0:07:34.119
There was no way for anyone to know

0:07:34.120,0:07:38.830
weather I was going to stay out[br]of the coma, or heal, or go back.

0:07:38.831,0:07:43.210
But I knew I was going to be fine,[br]and I was telling my whole family,

0:07:43.211,0:07:48.424
"I'm going to be fine, I know[br]I'm going to be fine. It's not my time."

0:07:48.425,0:07:54.565
Within five days, the tumors[br]in my body had shrunk by 70%.

0:07:55.241,0:08:00.033
After five weeks, I was released[br]from the hospital to go home.

0:08:00.034,0:08:02.765
I was completely cancer free.

0:08:02.766,0:08:05.008
Now, what has happened

0:08:05.009,0:08:10.078
is that I've had to pick up[br]my life from that point,

0:08:10.079,0:08:12.514
and as you can imagine,

0:08:12.515,0:08:15.234
my life feels completely different.

0:08:15.235,0:08:18.045
It changed my view of the world.

0:08:18.046,0:08:21.909
That experience changed my view[br]of our physical bodies,

0:08:21.910,0:08:26.599
of my physical body, of illness,[br]and how I perceive the world.

0:08:26.600,0:08:30.713
I found it very difficult[br]to integrate back into life again,

0:08:30.714,0:08:32.962
after that experience.

0:08:32.964,0:08:37.914
And the best way I can think of[br]to explain what it feels like

0:08:37.916,0:08:40.662
would be to use metaphors.

0:08:40.663,0:08:46.423
And a metaphor that I like to use[br]is one of a warehouse.

0:08:46.424,0:08:49.041
I'd like you to imagine, if you will,

0:08:49.042,0:08:53.626
we are in a totally darkened warehouse

0:08:53.666,0:08:56.208
that's pitch black.

0:08:56.209,0:08:58.522
Just imagine that right now,

0:08:58.523,0:09:01.512
you're in a warehouse[br]that's completely pitch black,

0:09:01.513,0:09:05.063
and you can't see anything[br]because it's so dark.

0:09:05.064,0:09:08.215
You can't see anything[br]in front of you, anywhere.

0:09:08.216,0:09:12.691
But imagine that in your hand,[br]you hold a little flashlight.

0:09:12.692,0:09:14.282
Just a little flashlight.

0:09:14.283,0:09:17.093
And you switch on that flashlight,

0:09:17.094,0:09:22.587
and with that flashlight,[br]you navigate your way through the dark.

0:09:22.588,0:09:26.626
And you use just the beam[br]of that little flashlight

0:09:26.627,0:09:29.626
to navigate your way in the dark.

0:09:29.627,0:09:33.152
And everything that you see[br]in the warehouse

0:09:33.153,0:09:37.760
is only what you can see[br]with the beam of that flashlight.

0:09:37.761,0:09:41.060
Now imagine[br]if the beam is shining over there,

0:09:41.061,0:09:42.950
all you see is what's over there.

0:09:42.951,0:09:45.243
Everything else is in darkness.

0:09:45.244,0:09:50.247
You shine the beam over there,[br]and all you see is that spot there.

0:09:50.248,0:09:55.473
Everything else is in darkness[br]except for the light of the beam.

0:09:55.474,0:09:59.912
Now imagine one day big floodlights go on

0:09:59.913,0:10:02.965
so the whole warehouse is illuminated,

0:10:02.966,0:10:06.719
and you realize this warehouse is huge.

0:10:06.720,0:10:10.962
It's bigger[br]than you've ever imagined it to be.

0:10:10.963,0:10:15.069
And it's lined with shelves,[br]and shelves, and shelves

0:10:15.070,0:10:17.402
of all kinds of different things.

0:10:17.403,0:10:22.280
Every kind of thing you can imagine,[br]and things you can't even imagine,

0:10:22.281,0:10:27.104
all exist on these shelves,[br]side by side by side.

0:10:27.105,0:10:31.193
Some of these things are beautiful,[br]some not so beautiful,

0:10:31.194,0:10:32.833
some large, some small,

0:10:32.834,0:10:36.884
some things in colors[br]you've never ever seen before,

0:10:36.885,0:10:39.671
colors you've never imagined to exist,

0:10:39.672,0:10:43.412
and some things[br]that are strange and funny looking,

0:10:43.413,0:10:46.160
all exist side by side,

0:10:46.161,0:10:49.608
and you've seen some of them before[br]with your flashlight,

0:10:49.609,0:10:51.981
but many of them[br]you've never seen before

0:10:51.982,0:10:55.741
because your flashlight[br]had never shone on them.

0:10:55.742,0:10:59.445
Now imagine[br]if the lights go back off again,

0:10:59.446,0:11:03.220
and you're back to one flashlight.

0:11:03.221,0:11:08.162
Now, even though all of you can see[br]is what you see with the one flashlight,

0:11:08.163,0:11:11.199
the beam of one flashlight,

0:11:11.200,0:11:13.145
at least you now know

0:11:13.146,0:11:16.985
there is so much more that exists

0:11:16.986,0:11:21.705
simultaneously and alongside[br]the things that you can't see.

0:11:21.706,0:11:25.784
You now know[br]that just because you cannot see them,

0:11:25.785,0:11:29.324
you cannot experience it,[br]doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

0:11:29.325,0:11:32.963
You now know that[br]because you've had that experience.

0:11:32.964,0:11:35.177
That's what it feels like to me.

0:11:35.178,0:11:40.136
It feels like so much more exists[br]than what we believe,

0:11:40.137,0:11:44.598
so much more exists[br]than what we have experienced.

0:11:44.599,0:11:47.010
It's just beyond our flashlight.

0:11:47.895,0:11:51.369
And just to help you understand that[br]a little bit better,

0:11:51.370,0:11:55.260
I'd like to try a little game,[br]a little experiment with you.

0:11:55.261,0:11:59.153
I want you to look around the room[br]and find everything you can

0:11:59.154,0:12:03.496
that is shades of red,[br]everything from red to burgundy.

0:12:03.497,0:12:06.733
Just look around[br]and commit it to your memory.

0:12:06.734,0:12:09.992
As many as possible.[br]Commit it to your memory.

0:12:09.993,0:12:12.473
Because I'm going to ask you to recall it.

0:12:12.474,0:12:16.038
OK. Close your eyes, face to front.

0:12:16.039,0:12:19.774
Now how many things can you recall[br]that are blue in color?

0:12:19.775,0:12:20.904
(Laughter)

0:12:20.905,0:12:23.892
Almost none. Think about it, almost none.

0:12:23.893,0:12:25.742
Open your eyes and look around.

0:12:25.743,0:12:29.833
See how many blue things there were[br]that exist alongside the red,

0:12:29.834,0:12:33.668
but you didn't even notice it,[br]you didn't see it.

0:12:33.669,0:12:36.618
Why? Because you weren't aware of it.

0:12:36.619,0:12:39.936
The beam of that flashlight, what is that?

0:12:39.937,0:12:41.807
That is your awareness.

0:12:41.808,0:12:44.343
That beam is your awareness.

0:12:44.344,0:12:48.757
When you flash[br]your awareness on something,

0:12:48.758,0:12:53.003
it becomes your reality,[br]it becomes what you experience.

0:12:53.004,0:12:56.197
There can be something else[br]that's right under your nose,

0:12:56.198,0:12:59.116
but if your flashlight[br]is not shining on it,

0:12:59.117,0:13:03.166
you won't even notice it;[br]you won't even be aware of it.

0:13:03.167,0:13:04.545
Think about this,

0:13:04.546,0:13:09.395
think about all the billions of dollars[br]we're spending on cancer awareness.

0:13:09.396,0:13:13.195
Think about[br]all the cancer awareness campaigns.

0:13:13.196,0:13:18.926
Imagine if we put that much money,[br]energy, and effort into wellness awareness

0:13:18.927,0:13:20.995
what a different world we would have.

0:13:20.996,0:13:23.605
Imagine if we put[br]all our effort into peace

0:13:23.606,0:13:26.012
instead in into fighting and wars.

0:13:26.013,0:13:30.072
We would have a very different world[br]if we changed our awareness.

0:13:30.901,0:13:34.092
To bring it down[br]onto a more personal level,

0:13:34.093,0:13:37.822
I want to share with you[br]the five biggest lessons

0:13:37.823,0:13:40.822
I learned from this experience.

0:13:40.823,0:13:45.197
Number one, the most important thing[br]that I learned,

0:13:45.198,0:13:50.156
the most important thing we have here,[br]to focus our awareness on, is love.

0:13:50.157,0:13:51.615
That is number one.

0:13:51.616,0:13:55.612
And when I say love,[br]it's very easy to say, or for us to say,

0:13:55.613,0:13:57.292
"We need to love other people."

0:13:57.293,0:14:01.928
But one of the things I learned[br]is that one of the reasons I got cancer

0:14:01.929,0:14:04.509
is because I didn't love myself.

0:14:04.510,0:14:06.479
That's hugely important.

0:14:06.480,0:14:09.963
When we love ourselves,[br]we value ourselves.

0:14:09.964,0:14:13.822
When we value ourselves,[br]we teach people how to treat us.

0:14:13.823,0:14:18.934
When you love yourself, you find no need[br]to control or bully other people

0:14:18.935,0:14:22.817
nor do you allow other people[br]to control or bully you.

0:14:22.818,0:14:27.068
So loving yourself is as important[br]as loving everybody else.

0:14:27.069,0:14:28.954
And the more you love yourself,

0:14:28.955,0:14:32.394
the more love you have[br]to give other people.

0:14:32.395,0:14:36.094
Number two,[br]the next biggest lesson I learned,

0:14:36.095,0:14:39.137
was to live life fearlessly.

0:14:39.138,0:14:41.779
Most of us are brought up[br]on a diet of fear.

0:14:41.780,0:14:43.424
We're taught to fear everything.

0:14:43.425,0:14:46.844
I used to fear everything,[br]I used to fear cancer,

0:14:46.845,0:14:48.849
I used to fear eating the wrong foods,

0:14:48.850,0:14:51.087
I used to fear displeasing people.

0:14:51.088,0:14:54.484
I feared just about everything.[br]I feared failing,

0:14:54.485,0:14:57.555
and most of us are brought up[br]fearing everything.

0:14:57.556,0:15:02.473
And people think that fear keeps you safe;[br]that's actually not true.

0:15:02.474,0:15:04.927
Love keeps you safe.

0:15:04.928,0:15:08.089
When you love yourself,[br]and when you love other people,

0:15:08.090,0:15:10.589
you make sure that you keep yourself safe

0:15:10.590,0:15:13.512
and that you keep other people[br]out of danger's way.

0:15:13.513,0:15:16.861
Love keeps you much safer than fear does.

0:15:17.622,0:15:20.570
The third thing I learned[br]that is so important

0:15:20.571,0:15:23.980
is humor, and laughter, and joy.

0:15:23.981,0:15:26.293
We're born knowing this stuff.

0:15:26.294,0:15:29.013
We're born knowing[br]that it's important to laugh

0:15:29.014,0:15:31.337
because that's what kids do all the time.

0:15:31.338,0:15:34.329
We're born knowing love and fearlessness,

0:15:34.330,0:15:38.069
but it gets conditioned[br]out of us as we grow up.

0:15:38.070,0:15:43.085
Laughter is so important, and humor,[br]and finding your joy in life.

0:15:43.086,0:15:48.246
It's more important than any other[br]spiritual activity that you can think of.

0:15:48.247,0:15:53.030
If we had more laughter, in fact,[br]if even our politicians learn to laugh,

0:15:53.031,0:15:55.347
we'd have a very different world.

0:15:55.348,0:15:59.848
And if we had more laughter,[br]you'd have less people with illness,

0:15:59.849,0:16:03.834
you'd need less hospitals,[br]and you'd need less prisons as well.

0:16:04.541,0:16:08.537
The fourth thing I learned[br]is that life is a gift.

0:16:08.538,0:16:10.077
It really is.

0:16:10.078,0:16:13.154
Most of us live our lives[br]as though life is a chore,

0:16:13.155,0:16:15.131
but it shouldn't be that way.

0:16:15.132,0:16:16.957
And it's unfortunate

0:16:16.958,0:16:20.667
that only when we loose[br]something that we value

0:16:20.668,0:16:23.272
do we really realize the true value of it.

0:16:23.273,0:16:27.860
And it took me losing my life[br]to realize the value of my life.

0:16:27.861,0:16:30.852
And I don't want other people[br]to make the same mistake

0:16:30.853,0:16:34.441
which is why I'm standing here[br]sharing my message.

0:16:34.442,0:16:37.815
Because I don't want[br]people to realize when it's too late

0:16:37.816,0:16:39.815
the value of their life.

0:16:39.816,0:16:41.793
And your life is a gift.

0:16:41.794,0:16:45.503
Even the challenges[br]that come to you are a gift.

0:16:45.504,0:16:47.115
When I had cancer,

0:16:47.845,0:16:50.834
that was the biggest challenge[br]I could ever have,

0:16:50.835,0:16:52.901
but today when I look back on it,

0:16:52.902,0:16:55.562
I feel it's the biggest gift[br]I could have had.

0:16:55.563,0:16:57.258
People think that the cancer,

0:16:57.259,0:16:59.928
or even I thought,[br]the cancer was killing me,

0:16:59.929,0:17:04.181
but actually I was killing myself[br]before I got cancer.

0:17:04.182,0:17:06.830
The cancer saved my life.

0:17:06.832,0:17:10.200
All your challenges are gifts.

0:17:10.201,0:17:15.958
In the end, you will always find[br]that your challenges are a gift.

0:17:15.959,0:17:19.934
And if you're really challenged,[br]and it doesn't feel like a gift yet,

0:17:19.935,0:17:23.125
it means you haven't got to the end yet.

0:17:24.194,0:17:28.499
The fifth and final thing[br]which is so important that I learned

0:17:28.500,0:17:33.447
is that the most important thing for you[br]is to always be yourself.

0:17:33.448,0:17:36.099
Be as you as you can be.

0:17:36.100,0:17:39.122
Shine your light as brightly as you can.

0:17:39.123,0:17:40.797
Embrace your uniqueness.

0:17:40.798,0:17:44.707
Just realize who you are,[br]get to know who you are,

0:17:44.708,0:17:50.199
love yourself unconditionally,[br]and just be yourself.

0:17:50.200,0:17:51.589
And with those five things,

0:17:51.590,0:17:54.699
I invite you to go[br]and live your life fearlessly.

0:17:54.700,0:17:56.238
Thank you very much.

0:17:56.239,0:17:57.727
(Applause)