Technique's Practitioners Say They're Breathing Life

When Bob and Patricia Lawrence moved to Ponte Vedra Beach from Cairo, Egypt, in March 2000, they planned a leisurely life packed with fun and travel.

At 57, Bob Lawrence had taken early retirement from his career as Lockheed-Martin's president for Africa, the Middle East and Pakistan.

Say They're Breathing Life

Life Technique

"We had taken two summer leaves during our 11 years in Cairo and driven down the East Coast of the United States looking for the perfect retirement spot," recalls Patricia Lawrence. "We liked Ponte Vedra Beach best. Bob was a golfer and a fisherman, and I don't do cold weather well. We went online, found a Realtor and bought our house in Ponte Vedra."

After living their dream for nearly 1 1/2 years, the nightmare began. In October 2001, Bob Lawrence was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. In January, he died.

Ironically, the couple learned about "The Art of Living" while one of them was dying. Last year, as she researched a range of treatments for her husband's cancer, Patricia Lawrence heard about the Art of Living, a structured breathing technique, from Beaches acupuncturist Susan Stewart.

"Bob and I signed up in April of last year for a four-day Art of Living seminar," she said. "One thing the breathing technique does is increase your oxygen intake, and my research had told me that cancer doesn't like oxygen."

In a weakened condition because of chemotherapy and radiation treatments, Bob Lawrence was unable to benefit fully from the unique breathing exercise, but Patricia began to use it daily.

"It kept me upbeat, and that is especially important in nurturing a cancer patient," she said.

Eventually, the Lawrences heard about a doctor in Hawaii who was having some success in treating cancer patients.

"Bob went into remission in Hawaii," she recalls. "He had gained weight and was responding well when he got food poisoning and had no strength left to fight it. I came home alone."

Returning to Ponte Vedra Beach a young widow, at 49, Patricia Lawrence was confronted with an empty house and a mountain of paperwork.

"I've continued to do the breathing exercises every morning," she said. "It makes the mind very quiet and forces it to stop running in every direction. It calms the nerves and helps me get through the day. My personal experience is that The Art of Living helps me tune in to God.