The Science Of Spiritual Healing

Critics maintain that there is no science involved in spiritual healing. Experts in the field of Complementary and Alternative Medicine disagree.

Certainly there are popular and, some say, very effective methods such as prayer, which don't involve much science at all. But there are other means of spiritual healing.

Many spiritual healing methods are based on the use of the body's internal and external energies. Most of these therapies, including Reiki, Healing Touch, Qi Gong, Polarity Therapy and others, work along the basic principle that energy must flow freely throughout the body in order for mind, body and spirit to work together. Only then can health be achieved.

We'll break it down a little bit. It is believed that there are energies within the body called prana or chi (which means "life force"), etheric energy, doshas - there are many names for these energies, as they have been discussed for centuries by various cultures.

The energy field that surrounds the body is called the aura. Some claim to be able to see the aura with the naked eye. In recent years, science has developed the ability to photograph the aura. Some spiritual healers say that they can analyze these photographs to diagnose specific problems in the body.

Scientifically, these energies are called putative energy fields or biofields. These forms of subtle energy within and around the body have never been measured in a way that can be documented.

Chakras are seven or eight (depending on varying philosophies) points along the body, from the base of the spine to the head, that attract and house these energies. If the passages are blocked, the mind, body and spirit is inhibited and can not work together to achieve optimum health.

Many spiritual healing therapies including Reiki, Healing Touch Therapy and Therapeutic Touch Therapy work upon the principle that energy, either from the patient or from a greater outside source, can flow through the hands of a practitioner into the body of his or her client. Some of these therapies involve touch, but some are administered by moving the hands along the body, but without touching.

Therapies like Qi Gong and Polarity Therapy work on diet, exercise and self-awareness as well as spiritual means to make the body healthy. These therapies, as they involve more conventional methods of health attainment, might be more easily accepted by skeptics.

Proponents of all of these therapies say that using them together with conventional medicine can only benefit the patient. Some believe that all illness, whether mental, physical or emotional, begins in the brain, at least in some small part. So when all energies are flowing freely, healing can begin. And many healthcare providers, including physicians, are coming to recognize that spiritual healing can have a positive impact on prognosis and recovery in their patients.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) conducts and funds scientific studies of these types of treatments regularly. For information about studies they have done, or to apply for a grant for a study that you would like to do, go to www. nccam.nih.gov.

Spiritual healing takes many forms, including a self-healing regime that has been used in many religions for centuries. And it is becoming increasingly popular outside of organized religion, too. In addition to prayer, many people are turning to meditation, journaling, and other forms of introspection to connect with a higher spiritual power. This connection, they say, enables them to absorb the healing power, become aware of things they can do to help improve their own condition, and ultimately take charge of their own well-being.