Spiritual healing or faith healing is a term used to describe an ancient healing tradition where a person is encouraged to attain a state of `wholeness’ of their being, in body, mind and spirit. This may be accomplished via an appeal usually to a god or spirit to help heal that person. It can also come about as a result of prayer or meditation, usually in conjunction with a healer or medium who channels divine healing energies to help change the person’s health problem for the better.
Spiritual healing has its origins in nearly all the world’s religions, and is especially noticeable in the history of Christianity. Jesus Christ himself was described as performing healing miracles. During the Middle Ages, saints were recognised as performing spiritual healing, and even relies of them such as bones, fragments of clothing are still considered to have healing powers today. The Maori race also has a long tradition of using spiritual healers, known as tohungas, or priests. The Australian Aboriginal people have a closely related concept, a margidjbu, which is a mythological character or characters which have supernatural powers.
LAYING ON OF HANDS
The `laying on’ of hands to heal is one of the oldest of rituals. Cave paintings dating from as long as 15,000 years ago depict scenes of the laying on of hands. Belief in the divine power of royalty to heal through touch is also well documented, as is the ability of saints to perform miracle cures. The Christian Church regularly holds services where the sick can receive laying onof hands, anointing with oil and prayer.
So, can the hands heal? It isn’t precisely clear how or why, but scientific documentations of the work of healers like Dolores Krieger, a registered nurse who developed the technique or Therapeutic Touch indicates that touch does lead to healing. Krieger learned the process of healing by the laying on of hands from Dom Van Gelder Kunz. She has been quoted as saying: “The patients would feel heat in the tissues underlying the area over which I held my hands, they would feel profoundly relaxed, and they reported a sense of wellbeing.” Krieger’s work is now being taught at university level. Those who use it with the intent to heal report very definite results typically, the patient’s breathing becomes slower and deeper, their skin becomes slightly pinker and warmer and their voice slows temporarily.