Spiritual healing

[Wonderer]

I had attended to a spiritual healing session once. In a nut shell, good spiritual people put their hands on your head and pray for the 'holy spirit' to come upon the person to heal them from any negative feelings and thoughts.

At some stage (I saw 3 in total), the person being prayed upon would fall down on the floor (like fainted) and would start crying hysterically, they would feel a big sensation of joy, love and warmth (literally as well) and feel as if they have been freed from the negative thoughts/feeling/grudges etc. Normally, they would have experienced a negative experience where they would have been, for example, abused physically or hurt psychologically etc.

One of them whom has experienced this is a friend of mine. He explained that he cannot really explain what he felt as its unique, but he feels that he's a different person now, healed from what was holding him back to fully accept God and love others and himself. He said that he 'understands' everything about God, life etc, but just cant explain it, he just knows. I had made friends with another person too (though he was not healed in the session that I had attended). He was living a very low life (prostitution, drugs, drinking, stealing etc) and now not only he is totally healed and a totally different person, but he left everything and is now dedicated to helping other people.

Obviously, I still don't understand this. They say that its called 'baptism of the holy spirit'.

I'm a very loving, kind, forgiving (though human and still with many defects!) etc person, but others tell me that I have a barrier to bond with other people. Those close to me notice it. After reflecting upon it, they are right, it's true, I've been hurt psychologically, and though I am always there to help and love/forgive, I kinda keep a distance to bond and have a brick wall (guess just in case I get hurt again)

Even though I have accepted what happened, love those who hurt me and forgive them, but, I feel that they (those close to me) are right, I too need to heal from this thing....I guess.

Do we know if this spiritual healing is just a psychological thing? Or maybe what happens is real, and some good spirit showers us with love and heals us when they pray upon us?

I had tried this spiritual healing. Nothing happened. Maybe cause I was too blocked. Or maybe cause I am the scientific type and need to know how things work (shame on me :)) Or maybe cause I am psychologically not open to these things. Need also say that my wife was one of these who received the healing. She is not the scientific type, but a very sensitive, God loving person, who would not stay looking for answers on whats out there, which usually are receptive for these things.

What do you guys think of all this?

Love
Wonderer

[vic smyth]

I believe that God loves us just they way we are. Since we are created in God's image, I believe that we need to love ourselves just they way we are, love others just they way they are, love the world just the way it is. I can say from experience that this is easier said than done. But it's a wonderful ideal to work towards.

With the spiritual healing, certainly something very real happens to some people. We all have our unique journeys, our unique beliefs and wordviews. What works for one person may not work for another. Keep searching, sooner or later I believe that we all find what we are looking for.

With Lovingkindness (metta (http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/buddharakkhita/wheel365.html#intro)),
vic

[Birki]

There are different types of energy healing, just because this one type didn't work for you maybe another would. Or maybe it won't. I agree with vic, there is nothing "wrong" with you, but if you feel it would help you you might explore Reiki. You can also try a self-help form of energy healing which is called EFT (emotional freedom technique, some people call it "tapping"). It is pretty easy to learn and use, there are number of online resources and videos that could show you how.

[Roberta Grimes]

Dear Wonderer, Vic, and Birki, our minds are so powerful! If only we can believe absolutely, we can do literally anything - then healing ourselves is easy. As Jesus says: "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." (MK 11:23-24) He makes it clear that it is the mind of the person being healed which does a lot of the work whenever he performs a healing: “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” (LK 8:48) And “Do you believe that I am able to do this?... According to your faith will it be done to you.” (MT 9:28-29)

To answer your question, dear Wonderer, psychological healing is real healing! Your mind governs your body, and it can either make your body sick or make it well. I think it is less the specific kind of spiritual healing and more the mindset of the person being healed which makes the healing happen, so the drama surrounding the "holy spirit" type of healing and the Reiki and EFT versions in their different ways all help to facilitate the belief-amounting-to-certainty in the sick person which actually effects the healing. So, yes, dear Wonderer, if you are resisting believing or are skeptical, then none of these techniques is likely to work for you. On the other hand, dear friend, you can trust the words of Jesus - read the Gospels, trust our Wayshower, and you can heal yourself!

[Wonderer]

Thank you for your reply Robert, as always what you say makes lots of sense.

Cheers
Wonderer

[Carol and Mikey]

What Roberta has said here is so true! The mind is very powerful. I continue to work with patients with neurological disabilities and do prosthetic training for amputees as a physical therapist in a rehab setting. For 28+ years I have seen how the mind can influence the patient's outcome and progress. The patient NEEDS to truly BELIEVE they can get better. They need to want to improve and put their heart and soul into it. It has been amazing to see the difference it makes in a person's function when they "put their mind" to it! Certainly, depending on the injury or damage, there is only so much that can "physically" improve. But the attitude and over-all outcome of satisfaction and continued life worth is far superior with an open mind that is wanting to give it their best shot!
Carol

[mac]

What Roberta has said here is so true! The mind is very powerful. I continue to work with patients with neurological disabilities and do prosthetic training for amputees as a physical therapist in a rehab setting. For 28+ years I have seen how the mind can influence the patient's outcome and progress. The patient NEEDS to truly BELIEVE they can get better. They need to want to improve and put their heart and soul into it. It has been amazing to see the difference it makes in a person's function when they "put their mind" to it! Certainly, depending on the injury or damage, there is only so much that can "physically" improve. But the attitude and over-all outcome of satisfaction and continued life worth is far superior with an open mind that is wanting to give it their best shot!
Carol

............................
.


(Message from Moderator:
This post has been edited by its author (Mac) in order to remove his derogatory comments towards members of this forum.)
-Andrew
(Moderator)

[Birki]

I'm lost - please help. How does this relate to the forum title of 'Spiritual Healing'?

There's a world of difference between spiritual healing and holding a positive attitude towards outcomes.

.

The thread title is "Spiritual Healing", not the forum title. I'm not sure if you're asking simply to be combative or becuase you truly want an answer. The connection seems obvious to me, and the difference is more of an issue of "who" does the healing and semantics. Everything is energy, so to me it doesn't matter if the healing energy/thoughts/vibrations are coming from another person or from yourself. In additon, even if Carol's thread were not exactly "on topic" this forum is like that...we go with the flow. There's no need to question if a certain post fits in a certain thread, even though in this case I believe it does.

ETA: I believe Roberta, at least, and possibly Carol, are saying that it is your own thoughts that must generate spiritual healing. YOU must believe that it will work in order for it to work, even if another person is the conduit for the energy. So really both posts are perfectly on topic. Not that it matters.

[mac]

Birki....................

.............


(Message from Moderator:
This post has been edited by its author (Mac) in order to remove his derogatory comments towards members of this forum.)
-Andrew
(Moderator)

[RudeAwakening]

The thread title is "Spiritual Healing", not the forum title. I'm not sure if you're asking simply to be combative or becuase you truly want an answer. The connection seems obvious to me, and the difference is more of an issue of "who" does the healing and semantics. Everything is energy, so to me it doesn't matter if the healing energy/thoughts/vibrations are coming from another person or from yourself. In additon, even if Carol's thread were not exactly "on topic" this forum is like that...we go with the flow. There's no need to question if a certain post fits in a certain thread, even though in this case I believe it does.

ETA: I believe Roberta, at least, and possibly Carol, are saying that it is your own thoughts that must generate spiritual healing. YOU must believe that it will work in order for it to work, even if another person is the conduit for the energy. So really both posts are perfectly on topic. Not that it matters.

This is merely my opinion Birki but it seems pretty obvious at this point that his intent is to be combative and insulting under the guise of good healthy debate. (If he indeed is after quality debate perhaps he wouldn’t mind putting a smidgeon of effort into the generally kind and considerate tone on this forum.) He’s clearly a well informed intelligent individual that uses his valuable and enviable intellect to hurt and belittle others for whatever it is he gets out of it. Not an uncommon personality type by any means.

We have too many people that come here in serious emotional pain to have that kind of regular “intellectual” attack befall them.

I won’t respond to anything further because I can’t trust myself to respond calmly to deliberate, obvious and intentional antagonism. (Anybody for the over and under on how long it will take this angry intellect to defend itself and humiliate me?)

[mac]

................................


(Message from Moderator:
This post has been edited by its author (Mac) in order to remove his derogatory comments towards members of this forum.)
-Andrew
(Moderator)

[Andrew]

I have to say that, on this matter, I agree with Rude Awakening to a certain extent. Mac, while you may not mean anything negative by your comments (in fact I am sure you don't), and the comment above seems fairly civil to me, Awakening is right in that we do have a lot of sensitive, bereaved people who come on here for comfort and reassurance. Some of your comments can be easily be understood as derogative and I, too, fear that they could stop the more sensitive visitors from honestly posting their questions.

As an administrator here, I would ask that you please try to keep things as respectful as possible in future. I truly think you are an intelligent, good-willed person, but I fear that some of your comments are being read differently than you mean them to be.

[Birki]

This is merely my opinion Birki but it seems pretty obvious at this point that his intent is to be combative and insulting under the guise of good healthy debate. (If he indeed is after quality debate perhaps he wouldn’t mind putting a smidgeon of effort into the generally kind and considerate tone on this forum.) He’s clearly a well informed intelligent individual that uses his valuable and enviable intellect to hurt and belittle others for whatever it is he gets out of it. Not an uncommon personality type by any means.

We have too many people that come here in serious emotional pain to have that kind of regular “intellectual” attack befall them.

I won’t respond to anything further because I can’t trust myself to respond calmly to deliberate, obvious and intentional antagonism. (Anybody for the over and under on how long it will take this angry intellect to defend itself and humiliate me?)

Oh, I completely agree with you RA. I am trying hard to keep myself contained.

[mac]

...........................


(Message from Moderator:
This post has been edited by its author (Mac) in order to remove his derogatory comments towards members of this forum.)
-Andrew
(Moderator)

[Andrew]

Mac, you are an invaluable resource to this website, and we (at least I) want you to continue sharing your insights with us, just perhaps in gentler wording that won't offend people. Furthermore, no one actually told you to quote: "withdraw and leave things as they stand." The problem is simply your sarcastic remarks that are putting people off.

In some of your comments, you are very nice and respect the person(s) to whom you are writing. In others those, you sort-of cross the line and go from being blunt into being offensive. This is a completely objective analysis by the way. You have not offended me in the least, but I can see how some of your comments have displeased other members here.

On this particular thread, Mac, I think that what you've written is a tad hypocritical. On another thread, you repeatedly say how the little stuff doesn't matter and how Roberta's posts about Jesus and the resurrection are disruptions or distractions, but here you are essentially debating the name of a thread, which is far less important. Do you see what I mean? There is a difference between spiritual healing and having a positive attitude, but I don't think it's worth the bother to point it out since it was just a small terminological problem.

[Andrew]

Also, about answering your points, I'm not really sure what you've pointed out in this thread that requires an answer. Could you be more specific? (Seriously, if there is something I missed, I want to know, so we can discuss it.) I admit there is a small error in the terminology concerning healing and having a positive attitude, but that's really I all see what warrants a response.

[mac]

.......................


(Message from Moderator:
This post has been edited by its author (Mac) in order to remove his derogatory comments towards members of this forum.)
-Andrew
(Moderator)

[Andrew]

Thank you for admitting that, Mac.

Ok, I'm glad you didn't think that I (or someone else) was telling you to withdraw because I do still want you contribute here! I look forward to your future insights.

[Wonderer]

Hello there :)

Yesterday I was watching "Weird or What?" on discovery science and one of the stories was in fact on these healing. It's slightly different from what I was talking about since I was talking about spiritual healing while this show was on physical healing (though I guess it has an effect on the spirit too)

It was quite interesting as the debate was similar to what's going in here. It brought stories from people who were really very sick and were physically healed. They believe that it was a miracle from GOD.

Yet others, mostly professors from some university said that they were 'healed' just because they themselves believed. In fact, one of them did an experiment in NY on the streets, where they set up a small tent and a fake doctor (actor). This actor had some kind of probe which does nothing but he convinced some passers by that its a new technology and would like to try it on them.

Amazingly, after the 'healing' by this fake probe (placebo) all of them stood up saying that the pain was gone! The professor also said that these healers are mostly fake and doing this just for money, since its not taxable and 'healed' people gave lots of donations.

Anyway, interesting points. I think that some are really miracles permitted by GOD and some are healing because they believed (thus using the power of their mind)..but at the end, I guess its still a little of a mystery :)

[Andrew]

Hi Wonderer! It's good to "see" you again. I think I may have seen a couple of episodes of Weird or What? but I am not sure. I used to watch a lot of those shows, until I realized that none of them would actually give me anything definite. They always show you the evidence, but then claim that there is not enough evidence to prove whatever they are talking about.

Anyway, I have seen very reputable cases of people with both minor or extremely serious illnesses that were healed by either believing that healing was possibly or by divine intervention. Jesus told us that healing and other miracles were possible if we only believed. Here are a couple of quotes from him:

"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
(Mark 10:52)

...I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." (Matthew 17:20)

And now, with experiments on matters such as the placebo effect and other incidents of miraculous healing, we are shown that Jesus was right all along!

[vic smyth]

If you'd like to read some evidence of real faith healing just do a search on "John of God". You can also read the book "The Energy Cure" by William Bengston, PhD. What he did under university laboratory conditions, replicated 8 times in different labs, is mind blowing. Yet, sadly, no one has heard of him. From time to time throughout history some people have been gifted with the ability to heal metaphysically. The historical Jesus was one of these people. So was a contemporary of Jesus, Apollonius of Tyana who is recorded as raising a young girl from the dead saying that "She is not dead, just sleeping".

[Andrew]

ATTENTION ALL MEMBERS:

This thread, whilst once closed, has been reopened once again. Please feel free to continue the discussion! I apologize for any inconvenience.

-Andrew
(Moderator)

[Wonderer]

I have seen very reputable cases of people with both minor or extremely serious illnesses that were healed by either believing that healing was possibly or by divine intervention. Jesus told us that healing and other miracles were possible if we only believed. Here are a couple of quotes from him:

"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
(Mark 10:52)

...I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." (Matthew 17:20)

And now, with experiments on matters such as the placebo effect and other incidents of miraculous healing, we are shown that Jesus was right all along!

Sounds right to me Andrew! However, I might also add that I think that healing is only permitted if it will help us spiritually.

In the past, I used to ask myself...."why that person was healed and the other, who believed and prayed etc etc did not heal!!??" And I think it boils down to the fact that if one is not healed, than it's for his/her spiritual benefit, or maybe for others benefit. It could also be in his/her life plan too...

Anyway, that's what I think, I obviously could be wrong :)



If you'd like to read some evidence of real faith healing just do a search on "John of God". You can also read the book "The Energy Cure" by William Bengston, PhD. What he did under university laboratory conditions, replicated 8 times in different labs, is mind blowing. Yet, sadly, no one has heard of him. From time to time throughout history some people have been gifted with the ability to heal metaphysically. The historical Jesus was one of these people. So was a contemporary of Jesus, Apollonius of Tyana who is recorded as raising a young girl from the dead saying that "She is not dead, just sleeping".

Thanks Vic for the info! I'll check it out. ;)

[Andrew]

Sounds right to me Andrew! However, I might also add that I think that healing is only permitted if it will help us spiritually.

In the past, I used to ask myself...."why that person was healed and the other, who believed and prayed etc etc did not heal!!??" And I think it boils down to the fact that if one is not healed, than it's for his/her spiritual benefit, or maybe for others benefit. It could also be in his/her life plan too...

Anyway, that's what I think, I obviously could be wrong :)




Thanks Vic for the info! I'll check it out. ;)

I think you are ultimately correct, dear Wonderer! Miraculous healing will only occur if three conditions are met: (1) we have to truly want to change and become healthy, (2) it must be to our spiritual benefit, and (3) we have to believe, without a doubt, that it is possible. If those three things happen, then I think that spiritual healing could easily occur, no matter what type of illness/problem the person has. In A Course in Miracles it is mentioned that no miracle is more difficult to perform than another, and I think there is truth to that.