Prayer, Healing and Wellness

Prayer or something like it predates modern civilization. Throughout history mankind has had to cope with illness, injury, disease and the struggle for survival. Healing and wellness, in virtually every culture before the industrial age, have been the domain of the spiritual. Care of the sick originated from spiritual teachings. The first hospitals were built and staffed by religious orders. Many hospitals even today are religiously affiliated. The first nurses and many early physicians were from religious orders.

Native American tribes contributed much to modern metaphysical wellness methods. Although sweat lodges may be considered a physical treatment they were viewed as spiritual experiences. Shamans, medicine wheels, dream catchers and animal totems are of the spirit-body connection. Regardless of religious background, this is about that same connection.

A growing recognition of the value of spirituality in human wellness has prompted modern medicine and even the U.S. government to expand their research. This research now scientifically validates that a rich spiritual life is a powerful influence on our wellness. Hundreds of studies now demonstrate a high statistical correlation between spiritual orientation and well being. More specifically some of these studies show that praying can help improve the immune system, improve cardiac function, and reduce stress, worry, and anxiety.

Other studies have found a reduced mortality rate for each of the three leading causes of death in the United States -- heart disease, cancer and hypertension - among people who live a more spiritually aware life. Two-thirds of the country's 125 medical schools now offer courses in spirituality and health.

Some approaches to spirit connection

• Affirmation...This is simply a matter of affirming that the condition you wish to achieve, relief from pain, cure of disease or return to good health from some specific affliction is already happening in your body. It is happening through some 'divine' intervention as a result of your positive thoughts. This is very effective from the depths of meditation.
• Supplication... This is really the conventional religious approach. You are asking God to do something specific in your behalf such as stopping recurring migraines, or curing a disease. It is effective because the faith involved requires a positive thought process.
• Group Support...Close friends, relatives, and religious leaders gather with the individual. They offer spiritual energy in the form of form of petitions, supplications, affirmations and God presence concentrated on the specific ailment or disease. Groups like these seem to have dynamic power.
• Remote Intercession... There are numerous churches and other spiritual groups whose purpose is to act on behalf of the patient as an intermediary with the divine power. One of these, World Ministry of Prayer, sponsored by Science of Mind has had notable success and popularity.

Praying is a conscious recognition of a power greater than ourselves. It is a universal power that we can use at will. The thoughts that we think in this process are real things. When addressed to the universal mind, which acts upon them, they cannot return to us void.



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