Spiritual Healing

Spiritual Healing is an ancient therapy which has been used throughout recorded history. Pythagoras (6 BC) considered healing to be the noblest of his pursuits and integrated it into his considerations of ethics: mind and soul. (Benor 2001) Spiritual healing, often referred to simply as healing, is a process that promotes better health, through the channelling of healing energies through the spiritual healer to the patient. (National Federation of Spiritual Healers 1998) Spiritual healing is said to quicken the body's natural healing processes on all levels. (Neate and Neate 2001) It is a supportive approach which may involve light touch or no touch at all, depending on the recipient's condition and wishes.

Spiritual healers view human life as four-dimensional, comprising body, emotions, mind and spirit. They are drawn to the work because of their interest in the spiritual dimension of life, and because they find they can transmit healing energy. Healers draw upon the finer energies of the universe, and they may or may not follow a particular religion. Many Spiritual healers may embrace a spiritual understanding based on unconditional love. (Neate and Neate 2001)

Spiritual healing is becoming accepted as a valid and credible therapy, offered in some medical centres as a complement to conventional medical treatment (BMA 1993). Spiritual healers do not usually relate to the disease entities of conventional medicine, but aim to help the patient in more general terms, for example by increasing well-being. (Ernst 2001) The healer provides time for the patient to discuss problems, in order to gain some understanding of them; subsequently the patient may be asked to lie or sit down for treatment. (Ernst 2001)

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with kind permission from The Prince of Wales's Foundation for Integrated Health,
'National Guidelines for the Use of Complementary Therapies in Supportive and Palliative Care', The Prince of Wales's Foundation for Integrated Health, 2003, London

Spiritual Healing Links:

National Federation of Spiritual Healers - the largest membership organisation of Spiritual Healers in the UK.

Spiritual Web - information and resources relating to Spiritual Healing.

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