For me, the most persuasive evidence for prayer’s healing power
rests in its ability to maintain and improve the function of the immune system.
Chemical connections have been identified between molecules produced by the
central nervous system and cells of the immune system. This mind-body-soul connection can be influenced by many factors, including the peace, hope and
confidence that prayer can impart to those of us who partake. As I wrote on this blog
several years ago, I’m pneumapsychosomatic. Are you?
Regardless of one’s faith, it’s hard to deny the placebo effect
that can nourish the function of the immune system. I believe there’s more to it
than that, of course. According to Dr. Harold Koenig, the director of the Center
for the Study of Religion/Spirituality at Duke University, when prayer uplifts
or calms the spirit of people, fewer stress-induced hormones are produced by
the adrenal glands. I guess I have Addison’s Disease to thank in part for lowering
my stress level since my adrenals are now officially off-line. “The peace that
passeth understanding” (Philippians 4:7) also figures in. As I wrote previously, what we’re dealing with here is a great mystery.
Many studies have shown that patients with serious diseases
who are prayed for by others actually heal better and faster than those who are
not prayed for by others. Praying for the healing of others is a form of
alternative medicine known as “distance healing.” A laying on of hands,
including that of healthcare professionals, is never wrong to do with someone
who is sick. I wish my doctors and nurses did more and ordered fewer tests and
scans. Human touch alone can be a powerful force of healing and doesn’t
require a medical degree to practice it. But when you can't be there to pray with someone face to face, interceding for them in prayer from a distance can still impart health benefits.
As with other forms of alternative medicine, meditation and
prayer can help us empower our minds with energy, aid in the body’s
recovery, improve quality of life, and improve outcomes. They can save our
lives. Dr. Larry Dossey, the author of “Prayer is good medicine,” recommends, “…don’t
wait for the results of more double-blind studies to pray. We can stand to have
more extraneous prayer in this world of ours.” The next time you pray for
someone with cancer, make sure to include the building up of their immune
system among your petitions.
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