The Effect Of Religious And Spiritual Interventions

Religious healing or Spiritual healing are often depicted as a crock done in a spiritual revival where someone prays over an afflicted person and they are miraculously "healed." Spiritual healing has often been depicted with mockery in the movies and on television. Recently, however, studies have indicated that there is a phenomenon to religious healing that does work. In many studies performed by the medical community, those who participated in spiritual healingalong with traditional medicine fared better than those who were treated with medication alone.

To ignore the effect of religious healing and spiritual healing is to ignore latest evidence that indicates that these interventions work. In one recent study performed by the University Of Boston Medical Center of 100 patients.

The 50 who had people praying for them recovered more quickly than the other 50 who did not. Medical science, which generally tends to dismiss religious healing and spiritual healing is at a loss to explain these facts.

For those who are well versed in holistic medicine, however spiritual healing is nothing new. This is not the "miracle" cure as depicted on television, but is the power of positive thought. Positive energy is what promotes religious healing.

Bridging the Religious Divide with Religious Healing

It does not matter what type of religion is used when it comes to religious healing. These studies have been done for those who practice different religions as well as those who consider themselves spiritual but not practicing any organized religion. Spiritual healing is more of a frame of mind than the practice of an actual religion.

For example, a person who is Catholic may feel that saying the rosary will help him or her overcome their illness. If they are fervent in their beliefs, they will most likely benefit from spiritual healing. The same will go for someone who practices Islam and prays for their health.

The positive energy that is reflected in the spiritual comfort that someone has who is ill promotes healing in that person. This is the basic concept of religious healing and spiritual healing. The person takes comfort in their religion or spirituality and is surrounded by positive energy that helps them heal.

In addition, the effects of religious healing and spiritual healing include the turning over of control to a higher being. Most mental disorders are all about control. Stress, anxiety, depression and other disorders often develop in those who feel out of control in their lives. By using spiritual healing and turning over control to a higher being when embarking on religious healing, the sufferer will end up feeling better. Alcoholics Anonymous, an organization that has been helping alcoholics stay sober for decades, operates under the same principals and uses spiritual healing in their 12 step program.

Spiritual healing is based on positive thoughts and emotions. When someone has something in which to believe and realizes that life is not under their total control, they will often feel better. Religious healing, such as prayers and believing in a higher being, when used in conjunction with medicine, has been proven to work better than traditional medicine alone - a fact that stumps and frustrates doctors who would prefer that everything in life be explained through science and that they, themselves, be though of as God.