The Scientific Power of Prayer
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patrick
The connection between mind and body has powerful and amazing possibilities. Dr. Herbert Benson, a professor from Harvard Medical School founded the BHI, Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine; also part of Massachusetts General Hospital. He is of the belief that a person's physical health is influenced by feelings, thoughts and behaviors. The same feelings, thoughts and behaviors can also be influences by physical symptoms. This is yet another amazing cycle of life at work.
What remains unknown is how thoughts, beliefs, and feelings assume their role in the development of disease, as well as recovery from disease. We are already aware how some people can change their thoughts through prayer, resulting in seemingly miraculous events. An example would be a total reversal of some terminal condition. We still need to figure out just how thoughts and beliefs manage to affect our body in this way. We are aware that mind and body are in constant communication. What is thought, perceived and experienced is sent from mind to body consistently.
For centuries people have been influencing there health, as well as the health of others through prayer. This mind body approach towards medicine works at teaching patients to change their thought patterns, reduce stress and changing their behaviors to remove any negativity, all while embracing their beliefs to better control and prevail over any illness.
All religions, Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, or Christian, believe in prayer for healing. Healing rooms, prayer groups and even online prayer groups can be found all across America and the world. According to an article published in the Washington Post, "Surveys have found that perhaps half of Americans regularly pray for their own health, and at least a quarter have others pray for them."
This does not imply the religious are the only advocates of health-altering prayer. There are citations in quantum physics of a phenomenon where particles from afar affect the behavior in others in a multitude of mysterious ways. This could bring about the conclusion that having people pray for you can actually send energy in your direction, and this energy can, and does affect the health of the person for whom the prayers are being said.
Additional to quantum physics citations there have been an abundance of studies conducted over the years, finding strong links between health and prayers. Although the reasons remain unclear at this time, many theories are continually being tested.
In one study of 990 cardiac patients conducted at Saint Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., researchers found prayer improved health based on a composite score of measures that the researchers created for the study.
In an interview conducted by Heritage.org with Dr. Harold G. Koenig, a tenured associate professor of psychiatry at Duke University, an associate professor of medicine, the director and founder of the Center for the Study of Religion/Spirituality and Health at Duke University, several smaller studies were cited. "(In these studies)You find a connection between religious involvement and immune and endocrine function; in five of seven studies, the religious experience lower mortality from cancer; in 14 of 23, they have significantly lower blood pressure; in 11 of 14, they have lower mortality; and in 12 of 13, clergy mortality is lower."
It is without doubt we can see the significance prayer has on our health as well as our mortality. As scientists work to better define the parameters and work with control groups, we'll continually gain insight on the connection between mind and body. Until this occurs, grasp the power to know for a fact how our thoughts and beliefs directly affect not only our own health and mortality, but those of others too.
What remains unknown is how thoughts, beliefs, and feelings assume their role in the development of disease, as well as recovery from disease. We are already aware how some people can change their thoughts through prayer, resulting in seemingly miraculous events. An example would be a total reversal of some terminal condition. We still need to figure out just how thoughts and beliefs manage to affect our body in this way. We are aware that mind and body are in constant communication. What is thought, perceived and experienced is sent from mind to body consistently.
For centuries people have been influencing there health, as well as the health of others through prayer. This mind body approach towards medicine works at teaching patients to change their thought patterns, reduce stress and changing their behaviors to remove any negativity, all while embracing their beliefs to better control and prevail over any illness.
All religions, Judaism, Buddhism, Islam, or Christian, believe in prayer for healing. Healing rooms, prayer groups and even online prayer groups can be found all across America and the world. According to an article published in the Washington Post, "Surveys have found that perhaps half of Americans regularly pray for their own health, and at least a quarter have others pray for them."
This does not imply the religious are the only advocates of health-altering prayer. There are citations in quantum physics of a phenomenon where particles from afar affect the behavior in others in a multitude of mysterious ways. This could bring about the conclusion that having people pray for you can actually send energy in your direction, and this energy can, and does affect the health of the person for whom the prayers are being said.
Additional to quantum physics citations there have been an abundance of studies conducted over the years, finding strong links between health and prayers. Although the reasons remain unclear at this time, many theories are continually being tested.
In one study of 990 cardiac patients conducted at Saint Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, Mo., researchers found prayer improved health based on a composite score of measures that the researchers created for the study.
In an interview conducted by Heritage.org with Dr. Harold G. Koenig, a tenured associate professor of psychiatry at Duke University, an associate professor of medicine, the director and founder of the Center for the Study of Religion/Spirituality and Health at Duke University, several smaller studies were cited. "(In these studies)You find a connection between religious involvement and immune and endocrine function; in five of seven studies, the religious experience lower mortality from cancer; in 14 of 23, they have significantly lower blood pressure; in 11 of 14, they have lower mortality; and in 12 of 13, clergy mortality is lower."
It is without doubt we can see the significance prayer has on our health as well as our mortality. As scientists work to better define the parameters and work with control groups, we'll continually gain insight on the connection between mind and body. Until this occurs, grasp the power to know for a fact how our thoughts and beliefs directly affect not only our own health and mortality, but those of others too.
About the Author:
Ready to become empowered? Deborah Lindholm is a Serenity Empowerment Coach that shows you how to awaken your Inner Power Source to live an empowered life every single day. Download free pre-recorded telecasts, grab your "5 Simple Steps to Get What You Really, Really Want" report and more here: Free Stuff at Serenity Matters
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