What is Spiritual Healing?

In this prose we are going to try and dispel some of the common misconceptions about open quotes,Spiritual Healing, close quotes, referred to simply as ‘Healing’ or ‘healer(s)’ in some references given below, and explain its basic meaning in clearly understood terms. Firstly, a caveat concerning this particular topic. The first edition of this text was composed more than 20 years ago and in considering revisions, it has become apparent that in some quarters the definition of Spiritual Healing has altered considerably from the original understanding. The comments which follow are not intended to be controversial or cause offence, but to give a more broad and balanced perspective as to the meaning of Spiritual Healing, both past and present.

The original definition given by The Healing Trust (formerly The National Federation of Spiritual Healers) defined Spiritual Healing as: "the healing of the sick in body, mind and spirit by Divine energies obtained by attunement through prayer and meditation, whether or not in the presence of the patient".

The Healing Trust’s current website describes Healing as "the process of restoring health. All ailments are seen as the result of a gravitation away from a state of health. Healing is a gravitation towards a state of health". Unfortunately, such a broad definition could also apply to any alternative or complementary therapy.

The Handbook of Complementary Medicine describes healing as: "the re-creation of the flow of life energy between body, soul and higher consciousness so that the whole person may return to balance and harmony". This provides a more defined explanation.

One can read many variations of the above definitions and it is a matter of personal interpretation as to the meaning of the word 'Divine' and if this implies the existence of a ‘God‘, or a ‘Supreme Being’ or a ‘Divine Creator’. We are not, therefore, attempting in this prose to explain the deeper philosophy behind Spiritual Healing.

If you were to gather together a group of healers, you would find that each would have their own definition and understanding of the source of this 'energy' or ‘power' and how it is channelled to the patient. The important point is that it doesn't really matter if we cannot fully comprehend how the healing process works. How many of us really understand for example, what ‘electricity’ or ‘magnetism’ is, yet we do not dispute their existence and are constantly using their effects in our everyday lives.

The word ‘Spiritual' simply pertains to the soul or relating to sacred things. Of course, those who are agnostic or atheistic may not accept that we each have a 'soul‘ . It does not matter if one doesn't have a belief in God or a faith in a supreme being, as perceived and practised through ANY of the main religions, to be able to receive and benefit from Healing.

The word 'Healer' is by dictionary definition understood to mean 'restore to health' or 'make well' or 'cure‘ or 'become sound'. However. when the two words 'Spiritual' and 'Healer' (or 'Healing') are associated together they both can take on a different meaning which is not easily defined.

The fact is that there is no word or short group of words in our language that gives us an adequate meaning to Spiritual Healing and one only has to read a selection of books or leaflets on the subject to realise that there is a variety of explanations which are often influenced by what amounts to the author's own religious or philosophical beliefs.

However, certain basic ‘rules‘ apply to its correct definition and these are summarised as follows:

1. A Spiritual Healer recognises the existence of a 'Supreme Being' or superior intelligence existing in the Universe.
   
   This understanding does not have to be defined through any religion. Many healers do not belong to any church yet hold very deep convictions in terms of their understanding of ‘Spirit’ and the divine source from which the healing 'energies’ emanate.
2. The term 'Spiritual Healer’ should not be confused with 'Spiritualism' or being a ‘Spiritualist’ i.e., the belief that spirits of the dead can communicate or act through living persons.
   
   Many people are put off from receiving Healing because they are under the mistaken impression that something 'spooky' is going to happen. Many Spiritualist churches do provide Healing and specifically believe that the energy source is received through Guides who once inhabited the Earth plane. However, the source of healing energy is a matter of conjecture and most Healers have an open mind as to its origin.
3. A true Spiritual Healer respects that everybody is entitled to their own religious or philosophical beliefs and that not all individuals believe in a divine intelligence or entity. Healing should be given to anyone who desires Peace and Harmony irrespective of race, colour or creed.
4. There are Healers who do not in fact believe in 'God' or a ‘Supreme Being’. They are in all probability using the same 'energy source' but prefer to believe that it is explained in purely scientific terms'.
   
   Such healers should not however refer to themselves as 'Spiritual Healers' since, as previously stated, by definition such healing recognises that the natural laws governing its effect emanate from a ‘Divine Creator’.
5. ‘Faith Healing‘ is not the same as 'Spiritual Healing‘. Certainly the Spiritual Healer has ‘faith' as previously defined, but there is a clear distinction as to the basis by which each is carried out.
   
   In one understanding of Faith Healing it is required that the patient must have a ‘faith' in God for healing to be effective. Indeed, some Faith Healers will assert that when healing is apparently ineffective it is due to the patient's faith being incomplete or lacking.
   
   The second understanding of Faith Healing puts the emphasis on the patient having faith or absolute trust in the ability of the Healer. This releases the patient’s own self healing capacities by concentrating their own will. In other words, there is an interaction between the psyche and the physiology of the patient.
6. Reiki has in recent years become a popular alternative to Spiritual Healing and in fact there are now many Spiritual Healers who practice Reiki as an alternative form of healing. Often onlookers will mistakenly think they are virtually the same, but the basis by which each attunes to the source of the healing energy is entirely different.
   
   The basis by which Spiritual Healing is carried out has already been fully explained above, but Reiki healers are initiated via their teacher, known as a ‘Reiki Master’, who installs etheric symbols into their energy field through which the flow of energy connects to the recipient.
   
   Spiritual Healing stands out from Reiki, as well as all the other forms of alternative therapies which attempt by human intervention to control or regulate 'Life Force Energy', by accepting that divine healing needs no human intervention to direct it. The healer’s role is merely to act as a conduit or channel to allow the energy to travel to wherever it is needed.
   
   Potentially, there is nothing more powerful than Spiritual Healing which alone accepts the source is divine and that there needs to be no human interference. In other words, the healer is required to be submissive and simply 'go with the flow'. No attempt should be made to try and regulate Life Force Energy.
7. Organised religion has largely in the West distanced itself from Healing, despite most of the great spiritual teachers upon which their religions were founded openly performing acts of healing. Indeed, some churches preach that it is sinful to practice healing and quote scriptures to support this belief.
   
   Such prejudice can be very difficult to break down and to persuade people to examine the true meaning of such holy writings and to question the motives of those giving these misleading interpretations.
   
   We have already emphasised that Spiritual Healing respects individual religious beliefs, but does not accept that performing acts of healing does in any way offend 'God'. The healer is merely a channel for the healing power emanating from the one 'whole' Spirit which is God. It is an act of love within the pattern of natural laws, and in essence is pure and wholesome.
8. Spiritual Healing should not imply a complete cure or the restoring of a person to full health.
   
   So called 'instant miracles‘ are extremely rare. This is not to say that with many patients their health cannot be dramatically improved by receiving healing. There are no guarantees and the process is rarely spontaneous, but most patients find by persevering their conditions should usually be eased.
   
   Even with the terminally ill or the very elderly, healing can bring a feeling of upliftment, leading to the creation of ‘inner peace’ and the removal of any fear or anxiety.