| Like so many practices of the New Age community, | | | | In fact, such healing may be easily defined as: that |
| spiritual healing is an art that has its origins in antiquity. | | | | which, in the face of all scientific and medical |
| From the earliest of times, people of faith have been | | | | opposition, heals the patient anyway. The "that" |
| healing physical, mental, and emotional injury and | | | | which heals is made up of knowledge, belief, and |
| disease through prayer, meditation, and the laying on | | | | love. |
| of hands. Yet the power of such practices to return | | | | KNOWLEDGE: in order to apply a concept, one must |
| the body, heart, and mind to their naturally healthy | | | | first know it. Not just know that it exists, but know |
| state continues to be met by disbelief in many | | | | it intimately, a knowledge that is part of your being. |
| quarters. Even those who observe the results of | | | | You might read about it, research it, talk with people |
| such practices themselves sometimes find it difficult | | | | who have experienced it, and so on. This is the |
| to fit this "new" reality into their carefully constructed | | | | knowledge of the ancients, the shamans, the holy |
| worldview. | | | | men, and the faith healers-not a knowledge of |
| Fortunately, as we move further into yet another | | | | methods and means, so much as an inner knowing of |
| "new" age of enlightenment, more and more "men of | | | | the working of the spirit. In the end, your |
| science" are turning their focus on spiritual healing. | | | | "knowledge" must be just as sure and complete, as it |
| People are returning to the knowledge that much of | | | | is that which leads to belief. |
| our life and health rests in the unseen world of divine | | | | BELIEF: faith is defined as "the firm belief in things (as |
| energy. One of my favorite movies of the 80's, | | | | yet) unseen." It is this kind of belief, in the divine |
| Creator, is set among doctors and scientists of | | | | force behind the workings of the spirit, however you |
| biology at a prominent university. Yet the main | | | | define that force, which powers spiritual healing. |
| protagonist, Dr. Wolper, though a brilliant biologist, | | | | The firm belief, unwavering. |
| believes in God as an active force in the world, a | | | | LOVE: Ultimately, love is the true foundation upon |
| belief illustrated when he tells his protege, Boris: | | | | which the other two, Knowledge and Belief, stand. |
| "At the university, I try to please the Federal | | | | Without love none of the above is possible. It is love |
| Government. Here (at his home lab), I negotiate with | | | | that leads people to intercede, pray or meditate, on |
| God." | | | | behalf of others - even others they don't know. And |
| Near the end of the movie, Boris's girlfriend is | | | | it is love to which the divine force is drawn and |
| stricken with a brain aneurysm and goes into a coma | | | | through which it can be channeled. Love inspires the |
| from which the other doctors believe she will not | | | | healer to seek the knowledge, and love makes |
| recover. In true scientific fashion, Dr. Wolper, with | | | | possible that firm belief. |
| Boris, examines all the scientific data that might lead | | | | St. Paul knew what he was talking about when he |
| to a cure. But when science has no answers, Dr. | | | | said: "So faith, hope, and love remain, these three; |
| Wolper says, their only recourse is unwavering blind | | | | but the greatest of these is love." |
| belief. It is through the practical application of that | | | | This is the foundation of spiritual healing - and its |
| belief, because of his love for her, that Boris is able | | | | guiding force. |
| to bring her back. This, too, is spiritual healing. | | | | |