What Is A Spiritual Expert – Part IV

Divine Holistic Healing

Divine healing, Faith healing, holistic healing, energy healing, alternative healing or a variety of other names all attempt to define the same concept of healing through faith. Divine healing in all it’s forms permeates all spiritual paths of belief. From the days of the caveman to present day, it has been part of our cultural world. There are of course a myriad of methods and approaches to Divine healing, from prayer and laying on of hands to stone therapy and long distant healing. Whether you use Reiki, crystals, massage, light therapy or some other form of healing, the idea is to direct healing energy into someone, or something that needs attention. It’s the belief in utilizing and directing unseen energy to those in need that brings these approaches together under the label ‘faith healing’.

Not all healing modalities are Holistic. By holistic we mean treating or affecting positive change in the whole being, Mind/Body/Spirit. Modern science slowly moved away from treating the whole body and began focusing on the physics of the physical body. This gave us great advances in medicine, but it also left the mind and spirit behind to fend for themselves. Over time, science began to recognize the effects and attitudes of the mind and started to document the impacts on the physical condition of the body. From this, Psychology slowly became part of mainstream science and at least two thirds of the whole being can be treated now. But these mainstream institutions have been slow to acknowledge the impact of the spirit and belief in overall health.

Not until the late 20th century has mainstream science decided to re-evaluate holistic healing and it’s effects on patient treatment. “Is spiritual healing a valid and effective therapy?“(PDF) by R.D.Hodges, PhD and A.M.Scofield, PhD was published in The Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine in April 1995. Their article notes: “No system ‘of treating the sick can guarantee a cure and [alternative] healing is no exception to this rule. Nevertheless, after treatment by a healer, patients normally receive benefit on one or more of three levels-body, mind and spirit-and also in their general quality of life.” Dr. Hodges and Scofield suggest that further clinical studies be conducted to validate or disprove these methods of healing as beneficial. As the field of holistic healing grows, the interest in these studies also grows. In 2011 the National Institutes of Health (NIH) provided a resource section under their PubMed.gov website for medical professionals citing various studies in this field around the world. Over 200,000 articles (at the time of this writing) are linked from their Alternative Medicine research.

The growing interest from mainstream science to prove or disprove various modalities has also had an effect on the public’s interest in holistic healing practices. Along with the high cost of medical care and the growing dislike of the growing negative affects of pharmaceutical medications, alternative healing and therapies have exploded with interest. Reiki is one of the fastest and largest growing hands on healing approaches around the world. For those on the path of spiritual enlightenment, this and other methods of holistic healing are simply accepted as part of spiritual belief and understanding. It is seen as an approach to healing that has been practiced for eons and it’s acceptance, especially in Eastern philosophy, lends validity to its value. Sometimes belief can be a very strong asset in one’s life. But there’s nothing wrong with a little science backing it up too.

Are You A Healer?
I can’t tell you how many people have come to me and said “I had a reading and the psychic told me I was a healer”. Well, you’re a human being, of course you’re a healer. Everyone is. This is not a special or unique gift that sets you apart from anyone else. We all have the capacity for compassion and concern. We all are energy beings, interconnected to all things in and around the Divine Universe through energy. Because of this, we are all capable of being a healer. It’s not a question of “Do I have the capacity or gift for healing?”, but rather “Do I want to be a healer?”

If the answer is yes, then find a respected school of holistic healing and take a few courses. Find a modality that fits your interests and perspectives. If the answer is no, that’s ok too. Just because someone else states the obvious and tries to label you as this or that, doesn’t mean you have to take on that role or the responsibilities that go with it. You can read more about those responsibilities through Part I of this Expert Series.

What Is Divine Healing?
Divine healing is nothing more than making a connection with Divine energy and channeling it from ‘Source’ to a person, animal, plant or thing. One thing it isn’t is using your own resources to send energy to any of those things. Your energy is great, but it’s not limitless nor is it as potent as Divine energy. This is one of the biggest mistakes new healers make in their practice. They tend to use their own energy to direct healing to others. This not only depletes the healer and drains their limited energy, but it’s also not as effective for the recipient.

Being a Divine Healer means you have learned how to connect your spiritual energy to that of the unlimited Divine Source and can direct that greater healing energy to where it’s needed. Doing this involves knowledge and understanding of a few different tasks.

Sensing Energy. The first thing a holistic healer should know how to do is sense or feel the subtle energies around us. This allows a healer to sense the area(s) that need healing in order to direct energy to those areas. This is different from asking “where does it hurt”. Where the source of discomfort is, may not be the source or original cause of an ailment. Sensing energy can help a healer locate the source and direct spiritual energy to that area. A quick example: someone who says they have pain running down the back of their legs could be experiencing sciatic nerve problems. That problem could be coming from a disc in their back pushing against the nerve and causing pain that’s felt in the legs. Do you send energy to the legs? Or the source of the problem in the back? It’s the difference between treating the symptom vs. the cause.
Raising Energy. This is learning how to use your own energy to connect with the higher Divine energy source. It’s not simply a matter of asking “God” to send you healing energy. This is the detailed mechanics of using your receptors to tap into the unlimited source, pull it into your being and channel it out to a specific place or area through your hands. As a channel you are nothing more than a conduit, an extension cord of sort, for the greater and more potent Divine energy.
Channeled Energy. Once you have connected and are channeling energy, an adept healer also needs to know when enough energy has been delivered and how to proceed. Do you direct energy to another area or has enough energy been provided and it’s time to quit this session? How much energy needs to be taken in, can be equally as important as where it’s directed. You don’t want to end too soon, or overwhelm with too much.

Learning about energy begins with research, study and understanding of what and how energy works within your belief system. Each spiritual practice is a little different. There are so many concepts behind spiritual healing, even in Pagan Metaphysics that they can’t be listed or described in a short homily like this. So find what works for you and begin your studies accordingly.

Formalized Learning.
The first step for formalized learning is to gain a basic understanding of the body and its physical workings. A good healer will have some basic knowledge of anatomy, what goes where and generally what it does and how it relates to overall health. You don’t need a degree in medicine, but you at least need to know where the body parts are. Find a good book on general anatomy and force yourself to read through it and keep it handy as a resource. This is true treating humans, or animals.

When treating situations, you can apply a physical body approach to the situation and direct healing where it’s needed most. For instance, if you’re having car problems, Divine healing can be used to help you get where you’re going. If your car is overheating, think about what the radiator does for the car. It can be the equivalent of blood flow, providing cooling liquid through the body of the vehicle. You can place your hand on the console of your car and try to direct healing energy through the tubes and compartments of the engine to help keep your car moving with the least amount of damage to the next gas station. You can apply this approach to events or situations as well, such as financial or legal matters. Anything in life can receive Divine healing.

Secondly do a little research about the different approaches to holistic healing. If laying on of hands is your interest then try a Google search for that and read about the different methods available. Reiki is one of the more popular modalities, but it certainly isn’t the only one. But do your research on both the pros and cons of the methods that interest you. There are a lot of fakes and spin-offs out there. If Reiki is your interest, I strongly suggest looking at the Reiki Alliance website over all other ‘official’ Reiki organizations. If crystal healing is your interest, start learning about the different types of crystals and stones, how they’re used and how they enhance or affect Divine energy for healing.

If alternative medicines are your interest, be very careful in your approach to using herbs and plants. Make sure you work with the scientific names and not the common names. In the plant kingdom you will find a variety of plants with the same common name, but some maybe poisonous and others helpful. Following an approach that utilizes the scientific name can greatly help you avoid those mistakes. One of the better starting books I’ve found on this topic is “Plants of the Gods -Their Sacred, Healing and Hallucinogenic Powers” by Richard Evans Schultes, Albert Hofmann; Inner Traditions; Reprint edition September 1992. Herbology is a great field of study, but it does require a greater dedication to research and formal education. Don’t take it lightly.

When you find a method that interests you, find a class to take. NOT an internet or online class! Actually go and attend a class or workshop! If this is something you really want to become proficient with, then you will need to put in the work and the effort to attain the knowledge and experience for it. Find a local practitioner who is respected in the modality you’ve chosen and try to set up time with them to talk about their experiences and what advice or resources they might have. You might even find a local healing center that will provide you with an opportunity to volunteer or apprentice with their organization.

Divine Healing can be a very fulfilling practice for both the client and the healer. But you must be cautious over the claims you make. Not only for ethical reasons, but legal ones as well. Holistic healing is not meant to take place of mainstream treatments. This is no better than using mainstream medicine to treat only one aspect of the whole being. Divine Healing is meant to assist in the treatment of the whole Mind/Body/Spirit approach. It must be in concert with mainstream medicine and if necessary, psychological treatment as well. So know your limitations, know how your healing practice works within the whole. Don’t be afraid to work with the client in discussing your approach with their Doctor. Some of the best results can be accomplished when the client asks that their doctor be aware of the additional treatments they are receiving and for you to know what their Doctor expects of them and you.

Taking some simple steps to learning about health and healing will provide a great foundation for any faith based healing to be successful. Know your limitations, responsibilities and approach to holistic healing and you can become an adept and respected healer. It’s up to you to put in to it what you want to get out of it. Healing isn’t a special gift. It doesn’t make you better or stronger or above anyone else. It’s a profession of compassion, caring and humility. Approach it with respect and you’ll find a wonderfully rewarding path to tread.

-> What Is A Spiritual Expert – Part V: Spiritual Teaching