14 1. Why is healing a central ...
Relig St. 2WW3- Lecture 1, 08/01/14 1. Why is healing a central concern of many religions? •
Raises question of existence
•
What’s the purpose? What’s your place in the cosmos? Etc.
2. •
In Hinduism, sickness is related to karma.
•
In Christian tradition, illness can be Satan
•
In Japanese culture, its often ancestors who are responsible for sickness
Movie: •
Americans form a tribe. Lone drummer calls people to the ceremony. This ceremony isn’t part of a religion but just random. When ceremony ends, drummers say they feel better, more relaxed.
•
People form a circle for hypnosis at a healing centre. They hope hypnosis will remove pain resulting from their injuries.
•
Most communities have some type of alternative medicine practitioner. Or a new age bookstore with alternative medicine books. (from aroma therapy, to herbs and crystals, to massage, prayers, etc not present in modern medicine.)
•
A lot of the people trying alternative medicines are from random religions, random communities, etc. very mixed group.
•
God is not something we can figure out and carry in our hip pocket, but whatever god is, god is central to healing.
•
People don’t have to be a believer in order to try it.
•
Magic may be the earliest know of philosophy from the primitive peoples of Africa, to magicians of babylons all believed in magical healing.
•
What does it mean when contemporary Americans gather around a fire for a healing process?
•
Some people say America is entering a dark age of paganism. Others says americans are entering a new age of healing.
•
Therepautic touch= you don’t touch the physical body, but you work with the “energies” to smooth out the energy fields in order to heal or alleviate some pain.
•
For 1000s of years, shamans or priest physicians used a variety of methods to cure illness and disease such as incantations, drumming, dancing and miraculous rituals.
•
James McClenon sociologist says these methods often worked cuz of altered state of consciousness.
•
Some people very skeptical about religious healing and religious healing. But people still have them anyway so if theres gonna be a scientific theory, then we should base it on the evidence we have. Such as evolution?
•
Animal hypnosis; if you touch the animal in a specific way, the animal might freeze up. For ex, when chimpanzees are grooming, they go into a hypnotic state.
•
Shamans use meditation, praying, drumming, dancing can take you into an altered state of consciousness.
•
Whats happening when a shaman beats a drum? Brain wave pattern, we observe a theta pattern. It seems that shamans have found a direct way to the subconscious mind.
•
People throughout the population use a wide variety of alternative medicine and these things are more commonly practised among people who are educated.
•
Some people think illnesses are a wake up call to the self.
•
Alternative medicine: some people think its very pure, spiritual, etc.
•
Hypnosis is just a term for a secularized atlered state of consciousness.
•
In a western setting, this altered state of consciousness is considered hypnosis.
•
“I have the power to heal myself”
•
It’s a way to take control of your illness. Some people think illness is all in your head. And your body and mind can fight it.
•
Some people believe that youre not just a body; you’re body, mind and spirit. If you can strike a balance, then youre good.
•
Theres more to a person than what we all see.
•
Alternative methods give you hope. Prayer gives you hope. Faith gives you hope and it works.
•
Healing takes place deep inside of the self.
•
People who can achieve hypnotic state easily, have a greater benefit from these rituals and heal better.
•
Shamanic hypnotic rituals apparently produce healthier babies, shorter labour and less medicine needed. Indicates hypnotic therapy reduces trauma during labour.
•
Everyone has an ability to heal.
•
Alternative healing is a lot about self discovery too.
•
Some people belive you can see the spirits of the deceased. You can have a sense of their spirits. Sometimes you can see the spirit.
•
A lot of people have a bias, if you cant use your 5 senses for the thing, then its not real.
•
You can be visited by the deceased loved one. Modern medicine categorizes them as hallucinations, etc.
•
But people whove had these visions or visits or whatever, basically have that experience, they get fixed. The grief gets resolved right away.
•
Exterior unseen forces can affect a persons well being.
•
Most alternative medicine is done by highly educated upper to middle class people.
•
“we’re obsessed with the cure, not the care”
•
Western allopathic medicine doesn’t take care of everything and it doesn’t do a very good job with some very common problems.
•
AA is a spiritual healing process and very effective.
•
The rituals shamans use to help a person may include rhythmic drumming, chanting or dancing. Shamans also use meditation and prayer. Any of these rituals can create and altered states of consciousness which is characterized by particular brain wave patterns.
•
On a wave brain pattern, a theta rhythm is imposed. A theta rhythm is characteristic of the sleep state. So it seems that shamans have found a direct route to the subconscious mind. Maybe the drum is a psychedelic tool. Perhaps the shamans do healing work by accessing deep levels of the subconscious. Perhaps the drum is one of the tools to do that.
•
Most theories regarding the origin of religion assume the spiritual beliefs evolved from human loss, confusion or false logic. Some scholars attribute the first religious impulses to the misinterpretation of such things such as dreams, shadows and even reflections.
•
But some peeps think that religious sentiment isn’t based solely off human fallacies or misunderstanding of how the world works.
•
As Dr. what’s his name believes human fallacy and misunderstanding can account for the prevalence of alternative and spiritual healing.
•
People throughout the population are using a shit ton of alternative medicines. We know this cuz of studies being done. The prevalence of these practices are more common among people who are well educated. The idea is that modern culture and society advance people from doing things isn’t the case. There are many reasons for the prevalence of the alternative medicine: some of them may be cuz of shortcomings in modern medicine, some of them are limits of modern medicine, not enough attention to the sick person, not enough support. One of the crucial things though is that when people try alternative methods, they seem to work. People feel they get better.
•
Some peeps believe Illnesses may be a message to the person saying something’s out of line. Something’s wrong and it’s time to fix it.
•
Religious sentiment may have evolved in part from the therapeutic quality of ASC, a condition of the mind that can be induced through shamanic practices.
•
Hypnosis is just a term for a secularized ASC. People within religious rituals are also using forms of hypnosis to achieve ASC and that way they can gain therapeutic benefits.
•
In a western medical setting, we refer to ASC as hypnosis and it seems to be a little less powerful without that religious belief system to back it up.
•
Alternative medicines allow you to be in control. You have the power to know what’s right and the power to heal yourself. “More or less time for me, to take control of me”.
•
“we are not just a body, not just a mind, not just a spirit” we’re all three. Until you get the three in a perfect balance, then only can you be healed.
•
Some people fall easily into the hypnotic state and others don’t. research suggests that those who can reach the trance state more readily, will tend to respond to suggestion within in religious rituals. These individuals will often achieve greater therapeutic benefits form the ritual compared to individuals who don’t reach the trance state that easily.
•
There would be a tendency for people who are more hypnotizable to survive while those who are less hypnotizable have a lesser probability of survival. So over the last 30,000 years, our human species has probably engaged in ritual activities which are selected for the traits which contribute to spiritual healing till today. The spiritual healing practices probably have a physiological basis. There’s an aspect of being human which makes it possible for us to respond to spiritual healing. (said by a doctor).
•
The ability to achieve ASC through shamanic ritual, not only assisted human survival, but ensured growth of human population by affecting childbirth. Shamanic hypnotic rituals appear to have been valuable for reducing problem associated with labour and delivery. Recent research shows that hypnotically prepared births entail shorter labours, less medication and healthier babies. There are practical similarities and hypnosis and the lamaz method of childbirth indicating that hypnotherapy is useful for reducing trauma of labour. Other methods used by healers have also helped in childbirth. These methods include therapeutic touch, massage and energy work.
•
A lot of people try to heal themselves spiritually, emotionally and physically and through this process, realize they can help others with the knowledge they have gained.
Raises question of existence
•
What’s the purpose? What’s your place in the cosmos? Etc.
2. •
In Hinduism, sickness is related to karma.
•
In Christian tradition, illness can be Satan
•
In Japanese culture, its often ancestors who are responsible for sickness
Movie: •
Americans form a tribe. Lone drummer calls people to the ceremony. This ceremony isn’t part of a religion but just random. When ceremony ends, drummers say they feel better, more relaxed.
•
People form a circle for hypnosis at a healing centre. They hope hypnosis will remove pain resulting from their injuries.
•
Most communities have some type of alternative medicine practitioner. Or a new age bookstore with alternative medicine books. (from aroma therapy, to herbs and crystals, to massage, prayers, etc not present in modern medicine.)
•
A lot of the people trying alternative medicines are from random religions, random communities, etc. very mixed group.
•
God is not something we can figure out and carry in our hip pocket, but whatever god is, god is central to healing.
•
People don’t have to be a believer in order to try it.
•
Magic may be the earliest know of philosophy from the primitive peoples of Africa, to magicians of babylons all believed in magical healing.
•
What does it mean when contemporary Americans gather around a fire for a healing process?
•
Some people say America is entering a dark age of paganism. Others says americans are entering a new age of healing.
•
Therepautic touch= you don’t touch the physical body, but you work with the “energies” to smooth out the energy fields in order to heal or alleviate some pain.
•
For 1000s of years, shamans or priest physicians used a variety of methods to cure illness and disease such as incantations, drumming, dancing and miraculous rituals.
•
James McClenon sociologist says these methods often worked cuz of altered state of consciousness.
•
Some people very skeptical about religious healing and religious healing. But people still have them anyway so if theres gonna be a scientific theory, then we should base it on the evidence we have. Such as evolution?
•
Animal hypnosis; if you touch the animal in a specific way, the animal might freeze up. For ex, when chimpanzees are grooming, they go into a hypnotic state.
•
Shamans use meditation, praying, drumming, dancing can take you into an altered state of consciousness.
•
Whats happening when a shaman beats a drum? Brain wave pattern, we observe a theta pattern. It seems that shamans have found a direct way to the subconscious mind.
•
People throughout the population use a wide variety of alternative medicine and these things are more commonly practised among people who are educated.
•
Some people think illnesses are a wake up call to the self.
•
Alternative medicine: some people think its very pure, spiritual, etc.
•
Hypnosis is just a term for a secularized atlered state of consciousness.
•
In a western setting, this altered state of consciousness is considered hypnosis.
•
“I have the power to heal myself”
•
It’s a way to take control of your illness. Some people think illness is all in your head. And your body and mind can fight it.
•
Some people believe that youre not just a body; you’re body, mind and spirit. If you can strike a balance, then youre good.
•
Theres more to a person than what we all see.
•
Alternative methods give you hope. Prayer gives you hope. Faith gives you hope and it works.
•
Healing takes place deep inside of the self.
•
People who can achieve hypnotic state easily, have a greater benefit from these rituals and heal better.
•
Shamanic hypnotic rituals apparently produce healthier babies, shorter labour and less medicine needed. Indicates hypnotic therapy reduces trauma during labour.
•
Everyone has an ability to heal.
•
Alternative healing is a lot about self discovery too.
•
Some people belive you can see the spirits of the deceased. You can have a sense of their spirits. Sometimes you can see the spirit.
•
A lot of people have a bias, if you cant use your 5 senses for the thing, then its not real.
•
You can be visited by the deceased loved one. Modern medicine categorizes them as hallucinations, etc.
•
But people whove had these visions or visits or whatever, basically have that experience, they get fixed. The grief gets resolved right away.
•
Exterior unseen forces can affect a persons well being.
•
Most alternative medicine is done by highly educated upper to middle class people.
•
“we’re obsessed with the cure, not the care”
•
Western allopathic medicine doesn’t take care of everything and it doesn’t do a very good job with some very common problems.
•
AA is a spiritual healing process and very effective.
•
The rituals shamans use to help a person may include rhythmic drumming, chanting or dancing. Shamans also use meditation and prayer. Any of these rituals can create and altered states of consciousness which is characterized by particular brain wave patterns.
•
On a wave brain pattern, a theta rhythm is imposed. A theta rhythm is characteristic of the sleep state. So it seems that shamans have found a direct route to the subconscious mind. Maybe the drum is a psychedelic tool. Perhaps the shamans do healing work by accessing deep levels of the subconscious. Perhaps the drum is one of the tools to do that.
•
Most theories regarding the origin of religion assume the spiritual beliefs evolved from human loss, confusion or false logic. Some scholars attribute the first religious impulses to the misinterpretation of such things such as dreams, shadows and even reflections.
•
But some peeps think that religious sentiment isn’t based solely off human fallacies or misunderstanding of how the world works.
•
As Dr. what’s his name believes human fallacy and misunderstanding can account for the prevalence of alternative and spiritual healing.
•
People throughout the population are using a shit ton of alternative medicines. We know this cuz of studies being done. The prevalence of these practices are more common among people who are well educated. The idea is that modern culture and society advance people from doing things isn’t the case. There are many reasons for the prevalence of the alternative medicine: some of them may be cuz of shortcomings in modern medicine, some of them are limits of modern medicine, not enough attention to the sick person, not enough support. One of the crucial things though is that when people try alternative methods, they seem to work. People feel they get better.
•
Some peeps believe Illnesses may be a message to the person saying something’s out of line. Something’s wrong and it’s time to fix it.
•
Religious sentiment may have evolved in part from the therapeutic quality of ASC, a condition of the mind that can be induced through shamanic practices.
•
Hypnosis is just a term for a secularized ASC. People within religious rituals are also using forms of hypnosis to achieve ASC and that way they can gain therapeutic benefits.
•
In a western medical setting, we refer to ASC as hypnosis and it seems to be a little less powerful without that religious belief system to back it up.
•
Alternative medicines allow you to be in control. You have the power to know what’s right and the power to heal yourself. “More or less time for me, to take control of me”.
•
“we are not just a body, not just a mind, not just a spirit” we’re all three. Until you get the three in a perfect balance, then only can you be healed.
•
Some people fall easily into the hypnotic state and others don’t. research suggests that those who can reach the trance state more readily, will tend to respond to suggestion within in religious rituals. These individuals will often achieve greater therapeutic benefits form the ritual compared to individuals who don’t reach the trance state that easily.
•
There would be a tendency for people who are more hypnotizable to survive while those who are less hypnotizable have a lesser probability of survival. So over the last 30,000 years, our human species has probably engaged in ritual activities which are selected for the traits which contribute to spiritual healing till today. The spiritual healing practices probably have a physiological basis. There’s an aspect of being human which makes it possible for us to respond to spiritual healing. (said by a doctor).
•
The ability to achieve ASC through shamanic ritual, not only assisted human survival, but ensured growth of human population by affecting childbirth. Shamanic hypnotic rituals appear to have been valuable for reducing problem associated with labour and delivery. Recent research shows that hypnotically prepared births entail shorter labours, less medication and healthier babies. There are practical similarities and hypnosis and the lamaz method of childbirth indicating that hypnotherapy is useful for reducing trauma of labour. Other methods used by healers have also helped in childbirth. These methods include therapeutic touch, massage and energy work.
•
A lot of people try to heal themselves spiritually, emotionally and physically and through this process, realize they can help others with the knowledge they have gained.
