Two friends (one who is a physicist) and I were talking about the decades old rash of studies dealing with the effect of thought and prayer on healing. The physicist started out the conversation with a couple of things I would like to share here:
He asked what the difference is between
Brain over body
Mind over matter
Spiritual healing?
It seemed easy to answer on the basis of MBEddy’s outline on the scientific translation of mortal mind. Each of these three approaches to the different medical studies could be defined in the context of that definition! (Note: MBEddy’s translation of mortal mind is in bold and my comments are in italics.)
Scientific Translation of Mortal Mind
First Degree: Depravity. (Marginal heading: Unreality)
PHYSICAL. Evil beliefs, passions and appetites, fear, depraved will, self-justification, pride, envy, deceit, hatred, revenge, sin, sickness, disease, death.
Brain over body deals with a wholly material basis, proposing that thought is a result of reactions of the brain and works to manipulate matter to produce healthy effects
Brain over body studies deal with the physical: passions, appetite, and the analysis from a material basis of sin, disease and death.
Second Degree: Evil beliefs disappearing. (Marginal heading: Transitional qualities)
MORAL. Humanity, honesty, affection, compassion, hope, faith, meekness, temperance.
Mind over matter deals with thought as well as body; seeing that thought has an impact on health and works that idea toward healthy conditions
Mind over matter studies deal with the moral qualities of honesty, affection, compassion and humanity; these are transitional qualities
Third Degree: Understanding. (Marginal heading: Reality)
SPIRITUAL. Wisdom, purity, spiritual understanding, spiritual power, love, health, holiness.
Spiritual healing deals with absolute spiritual principle coming from an infinite and omnipotent Mind, God; the application of these principles bring about harmony resulting in health
Spiritual healing studies deal with understanding: This is the basis for reality.
So what’s the point here and why is this important for us to understand?
Whereas these studies and theories point to an increased discussion (and elevated discussion) about the role of thought and prayer on health, it is only the ones that deal with the moral element that bring the discussion to that “transitional level” and may open the way for more inquiry to and practice of spiritual healing. Other studies are looking for a way to reduce God to a neurological impulse – keep God at a material basis.
Here are some examples that could be categorized into the three degrees of Mortal Mind as defined by MBEddy:
Brain over Body: God as a Physical phenomenon
Emotional Intelligence By Daniel Goleman
“…we are wired for compassion and concern” There is a new field of science called neurotheology, which applies the methodology of neuroscience to study the “God experience,” or GE. A National Institutes of Health study showed that one third of Americans had an experience in which they felt “a divine and wonderful spiritual power.” Scientists are now interested in studying and measuring what is going on in the brain during these experiences. They want to know, “Is spirituality genetic?"
Mind over Matter: God as the source of Moral Qualities
What Happy People Know By Dan Baker and Cameron Stauth
What one reviewer wrote: "Dr. Baker engages and entertains by writing in a conversational style sharing inspirational experiences and insights. The book takes a "positive psychology" approach teaching the reader what actions one should take to be happy and suggests that simply talking at length about a person's problems in a private office can't get you as far as going out and taking action. He says love is the answer - we should practice altruism, appreciation, and forgiveness. This great book is easy reading but unbelievably interesting and thought-provoking."
Spiritual healing: God as universal principle
"Intelligence is everywhere. And the deeper you go beneath the surface, the more intelligence, the more dynamism, the more awareness, until at the foundation of the universe there is a field of pure abstract universal existence-universal Consciousness…the unified field.”
From: “Consciousness in the Unified Field” John Hageli, Light of Consciousness(Spring/Summer 2006)
So, would love to hear comments on this! Especially with those of you who have backgrounds in the sciences. (PS - Thanks to my Association mates who researched the above books and quotes!)
To share your thoughts on this or to explore this idea further, please feel free to be in contact with me, add your own comments below, email this article to a friend, or add to the healing finds and sites on the web to the right.
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