Healing with Prayer and Meditation

Prayer and meditation are two very spiritual activities. After discussing the importance of
spirituality and religion, I have come to realize that there are many healing effects of these
practices. Prayer is a form of meditation, which has many proven physical benefits. For
example, meditation has been clinically proven to, “... alter levels of melatonin and serotonin,
boost the immune response, reduce stress and promote positive mood states, reduce anxiety
and pain and enhance self-esteem and have a favorable influence on overall and spiritual
quality of life in late-stage disease” (Andrade & Radhakrishnan, 2009). Because of the selective
nature of the benefits that meditation brings, there can only be so many healing effects of the
practice. It may be very beneficial if both parties involved, both the prayer giver and receiver,
have faith since this practice is spiritually and not scientifically based.
Many claim that prayer is not an effective means of healing, because there is no
concrete proof that it is the source of healing. In addition, it is difficult to discern if prayer has
healing effects because there are so many variables when dealing with something that
transcends physical form. Some of these variables include the prayer giver, others deal with
God or the deities being prayed to, and the receptiveness of the patient. Another study also
explores how other facets of society can determine whether prayer does, in fact have healing
effects; “disciplines that include history, religious studies, sociology, anthropology, and
biomedical and clinical science” (Paloma, 2012). This is a cultural attempt to cover all the bases
that deal with prayer. Prayer can also differ by which religious or spiritual practice is being used.
These cultural differences may be seen as a variable to some, but the human race is collectively
connected; we are all spiritual beings, so the differing forms of prayer shouldn’t factor into its
effectiveness.
Some ethical concerns when studying whether prayer is effective is that in most
instances, studies are done double or even triple blind. The participants do not know if they are
being prayed for or not, which may cultivate some feelings of worry or anxiety. These feelings
can create stress and ultimately delay the healing process. It is also an ethical concern that
prayer should or shouldn’t be added to the list of medical interventions (Sloan, 2000). This
would be rather controversial since science cannot fully explain prayer, but science runs the
health industry.
Overall, it is questionable to some if prayer has beneficial effects in healing. Some
studies even show that prayer had negative effects on healing rates. However, I believe that
prayer is only a supplemental tool for healing that can only help patients. Whether they know
that they are being prayed for or not, prayer is a spiritual practice that uses faith, thought
energy, and compassion to transcend sciences power to heal us. With the right mindset in the
prayer giver and receiver, prayer and meditation can result in expedited healing, but not in
instant miracles as some religious texts claim.
 References

Andrade, C., & Radhakrishnan, R. (2009). Prayer and healing: A medical and scientific
perspective on randomized controlled trials. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 51(4), 247–
253. http://doi.org.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/10.4103/0019-5545.58288
POLOMA, M. M. (2012). TESTING PRAYER: SCIENCE AND HEALING by Candy Gunther
Brown. Journal For The Scientific Study Of Religion, 51(4), 825-827. doi:10.1111/j.1468-
5906.2012.01691.x
Sloan, R. P., & Bagiella, E. (2000). Data Without a Prayer. Archives Of Internal Medicine,
160(12), 1870.