Healing Words: The Power of Prayer and the Practice of Medicine
by Larry Dossey, M.D.
Digested for Intuitive-Connection by Lorrie Kazan

Over 100 experiments exhibiting good science indicate, “prayer brings about significant changes in a variety of living beings.” This includes fungus, bacteria, animals and humans. Moreover, the healing effects did not depend upon whether the person praying was in the presence of the organism being prayed for or at a great distance. Healing occurred whether the healing object was in a lead-lined room or a cage shielded from electromagnetic energy.

“The fact that prayer works (at least some of the time) says something important about our nature, and how we may be connected to the Absolute,” says Larry Dossey, M.D., in Healing WordsThe Power of Prayer and the Practice of Medicine, HarperCollins, 1993.

Dr. Dossey is committed to an in-depth discovery of the self and of the creator, which he labels the “Absolute.” This Absolute may always remain in some way unknowable to the human mind. Hence, Dr. Dossey steers us away from easy answers, and reminds us instead to incorporate deeper wisdom into our way of being. He reminds us of the Grail myth. One of the treasures derived from this myth is that one can enter the forest with no light, no path and no guide, and find one’s own way. Dr. Dossey likens this darkened path to illness. Debilitating illness can cast us into our own underworld. It is like that darkened wood where one must face and overcome fears, often with no light, no sure path and no known escape.

Attaining mastery in this realm may or may not mean becoming physically well. Mastery is obtained by engaging in the process, making difficult choices, even when the decisions don’t please others. Dr. Dossey refers to a herniated disc that kept him bedridden. “I realized there were benefits to feeling bad but I found it almost impossible to communicate this idea to others. It was invariably interpreted as a morbid focusing on pain was certain there was more involved.”

Dr. Dossey followed his inner guidance, which was to stop the barrage of alternative treatments, and take time alone to sit with his pain. He found himself craving solitude, like an animal needing to go off and lick its wounds. He questions whether he would have completed this book had he not followed his inner guidance. A strong believer in alternative healing, it was necessary for him to fully explore that modality to alleviate his pain. His exploration, and then withdrawal into solitude, is what he credits for allowing him to choose his best option, which in this case, was surgery. We may have to coexist with our challenges, take the time to learn the lessons they offer, find our own paths, and establish what Dr. Dossey calls “higher health, a deep and genuine sense of being one’s self.”

“Miracles and failures in healing seem to stand side-by-side.” While non-traditional forms of healing have been shown effective, no one has been able to predict which person will become physically healed and which will not. In fact, our powers of prayer and healing may be limited for our own benefit. Double blind studies have shown that the most powerful prayer one can utter is “Thy will be done,” and whatever is best for the organism is brought about.

In other words, we may not always know what is best for ourselves and we don’t necessarily see the larger plan, but there is some greater force around us that does. Bodies break down. Even great spiritual leaders have suffered and died from disease. Fortunately we don’t blame our plants if they become infested with aphids, for instance, the way many have used the new age movement to blame the patient for illness.

The great 13th Century mystic, Meister Echart, wrote: “Some people want to recognize God only in some pleasant enlightenment and then they get pleasure and enlightenment but not God.” Thus, the darkness, like our own shadow side, has gifts to present, and rather than fear it we can take the opportunity to explore it, assuming that wholeness contains a range between both light and dark.

Larry Dossey has been a trailblazer on that road. His book offers far more depth and understanding than my short digest reveals.