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NuevaVida -> RE: Faith Based Healing (11/4/2008 11:19:36 PM)
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Two personal stories here:
A very close uncle of mine had lung cancer a few years ago. He had his lung removed and after the surgery his body went into shock. He was in a coma for a month. Every day we all sat by his bed, talking to him, singing to him, touching him, and some family members prayed to him. His odds did not look good. In his coma, he developed a blood infection, his heart stopped which required defibrillation, and he developed pneumonia in his surviving lung. We didn't give up on him and didn't lose hope. One day I received a call while at work, from my cousin (his daughter), crying, saying "Dad just woke up."
During his many long days of recovering from such an ordeal, I spent a good deal of time talking to him. I asked if he remembered the coma, and what the experience was. He said for the most part, no, but he did remember an intense and indescribable feeling of a fight he was losing, and then he said, "But I felt you. I can't describe it but I felt this overwhelming power of love from my family, and it pulled me out. I have no doubt that without it, I would have let go."
This is a man who is not faithful in the religious sense, doesn't go to church, doesn't want to talk about religion, etc. No one laid claim to "faith healing" here, but what the human spirit can do is amazing. Power of the mind, heart and spirit can do incredible things.
When my dad was so ill my family through a party for him to celebrate his life and who/what he was to us. It was a day to honor him. All five kids, all in-laws, and all 6 grandkids (along with my mother, of course) hung out with him at my brother's house and doted on him. My parents were devout Catholics. The rest of us aren't, but when my mother suggested we lay hands on him and pray/meditate/whatever, we all did. That night he said he was healed. Not from the cancer, but "My heart is healed." His whole life he suffered from depression, anxiety, and self hatred. He never trusted that his kids loved him, because he didn't think he could be loved. In saying his heart was healed he explained that for the first time in his life, he felt incredible love - from us and for himself. He said he had never felt so peaceful in his life. He forgave himself for all his wrongdoings and ill thoughts. He said, "This is what happiness is." He said when he felt his whole family touch him like that, something happened - he felt a physical buzz in his body and his heart opened up.
He died 4 days later. What greater experience than to die filled with love and peace. He didn't care about the cancer. He knew it would kill him. But at the age of 77, his heart opened up. I don't think he would have experienced that without us all touching him and loving him.
But these kinds of things can't really be put in medical books. I don't know what you call it - energy? Love? Something else? I don't know if it matters, other than in trying to explain such experiences to others.
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