Prayer, distant healing
Alternate names: Absent Healing, Attitudinal Healing, Centering Prayer, Compassion and Healing, Compassionate Intention, Distant Healing, Divining, External Qigong, Faith Healing, Intentionality, Intercessory Prayer (IP), Kahuna Healing, Native American Faith Healing, Noetic Therapy, Psychic Healing, Quantum Healing, Reiki, Religion, Remote Healing, Remote Prayer, Spiritual Healing, Sufi Healing
Background
Prayer involves aiming to connect with God or another object of worship. Distant healing is the projection of healing intention for another from afar.
Prayer is a part of many religious traditions. It might make some people feel more positive or hopeful, which might result in relaxation. Distant healing may or may not involve prayer. It's a broader concept that includes other approaches to help heal another from afar.
People use prayer and distant healing for depression, high blood pressure, pain, heart disease, anxiety, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Do not confuse prayer or distant healing with guided imagery, mindfulness, mantra meditation, qi gong, reiki therapy, or spiritual healing. These are not the same.
Prayer is a part of many religious traditions. It might make some people feel more positive or hopeful, which might result in relaxation. Distant healing may or may not involve prayer. It's a broader concept that includes other approaches to help heal another from afar.
People use prayer and distant healing for depression, high blood pressure, pain, heart disease, anxiety, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.
Do not confuse prayer or distant healing with guided imagery, mindfulness, mantra meditation, qi gong, reiki therapy, or spiritual healing. These are not the same.
Safety Safety definitions
Prayer and distant healing are likely safe. There's no reason to expect safety concerns. But prayer and distant healing shouldn't be used in place of standard treatments or therapies.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if prayer and distant healing are safe during pregnancy and breast-feeding. But there's no reason to expect safety concerns when used along with standard treatments or therapies.Effectiveness
NatMed Pro rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.
Possibly ineffective Effectiveness definitions
- Death from any cause. Prayer does not seem to reduce the risk of death in people with various illnesses.
- Recovery after surgery. Prayer does not seem to improve recovery time or prevent complications after heart surgery.
- Warts. Neither prayer nor distant healing seems to help heal skin warts.
Dosing & administration
Prayer is a part of many religious traditions. It can be described as requests made while trying to connect with God or another object of worship. Hospital chaplains and counselors are trained to respect different religious backgrounds in addressing the spiritual and emotional needs of patients, their families, or loved ones. The chaplains and counselors often incorporate prayer in their support.
Distant healing is a broader concept than prayer. It includes prayer, but also other approaches to help heal another from afar. For example, it might include attempting to mentally project influence for another's well-being without asking for the help of a supreme being.
Distant healing is a broader concept than prayer. It includes prayer, but also other approaches to help heal another from afar. For example, it might include attempting to mentally project influence for another's well-being without asking for the help of a supreme being.
Interactions with pharmaceuticals
It is not known if this treatment interacts with any medicines. Before using this treatment, talk with your health professional if you take any medications.
Interactions with herbs & supplements
There are no known interactions with herbs and supplements.
Interactions with foods
There are no known interactions with foods.
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This monograph was last reviewed on 17/06/2024 10:00:00. Monographs are reviewed and/or updated multiple times per month and at least once per year.
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Natural Medicines rates safety based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Likely Safe, Possibly Safe, Possibly Unsafe, Likely Unsafe, Unsafe, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate. For more information about Natural Medicines’ Safety Rating System, click here.
The Natural Medicines Effectiveness Ratings are assigned for specific indications. A product might be rated "Possibly Effective" for one condition, but be rated "Likely Ineffective" for another condition, depending on the evidence. For more info click here.
