DOES PRAYER WORK?
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A new report about the power of prayer surfaced today in the news. In the largest study of its kind, researchers found that having people pray for heart bypass surgery patients had no effect on their recovery. In fact, patients who knew they were being prayed for had a slightly higher rate of complications. Researchers emphasized their work does not address whether God exists or answers prayers made on another's behalf. The study can only look for an effect from prayers offered as part of the research, they said. They also said they had no explanation for the higher complication rate in patients who knew they were being prayed for, in comparison to patients who only knew it was possible prayers were being said for them. The patients were split into three groups of about 600 apiece: those who knew they were being prayed for, those who were prayed for but only knew it was a possibility, and those who weren't prayed for but were told it was a possibility. The researchers did not ask patients or their families and friends to alter any plans they had for prayer, saying such a step would have been unethical and impractical. After 30 days following surgery, the results showed no effect of prayer on complication-free recovery. But 59 percent of the patients who knew they were being prayed for developed a complication, versus 52 percent of those who were told it was just a possibility. Dr. Harold G. Koenig, director of the Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health at the Duke University Medical Center, who did not take part in the study, said the results did not surprise him. "There are no scientific grounds to expect a result and there are no real theological grounds to expect a result either," he said. Science, he said, "is not designed to study the supernatural."
My thoughts on this study: I think that the reason patients who knew people were praying for them had more complications are due to concern and fear. By this I mean that they felt they owed something to those praying for them, didn't want to let them down, felt an obligation, a responsibility, and might have even felt imposed upon. Worry adds to disease and can complicate healing. Then perhaps there are the few who are ready to pass and don't want prayer at all. I'm sure it would be a conflict for them to know others are praying for their recovery. The type of prayer performed wasn't explained and I think it's crucial to know. Was it religious or not? What kind of prayers were they, what did people say? Did they focus on love? Did they ask another entity to do the healing? Or ask the person's body to heal itself? What if a Christian was praying for a Jew or a Muslim? In some cases that WOULD have a negative affect. We also don't know if the one praying was forcing their own will on that of the patient's. If they were forcing their own will, a judgement, that would create another kind of conflict. However, if the patient and the one praying share a religious or spiritual belief, that can be very conducive to healing. After an entire lifetime of exploring the power of prayer and if it really works, I don't think it does UNLESS a person is genuinely asking for a particular energy to be held for them, unless certain factors are in synchronicity. Intent, love, honoring free will, and receptivity being among those factors. I do believe that sending energy does have healing potential. But generalized prayer is a hope, a wish. It is not necessarily asking for guidance. It might be a demand, and therefore met with resistence. Prayer might be more meaningful for the one praying, giving them some feeling of calmness and power to help a situation in which they would otherwise feel helpless. I always felt that prayer was to be what is in the highest good and growth for a person. That is out of respect for everyone's free will. But you know what I discovered for myself? That it doesn't matter because everyone is doing what they can do. Everyone has their own path and soul choices, and they are doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing. And if you put your faith in a higher power to take care of something for you, that higher power is in charge and it's no longer a co-creation. Here is a page of translated prayers for peace from many religions. Think they've worked thus far? Give them a try, if you like. I think prayer is asking for what you think you don't already have and admitting that you don't trust your own soul and the soul of another. And ultimately you don't trust in the Source that whatever happens IS the right thing - no matter how it might look on the surface. |
© 2006, Estelle Nora Harwit Amrani