Psychic Healing

Taken from the book Lychgate The Entrance to the Path

Now I must deal with a question of Psychic Healing. This is, for me, the most difficult chapter in the book, for a variety of reasons.

In the first place, most of my knowledge has been obtained at second-hand and I cannot vouch for it from personal experience. Secondly, there is an extreme variety of method in existence and my summary may not therefore be comprehensive. And thirdly, it is difficult to adduce proof of individual cases.

When absent treatment has been followed by a cure, it often happens that neither the patient nor the doctor know that any other influence has been at work, and there is always the question of ‘post hoc’ or ‘propter hoc?’ which may very pertinently be asked.

Again, while doctors as a whole are far more open-minded than the clergy or scientists in psychic matters, it is simply not fair to press a doctor to give his testimony if he is reluctant to do so. His practise is his living and quite apart from the Big Stick of the British Medical Association in the background, his other patients may take fright if he acquires a reputation for lack of orthodoxy.

Here, if I may do so without offence, I should like to pay a tribute to the progressiveness of the Church of England in this particular respect. The late Archbishop of Canterbury set up a Committee to inquire into a report upon the subject of Divine Healing. The Chairman is the Bishop of Croydon and the Archbishop’s representative is Mr. Godfrey Mowatt, a vehicle of great experience in line of action which his present Grace will follow when he receives its report, I have little doubt that the main tenor, at least, of its findings will reach the public in due course.

Mr Mowatt’s method of working is on the highest level. He dislikes being called a Healer, and represents himself as a channel only. He emphasizes the need for the Healer to cast out every thought of Self and he makes the point that, even in cases of apparent failure, healing of the Spirit may have been effected, which is infinitely more important than healing of the body.

Almost every Spiritualist Church and Home Circle will have its own experiences to relate to the genuine inquirer, though methods will be widely different.

How different these methods are, I will now endeavour to indicate and I ask pardon in advance for the inadequacy of my presentation. I must also point out that two or more methods may overlap in any particular case.

Prayer, followed by the Laying on of Hands. This is perhaps the highest form of Spiritual Healing. Seers have observed Spirit-hands reinforcing the efforts of the human operator.
X-Ray sight for diagnosis, followed by normal medical treatment. The medium sees the actual growth or lesion and describes it to the doctor.
Spirit diagnosis, followed by normal medical treatment.
Spirit diagnosis, followed by manipulation or other action by the medium.
Spirit diagnosis, followed by spirit prescription for pharmaceutical treatment.
Spirit diagnosis, followed by colour or light treatment.
Absent treatment (physically considered). The medium in his Astral Body visits the patient.
Absent treatment with or without the knowledge of the patient and / or doctor.
Healing by virtue of Spiritually charged waters. (As at Lourdes).
Magnetic healing in which the spiritual element is apparently absent, though this absence may be more apparent than real.

Now if I were a family doctor, I should certainly be horrified on reading the above list. I should be reminded of the story of a General Practitioner who got a telephone call just as he was sitting down to dinner. He at once rushed out and started putting on his coat. His wife asked “what’s the matter dear?’

“It’s from Mrs Jones about her little boy.’

‘What has happened to him?’

‘He has cut his finger.’

‘Well surely you needn’t rush off like this, you can finish your dinner first.’

‘No I cant. Mrs. Jones has got a book called What to do before the Doctor comes and I want to get therefore before she does it.’

The number of psychic healers in increasing every day and not all are n the same level of selflessness and efficiency. It is this problem with which the Archbishop’s Committee is largely concerned and it is a thorny problem indeed. For the healer who takes it upon himself to interfere by advice or action with the treatment prescribed by a qualified Doctor is incurring a grave responsibility and may render himself liable to legal prosecution. Perhaps he less said on this difficult subject the better, pending the results of the labours of the Committee afore-mentioned. But it is obvious that psychic diagnosis and treatment carried out in conjunction and co-operation with the medical profession cannot be subject to criticism, and many of the methods mentioned above are unobjectionable, provided that the patient has not been urged to discontinue professional treatment not to ignore medical advice.