Psychic Healing - Chapter 20 - PRACTICE OF SPIRITUAL HEALING
CHAPTER XX. PRACTICE OF SPIRITUAL HEALING.
The Spiritual Healer should approach his treatments with respect and appreciation of the mighty Power which he desires to have flow through him for the aid and relief of the patient. He should first quiet his body and mind, and so far as possible relieve his nerves and muscles from strain and contraction, and free his mind from worries and cares and thoughts of the material life. He should endeavor to bring to himself that condition of peaceful, quiet, calm that belongs by right to him or her who realizes the meaning of the terms "Spiritual Mind" and "Spirit." He should endeavor to pass into that mental state in which he feels the nearness of the Ocean of Spirit, of which his Real Self is a drop. He should endeavor to feel "In Tune with the Infinite."
We cannot very well describe in words just what this condition is like. It must be felt to be understood. But we feel that those who are attracted to this book or who have attracted it to themselves will have sufficient realization of what we mean, to enable them to cultivate it still further.
The healer may either place his hands upon the patient or otherwise, just as he sees fit. Some Spiritual Healers do not touch the patient, while others feel, instinctively, that they should do so. Be governed by your own intuition in this matter. There seems to be a certain . something about the touch of a person through whom the Spirit is flowing, that carries with it a certain undefinable healing power.
Remember that Jesus and his apostles healed by Spiritual Power, usually through the "laying on of the hands." So do not hesitate to place your hands upon the patient, if you feel moved to do so. In giving the treatment, cast off all responsibility or feeling that You are giving the treatment, and keep the idea constantly before you that you are but the channel for the inflow of the Spirit Power. The moment you begin to think that You are doing the work, just that moment do you begin to obstruct the source of the Power, and to shut it off. Many good Spiritual Healers have destroyed the efficiency of their work in this way, and by their growing egotism and sense of self-importance have lost entirely the great power that they have had in the beginning, before they were spoiled by success and plaudits of the crowd. "We have known several striking instances of this in our own experience, and the readers may know of other cases which they will now understand more fully. Beware of this fatal error in Spiritual Healing. You do not heal but Spirit does.
Remember this always.
The best way to make yourself a proper channel for the inflow of the Spiritual Healing Power, is to fix in the mind the thought that you are a "channel" through which the healing power flows, and endeavor to mentally "see" or "feel" the inflow and outpouring of Spirit during the entire treatment. The treatment should not last very long the intuition of the Healer being the best guide. Very often, after practicing this form of healing for a time, such proficiency is acquired that both the healer and the patient can actually "feel" the inflow of Spirit during the treatment. In such cases rest assured that the best conditions have been acquired or found.
Both the healer and the patient should be in the proper state of mind during Spiritual, treatment, for in this way the minds of both are rendered proper instruments or channels for the inflow of Spirit. To acquire this mutual mental condition, it is well for the healer to read to the patient a few lines or paragraphs from some writer upon spiritual subjects being sure to select some writing harmonious to the patient. By this means the minds of both healer and patient are cleared of the more material thoughts, and placed in the best conditions for the treatment.
In these treatments it is not necessary or desirable for the healer to "hold the thought" of the particular form of cure as in the case of Mental Healing. Spirit permeates the organism of the patient, through his or her Spiritual Mind, and tends to render it "whole" or "perfect" all over, without reference to parts or organs. The patient is bathed in a flow of Spirit, and every cell-mind recognizes its presence and is stimulated thereby.
This is all that we can say to you regarding Spiritual treatments. The rest you will discover as you progress in the work. Do not be afraid to try this form of treatment provided you do it in the right spirit. And you will find that you will become a greater and greater instrument for the expression of the Spirit Healing Power, as time goes on, and your work will grow better and better.
To those who prefer the other forms of treatment mentioned in this book, or who find it advisable to follow the other forms, because of the desires or conditions of their patient, we suggest that they give at least a moment or two of Spiritual treatment, at the close of the other treatment. The patient may, or may not, be told of this just as the healer thinks best.
There is no trace of deception here, for Spirit belongs to all and all is subservient to Spirit so that if the healer thinks it well to make use of its Power, without telling the patient, he is justified in doing so. Some patients may be prejudiced against anything bearing the name "Spiritual' because they associate it with "disembodied spirits", "spiritualism," etc., etc. So it would be folly to use the word "spiritual" in talking to these persons. And others may think that anything "spiritual" savors of "religious" things, and that therefore Spiritual Healing might be something contrary to their religious beliefs, etc. Of course, both of these ideas are based upon misapprehension, and it would be useless to attempt to explain the matter to such people. And in these cases the better way to give the other treatments, using the terms of that particular treatment, and then give the patient the advantage of the Spiritual treatment as well, without saying anything about it. The patient's ignorance should not prevent him from receiving the best that the healer can give him.
In this advise, of course, we do not hold that deception should be used, or untruth indulged in, but merely wish to remind the healer that it is useless and foolish to arouse antagonism by the ill-advised use of names and terms which happen to be misunderstood, or but half understood by certain patients, whose prejudices and bigotry might interfere with the good that you wish to do them.