I will be 88 in October. I do not want witch doctors of any kind by my bedside if I die in bed.

There is too much spirituality as it is now. Mumbojumbo such as Reiki, reflexology and prayer are things I can live and die without. I resent the part of my health insurance premiums which pay for such garbage.

But if prayer works, then God exists, and if God exists then witchcraft is a sin, and the whole boiling of spiritualists, homeopaths, aromatherapists and other practitioners of alternative medicine need to be burnt at the stake, pronto, as per the strict instructions in the Bible. Is Kay prepared to countenance that step if her remote-prayer experiment produces positive results? And if not, why not?

It's quite possible that one or two currently unrecognised medical theories may be valid: it's not possible that many mutually contradictory medical theories can be valid, any more than many mutually contradictory religions can be valid. 'Alternative medicine' derives mainly from the Texas Sharpshooter approach: fire at the barn wall first, then wherever the bullet hits, draw a target around it.

<<..It makes me calm and happy…", Jackman explains. And considering the literature Dr Bennett refers to, it also makes him healthier.>>

knowing the demons his acting attracyts tohim..jackmen is a special..case//plus he can afford it.

so much depends on the mindset[as david reveals]

but the reality is..we cant afford the 'health'/sickness regimes we currently have..and as most are bed bound..the personal touch/coaching...will not pass a cost benefit test.

that said mindset is everything
iytsvwellknown we allcarry horrendous germs withus allthe time
but often..its not till we get down..we get sick..health will have a similar link

<<we discussed how complementary and alternative medicine is a step ahead...>>because*..<< "They've always been patient-driven".>>

THATS POSSIBLY A GOOD POINT..[..oops..sorry re caps]
as i was recently in hospital..i know that consultation isnt as big point..[yet explaining what *they are going to do is]..i did note we can refuse treatments..but dare not suggest our own coping mechanisms

for example in hospital..no dressing had medications
and un-medicated dressings inflame my injury

then the automatic medication of injected..'blood thinner'
i prefer common asprin..to thin the blood..[or thc].,.to open the veins arteries..

my refusal of the daily compulsory injection caused further injury..as i noted the handling of the canela in my vein..got rougher..after its refusal..[as the nurse took.it personally]..

eventually the canula site got inflamed..and i dread to think blood clots forced into my system via it..but the swelling was by then self evident..and it was removed

i recvall that we subsidize 'stroke medication '
over 1 billion annually..who's physiological affect can cheaply be duplicated by one puff on a joint...

[if the infection fails to go away..
im going to try colloidal silver orally.]

so yes..bring on the changes..i want tested/quality assured medicine
cut the drug list to pay for it..i should be able to go..a cheaper option..IF I CHOSE.

informed consent
not standardized regime

I suggest that the author and at least one of the comment writers so far need to read about the success of the least spiritual countries in the world, the Scandinavians countries from Denmark to Finland inclusive. One of my most thumbed books is "Society without God" by Phil Zuckerman.

If you need some video access to show the benefits of such societies watch the video presentation at the University of Melbourne by Dr. Pasi Sahlberg, the Director General of Education, Finland, at the site address below. Take a close look at the charts, particularly the one comparing the social situation in Finland to the USA and the ones showing the Finnish approach to education compared to the approach under GERM (Global Education Reform Movement) and the outcomes of that approach.

http://events.unimelb.edu.au/recordings/68-how-finland-remains-immune-to-the-global-educational-reform-movement

oh dear whats there to be said and stay polite?
Whats next faith healing preacher in the emergency centre?

My, all of the usual barbarians are out in force today.

Leading edge medical doctors such as Bernie Siegel, Larry Dossey and Kenneth Pelletier have been promoting this kind of wholistic paradigm for the past 30 year. As indeed has Richard Grossinger the publisher of North Atlantic Books, and the publishers of Bear & Co - Inner Traditions.
That having been said this essay describes a unique Understanding of health & well-being.
http://www.aboutadidam.org/readings/edible_deity/index.html

Is this author genuine?

I can understand meditation, there is enough evidence to clearly show this can help to relax the mind and improve health, although in a very passive sense.

Religion and the fantasy it is occupies a position in contemporary life, functioning both as a scapegoat for every failure and as a catch-all for every hope and expectation of society.

When you're born into this world and if you are indoctrinated by religion either by your parents or self delusion, you are given a free ticket to the freak show.

In the case of this article it would appear the author has a front row seat.

Never mind spirituality, you can't beat mental health benefits of being in a properly resourced hospital with experienced and caring staff. I was in one such - once. I felt like a million dollars when I left. On the other hand the lovely Christian lady who asked if she could pray for me when I was in a run-off-your-feet public hospital had no discernable impact.

I felt like a million dollars when I left.
Candide,
How much do you feel now ?

Ah, if Christianity could only be proven to cure disease, then humankind might be able to bury at least one hatchet - or at least have to find some other 'man-made' excuse for cultural and ethnic rivalries.

My, how we clutch at straws in fervent hope of 'panacea', yet it is the natural world which, over millions of years of evolution, holds the key to combating infirmament and disease. So, as we increasingly debase and destroy our environment, so we diminish, if not eliminate, all hope for combating all the 'super-bugs' rapidly evolving to 'cure' our arrogance.

Our 'pride' commeth before a major fall; but we are a slow 'learner', it would seem.

In "There's a change coming to the sick room" Kay Stroud - posted wrote (25 July 2013): "UWA has made some progress, offering elective units like Spirituality, Suffering and Healing.". But when I searched the UWA website I could not find a course by that name: https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Auwa.edu.au++%22Spirituality%2C+Suffering+and+Healing%22

Meditation makes Jackman feel calm and happy. Why is he not calm and happy in the first place? Wouldn’t it be better to seek the reasons for his lack of calm and unhappiness so that they could be removed from his life altogether? Then he would have an extra hour or so per day to do other things.

Meditation does not get to the heart of the problem. It is like giving medicine to ease the pain of a patient when surgery would eliminate that pain forever. When people are in hospital and concerned about their health it may be very reasonable and natural to be anxious and stressed. The best thing is to do everything physically possible to give them the best medical treatment. Anything else is beyond the responsibility of health professionals.

Some health professionals may want to include ‘spirituality’ into health care because they want it to be true that meditation is good for you. That may be for a number of reasons. They may use mediation themselves to anaesthetise themselves from unhappiness. They may not like being unable to control things that are beyond their control in the hospital. They may want to appear cool or cutting edge for the sake of their ego.

When medicine spends time on these dubious developments it is wasting time and taxpayers’ money which could be better spent on finding better ways to deal with real disease and sickness