While healing itself is an art, many consider faith-healing as quite farther away from science. While disease is more ancient as compared to its cure, faith-healing may well be a precursor to more established health systems. Early healers were priests and philosophers. They were a link between mortals beings and the divine. Since healers also predicted outcomes, they were often astrologers and even astronomers in a limited sense. Till date many faith-healers provide care, especially in indigenous communities.
The faith-healers believe that both disease and health are due to internal as well as external factors. While this is universally true, the interconnections between spiritual, mental, physical, and emotional states are amplified in faith-healing. A key component is to restore balance in “misaligned” states, so that physical health is restored.
2. Faith healer or a sorcerer in a stamp from Bulgaria (1978). This is from a set of four stamps depicting rural life in Bulgaria, in paintings by Zlatyu Boyadzhiev.
Some processes of faith-healing are strikingly universal. For instance Divination, in the context of healing practices, involves using various techniques (dowsing, using tools like pendulums or rods, or relying on intuitive abilities) to understand the root causes of illness or imbalances. On the other hand, Rain-making, is symbolic and ritualistic use of rain to cleanse, refresh, and rejuvenate both the physical and spiritual self.
Some cultures believe that lightning is caused by angry spirits or deities. Traditional healers may perform rituals, offer prayers, or make sacrifices to appease these forces. Bloodletting is an ancient practice. It was also adopted by Egyptians and Greeks, and is also a part of the Unani system of healing. It is believed it could restore balance to the body’s humours (fluids like blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile).
In every indigenous community, there are shamans or ojhas who can recognize evil spirits and control these. These exorcists tribal healers treat persons who are afflicted with various forms of evil magics. They not only also claim to treat illnesses but also assist the entire village’s land to retain its fertility, and a good agricultural output.
Faith-healing practices often have deep-rooted cultural and spiritual significance, focusing on holistic well-being and harmony with the natural and spiritual realms. While some involve animal sacrifices and occult practices, others use only belief systems and tantric rituals.
Faith operates in a realm, which is far away from science. Despite centuries of scientific advances, faith has persisted. Without being judgemental about rights and wrongs, everyone expects some magic in their lives. Rationalists pretend that there is no-magic when it comes to health, yet we all yearn for it to happen, at all times.
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