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Spirituality and Healing -- November 15, 2009

IFFP member Larry Bostian moderated the discussion. He introduced two other members, Larry Ravitz and Erika Callaway Kleiner, each of whom had experienced significant loss and healing.

Larry Ravitz began by stating that about four years ago he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Larry said he is an active man -- he works in the building trades and is a painter, musician and juggler -- and he was initially very discouraged at the prospect of 10 years in a wheel chair.

He found that through spirituality he was able to assess the situation. Just get me calm enough so that I could be in a state of grace. Larry said he doesnt read the Bible or pray, though he does say the Shmah, more as a mantra than a prayer. He runs and works out every day, and he tries to calm himself and concentrate on his breathing. Larry said he wonders whether there is a causal connection between the release of dopamine and decreases in adrenaline.

Erika Callaway Kleiner said she has experienced healing both from grief and some harmful theology.She grew up in Oklahoma, and the Christianity of those around her was characterized by a personal relationship with God.

When Erika was 15 her mother was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer. Erika came across the Bible verse (Mark 5:34) Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace! Be cured from your illness. She taped it to her mother's mirror and sincerely thought that her mothers faith could cure her. Her mother survived for five years much longer than expected, and an amazing length of time for the early 1990s.

Her mother finally passed away, however, and Erika wondered what to do with the All Powerful God concept. She was stung by the words of an acquaintance in her church who said, regarding the death of Erikas mother, It's too bad she couldnt let go of her sin.

Erika later went to seminary where she deconstructed and reconstructed her beliefs. She now still believes in the power of healing, but not necessarily physical healing. Rather spiritual healing.

Open Discussion

Larry Ravitz observed that the body is in a constant state of rebuilding. He thinks that tension, etc. works against that rebuilding.

Another member agreed, adding, It doesnt have to be spiritual; just calming down works like a charm.

Larry B. said the Greek word for saving is also the word for healing. L

Larry B. also recalled the story of Naaman (2 Kings 5), in which a military leader in service of the king of Syria was healed of leprosy. Following a tip from an Israeli servant girl, Naaman traveled to Israel to receive the blessing and healing from Elisha. But Elisha did not receive him and told him instead to go bathe in the Jordan River, to wash himself seven times and he would be healed. Naaman was angry because Elisha had not come forth to perform a healing miracle directly. But his servants persuaded him to do as Elisha said, and he was healed. This story exemplifies the principle that sometimes only when we let go are we able to receive the healing we need. There is a strong correlation between hope and favorable mortality outcomes.

One member noted that IFFP students at the 5^th/6^th Grade level tend to derail when they get to the stories of Jesus miracle healings, because these are outside their experience.

A member told a personal story of a relative whose baby was still born. The extended family gathered for the funeral, and it was a powerful moment to say the Our Father together. She sees it as meditative, a set of common words like the Shmah.

One member said he sees faith and science consistent. Today's scientific advances are very much like miracles.

Another member, commenting on Erika's introduction, observed that he was really struggling with the whole story of, If you have faith, youll be ok. He said he had always been slightly jealous of people with strong faith because of their source of assurance in rough times. But Erikas story exploded that idea as a myth, and so now he is really lost. Faith in what?

Another member answered with a quote from Rabbi Michel Lerner: God is the force in the universe that makes possible the transformation of that which is to that which ought to be.

A different member answered further that it is important to maintain a degree of humility, to know that we dont know. This member said she always bristles when she hears If you have enough faith youll be healed, because that view is too blame the victim.

One member said spiritualists need work from the humanist side. He said that Catholics had been strong proponents of recent health care reform legislation. (As a side note he mentioned that Christian Scientists had sought unsuccessfully to have prayer listed as a reimbursable activity in some legislation.)

The member whose relative had lost her baby stated she still thinks that not having the God thing, and not having a faith community, makes loss much harder to bear.

In response to a question about where she is in her beliefs now, Erika said she believes in the transformative power of love and community, but she no longer believes in an interventionist god.

One member confided that he had learned from his experience in Al-Anon that he had to let go of the notion of control, that only by believing in that was he able to achieve peace.

The member who earlier stated he was really lost about the exploded myth of faith as a basis for healing said he takes out of this discussion a lot of anger at religion and petitionary prayer.