Healing

Basilica of Saint Anthony, Padua, Italy  © Doug Hickok


Saint Anthony of Padua was a contemporary of Saint Francis of Assisi, and renown for his spiritual teachings. This church was built in 1232 to honor him after his death and canonization. Although he is the patron saint of lost things, both physical and spiritual, he is particularly sought after by the elderly for spiritual healing. Thousands visit here annually on pilgrimage.

The power of spiritual healing is quite strong. The capacity of the human body and mind to heal itself has been underrated in Western medicine, though it is gaining more recognition in recent times. Self-healing is at the core of many Eastern philosophies. My son practices a Hindu method of self-healing, focusing his energies on the chakras, the seven spiritual centers of the body.

Tapping into the body's ability to heal itself is an Eastern method that reaches back thousands of years. I have successfully undergone Chinese acupuncture to heal my injured back when conventional medical treatments failed. Acupuncture is said to help release chi, the body's self-healing energy.

Yet thousands of lives are saved by the accurate and timely diagnosis and treatment of lethal diseases by medical physicians, who practice a thorough scientific method established by the great ancient Greek physician, Hippocrates, as was the case earlier this year with my wife.