[shoebox]

saraH asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Hello Chris
 
There seems to be an upsurge of interest in the power of positive thinking at the moment, and there's a lot of research going into it.
 
Running alongside this is the idea of the power of the mind to heal itself, or others; the projection of thought 'waves', or higher frequencies, to direct healing energy to either oneself or someone else.
 
The idea of distant healing is very popular including, of-course, the more orthodox practice of prayer for loved ones etc.
 
Therefore, my question is if you can direct positive thought waves/energy towards someone in 'real time' to heal them, can this also be done in retrospect?
 
For example: if someone had experienced a trauma or was frightened following an event during World War II (incidentally, before my time!), and they have long since passed away, is there a scientific theory to support the idea of going back in time to help, heal or comfort that person, even though the event itself is, in a linear sense, already passed? almost like a meditation. so instead of using distant healing in the present, directing it to the past instead. would this work? could our thoughts in the present time affect something that's already happened? can our thought forms and electro magnetic energy be directed backwards in time?
 
I hope my question makes more sense this time, and I hope I don't sound too weird!
 
Thanks for your interest,
 
Regards,
 
Sara

What do you think?

[JnA]

I suspect that we would have to master mind healing or projection healing in current time before we try to fight physics as well.

[Don_1]

I can understand and accept that 'healing hands' can have an effect on patients. Inducing a feeling of calmness and relaxing the body could help the repair and immune systems to work better and even relieve pain. There is no reason why the power of suggestion shouldn't be able to do likewise, but I think whether or not it works will be more a case of the patients faith in such processes than the ability of the healer. That said, obviously the healer must be skilled at inducing patients into a state of relaxation, calmness and concentration. Warm hands and a soft voice would probably be prerequisites. But there is no unseen mystical 'power transfer' which actually has a direct effect.

[dentstudent]

I think that all of that can be included in the placebo effect. A doctor with a better bed-side manner is likely to have a better response from his patients to medication than one with a poor bed-side manner. This is very clear from placebo studies. "Healing hands" is pseudoscience, but, if the patient is supportive/culpable, then the placebo is likely to be greater than for a sceptic. However, and to reiterate, this is the placebo effect, not healing hands/energy/thought waves nonsense.

[Don_1]

I think that all of that can be included in the placebo effect. A doctor with a better bed-side manner is likely to have a better response from his patients to medication than one with a poor bed-side manner. This is very clear from placebo studies. "Healing hands" is pseudoscience, but, if the patient is supportive/culpable, then the placebo is likely to be greater than for a sceptic. However, and to reiterate, this is the placebo effect, not healing hands/energy/thought waves nonsense.

I couldn't have put it any better myself; in fact, I didn't!!!

[Bored chemist]

"The idea of distant healing is very popular including, of-course, the more orthodox practice of prayer for loved ones etc. "
It is popular, but last time I saw it tested, it failed.

[stereologist]

Healing touch has been tested and failed as well.

[lyner]

On occasions,  I've had hands laid on me, I've felt a lot better as a result!

[DrN]

Oi oi, this is a family site!!

There's a lot to be said for the power of positive thinking, and this includes belief in other's ability to do something. So if you believe strongly enough that someone has 'healing hands' then chances are, the positivity of your own thoughts will be enough to make some kind of difference.

As for going back in time to heal the trauma of a now deceased person; to me that implies belief in ghosts or similar, otherwise what would be the point? It's almost like having to 'heal' the spirit before it can rest properly.

[JnA]

So if you believe strongly enough that someone has 'healing hands' then chances are, the positivity of your own thoughts will be enough to make some kind of difference.

What kind of difference? Certainly not enough to be used as a 'medical tool'.
I don't dispute that the mind is powerful and probably beyond our complete understanding at present, but I cannot agree that "if you believe strongly enough" the desired outcome will occur.
That is just a cop out for the misses.. "well, they died of cancer because they didn't believe strongly enough"  "they are still paralysed because they didn't believe strongly enough"
which is insulting to all the people that thought they were believing strongly enough but still succumbed to their illness.

Positive thinking is one thing, but modern medicine has a much better track record.

[stereologist]

The desire to be able to accomplish an outcome by willing it is ancient. It's the essence of magic. This is why double blind experiments are needed. There is an interesting read I'll like to send as soon as I can locate the link.