I saw a TV programme last night about a healer who offered surgery by laying his hands on patients, guided by Abraham. Yes that Abraham! He was very successful with many enthusiastic followers. His popularity was causing a strong backlash from a group known as the sceptics, who were denouncing his practice as fraudulent and trying to close him down. He had agreed to the documentary in an attempt to prove scientifically that what he does with people works.
Effectiveness of a faith healer
He was 20 years old and had been hearing voices since he was 13 and probably before that. He had complete belief in what he was doing, something that came across in the way he spoke. And the people he had worked with were adamant that he had helped them. One, his personal assistant, had been in terrible pain with a big gallstone, which, with Abraham’s guidance, he had successfully treated. His assistant was delighted having experienced no pain for the last year. When the scientists attempted to verify it, in the service of ‘truth’, to everyone’s surprise the large gallstone was still there, this despite the fact that she continued to have no symptoms. The sceptics expressed satisfaction that their position was fully vindicated and pushed for this young man to be prevented from practising.
Scepticism and belief
This story got me thinking about scepticism and belief. Which is more powerful? I was struck when hearing a sceptic talk by the self-righteous quality of his arguments. He preferred the certainty of being right to considering the possibility of someone experiencing freedom from pain, when their lives were previously blighted by it. His desire, again quite genuine, was to protect gullible people from spending their money on unproven methods. I understand where he is coming from, but wonder if this isn’t more appropriate to bridge building than people.
Belief
In my work, belief is everything. If clients know that I believe that whatever they tell me they wish to achieve is possible, then there is a high likelihood that they will achieve it. If I am wrong I am wrong; nothing is lost. They tried and probably learned something about themselves that they didn’t know before.
Belief leads to results
When I think back to the people who have really helped me realise my ambitions in the past it was the ones who communicated their genuine belief that inspired me to manifest the result. We don’t know how this works, it just does. Call it magic if you like; I do. All I know is that who you are being in any given moment is what decides the results you get, and whether you are right or wrong about the facts is neither here nor there.
The Persian poet Rumi expresses it perfectly. He said: “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I'll meet you there."