THE SCIENCE OF PSYCHIC HEALING. William Walker Atkinson
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given many exercises whereby Prana may be stored up and acquired, and also how it may be used.
The general principles of Pranic Healing rests on the fact that Prana may be transferred or transmitted from one person to another, in many ways. The usual method, and the most effective, is to use the hands and make passes over the sick person, and at the same time directing a current of Prana to the affected part, thereby stimulating and stirring into activity the sluggish cell-groups. The Prana so transferred acts as a bracing tonic to the patient, and invigorates and strengthens him wonderfully besides tending to produce the local improvement, just noted.
Prana may also be sent to the patient in the shape of Energized Thought, directed from the Mind of the Healer. This fact has not generally been brought out in works on the subject, but we shall pay much attention to it in our consideration of Pranic Healing, in our next chapter. In fact, very wonderful healing work may be performed by those methods alone, without reference to the other phases of Healing.
The student will notice that we are not tarrying long to discuss theories. This is done purposely, for we wish to make this book a book of practical facts, and instruction, and the majority of the theories will be familiar to those who have read our other books, which, although not devoted to the subject of healing, nevertheless, touch upon the general theories underlying all psychic phenomena.
Healing of the sick by means of "laying on of hands" has been known from the earliest days of the race. As far back in history as we are able to go, we may find trace of this practice. And, it is only fair to surmise that before the days of written history, the custom was likewise prevalent. It is found among all races of people today, even among the savage races. It seems to have arisen from an instinctive conviction in the mind of man, that healing lay in that direction.
The Indians, the Egyptians, the Jews, the Chinese, of ancient days, were perfectly familiar with this form of healing. In Egypt the ancient carvings in the rocks show healers treating patients by placing one hand on the stomach, and the other on the back. And the early explorers of China report that similar practices were common there.
The Old Testament is full of instances of this form of healing. And we also find cases mentioned in the New Testament. St. Patrick is reported to have healed the blind in Ireland, by placing his hands upon their eyes. St. Bernard is reported as having cured eleven blind people, and to have enabled eighteen lame persons to regain the use of the limbs, all in one day; and in Cologne he is reported to have cured twelve lame people, also three dumb persons, and ten deaf ones, all by means of the laying on of hands. The history of the early church is full of instances of this sort, and making allowance for the romantic tales that always arise in such cases, we may see that much good and effective work was done by these people, in this way.
Pyrrhus, the king of Epirus, is reported by history to have had the power of curing colic and diseases of the spleen, by touching the persons affected. The Emperor Vespasian is said to have cured nervous diseases, and lameness, blindness, etc., by laying on of hands. Hadrian cured people having dropsical diseases, by applying the points of his fingers to them. King Olaf healed instantaneously by laying his hands upon the sufferer. The early kings of England and France healed goitre and throat affections by the "King's touch." In England there was a disease called "the King's evil," which was thought to be curable only by the touch of the King.
The Courts of Hapsburg were believed to be able to cure stammering by a kiss. Pliny reports that in the ancient days there were men who cured the bites of serpents by the touch. Numerous religious celebrities cured disease by the laying on of hands. In England, Greatrakes created quite a sensation, and invited persecution, by going about curing all sorts of diseases in this way—his success in curing diseases that had been thought to be curable by the "King's touch" caused many to regard him as a pretender to the throne. In the seventeenth century a gardener named Levret performed wonderful cures in the streets of London, by stroking the afflicted with his fingers. In 1817, a Silician inn-keeper named Richter cured thousands of people by applying his hands to them.
So you see, the fact of Pranic Healing has made itself apparent in all ages and among all people, and those having sufficient confidence in themselves to perform cures, were looked upon as specially gifted persons. But the fact is that the "gift" is one common to the race, and may be manifested by anyone who has sufficient confidence in himself to try it, and who has sufficient earnestness to "throw his heart" into the work.
The old Yogi teachers of over twenty-five centuries ago, had reduced this form of healing to a science, and traces of their knowledge filtered out to all parts of the world. The Egyptians obtained their knowledge from the great Yogi teachers, and established schools of their own. The Greeks obtained a similar knowledge from India and Egypt. And the Hebrews and Assyrians are believed to have obtained theirs through Egyptian channels. The early Greek physicians performed their principal cures by the laying on of hands, and manipulation of the affected parts of the body. With them the healing process was something belonging to the orders of the priesthood, and the general public were not allowed to participate in its mysteries. Hippocrates has written: "The affections suffered by the body, the soul sees quite well with shut eyes. Wise physicians, even among the ancients, were aware how beneficial to the blood is to make slight frictions with the hands over the body. It is believed by many experienced doctors that the heat which oozes out of the hand, on being applied to the sick, is highly salutary and assuaging. The remedy has been found to be applicable to sudden as well as habitual pains, and various species of debility, being both renovating and strengthening in its effects. It has often appeared, while I have thus been soothing my patients, as if there were a singular property in my hands to pull and draw away from the affected parts aches and diverse impurities, by laying my hand upon the place, and by extending my fingers toward it. Thus it is known to some of the learned that health may be implanted in the sick by certain gestures, and by contact, as some diseases may be communicated from one to another."
Aesculapius treated diseases by breathing on the affected parts, and by stroking them with his hands. The ancient Druids, that is the priesthood, performed cures in this way, the same being made a part of their religious ceremonies and rites. Tacitus, Vopiscus, and Lampridius, report these things of the Druids, and give wonderful testimony regarding their "gifts."
The records of the Middle Ages are filled with similar accounts of wonderful cures accomplished by the laying on of the hands, the churches being the usual scene of the cures. Van Helmont, who lived about the first part of the seventeenth century, seemed to be acquainted with the principles of Pranic healing, for he writes: "Magnetism is active everywhere, and there is nothing new in it but the name; it is a paradox only to those who ridicule everything, and who attribute to the power of Satan whatever they are unable to explain."
About the same time, a Scotchman named Maxwell, taught similar methods of healing. He believed in a vital spirit pervading the universe, which man could draw upon in order to cure diseases. In 1734, Father Hehl, a priest, taught the existence of an "universal fluid," which might be used to cure diseases. He made many wonderful cures, but was driven out of the church for possessing the power of the devil, and using witchcraft. Mesmer taught the theory of Animal Magnetism, and accomplished cures by its aid, always using his hands in applying it. Mesmer left many followers and disciples, many of whom gained great prominence, the Marquis of Puysegur being one of these.
In Germany Mesmer's doctrines, and those that grew of them, gained great popularity and prominence. Bremen was a great centre of the "Animal Magnetism" doctrine, and from there it spread all over Germany. The Prussian government took a great interest in the matter, and established a hospital for the cure of diseases by "magnetic" treatment. Various Continental governments passed rigid laws keeping the magnetic treatments in the hands of the medical fraternity.
And, so from country to country, the new doctrines spread. Often repressed by governmental interference, urged on by medical opposition, it still flourishes in various forms, and under different theories. During the past ten years it has gained great prominence in America and Great Britain, both from the various schools of "Magnetic Healing," as well as from the tremendous growth of the "New Thought movement." Many theories have been evolved to account for it, ranging from purely material ones to religious conceptions. But, notwithstanding the theories, the work went on, and cures were accomplished. The laying on