Hands-on Healing - Bengston's Research

While researching the internet for resources related to energy healing--the subject of the upcoming OLLI class, Energy Healing--I came upon the work of William Bengston, PhD. Dr. Bengston has conducted experimental and clinical studies for more than 35 years on the amazing and mysterious effects of a hands-on healing method and, in particular, its effects on various strains of cancer in mice. 

                         

According to Dr. Bengston, the healing interventions he has developed and the results he has observed are not dependent on any belief system, as many other hands-on healing systems, e.g., Reiki, are. Not only that, Bengston reports that the results often complicate the research and interpretation since often the 'controls' experience the same healing effects observed when the 'treatment ' (hands-on healing) is directly only to the 'experimentals.' He also discusses the problems in investigating and drawing conclusions in clinical studies with humans, rather than mice, and in studies of teaching and learning healing practices.

Dr. Benston says he is mystified, unable to understand at this point just what it is that is going on. He suggests that the 'it' may very well be a flow of information needed by the recipient rather than a flow of energy from the healer. He also speculates that the effects on 'controls' may be a function of a resonant bonding of 'controls' and 'experimentals.' I offer that this might be explained, at least in part, by biologist Rupert Sheldrake's theory of morphic resonance and his research findings, e.g., "...rats that learned a new trick in one laboratory (Harvard) and later groups of rats in other laboratories, in Scotland and Australia that learned the new trick quicker."

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Here are a number of resources accessible on the internet which can be used as the basic of a discussion of Dr. Bengston's work. 

Listen to Tami Simon's interview with William Bengston (56 min.); then

view Dr. Bengston's 2009 presentation  at the annual meeting of the Society for Scientific Exploration (54 min.).

If you're not familiar with Rupert Sheldrake's work, consider exploring his website and, in particular 

Morphic Resonance and Morphic Fields - An Introduction.

Please Join the Discussion with Your Comments

1. What do you think of Dr. Bengston's research, findings, and speculations?
   
2. What are your experiences with hands-on healing, e.g., Reiki, Healing Touch, or similar healing methods?
   
3. What part does belief play in concluding from and accepting results in human studies and experiences of healing?
   
4. What question(s) or issues would you like to raise for a discussion on healing?