Healing presentation (1/10/03)

IANDS ANNUAL CONFERENCE
NDE/OBE & HEALING PRESENTATION
by Jody Long

As you may already know, the theme of the January IANDS 2003 annual conference was "healing."  In preparation for our talk, I sent out a survey via e-mail and the U.S. Postal Service.  The survey went to 315 NDErs and 467 people who had paranormal experiences but that did not fit the NDERF definition of NDE, which is "a lucid experience associated with perceived consciousness apart from the body occurring at the time of actual or threatened imminent death."  Out of this mailing, we had a response rate of 124 (39.4%) NDErs and 75 (16.1%) non-NDErs.  If any of the participants are reading this article, I want to extend my sincere thanks for all your help! 

My portion of the talk was geared more for entertainment than for rigid scientific mind.  However, I didn't leave the scientists out of the loop.  I drafted a formal scientific study and had copies available for interested parties to pick up on their way out of the talk.  A copy of this study can also be found at http://www.nderf.org/healing.htm  In the areas of "definition," "physical," and "emotional" healing, there was no statistically significant differences between the way that NDErs and non-NDErs answered the questions.  The only statistically significant difference was that NDErs were more apt to be sensitive to medicines or substances after their experience.

Throughout the conference there were a lot of problems with computer logistics and the mysterious electrical anomalies with lights.  Some accepted it as a normal phenomena, others turned to sources like PMH Atwater who has a reputation for causing these electrical disturbances, while still others started talking about Mercury in retrograde.  Our talk was no exception.  PowerPoint decided to take on a life of its own and there were also some problems with microphone positioning. 

That didn't pose too great of a hurdle since the first demonstration was to have the audience write down or think about their definition of healing.  The audience could then independently and subjectively verify the main point of the study.  What I found was that researchers and survey participants tend to view "healing" and its efficacy depending on how they subjectively define the word "healing."  The definition of healing is not normally confined to a word, but is more of a concept that can extend as far as a life style choice.  Moreover, there are no "right" or "wrong" answers.  Generally, those whose definitions were more focused on physical healing, were more pragmatic in their approach to medicine.  Those who defined healing in holistic terms, were more likely to be open to alternative healing. 

One way to test this theory was to have a physical demonstration.  Linda Jacquin, who is on the IANDS board, helped me out.  It turns out that Linda's NDE was caused by an allergic reaction to prednisone and she does hands on healing.  Prednisone is the only drug that will save me when my asthma acts up and I can do hands on healing.  Last year as we made this discovery we were wondering what would happen if we put out hands together and then tried to channel energy.  The discovery was like plugging into a light socket.  We were instantly energized and refreshed.  Linda agreed to replicate this phenomena with me, only this time we would have two people from the audience put their hand in between our hands and tell us what the saw or felt. 

The first participant was Dr. Kent Lin, from Taiwan.  He described feeling heat.  His definition was much like Dr. Jeff Long's definition of healing "To restore towards health by reducing or eliminating a physical, emotional or spiritual imperfection."  The second participant was Diane Schmidt, a NDEr.  She actually started falling backwards and reported feeling "zapped."  She also described seeing a color much like a bright turquoise blue.  Her definition of healing was closer to a holistic concept.

This was amazing to me, since Linda and I had recently had our pictures taken by the Aura photographer.  Diane was unaware of the pictures prior to the demonstration.  The photographer took one of Linda first.  The second picture taken about a minute after the first one, Linda did not move.  I, however, came from behind and placed my hands over hers.  The picture was purple, white, and had the blue that Diane described that she saw!  Just to see if my energy had somehow superimposed on Linda's, I had my picture taken about 20 minutes later.  What we found is that Linda's and my individual picture were strikingly similar with the reds and golds.  There was green on her right hand and green around my left hand.

 

             LINDA                                   Both of us                                   JODY

For the study, participants usually described physical healing in terms of "hands on healing" the laying of hands," or "channeling of energy."  Frequently, the description of physical healing includes elements of prayer, visualization, and guidance from a higher source.  Described is a transfer of energy, primarily through the hands.  There are elements that the recipient be receptive to the energy transfer and that the giver of the energy be sensitive enough to direct the energy appropriately.  Many will connect to spirit either by directly praying for divine intervention or by altering their mental state to be more receptive to energy transfer.

NDErs bring a most interesting spin on the traditional meaning of healing.  As one fellow put it, "I don't even take medicine because when it's my time to go, so what?"  Which begs the question inherent in our definition of healing, "What are we healing?"  It is a very different view when looking at healing through the lens of immortality.

The other large part of the study turned out to be about emotional healing.  When asked if individuals had abilities to heal another person, 38.8% of respondents described emotional components of healing.  They felt they could heal be being empathic, giving encouragement, nurturing, in tune, more aware, and full of love towards others.

When asked if they had experienced emotional healing attributable to their experience, I was a bit surprised by the two largest categories of answers.  Emotional healing is described as becoming more peaceful or more relaxed.  Additionally emotional healing is described as losing the fear of dying and being certain of the continuity of mortal life.  Although I know that this is a feature characteristic to NDErs, I never correlated it with emotional healing or being such a powerful healer. 

We had a hugging demonstration to show the power of emotional healing.  Those who wanted to participate could stay in the center of the room and those who didn't want to participate could move out towards the edges.  Participation was purely optional.  After invoking Lee Campbell's name and describing her full-meal deal hugs, I told the audience those were the hugs we were looking for.  Due to time constraints, hug 3 people instead of 10.  I consider the experiment a total success.  The audience was having such a good time, I couldn't get them to stop!  It was truly magnificent how the energy of the room changed.  There was more connection between members of the audience and there was so much love and goodwill. 

Not only did the talk go well despite the electrical and computer problems, there was an additional blessing conferred upon NDErs right before the banquet dinner.  IANDS president, Bill Taylor, was pulled aside by an NDEr who was adamant about the need for a prayer circle.  Spiritually, we were placed in the proper position.  Everyone present in the room formed a circle and then linked arms around their neighbors.  During the prayer, I was a bit surprised to get an emerald the size of a brick shoved into my consciousness.  It was placed on the left side over my heart.  Oddly, there was a tear-shaped void or area of darkness to the bottom right hand side of the emerald.  I said, "Oh, I guess I have to fill that with light."  I then noticed two strong, large bands of light went flowing from the emerald, through my arms and out like a wide ribbon through the rest of the circle.  I fully expected the ribbon of light to stop when it joined itself on the opposite end of the circle.  It didn't.  Rather it kept going and returned back to me, thereby making two full circles of light through the group.  I talked to Margaret Burwell, an NDEr from Richland, Washington.  She was kind enough to help me realize that this was a tremendous spiritual healing gift for the whole group individually and collectively.