Qualitative Oneness
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Blog Post #77
"Ingenious attempts to assess objectively the effectiveness of various ways of praying have been quietly pursued for more than a decade by a unique organization called Spindrift. Their research centers on the assumption that all humans have divine attributes, a qualitative oneness with God. There is a nonlocal quality of human consciousness... like the Divine, is infinite in space and time and is ultimately One."
— Larry Dossey, M.D., Recovering the Soul: A Scientific and Spiritual Search
Excerpts from Recovering the Soul: A Scientific and Spiritual Search
"The Spindrift researchers wanted to know: Is spiritual healing real? Does prayer work? Is there an effect that can be measured? Is the effect reproducible?' They answered these questions by testing the interaction of a prayer-practitioner with a simple biological system such as sprouting seeds.
Rye seeds, divided into two groups of equal numbers, were placed in a shallow container filled with vermiculite, a light, soil substance commonly used by gardeners. A string was placed down the middle of the container, dividing the seeds into sides A and B. The seeds on one side were prayed for and the others were not. After the seeds had grown, the slender shoots were counted. The results consistently indicated that there were significantly more rye shoots in the prayed-for side than in the (not prayed-for) control side.
Spindrift researchers then stressed the rye seeds by adding salt water to the seed container, keeping the rest of the experiment the same. The salt water diffused upward through the vermiculite, eventually reaching the seeds. The results were now even more striking: The ratio of the treated (prayed-for) to the control (not prayed-for) shoots increased sharply, indicating that prayer worked better when the organism was under stress.
What if the stress was increased? Would prayer still work?
The Spindrift researchers ran the same experiment several times, each time adding an extra measure of salt to the water in the bottom of the rye seed container. With each added increment of salt, the effect of prayer was increased. The saltier the solution bathing the seeds, the more seeds germinated when prayed for.
The researchers then changed systems: Soybeans were used instead of rye seeds, and temperature and humidity were used as the stressors instead of salt water. The same results were seen.
Does it matter how much one prays?
A simple test of this question involved four containers of soybeans: One marked "control" (not prayed-for) and the other three were marked X, Y, and Z. In each run of the experiment the X and Y containers were prayed for as a unit, and the Y and Z containers were prayed for as a unit. Receiving twice the amount of prayer, the Y container germinated twice as well as the X and Z containers. Twice as much prayer yielding twice the result.
How does the prayer know which seeds to help?
The experiments Spindrift conducted showed that when the person praying was kept uninformed about the nature of the seeds being prayed for, it resulted in a drastic reduction in the effect of prayer. The researchers concluded, the more clearly the practitioner is aware of his subject the greater the effect of prayer… we need to know who or what we are praying for.”
“These simple tests, repeated many times by many prayer-practitioners, indicated that the effect of thought on living organisms outside the human body was significant, quantifiable, and reproducible; and that the effects of human consciousness are not confined to the brain and the body.”
Peace Affirming Prayer
Peace fills my mind and flows through all my thoughts.
Peace fills my heart and flows through all my love.
Peace fills my soul and goodwill flows to all.
Peace fills my being and permeates all my activities.
Peace within. Peace without. Peace everywhere.
Peace in my mind. Peace in my heart. Peace in my soul.
Peace in me. Peace in my home. Peace in my country. Peace in my world.
Peace everywhere.
Amen.
Ukrainian folklore characterizes pysanky as a symbolic, talismanic writing that invokes a higher Universal Power for help, while believing with faithful certainty that It will. The contemporary version of this characterization is a paper-and-pen journaling practice called prayer writing that develops a personal relationship with God.
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