Matchima Prasansin - Week 6

The reading of this week, “‘You  are  here’:  locating  ‘spirituality’  on  the  map  of the  current 
medical  world” talks about the two types of healings, the traditional method relates to spirituality
and the western medicine. This article talks about the relationship between spirituality and medicine.
The author points out the idea of empathy in the Chaplaincy programs. The chaplaincy focuses on
using emotional support to help heal their patients. The author mentions that the Chaplaincy with
empathy is considered a form of spiritual healing. And empathy was described as a spiritual knowledge
rather than scientific knowledge. This article mentions that Chaplains have a mindfulness and trans
personal mindfulness process that they use with their patients and as a result, the patients become
more positive and feel less anxious. I think that this form of healing is interesting. It is very different
from the western healing where doctors just give some pills for their patients to take. Based on this
reading, I found that it is interesting to learn an alternative way in healing. I also think that this way
of healing really does help because I think the body and the mind is connected so to have a healthy
body you would also need to have a healthy mind. 

Question: What could we do to help improve western medicine on a spiritual level to incorporate
things like empathy to help and relax the patients for a better recovery?

Image reference: https://ibpf.org/healthy-mind-healthy-body/