Asians in Britain Turn to Exorcism

Writer Larisa Brown reports in the November 20 edition of MailOnline in the UK that Asians are turning to exorcism rather than medical help or counseling for problems as varied as schizophrenia, bi-polar disease or epilepsy. From reading the article it seems Larisa is referring to people from the Middle East, not Asians, but perhaps Asians also are seeking out practitioners who can rid them of "Jins".

Hundreds of British Asians are operating as healers, blaming the supernatural for mental health problems and charging sometimes thousands of pounds a session to remove evil spirits from bodies believed to be possessed.
An exorcist operating in east London has said the demons can ‘deceive doctors’ and research by BBC’s Newsnight has found that some communities are finding it more acceptable to be possessed than mentally ill.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2235669/Hundreds-exorcisms-performed-UK-Asian-communities-treat-people-mental-illnesses.html#ixzz2DAEB6O6j

The Christian form of exorcism is often performed by a Catholic Priest or member of the church who is skilled in the use of prayers, amulets and rituals said to ban the harmful spirits. It is interesting, however that according to the Wikipedia coverage, "The Catholic rite for a formal exorcism, called a "Major Exorcism", is given in Section 13 of the Rituale Romanum. The Ritual lists guidelines for conducting an exorcism, and for determining when a formal exorcism is required. Priests are instructed to carefully determine that the nature of the affliction is not actually a psychological or physical illness before proceeding."
It's interesting to speculate why an alternative treatment is sought by the Middle Easterners. The author suggests that there is less stigma and blame attached to being possessed. Perhaps these recent immigrants feel less confident seeking the help of a traditional medical doctor. Or perhaps it is just lack of money. Are the treatments successful? What do you think? Leave a comment below, OK?

Are These the Best Retreats in the World?

You might not agree that the resorts mentioned below are the best in the world, but the large number of people who voted for them think they are. While these are not the most reasonably priced, they are not extravagant either - affordable. Anyway, here they are thanks to Dawna Zimbalist writing in The Examiner. They all look great and in such wonderful and inviting parts of the world too.

Ulpotha, Sri Lanka was recently voted the best Yoga Retreat in the world by Observer Magazine. Off the grid and surrounded by mountains and lakes this resort can provide you with the right prescription for a detoxing holiday that you been waiting for. The retreat has been a pilgrimage site for thousands of years and is in the heart of a working community that is cradled by a Lotus shape lake and mountains. Presently their main focus is on the restoration of an ancient agricultural way of life, and includes organic farming and reforestation. Ayurveda therapies and classes in Yoga are offered and there is plenty time for meditation and relaxation.
On the Aegean Coast of Turkey, Natur-Med Thermal Springs and Health Resort is your fantasy come true. Everyone needs a break from their daily routines, and here with the daily breathing exercises, you will feel invigorated and more alive. The healing thermal springs will melt away those aches and pains. Staffed by trained Medical Professionals and experts, you will be in trusted hands.
To read the original post click here.

The others include The Carton House in Dublin, Ireland; Shambala Mountain Center in in Colorado, The Suryalila yoga retreat in Spain, the Bulgari Resort and Les Sources De Caudalie. Would you like to know more about these retreats? You can find them all online. If you have been to some good ones, please leave a comment and let others know about them.

Acupuncture Blends with Spirituality

It’s about time an acupuncturist addresses the whole person and not just the current symptoms. The approach of Daphne Fung makes total sense to heal the spiritual and emotional as well as the physical. Here is what she says regarding the spiritual side of acupuncture.

Esoteric acupuncture is an integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ancient Wisdom, Hindu Chakra System, Sacred Geometry, and the Qabbalah Tree of Life.
Traditional acupuncture will address the symptoms of an immediate ailment and its root cause by rebalancing the body, mind and spirit.
Esoteric acupuncture works on a higher level of healing to bring positive effect to the person and can help prevent disorders from manifesting, address imbalances often before it appears plus all kinds of immediate conditions. It helps one to understand what they can do to prevent it re-occurring. Like traditional acupuncture, it will cover a complex array of symptoms, and allows one to heal holistically.
To read the original article, click here.

She goes on to say that the results are often a blissful state for patients as they are then back in balance with themselves. It’s too bad she is in Queensland, Australia for the rest of us who are in North America. If you would like to contact her anyway, here is her website: http://daphnefungshealthclinic.com

Spiritual Healing for the Cheyenne and Arapaho on Thanksgiving

The history of the initial contact between the natives and white men is grim as we all know. One sad chapter involves the massacre at Sand Creek where 160 Arapaho and Cheyenne were gunned down despite the fact that they were on a reservation and waving American and white flags. These were elders, women and children as well as their husbands and sons. This Thanksgiving there will be a commemorative walk in Boulder, Colorado called "One Action One Boulder" to try to heal the wound that still some people feel. None of these tribal members now live in Colorado as they were all removed from their lands.

Cheyenne and Arapaho runners will complete a 170-mile Spiritual Healing Run/Walk from the Sand Creek Massacre site to Denver in honor of LaForce Lee Lonebear. This is how they describe the Run:
“The Sand Creek Massacre Spiritual Healing Run/Walk is a prayer. (It) is not a race. (It) is a commemoration for the victims and survivors of the massacre, and for healing ancestral homelands. (It) is led by an Eagle staff representing prayers of the spiritual leaders who had a vision of healing and reconciliation for the descendants of those killed at the Sand Creek Massacre site and for the future generations.”

The Cheyenne and Arapaho have invited local communities to participate in a variety of ways. To see the original article, click here. What do you think about this action? Is it digging up old pain or is it a good way to establish restorative justice? Leave a comment below.

                                              picture by Mike Fisher at the
                                              memorial site of the massacre

Edgar Cayce the Sleeping Prophet

Most people have at least heard of Edgar Cayce who started his well-known prophesies through hypnosis. He was actually not aware of any of the information he spoke during his trance states. The information ranged from medical remedies to economic and other future predictions. Recently there has been a video made of 7 of his prophesies people think are still to come. Here it is.



Notice that the sourcACes are recorded so that you can read in more detail if you want. There are an unbelievable number of books about and by Edgar Cayce. Amazon.com lists 3,164! for the purposes of this website, I recommend this book: The Edgar Cayce Remedies by William A. McGarey. You can access it by clicking on the title or the icon below this article.

A Duchess finds Spiritual Healing in India

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, checked into the Soukya Holistic Health Centre for some R&R ahead of her trip to Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. Apparently she and her husband, Prince Charles, stayed in the same 3,500 pounds per night suite during the 2010 Commonwealth Games. It shows how popular and accepted alternative healing practices have become when a duchess finds spiritual healing in India.

 

Although the couple were on an official visit, that trip, like the current one, was paid for by her husband and did not cost taxpayers, aside from the cost of her Scotland Yard security team.
The retreat claims to be a ‘unique facility that helps restore the natural balance of your mind, body and spirit’.
It is set within a 30-acre organic farm and guests follow a strict ovo-vegetarian diet, paying around £140 a day for a range of different treatments.
They include ‘hydrowashes’, reflexology, and a ‘four-hand’ Ayurvedic massage carried out by two female therapists.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2224558/Yoga-dawn-spiritual-massages-Duchess-India-Secret-trip-ahead-Australian-tour.html#ixzz2AqWgBGb1
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Although this is supposedly a secret retreat for her, comments about her last visit in 2010 have been made public such as the fact that she was able to do even the difficult yoga poses easily and that she liked the oil massages best. I wish her well and am grateful my own life is not such an open book. If you would like to know more about this retreat center, here is their website: http://soukya.com/ There is a picture of Camilla on the home page. The word, "soukya" means health and well-being in Sanskrit.

Italian Town of Assisi Provides Spiritual Retreat for Everyone

St. Francis of Assisi was known for his celebration of animals and nature, his efforts to bring peace between Christians and Islamists and his founding of the Franciscan Movement, all of which are still relevant for today's issues. The Medieval town of Assisi was recently host to 550 religious and humanitarian leaders who gathered there on October 4, the Feast Day. However, the town provides a spiritual retreat setting for people of all religions.

Not all pilgrimages to Assisi are Catholic, or even religious in any traditional sense. In recent years, a number of organizations have held retreats here focusing on the sort of eclectic forms of spirituality often categorized under the label of New Age.
“We found the energy in this place to be absolutely amazing in the purity of spiritual vibration,” says the website of the Shared Heart Foundation, based in Santa Cruz County, Calif., which will soon hold its third retreat in Assisi.
Peggy Husch Rothschild, of Newton Centre, Mass., joined a Shared Heart group for a week last October, staying in rented rooms at a convent close by the Basilica of San Francesco.
“In small group discussion and in large group meditation, in song, and sometimes in dance, we opened up to places within ourselves that had been closed, sometimes for many years,” said Rothschild, who is Jewish.
To read the original post click here.

Besides the religious churches with their 13th and 14th century frescoes, there are some excellent restaurants and good hiking. The climate is often mild, especially in the spring and fall. If you would like to know more about St. Francis Assisi, I recommend this DVD: "Francis of Assisi" or this book: St. Francis of Assisi by G. K. Chesterton, very affordable in the Kindle version.