Spiritual Healing Restores Purpose

Illness has a shadow side, too. It deforms the spirit of your patients. Its messages are: “I may not be able to work again,” or, “I will be bankrupt from medical expenses,” or, “Who will take care of my children?” These are a few examples of threats that sick people have to their meaning and purpose. Spiritual healing restores purpose, and at its best, restores purpose that transcends life on this planet. For example, Dr. Ira Byok, a pioneer of the hospice movement, told me that he encouraged terminal patients to write thank you notes to their physicians for things like breathing treatments. The physicians received these notes posthumously, were touched by them and found new enthusiasm for treating terminal patients. The patients who wrote these notes found transcendent purpose even in the closing days of their lives.