It seems like ages ago that Kitty Jung posted the following message:
>A student looking towards research in mind/body/spirit
>asked which universities would be best for her to apply
>to in terms of who(m) is doing the most work in this area.
>I suggested doing a focused web search in the meantime
>while I asked around. Any ideas?
I thought I would do a little research on the science of "Mind Body Spirit."
My first goal was to understand better to what this phrase might refer. Hence,
I did a search using the terms "mind body spirit." Web sites popped up that
dealt with alternative medicine, holistic approaches to healing, wellness, and
counseling psychology, as well as others that focused on topics such as
astrology.
Extrapolating from this, mind-body-spirit research would seem to involve the
testing of scientifically untested (or even pseudoscientific) treatments such
as spiritual counseling, aromatherapy, crystals, and Feng Shui, as well as
apparently related interests in paranormal topics such as tarot cards and
astrology.
On a web site called the "Mind Body Spirit Directory"
(http://www.mindbodyspirit.org/index.html) there was a page for "Colleges,
Training and Organisations" that listed only one training organization--an
organization that offered training in "EM-Power Therapy." (I suspect that "EM"
stands for electromagnetic.) It seems that this organization offers training
in something called the EM-Power Healing Disc and offered the following
description:
"The Em-Power Disc has been created and designed by Israeli born healer, Coby
Zvikler. After many years of studying his own psychic and paranormal abilities
he accidentally found a way to trigger a unique connection between the body
and mind that can cause the body to spontaneously heal itself. Coby discovered
that he was able to transfer and record his unique healing abilities onto
magnetic tape and various alloys (such as aluminum) so that anyone can tap
into them. Now you too can heal yourself and others by using the Em-Power
Disc"
In a section titled "Science and Technology," there were advertisements for
the "3rd International UFO Conference," "SC- The Monthly Journal of Crop
Circles and Beyond," and our old friend "EM-Power Therapy" (in fact, there was
a link to EM-Power Therapy on each page I had a chance to look at).
As for another training organization, I found a web site for "Eo Omwake's Mind
Body & Spirit Academy for Martial Arts and Self Cultivation"
(http://www.flowinghands.com/).
I then decided to do a search for "mind body spirit research." The site for EM
Power Therapy came up again, but so did a site for "The Fetzer Institute"
(http://www.fetzer.org/). In their "Programs in Science" section, they
describe their research in "Information and Energy in Biological Systems":
"Electromagnetic fields are all around us, emanating from natural phenomena
such as the Earth's magnetic field and from artificial sources such as
electrical devices in our homes. The human body is also continuously
generating these information-rich fields of energy from the electrical
impulses that control the beating of our hearts to the flow of thoughts in our
brains. Little is known about how these fields work and what effect, if any,
they might have on our health. In pursuit of theories for understanding these
fields, the Fetzer Institute has engaged in a number of efforts."
An associate professor of medicine who is affiliated with the Harvard Medical
School, Herbert Benson, has opened the Mind/Body Medical Institute
(http://www.mindbody.harvard.edu/index.htm). The Institute advocates the use
of what has been called "integrative medicine"--the practice of medicine in a
way "that selectively incorporates elements of complementary and alternative
medicine into comprehensive treatment plans alongside solidly orthodox methods
of diagnosis and treatment" (go to the on-line site for the British Medical
Journal for a recent issue devoted to this area:
http://bmj.com/current.shtml). To quote from the Mind/Body Medical Institute's
web site:
"Dr. Benson, a graduate of, and Mind/Body Medical Institute Associate
Professor of Medicine at, Harvard Medical School, is an
internationally-respected leader in this rapidly growing branch of medicine.
Mind/body medicine integrates mind and body by combining relaxation-response
techniques, nutrition, exercise, and cognitive therapy with standard medical
practice. Mind/body medicine is an interdisciplinary field, comprised of
physicians, nurses, psychologists, exercise therapists, and nutritionists."
Notice that the word "Spirit" does not appear in this description. This change
seems to be associated with a more medically oriented approach to the topic.
Thus, if one finds that a student is interested in the area of "Mind Body
Spirit", one may wish to inform them that there is a medical area called
"integrative medicine" that seems to be more attuned to scientific research
(although time will tell), but that there are also many "practitioners" out
there who have pseudoscientific and perhaps even anti-scientific leanings and
interests.
Jeff
--
Jeffry P. Ricker, Ph.D. Office Phone: (480) 423-6213
9000 E. Chaparral Rd. FAX Number: (480) 423-6298
Psychology Department [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Scottsdale Community College
Scottsdale, AZ 85256-2626
"Science must begin with myths and with the criticism of myths"
Karl Popper
Listowner: Psychologists Educating Students to Think Skeptically (PESTS)
http://www.sc.maricopa.edu/sbscience/pests/index.html
