"Scientific testing" of Distance Healing

[orphia nay]

A woo-woo with whom I've been discussing in another forum posted this as proof of the benefits of "Distance Healing", and I thought I'd share.

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Here's what I replied:

Thanks for posting that.

I wouldn't say it was decisive proof of the effects of distance healing, though.

I'd like to know more about the results of the tests.

The video glossed over the results very quickly. There is no way of knowing whether the researchers were only showing the "hits" and ignoring the "misses" or not.

Also, it was a very small sample of test subjects. 7 for one test, and 4 for another, I think.

Still, very interesting, thanks [snip name]. I might have to share that elsewhere.

And I'll look into John Upledger too, when I have time. Thanks.


Actually, I should have watched where they gave the test subject numbers & results again, but I'd be glad to be corrected if I'm in error.

[Professor Yaffle]

Oh no, its the Bubblefish/ TM video!!!

I'll just go and find the link at badscience.net where it is pulled to sheds in long tedious detail.

http://badscience.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1472

Be aware that the tone is hostile from the start as it came immediately after another long thread full of drivel from TM.

[orphia nay]

Oh no, its the Bubblefish/ TM video!!!

I'll just go and find the link at badscience.net where it is pulled to sheds in long tedious detail.

http://badscience.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1472

Be aware that the tone is hostile from the start as it came immediately after another long thread full of drivel from TM.

Thanks for the link, Professor Yaffle!

Bubblefish has actually just replied at the forum I mentioned, and says he/she will answer any questions I or others have.

I posted: I'd be interested to know how many people were in the room when the 'healing' was being performed. By the looks of the video, I'd say at least 4, including the test subject. The others may have somehow communicated as to when the 'healing' was taking place, even inadvertently, which may have affected the results.


I'll have a look at that link now.

[Professor Yaffle]

What was the other forum. BF has absented himself from his thread here claiming he is snowed under with work. I suspected he was out searching for a new forum to infest...

You will have to be a real masochist to wade through that thread, I am afraid.

[orphia nay]

Yep. I read the first two pages and the last page, and that was probably enough, unless I feel the need for some pain at some stage.

BF is posting at http://www.freedomcrowsnest.org/forum/index.php

Here's the page of the thread in question:
http://www.freedomcrowsnest.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=58256&start=105

[Paul C. Anagnostopoulos]

Okay guys, time for a theory. What is this qi and how does it operate?

~~ Paul

[Professor Yaffle]

I must say that I believe 100% in qi / chi, as the word means "air".

[T'ai Chi]

What is this qi...?


Maybe a Chinese dictionary would help you?

[Apathia]

The very little results seen in the Youtoube presentation, to my knowlwede are no more than what you'd expect if you had someone remain seated or reclined in a state of mental alertness for a period of time.

I am not impressed by the psudo-scentific speculatiuons offered in the rest of the video.
I do have a good deal of personal, anecdotal experience that Reiki, TT, and the like induce relaxation when the subject is accepting and trusting of the practitioner. That's right. It's almost a psychological tautology.

There's tendancy on the part of the subject to match the mood, calm atention, and breating rate of the practitioner.

There are also frequent effects such as tingling, feeling of heat, or feelings of static elctricity, that are generated by the subject's own perceptual system and are usually described as an 'energy,' hence the popularity of the word, "Qi."

So far attempts to measure an objective energy passing from the practitioner's body to the subject's (By both believers and sleptics) have yielded nothing. Of course I'd be very interested in solid evidence of 'healing energy.' This preliminary study doesn't really provide that, IMHO.