ABSTRACT
The laying on of hands is probably the oldest method of relieving suffering and healing illnesses devised by man, yet it is also one of the least understood. With roots going back to Biblical times in our Western tradition, and even further back in some Eastern cultures, it is obvious that humanity has long been interested in the power of human touch. 1 Today, with a growing interest in alternative or holistic approaches to health care, there is also an increase in the number of practitioners who claim to be able to heal by touch. Thus, it is important to understand this practice. Does it simply involve religious superstition and placebo factors? Is it a hypnosuggestive trance state? Can it be justifiably integrated into modern Western medicine? As an American trained physician who practices the laying on of hands (in the non-sectarian form known as energy healing), I offer my perspective on this important topic.
