found that elderly patients undergoing heart surgery who participated in commu-
nity and social groups, like those who received comfort from their religious beliefs,
were three times more likely to survive. But those who participated in both social
activities and received comfort from their religious faith were 10 times more likely to
survive.
Interaction with others can help people transform their attitudes and emotions,
which magnifies the effect of self-healing and health enhancement efforts. Religious
organizations often provide many opportunities for social interaction from religious
services to sacred study groups, to youth, women’s, and men’s groups, and to com-
munity outreach groups. This group interaction can provide a number of healing
benefits by offering a sense of partnership, helping with coping, creating a sense of
community and safety, encouraging a cooperative approach to problem solving,
helping to change behaviors and thoughts, supporting taking control, and encour-
aging personal action.
Remedy number seven is shared beliefs. Most people prefer to associate with individ-
uals who share similar beliefs and points of view. Great things can be achieved
when groups are unified around common values. Religious traditions are opportuni-
ties for people to share common beliefs. Individuals who feel they are part of a
group find they are not alone and gain strength from the power of shared beliefs.
Participation in regular worship not only helps people feel connected and helps
them rise above their differences, but it also is an antidote to the alienation often
prevalent in Western society.
The eighth remedy is ritual. Ceremony and ritual are ways of creating sacred space
and time, when normal ways of relating are put aside and people can listen and
pray with an open heart to their Divine Being. Religious ritual is a powerful healing
mechanism that has soothing and calming effects. Rituals provide people a link
with tradition and give them a sense of security.
The ninth remedy is that of finding a purpose in life. People’s search for meaning is
held by many to be the primary motivation in their lives. This search for meaning
becomes more intense during periods of illness as people struggle with age-old ques-
tions such as: Why me? Why now? Did I do something to deserve this? Religion and
worship attendance provide a framework of meaning, a sense of purpose in life, and
a meaningful interpretation for difficult times. People who are dying often seem to
arrive at a sense of what life’s purpose is. As they tell it, the purpose of life is to grow
in wisdom and to learn to love better. They discover that health is not an end but
rather a means. In other words, health enables people to serve a purpose in life, but
health is not the purpose in life.
Remedy number ten is turning one’s life over to the Great Mystery or God. It is an
acknowledgment that no one has total control over her or his life. Religion provides
CHAPTER 22 FAITH AND PRAYER 275