Are you tired of taking antibiotics? Take a look at these alternative Indian medicinal therapies.
By Shruti Kothari
Especially when hailing from a big city like Bangkok, we tend to be skeptical towards unconventional curative techniques. After all, I always ask my grandmother why I should apply ghee in my belly button every morning for hair growth and soft lips when I can just pop a biotin pill or buy ChapStick? Even more befuddling than naturopathy is the idea of intangible healing methods that centre on the ideas of belief or energy. Yet, on a few occasions, I met various practitioners who surprised me. One lady in Calcutta peered at my eyeball with magnifying equipment and accurately listed all of my ailments. I may not have been completely convinced, but it did make me curious. India sees thousands of tourists a year that visit just to experience these practices. In this article, we look at various types of faith healing that, for some, have yielded positive life-changing results.
Spiritual Healing
Without any medical training, India’s foremost Spiritual Healer, Mohan Joshi, claims to have successfully treated more than 100,000 patients for ailments ranging from arthritis and abdominal spasms to insomnia. He says when he works, he empties his mind to channel divine energy and his “hands get hot” before he places them on a patient. He also heals through sight, voice and thought. His practice is both curative and preventative, and he is said to have consistently shown both faster and more pronounced results than physicians. Not sure whether he’s legitimate? He allegedly healed titan Dhirubhai Ambani of paralysis on the right side of his body, which must have worked very well indeed, as the industrialist was anything but stiff.
Where to go? Mumbai, Maharashtra
For more information, visit www.healmohan.org
Hypnotherapy
Although hypnotherapy has been used in many capacities, including crime detection, the Indian Hypnosis Institute (IHI) focuses on healing techniques, such as past life regression. They may not use clocks or pendulums, but they do induce a trance state to help reach the inner child or dig deep into the past to assist with issues like kleptomania, anxiety, weight loss or self-esteem. One patient claims that her marriage was saved through the practice, as her therapy revealed her subconscious thoughts, which were carrying the weight of betrayal in a previous lifetime into her current relationship. Who knows what monsters you might have hiding under your bed!
Where to go? Baroda, Gujarat
For more information, visit www.indianhypnosis.com
Energy Healing
The Samyama Healing Centre claim that Reiki, psychic reading, Pranic healing, chakra rebalancing and the releasing of the spirit start with the belief that most of our health issues are psychosomatic, that is, that they are physical manifestations of our energy in distress. According to them, the roots of your physical, emotional and mental issues lie in your psychic body, and that’s where the real healing begins. Testimonials are nothing short of miraculous: a man with osteoporosis suddenly walking without his crutches, a grandmother with completely healed chronic pain, and a woman who had her broken heart fixed in one session. This clinic sure sounds like a one-stop shop!
Where to go? Bengaluru, Karnataka
For more information, visit www.samyama.org
Healing through Prayer
There are innumerable temples in every nook and cranny of India, each worshipping various deities for a plethora of reasons. Some temples have a reputation for remedial properties, and Sri Santhana Venugopala Swamy Temple is one of the most famous. Active for 1,800 years, this shrine draws visitors seeking cures from all corners of the world, especially couples hoping for children. One woman, who was left ‘infertile’ after a bout of chemotherapy and cervical damage resulting from a car accident, gave birth nine months after praying at this sanctuary. With that kind of testimonial, sure,
take me to church!
Where to go? Mysore, Karnataka
For more information, visit www.templesofkarnataka.com
