Last week I discussed the mysterious and unexplainable power of the placebo to heal a patient, even if he was told that what he was taking was something with no therapeutic ingredient.

This was revealed in a recent Time magazine article, based partly on the pioneering research by Dr. Ted Kaptchuck, a professor of medicine at the Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

One possible explanation why the placebo can have this effect is the subtle but intimate connection between the mind and body. Our mind is in constant communication with our body and knows instinctively what’s happening to it. All cells in our body are also in constant communication with one another through what are called neurotransmitters and receptors.

“Neuropeptides are small, protein-like molecules used by neurons (i.e. brain cells) to communicate with each other. They influence the activity of the brain and the body in specific ways, such as analgesic (or pain control), reward food intake, metabolism, reproductive social behavior, learning and memory.”

Connected

Perhaps the problem is that we think of the body and the mind as two distinct and separate parts. What if they are merely two aspects of an intimately connected whole?

We also tend to think that the brain is separate from the mind, that the mind is merely the epiphenomenon or after-effects of the activities of the brain, when they may be two aspects of one integrated system.

If we look at man as a unified whole and not as composed of a body and a spirit, many phenomena that seem impossible become possible and natural.

Perhaps this is the reason spontaneous remission of illness happens, i.e the immediate healing of a dreadful disease without any reason or even medical intervention.

I define the mind as the “thinking faculty” of the soul. But since materialistic science does not believe in the existence of the soul or spirit, there is no way we can understand how the mind can influence the body.

Trigger finger

I once suffered from what is known as a trigger finger. I woke up one morning and found the ring finger of my left hand fully bent toward my palm. When I tried to straighten it with my right hand, it hurt and went back to the bent position. I didn’t know what caused it.

An orthopedic surgeon wanted to operate on my finger, which he said was a very simple 10-minute procedure. I refused. Two months hence, I was getting desperate.

At that time, in the mid-’80s, we were in contact with a spirit entity called Ang Suh from the upper fifth dimension, which was being channeled through automatic writing by Conrado “Sluggo” Rigor. During one session, I decided to ask Ang Suh what happened to my finger.

Ang Suh said, “Your little finger went out of alignment because of vibrations or constant movement.”

I asked him what I could do to correct it. He said, “Talk to it!”

I said, “What?”

The entity replied again, “Talk to it.” And he ended that session abruptly. He did not tell me what to say to my finger.

So, that evening, before sleeping, I would hold my finger and ask forgiveness for whatever I may have done wrong to it. I told my finger to straighten up.

Nothing happened in the two nights of talking to my finger. On the third night, I told my finger this was the last time I would talk to it, and if still nothing happened, I would consider surgery.

The next morning, I woke up with my ring finger completely normal. I could move it without difficulty and without pain! I was relieved! I couldn’t believe that talking to one’s body could produce such an incredible result.

I didn’t understand it at the time, but now, with the findings of neurobiologist Candace Pert about neuropeptides, neurotransmitters and receptors, it became clear to me what happened: My mind communicated my desire to the different cells of my body, and they obeyed!

Another thing I discovered is that whatever our mind imagines in a concrete and sensory-rich manner, the body accepts as true or real. The image must be as clear and concrete as possible.

For example, you imagine that you are at home and there is a lemon on the table and that you cut the lemon in half and squeeze half of the lemon into your open mouth. As you see the sour lemon juice dripping into your open mouth, you will surely salivate, even if you know there is no lemon in front of you.

What triggers your body to react to the lemon, although it isn’t there physically, is your imagination. What you imagine in a concrete way, your body accepts as a reality without question.

That’s probably why a placebo works.