Image: Joshua Earle
Johrei and Science
Johrei is a manifestation of healing energy that can be transmitted from one individual to another. It involved no physical contact. As this gentle healing is administered, the mind and body are uplifted. Johrei has its roots in Japan and is gaining recognition in the West as a non-invasive energy healing practice. Today, several hundred thousand worldwide are involved in this practice.
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Sleep deprivation is an under-recognized problem in modern society, and nearly 8,000 preventable deaths annually are attributed to fatigue-related motor vehicle accidents, compared with 13,000 attributable to impaired driving. In a national Gallup poll, it was estimated that nearly 70% of residents in the United States do not get adequate sleep, leading to other major health issues. Sleep deprivation has been suggested to play a role in the causation and perpetuation of psychiatric disorders and has been labeled a carcinogen by the World Health Organization. Methods to improve sleep and vitality may ameliorate the effects of sleep deprivation and prevent disease and deaths caused by accidents.
The sleep study research compared the effectiveness of Johrei therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy in the treatment of sleep disturbances in survivors of critical illness following discharge from the intensive care unit. Subjects underwent objective measurements of sleep quality and duration with participants wearing wrist devices that measures sleep indicators. Subjective measurements were performed by sleep questionnaires and logs evaluated at baseline. A secondary measurement compared the effects of Johrei therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy on systemic markers of inflammation and urinary biomarkers of sleep and stress.
With promising indicators, the University of Arizona's Department of Integrative Medicine launched a study of Johrei, and based on preliminary research results, the university received a grant from the Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine of the National Institutes of Health. The grant provided funds for researching various alternative healing therapies, including Johrei.
The first part of the study documented the effects of Johrei on patients recovering from cardiac bypass surgery. While other smaller studies have documented the positive effects of prayer and a spiritual support system, this was the first clinical study to scientifically document the effects of Johrei on physical healing.
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