Practice, Performance, and Experience in Ritual Healing

Abstract

The past 20 years have seen a florescence in studies of religious and ritual healing. This article broadly surveys this literature on a global scale, organizing and presenting the studies by geographical region. Summaries of major themes in the regional literatures follow each section, and suggest that differences and similarities may be as much a product of theoretical orientations brought by students of healing to their work, as of empirical features observed ethnographically. A concluding section raises the issue of therapeutic efficacy, summarizing the major contributions during the two decades covered by this article.

Therapeutic Processes and Perceived Helpfulness of Dang-Ki (Chinese Shamanism) from the Symbolic Healing Perspective

“…In line with other researchers' observations (Csordas and Lewton 1998;Finkler 2004;Kleinman and Sung 1979;Kirmayer 2004;Krippner and Achterberg 2000), the meanings of helpfulness varied across patients. They perceived the consultation to be helpful after experiencing improvements or changes in their physical (e.g., gastric relief, better blood circulation, more energetic), cognitive-affective (e.g., calmness, peacefulness, sense of security, self-awareness, hopefulness), interpersonal (e.g., avoidance of interpersonal conflict) or spiritual (e.g., the presence of divine forces, communicating with god) functioning.…”

“…Nonetheless, a majority of patients continued to consult dang-kis even though personal issues persisted, suggesting that they may adopt a broader view of treatment efficacy and recovery (see Csordas and Lewton 1998;Finkler 2004;Kirmayer 2004;Krippner and Achterberg 2000). This broader view also reflects the approach of dang-ki, which focuses more on the healing of illness rather than the curing of disease (Kleinman and Seeman 2000;Waldram 2000).…”

Culture and Psychotherapy: Review and Practical Guidelines

“…Among the well-known publications in this area are Jerome D. Frank's Persuasion and Healing (1961), Ari Kiev's Magic, Faith, and Healing (1964) and E. Fuller Torrey's Witchdoctors and Psychiatrists (1986). An extensive review of religious healing appears in a recent issue of this journal (Csordas & Lewton, 1998).…”

“…There are various kinds of religious healing ceremonies observed in different societies that are considered by mental health workers to have therapeutic functions for participants. Csordas and Lewton (1998) have provided an extensive and up-to-date review in this journal.…”

Dissatisfied Seekers: Efficacy in Traditional Healing of Neuropsychiatric Disorders in Bali

“…In this chapter, I examine the relationship of how the complex meaning systems provided by traditional healing interpret, explain and provide treatment approaches for patients suffering from two distinct but related neuropsychiatric disorders in Bali, Indonesia. In this regard the question of efficacy (Csordas and Lewton, 1998) and its relation to meaning, needs to be addressed. What if these cultural models that provide meaning for disorder and suffering are not helpful at providing symptomatic relief, let alone recovery?…”