Physical Mediumship, Healing and Psychic Surgery

BY DEBRA LYNNE KATZ, PhD.

ABSTRACT

This paper takes a case-collective approach to examine healing phenomena claimed to

be produced by physical mediums operating within the spiritualist traditions of Europe,

the Philippines and Brazil. In Part I, articles and books that were written about the eight

“best-case” examples of physical mediums spanning from the mid-1800s to the present

day were searched to discover whether healing had been reported and to discover

relevant themes. While all cases of physical mediumship included at least one mention

of physical healing, only three of the eight physical mediums had as their primary focus

the intention to perform physical healings. Findings suggest that most cases of healings

in conjunction with physical mediumship are thought to be carried out by spirit doctors,

some who may have been doctors while alive, and some who may work with other spirit

doctors to produce healing effects. “Healing lights” and partial or full materializations

that interact with the bodies of those who later reported alleviations of long-term

suffering, disease, blindness, and deafness have been reported. Part II covers some of the

best-case examples of the psychic surgeons of Brazil and the Philippines. Included here

are results of qualitative studies, paradoxical findings from laboratory tests on materials

extracted during healing sessions, and a sharing of the present author’s own direct

observations and experiences of several Filipino healers spanning a year’s independent

study with them. Recommendations for further research are presented.

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Keywords: Physical Mediumship, Psychic Surgery, Alan Kardec, Spiritualism, Philippines Healers, Brazilian Healers. Energy healing Research.