Amazing Healing Sources
By Rafiq Ebrahim
Glendale Heights, IL
While on a vacation in Cayman’s Island, we spotted a Stones and Crystals shop, and out of curiosity – not aware that we would be forced to spend forty minutes and lighten our wallet - stepped in. There was an array of beautiful glittering crystals in a glass showcase that caught my wife’s eye.
A sales lady accosted us and began her promotional talk. She took out a couple of crystals, one was a bluish crystal called agate and the other was a purple gemstone called amethyst. These stones were not only show pieces but, as explained by the lady, had healing properties. Agate establishes stability, builds up your strength and diminishes weakness, while amethyst imparts relaxing energy and soothes your everyday stress. She went on to explain the properties of other stones like amazonite, aquamarine, bloodstone. My wife liked the purple crystal and we bought it for twenty-seven dollars. Wonder of wonders, she now believes that she is feeling much relaxed and has less stress. I also noted a bit of change in her attitude!
These crystals, if you carry them with you, promote emotional and physical health, as they are pieces of earth with their own gravitational force or energy. Crystal specialists profess that the power of crystals and stones has been recognized since centuries and this power is utilized to release mental, physical and spiritual blockages and allow free flow of positive energy. They positively believe that stones and crystals emit vibrations that influence our lives.
Such alternative healing therapies are found everywhere, and people who do not get relief from medicines or even surgery go for these therapies, and surprisingly are benefitted.
Many famous persons believe in such a therapy. Adnan Siddiqui, a well-known Pakistani TV star, wears a copper bracelet and says that it gives him a feeling of wellbeing and is also responsible for his success while landing a role in a Hollywood movie. Such magnetic bracelets are now widely available on Amazon and other online stores and are enjoying a good sale.
Salt Therapy
Salt is not only used as an ingredient in cooking, but of late many healing properties of salt have also been discovered. Natural medicine practitioners say that there are twelve kinds of salt and each has a different therapeutic use There are salt clinics in USA, Europe. UAE and some other countries where you get a unique experience.
In Dubai, there is a clinic called First Salt Room. Its walls, floors and roof are all made of salt. You enter and sit relaxed on a bench. Salt, in very fine particles, is sprayed through an opening. You breathe salt and your skin gets covered with it. The session lasts for about forty minutes. When you come out. You feel a great relief in your sinus and other breathing ailments. Also, your skin gets rid of minor irritations. There are a few such clinics in Chicago and its suburbs. At Ogden Avenue the clinic charges forty dollars for a session.
Some psychiatrists are now practicing a therapy called Mandala Psycho Therapy. Patients are made to walk around a circle of salt, meditating and having positive thoughts. This therapy is believed to help patients get rid of depression and some other mental problems.
At a celebrity’s home in Pakistan, I spotted a lamp in the living room that emitted pinkish light. It was a Himalayan salt lamp, marketed as a mood booster. The sellers profess that when you switch it on it gives positive vibes that give you extra-energy and lift your mood, purify the air in your home and help you sleep.
This salt is also used as a substitute for iodized and other salts normally used by us and is believed to be good, health-wise. The pink salt is a healthier option for the common processed salt we use as it contains nutritional and therapeutic properties. It contains minerals, calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper and iron, and is low in sodium. Himalayan salt is obtained from rocks by the Himalaya mountains and then processed in salt mines in the Punjab regions of Pakistan.
Essential Oils and Herbs
Essential oils such as lavender, clove and mint oils instill a happy mood. These oils are not costly; you can get a one-ounce bottle for a dollar. As per Wikipedia, ‘essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aromatic compounds from plants’. Users say that the oil when sniffed or rubbed into your skin aligns you with the cosmic flow for great success and well-being. Pop star Keisha tweeted that she starts her day by sniffing essential oils which she believes make her so peaceful.
Many herbs have proven healing properties: Cayenne contains capsaicin noted as a powerful pain reliever. It acts as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant to relieve chest congestion and other respiratory ailments. Cinnamon cuts down your blood sugar and helps prevent blood clots. It is commonly used by diabetes patients. Clove relieves toothache and is rich in antioxidant properties. Garlic has been recognized as a potent herb to reduce blood pressure, cleanse arteries and helps ward off some cancer cells particularly in people suffering from stomach and colorectal cancer. Ginger and fennel seeds are taken to help digestion and relieve nausea. Turmeric can be called the king of spices. It has multifold benefits. From ancient times it has been used in South Asian countries as an ingredient in curry and other dishes. It is now accepted as a great healer that benefits people suffering from stomach, liver and heart diseases. Mixed with honey, it becomes and ideal tonic to ward off minor ailments like colds, cough and other bronchial discomforts. Because it strengthens your immune system and contains antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties, some people take it daily to remain fit and healthy.
Dry Sauna, Reiki and Yoga
Yoga has now been universally recognized as an ideal source of physical and mental health, while Reiki, an alternative way of treatment that transmits healing energy through hands, is fast becoming popular. Dry Sauna is widely popular in Finland and many other countries. In Finland, it is like a national sport. You are made to enter a small cabin where stones are made red hot. A small amount of water is splashed on the stones to get steam. People sit in this heat and sweat out. Saunas are often referred to as poor man’s pharmacy or the lazy man’s gym. A study published by Jama International Medicine reveals that this pleasurable activity prevents heart attacks in some cases.
The Maha Rose Center in Brooklyn, NY remains crowded with patients seeking physical and mental well-being. A one-hour Reiki session costs around onehundred dollars, and if you want a healing crystal it may cost you twenty to fifty dollars.
A ‘No’ from Medical Scientists and Doctors
Scientists and medical researchers are skeptic about such healing sources. They say that except for yoga and some herbs the other so-called healings are just psychological, even a placebo would do the same job, yet such therapies are gaining popularity by the day.
It is true that medicines and surgeries have no alternative, and it is necessary to see a doctor and get treated. There is no alternative for specific medicines and surgeries, yet sometimes they do not seem to work, particularly in chronic cases. Such patients seek alternative sources. They firmly believe in the healing effects and spiritual energy rendered by these amazing alternative sources.
(RafiqEbrahim is a freelance writer and novelist)
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