Healing power of prayer
Chloe Wilson
It is however worth noting that there could be some potential negatives associated with using prayer as an alternative therapy regarding healing. As with any alternative therapy, there is an issue that patients may start to believe it is their fault when the therapy is unsuccessful and doesn’t produce positive results as expected. Prayer can sometimes fuel unrealistic hopes, especially due to the number of miracle healing stories displayed in the media. There is also an issue when people place all their faith in prayer and won’t accept orthodox treatments, which may be life saving. Those of Jehovah Witness faith for example may not accept blood transfusions and instead rely solely on the will of God for healing.
Health professionals should acknowledge a patient’s beliefs and appreciate prayer as an advantageous method used by some to improve mental and physical wellbeing. However it is not the duty of a health professional to become involved in patients personal religious beliefs.
As a medical student, I have witnessed patients receiving bad news – even life-changing news. But sometimes, it appears a patient’s ultimate hope comes not from modern medicine but through faith in their creator. The healing power of prayer by Chloe Wilson seeks to show how a patient being plagued with negative thoughts and seemingly surrounded by darkness finds peace not in the physical but the spiritual.
The canvas focuses on a young man surrounded by darkness, perhaps representing the inner turmoil and uncertainty that he is feeling. But with hands pressed tightly together in prayer, the man can feel hope and peace represented by a light surrounding and emanating from him. With eyes closed and head slightly bowed, he places his trust in someone beyond the physical.
Wilson’s use of shading and texture creates a powerful dichotomy that shows both the peace that the man may be feeling through prayer, and the anxiety and tension written all over his face. It also shows the range of emotions he must be feeling and how desperately he wants his prayers to be heard and answered.
This piece challenged me to consider not only what a patient may do physically to better their health but also the spiritual role of healing which can be just as profound to their wellbeing. Perhaps there is something to be learned from the patient who clasps their hands together in prayer and appeals to their creator.