The Healing Temple

By Michael Dorausch, D.C.

This months British Medical Journal (BMJ) features a study about healing environments and traditional methods of healing for various cases of mental illness. The study focused on a healing temple in India which has a reputation of providing curative powers, not for any particular therapy offered, but for the benefit attributed to the experience of living within its confines. There is a reportedly widespread cultural belief in the temples healing powers.

The study focused on 31 individuals suffering from various degrees of mental illness–such as paranoid schizophrenia, delusional disorders, and bipolar disorders. None of the patients were offered medication. The only form of caregiving offered was encouragement by temple supervisors to participate in daily chores–such as cleaning the facility and watering plants.

The temple, known as the temple of Muthusamy, was built some 60 years ago over the tomb of Muthuswamy, a man who lived in the local village 100 years ago. A hands on healer, “during his lifetime Muthuswamy was considered a strange person who worked little and spent his time wandering about in the village. According to local legend, towards the end of his life people noticed that a mere touch of his hand cured many ailments, especially mental illnesses, and stories spread about his healing powers.”

According to the study, no specific ceremonies were performed to promote healing. The patients merely attended the simple morning prayers for about 15 minutes, and they spent the rest of the day in light maintenance routines of the temple, such as watering plants.

Twenty-two of the subjects reportedly experienced improved mental health and three had fully recovered. Researchers observed a near 20% improvement in subjects health, which they noted, is equivalent to what is typically seen among patients given the latest medications in Western healthcare settings.

Interestingly, a study to be released next week in the journal of Prevention and Treatment, reports that antidepressants work only slightly better than placebo pills, and the Food and Drug Administration has not informed physicians of how little benefit most of these drugs offer.

BMJ: Traditional community resources for mental health: a report of temple healing from India
Reuters: Indian Traditional Healing Improves Mental Health
New Scientist: Temple treatment for psychiatric illness