Attitude of the Patient
In order that the power of spiritual healing may be brought fully into operation certain requirements are necessary on the part of the patient, of the healer, of the patient's friends and of the community at large (73:4)

On the part of the patient the prime requisite is, turning with all the heart to God, with implicit trust both in His Power and in His Will to do whatever is best. To an American lady, in August 1912, 'Abdu'l-Baha said: - All of these ailments will pass away and you will receive perfect physical and spiritual health... Let your heart be confident and assured that through the Bounty of Baha'u'llah, through the Favor of Baha'u'llah, everything will become pleasant for you... But you must turn your face wholly towards the Abha (All-Glorious) Kingdom, giving perfect attention - the same attention that Mary Magdalene gave to His Holiness Christ - and I assure you that you will get physical and spiritual health. You are worthy. I give you the glad tidings that you are worthy because your heart is pure... Be confident! Be happy! Be rejoiced! Be hopeful! (73:5)

Although in this particular case 'Abdu'l-Baha guaranteed the attainment of sound physical health, He does not do so in every case, even where there is strong faith on the part of the individual. He wrote: - The prayers which were revealed to ask for healing apply both to physical and spiritual healing. Recite them, then, to heal both the soul and the body. If healing is right for the patient, it will certainly be granted; but for some ailing persons, healing would only be the cause of other ills, and therefore wisdom doth not permit an affirmative answer to the prayer (73:7)

O handmaid of God! The power of the Holy Spirit healeth both physical and spiritual ailments. - Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha (73:9)

Again He writes to one who is ill: - Verily the Will of God acts sometimes in a way for which mankind is unable to find out the reason. The causes and reasons shall appear. Trust in God and confide in Him, and resign thyself to the Will of God. Verily thy God is affectionate, compassionate and merciful .. and will cause His Mercy to descend upon Thee (73:9)

He teaches that spiritual health is conducive to physical health, but physical health depends upon many factors, some of which are outside the control of the individual. Even the most exemplary spiritual attitude on the part of the individual, therefore, may not ensure physical health in every case. The holiest men and women sometimes suffer illness (74:2)

Nevertheless, the beneficent influence on bodily health which results from a right spiritual attitude is far more potent than is generally imagined, and is sufficient to banish ill- health in a large proportion of cases. 'Abdu'l-Baha wrote to an English lady: - "You have written about the weakness of your body. I ask from the Bounties of Baha'u'llah that your spirit may become strong, that through the strength of your spirit your body also may be healed." (74:3)

Again He says: - God hath bestowed upon man such wonderful powers, that he might ever look upward, and receive, among other gifts, healing from His divine Bounty. But alas! man is not grateful for this supreme good, but sleeps the sleep of negligence, being careless of the great mercy which God has shown towards him, turning his face away from the Light and going on his way in darkness (74:4)

The Healer
The power of spiritual healing is doubtless common to all mankind in greater or less degree, but, just as some men are endowed with exceptional talent for mathematics or music, so others appear to be endowed with exceptional aptitude for healing. These are the people who ought to make the healing art their lifework. Unfortunately, so materialistic has the world become in recent centuries that the very possibility of spiritual healing has to a large extent been lost sight of. Like all other talents the gift of healing has to be recognized, trained and educated in order that it may attain its highest development and power, and there are probably thousands in the world today, richly dowered with natural aptitude for healing, in whom this precious gift is lying dormant and inactive. When the potentialities of mental and spiritual treatment are more fully realized, the healing art will be transformed and ennobled and its efficacy immeasurably increased. And when this new knowledge and power in the healer are combined with lively faith and hope on the part of the patient, wonderful results may be looked for (74:5)

In God must be our trust. There is no God but Him, the Healer, the Knower, the Helper... Nothing in earth or heaven is outside the grasp of God (74:6)

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