The Science of Prayer

The Science of Prayer 1-1

In an experiment at the University of California, 393 patients with heart disease were divided into two groups: 192 and 201 people. Then the 192 group was _*sent*_ daily prayers from other people.


The Science of Prayer 1-2

Then, 9 people in the group that received prayers got worse, and 48 people in the group that did not receive prayers got worse.



The Science of Prayer 2

In an experiment at a Missouri hospital
A thousand patients were divided into two groups, and only one group had a prayer sent from the other
 
 The results showed that those in the group that was prayed for had a 10 percent faster recovery.



The Science of Prayer 3-1

In an experiment conducted by Duke University from 1986 to 1992; _*of*_ 4,000 _*people, those*_ over the age of 65  who prayed daily lived much longer than those who did not pray.
 




The Science of Prayer 3-2


 Prayer has a positive effect on both the person to whom the prayer is sent and the person who performs the act of prayer.



The Science of Prayer 4-1

Randolph Byrd, a cardiologist at San Francisco General Hospital, conducted an experiment in which about 400 patients in the cardiac intensive care unit *_. Patients were_* randomly divided into two groups, one to be prayed for and one not to be prayed for

The Science of Prayer 4-2

so that those who were praying and those who were not praying would not know each other _*. The goal was*_ to test the healing effects of prayers by prayerful hands from all over the United States.


The Science of Prayer  4-3

In the results reported in 1998, 3 patients in group A and 16 patients in group B required antibiotics.


The Science of Prayer 4-4

Endotracheal intubation was required for 0 patients in group A and 12 patients in group B. This showed that prayer had a healing effect and that spatial distance was not an obstacle to its effectiveness.



The Science of Prayer 5-1

A private American research institute, Spindrift, has been studying the impact of prayer since the 1970s and compared the seeds of rye and soybeans that were prayed for with those that were not prayed for.



The Science of Prayer 5-2


They found that the seeds that _*had been prayed for*_ had a higher germination rate.




The Science of Prayer 6-1

A report from Duke University School of Medicine in North Carolina, which examined the health effects of prayer on 4,000 men and women over the age of 65 from 1986 to 1992



The Science of Prayer 6-2

concluded that "older people who pray and read the Bible live longer and healthier lives.




The Science of Prayer 7

According to a survey report also published in the Journal of Geriatrics, the number of people who died during the six-year study period was about 50 percent higher among the elderly who did not pray.



The Science of Prayer 8

Dr. Kazuo Murakami, professor emeritus at the University of Tsukuba, founded the "Study Group on Mind and Genes" and has confirmed that the function of the mind affects genes. Among other things, "laughter" was proven to turn on dormant genes.



The Science of Prayer 9-1

Harvard Benson, a professor at Harvard University, confirms that "prayer" suppresses respiration rate, heart rate, carbon dioxide emissions, and oxygen consumption,


The Science of Prayer 9-2

and *_found_* that prayer works effectively against diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and infertility.



The Science of Prayer 10-1

Alexis Carrel, winner of the French Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine, said: "Prayer is the most powerful energy a human being can produce. It is the same real force of attraction of the earth.



The Science of Prayer 10-2

As a physician, I have witnessed numerous cases where people have been saved from sickness and depression by the solemn effort of prayer after failing with all other remedies."



The Science of Prayer 11-1

Dr. Alexis Carrell, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, said, "When you begin to act toward a goal, the mental and organ functions come into perfect harmony.


The Science of Prayer 11-2

The unification of aspirations and mental concentration toward a single goal creates peace of mind. Not only by action, but also by meditation you can unify the mind."



The Science of Prayer 12-1

A study by neuroscientist Nobuko Nakano reported that prayer has a positive effect on those who offer it.


The Science of Prayer 12-2

When people perceive that they are doing a good deed through prayer, the feel-good substance dopamine, the brain drug endorphins, and the affectionate substance oxytocin are released into the brain.


The Science of Prayer 12-3

The person who prays can also be surrounded by a sense of well-being.


The Science of Prayer 13

A study conducted by American scientists has found that praying with good intentions, with or without faith, is effective in relieving anger. Published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin (electronic version).