Cognitive-Perceptual Features Associated With Nonconventional Healing Practices

Abstract

Healers not only experience somatic sensations during practices related to their spiritual beliefs, but they also evidence related cognitive-perceptual and personality characteristics. The main aim was to evaluate sensory-perceptual traits involved in healers’ spiritual healing practices. We recruited a sample of 190 practitioners, who completed 5 instruments to evaluate the sensory phenomenology of experiences of healing, interoceptive awareness, and absorption. Significant differences were found in two groups, Practitioners ( n =  71) and Newly Initiated ( n =  119), divided by their practice experience length. Practitioners scored higher on interoceptive body awareness (both emotional and body) and absorption than the newly initiated. An exploratory analysis also showed positive correlations between the total score of sensory healing modalities and the intensity of visualization, body awareness, and absorption scores, as well as higher spirituality and training in various healing techniques. Thus, it is possible to build a personality profile of healers characterized by a combination of interoceptive awareness, ability to focus attention, hypersensitivity and kinetic synesthesia, and ease of mental imagery.