                       THE CRAFT AND THE HEALING ARTS
 
     Pagans/witches have a wide variety of healing techniques in their 
arsenal.  The healing arts encompass the magical and medicinal herbalisms, 
shamanistic practices (roughly speaking, using the powers of a spirit 
guide), the raising of energy directed towards the patient (cone of power, 
creative visualization, etc.), "direct" intercession with the gods, and 
standard medical practices (Western medicine, Oriental medicine.)  
     An effective healing may be any combination of the above, depending on 
circumstances.  
     Several rules of ethics govern the use of the healing arts.  These 
follow, along with a few suggestions that may prove useful to the 
practicioners of the healing arts:
 
     *If a circumstance calls for standard Western medicine, do not ignore 
this in favor of other methods of healing.  Any "witch" who tells you that 
his/her treatment is only valid if one stops taking prescribed medicine, or 
forgoes recommended surgery should be reported to the local Better Business 
Bureau, post haste.  Either they do not realize that the magical methods can 
complement "modern" methods, or they are (more likely) con artists.  Stop 
them before they hurt someone else, in some cases, fatally.  There is a case 
in New Jersey of someone who halted her insulin treatments by the order of a 
"witch", as proof that she had "faith" in that "witch's" treatment.  Those 
pagans who are M.D.'s see no substitution for standard medical practices.  
Rather, other workings may be seen as supplementations.  This cannot be 
stressed enough.  
 
     *Avoid charging for healings.  Certainly, reimbursement for equipment 
used is valid, but charging for healings is both unethical and can get one 
in trouble with the law, for practicing medicine without a license.  Now, 
there is much debate within the Pagan community over charging for magical 
services of whatever kind; but it seems to me to be a cheapening of the gift 
to charge for it.  
 
     *Never heal someone without their consent.  Reasons a person may not 
give his/her consent are varied, and must be considered.  Respect the wishes 
of others.  One may, however, heal those for whom there is no way to ask 
consent -- if someone is in a coma, it is permissible to work a direct 
healing upon that person.  I find that, for people I cannot mention Craft 
healing work to, for one reason or another, that sending healing energy to 
the VICINITY of that person is ethical.  The person is then free, on a lower 
or subconscious level, to take in that energy (in whatever form they can use 
it) or to reject it.  The energy is simply made available for their use, 
interpretable by their psyches, and usable according to their own Will.  To 
force healing upon someone, whatever your intent, interferes with the other 
person's freedom of choice, unethical in itself, and will have unfavorable 
repercussions both for you and for that other person.  You might, for 
instance, become the sort of person who Presumes to know what is Good For 
Everyone Else, and you might have a good future as a book-burner (at least 
in spirit).  
 
     *Some people seem to have more of a knack with the non-standard healing 
arts than others.  Those people who are the best healers are not necessarily 
in the best graces with their god/goddess.  Just because a person can heal 
does not imply that their theo/a/logy is the best.  Much of non-traditional 
haling may tap into some of the same wellsprings, but healing in and of 
itself does not guarantee religious correctness.  Some healers, indeed, are 
only marginally religious.  (Obviously, the same applies to MD's.)  
 
     *A healer using herbs has the responsibility of knowing about the herbs 
he or she uses.  There are many contradictory statements in the literature, 
and there are some herbs that should not be taken in large concentrations; 
and there are some herbs that should not be taken by pregnant women or 
nursing mothers.  A herbalist should learn the literature, and learn to 
distrust literature that does not list contraindications.  Some herbs 
recommended in the literature are, frankly, mere superstitions.  Others have 
indeed proved effective, and some of these have even passed on to Western 
medical practice (digitalis, for instance).  
 
     *Those using creative visualization are advised to visualize the 
patient as being healthy and happy.  Avoid, while doing the working, 
visualizing the patient in his current sick or unhealthy state.  Sometimes 
it helps to imagine the patient doing something he or she enjoys doing.  
 
     *In creative visualization/cone of power methods the patient may be 
present, or may be absent.  It helps, if the patient is present, to touch 
the patient directly and gently.  
 
     *Those using shamanistic techniques should be well-grounded in such 
techniques.  They should have gone on various shamanistic journeys 
themselves, and have overcome obstacles on such journeys.  This is in order 
that one might be confident and capable during the ordeal of shamanistic 
healing.  
 
     *After doing energy raising and/or shamanistic techniques of healing, 
be very certain to "ground out".  Shamanism has some of its own techniques, 
but after Craft-style healings one method is to lay one's hands forcibly on 
the ground (or floor), exhaling deeply, feeling the excess power returning 
to the Earth.  
 
     *As a healer, remember that a person's sickness is not some sort of 
supernatural punishment for something he has or has not done.  It is not 
your position as healer to cast that sort of judgement.  There are some who 
would disagree with me on this, but these are the same sorts who would 
reckon AIDS to be a karmic punishment, or who would reckon the starvation in 
Ethiopia to be another sort of karmic punishment. 
 
     *Know your level of competence.  If you are asked to do a healing, and 
you are competent, and the person is sensible about seeking standard medical 
help if appropriate; and/or if standard medical help is not helping, it is 
in your position to render such aid as you are competent to render. 
 
     *No matter how you do whatever it is that you do concerning healing, a 
proper "bedside manner" must be more than cultivated; it must be believed.  
 
     *Western culture is beginning to realize that standard medicine cannot 
solve all illnesses.  Hence, the advent of hospices.  Non-standard healing 
practices are (or should be) well-grounded in the notion that not every 
ailment, disease, or illness can be cured.  It is a heavy responsibility 
upon the healer to deal with this realization.  The pagan religions see 
birth, life, and death as an acceptable and natural cycle.  At some time, a 
pagan healer will likely come face to face with the notion of mortality; 
with the notion that there are patients, despite all skill and caring, that 
cannot be cured.  Depending upon the ailment, the healer must know how to 
react.  This is true, of course, for even standard MD practice.  At a 
certain point, the wholistic/pagan healer must accept the inevitability of 
failure; possibly even the inevitability of death.  At such point, whatever 
techniques the healer knows for bestowing a sense of tranquility to the 
patient are appropriate.  Healing energy may be sent; sent to comfort and 
confer the peace of mind essential for a good transition between life and 
death.  It is also beneficial if people close to the patient relate to the 
patient on a day-to-day basis of support and encouragement, allowing that 
person to express whatever he or she needs to express.  Similar energy and 
support, sent to a person to help them deal with a permanent but non-fatal 
disability, is also appropriate.  Patients require confidence and strength 
in such situations, and these may be reinforced in a number of ways, both 
magical and day-to-day.  
 
     *Remember, take a lot of healing practices with a grain of salt.  
Filipino spirit surgery I'd take with a whole bushel.  
 
     *One should also be aware of the values of preventative medicine.  
 
 
 
         - Jehana, 1987.  Distribute freely if copied in entirity -