A Discourse on Psychic Healing in the Philippines

A Discourse on Psychic Healing in the Philippines: An Altered States of Consciousness Experience

Victoria Ching and J. Hermes C. Untalan
Graduate School, University of Santo Tomas

ABSTRACT. We report in this paper a brief seminal history of psychic
healing in the Philippines using content analysis of selected published
books and articles concerning psychic healing and its phenomena. We
divide categories by (1) knowing the definition and nature of psychic
healing, (2) who does psychic healing and when does one becomes a
psychic healer, and lastly (3) benefits, myths, and controversies of psychic
healing. We progress in the report by validating our content research by
conducting an interview with a psychic healer. Such questions we raised
include the aforementioned categories. Additional to these categories are
some descriptive and narrative insights concerning the experiences of a
psychic healer (e.g., his methodology of psychic healing, an intervening
divination or spirits). We end our report by summarizing the two
previous studies and by formulating an answer to the phenomenon of
psychic healing using a psychological science perspective—an altered
state of consciousness experience.

Key Words: Psychic Healing, Psychic Healing in the Philippines, Faith
Healing, Psychic Surgery, Altered States of Consciousness, Psychological
Science, Parapsychology


Ching, V., & Untalan, J. H. C. (2005). A discourse on psychic healing in the Philippines: An altered states ofconsciousness experience. Paper submitted to Dr. A. Lopez in Altered States of Consciousness (2nd SY 2004-2005), University of Santo Tomas Graduate School, Manila, 05 February, 2005. Unpublished manuscript.Not for citation.

Request for reprints is available: please send email to jh_untalan@yahoo.com