Prayer Is Good Medicine: How to Reap the Healing Benefits of Prayer

by Larry Dossey

'With the elegance of simplicity and the precision of science, Dossey shows us how we can create a lasting partnership between faith and medicine.'
DEEPACK CHOPRA, M.D. Experience the Healing Power of Prayer From the author of 'The New Y

Genres: Spirituality, Religion, Nonfiction, Prayer, Philosophy, Christian, Health

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Larry Dossey is a physician and author who propounds the importance for healing of prayer and spirituality. He combines science and prayer to advance the cause of healing the sick.

Larry Dossey studied medicine, graduating from University of Texas at Austin & the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas in 1967. While attending medical school, he became interested in Eastern religions such as Buddhism and Taoism. Severe, recurring migraines prompted him to study biofeedback and meditation in hopes of finding a means of controlling the headaches. He began to practice meditation regularly, while remaining skeptical about the type of praying he had learned in his youth. After graduation, Dossey went on to a distinguished medical career, which included service in Vietnam as a battalion surgeon and residencies at the Veterans Administration Hospital and Parkland Hospital in Dallas. Dossey's curiosity about the connections between science and religion prompted him to begin researching medical studies focused on the power of prayer to aid healing. In the 1980s, Dossey began writing books to document and explain his findings.

Dossey's 1993 book, Healing Words: The Power of Prayer and the Practice of Medicine, made it to the New York Times bestseller list and sold close to 150,000 copies in the first three years after its publication.

Reviews

[Ron Wroblewski · Rating 5 out of 5]

love Larry's books. have read most of his books. always learn things from him.

[M Johana Areiza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Orar y continuar moviendo las manos

Me gustó la forma en la que invita a orar y lo realistas de las recomendaciones para orar y continuar en acción.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great little book. I have recommended it to so many people. Larry Dossey writes about prayer from a scientific view point. I truly enjoyed that. The partnership between faith and medicine is fascinating and uplifting.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book I'd recommend to anyone who has an interest in prayer, spirituality, religion, healing; and the relationship of those to the replicable, evidence-based pursuits of science and medicine. Not flawless, but undeniably thought-provoking. (I say that as a former religious zealot who spent many years as an atheist, agnostic, and now non-dogmatic believer in something.) The author is a medical doctor of internal medicine.

Topics covered include locality—prayer doesn't need to go anywhere or to anyone; the ethics of prayer in medicine; how to pray; how studying prayer may differ from studying other subjects; and of course disentangling prayer from placebo effects.

I thought the end of the book drifted into religious platitudes, but overall I loved reading this. It's accessible to a general audience and also has citations in the endnotes.

[Cradle2ACasket · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a little different than what I expected it to be. I really loved the different angles he came from when exploring Prayer. I love that he did not stick to one religion but just stuck mostly to prayer itself and how it can heal, and work in different instances. And also makes you think about times when you’re not necessarily praying but just harboring negative thoughts and how they can do as much harm as praying for negative things. I also LOVE the quotes from religious leaders and writers etc. and stories. It’s a great book.

[Ann McLeod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prayer IS Good Medicine!
A great read for anyone who is curious about prayer. I’ve read it twice now. Such a good book! It gives scientific evidence from a physician’s firsthand experience from the frontlines in patient care and the effects of prayer on his patients and their healing. I can’t think of anything I disliked about this book. It’s a wonderful book! I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in knowing about the true healing powers of prayer.

[Mihaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Believe in prayer

We don’t need to verify information about prayer, but this book is a nice read and assurance that we must keep praying. The simplest way to pray is the statement: God knows best. And we have to accept without questioning why, when, who.

I liked the book very much.

[Katrina Rigsbee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very eye opening and interesting facts get burried under his ramblings. Loved the science and religious exploration.

[Susan Herring · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting discussion of prayer.

[Martine · Rating 4 out of 5]

After attending a symposium in Keene when Larry Dossey and Joan Borysenko were speakers, and connecting this to my own experiences that involve strangers saying a prayer on behalf of my family, I bought the book and really appreciated a lot of the content. It isn't for all readers, but all those who find prayer to be relevant will appreciate most of this book.

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[Cicely · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is prayer good medicine? It helps a bit, but hasn't worked miracles for me. If this book gives people hope, that is good.

[Murray Munro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Outstanding work. The ressearch is amazing in this book. Real page turner. I used it a few times in research papers

[Patricia N. McLaughlin]

Despite its raggedy prose style, the book offers much insight and encouragement on the healing power of prayer.

[Antonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent thought provoking book.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

a prayer primer.
worth a read just for the chapter on glimpsing the infinite.

[Lindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dossey is a leader in spirituality and medicine.