What is "The X factor of healing"?

Prayer works, according to an article headlined The X factor of healing.A number of people interviewed by a newspaper said they had no doubt the simple action of turning to an unseen higher power brought tangible results.These are not stories of individuals reaching for "the dream" of celebrity and riches.  They are thoughtful reflections from those who feel God's love and power have made a difference to their health.Some quotes of note:

• "The medical community measures and quantifies," replied Hattan, a healed Vietnam war veteran who is now part of a healing ministry. "You can't measure spirituality. And there are too many people out there who will tell you that prayer works"
• If you expand your definition of prayer to include the various forms of spiritual and secular meditation, the case is closed, said Philip and Carol Zaleski in their book, "Prayer: A History." Multiple studies have shown that these practices "elicit positive changes in respiration, circulation and heart rate, and neural and hormonal activity," they wrote.
• Healing prayers are old as the hills, from the Navajos' 24-ceremonial system, to Jesus' teachings, to the Gaelic "Carmina Gadelica." But the Internet and social media allow prayer lists to go beyond church bulletins and announcements.

The article says if you Google "Chicago," "church" and "prayer list" you get 140,000 hits "and that doesn't include the suburbs or that vast universe called Facebook." If you Google "London", "church and "prayer list" in the same way you get an impressive 74,000 hits.Simon Cowell might not be poised to put together an "X Factor of healing" contest any time soon.  But this is another indication of the growing demand for prayer which addresses consciousness in a way that can transform the body as well as the mind.To read the LA Times article, including more cautious and contrary views, click here.    Prayer works, according to people interviewed for a Chicago Tribune article republished in the Los Angeles Times as The X factor of healing.