Ming Pang, Xiaoguang Jin and Joseph Marcello have just published "Life More Abundant the Science of Zhineng Qigong Principles and Practice (English Version)", their fascinating exploration of a revolutionary method in the practice of channeling human energy. Explain the stigmata as a miraculous event, or a bizarre physical occurrence - but no one can deny its very existence. So, too, with 'qigong' (pronounced 'chee-gong'), a Chinese method geared toward preserving health and healing illness. It heals in part by using the mind, not just medicines.

Like a recent experiment on Parkinson's patients, in which the brain was surgically exposed but not treated, the mind-over-matter phenomenon is a powerful enigma to be reckoned with: patients showed some abatement of symptoms even though, again, no treatment was administered on the operating table.

As with the above experiment, this modern revision of ancient Chinese healing practices has been recently and scientifically documented. That work on it was begun during the throes of the Cultural Revolution, when physicians were sometimes called enemies of the state, is a small miracle. That is now has over 10 million practitioners worldwide, including the endorsement of the China Sports Bureau, makes it worthy of serious consideration.

We in the West look towards technology, or heaven, for aid in time of physical suffering. The answer to some of our medical prayers, however, may be found within ourselves.