Why do some highly religious Christian people develop wounds on themselves that seem to mirror the wounds of Jesus Christ? The ability to do this is known as stigmata. A person who has the capability of doing this is known as a stigmatic.
What is Stigmata?
Stigmata is spontaneous bleeding from wounds generally located on the palms, feet, and side which match the wounds that Jesus Christ had when he was nailed to the cross. In the early stages of stigmata, blood is discharged through the skin with no visible wounds.
In later stages, blisters and wounds appear with some of the wounds resembling puncture wounds.
Stigmatas can mysteriously appear, then completely disappear. A common time for stigmatics to experience this phenomena is around religious holidays.
History of Stigmatics
Saint Francis of Assisi is the first recorded case of stigmata. He began to bleed from his feet and palms after fasting and meditating on Christ's crucifixion.
Modern studies have shown that stigmatas most commonly occur after deep meditations of the crucifixion of Jesus often following a tragic personal experience or illness.
What Causes Stigmata?
Some highly religious individuals view a stigmata as a gift from God and proof of God's existence. Science disagrees. According to science, stigmata is a self-induced phenomena brought on by psychokinesis (PK), a form of psi which is basically mind over matter.
Meditation and hypnosis studies have shown the power of the mind and the capabilities the mind has over the body such as lowering blood pressure and alleviating headaches. British researcher Ian Wilson has suggested that, "The mind, in addition to bringing on the stigmata, can manifest the nail-like formations on a person's flesh."
It's interesting to note that during experiments with hemophiliacs, through self-hypnosis, they have been able to stop themselves from uncontrollable bleeding. In the case of stigmata, it is believed that the mind is so focused on the wounds of Jesus that are being meditated on, that the mind literally causes the skin to bleed and wounds to appear.
As much as a stigmatic would like to believe that the bleeding marks that occur on the body after heavy meditation and contemplation of the crucifixion of Jesus is a reward from God for their devotion, there is no evidence to support this.
While some cases of stigmata have turned out to be hoaxes, other have been found to be real and science believes that these marks and bleeding are self-induced brought on for the most part by deep meditation and PK.
Interested in learning more about how meditation can affect the mind and body? Further information can be found in the article Medical Benefits of Meditation.
Source:
Harper's Encyclopedia of Mystical & Paranormal Experience, Rosemary Ellen Guiley, (HarperSanFrancisco,) 1991.
Janis Masyk-Jackson - I'm here to seek out the truth about some of life's mysteries. There is nothing new about New Age beliefs. These are beliefs that have ...
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