Therefore, we must interpret for ourselves whether or not it is fitting to apply prayer to these creatures,'' he writes. But people are already doing exactly that, suggests Dossey. For example, when a general prayer for the sick is offered, people who are suffering from infections are often included. That, of course, is impractical, said Dossey. But there are practical things we can do, he said.
Doctors can be more judicious in how they tell patients about their conditions.
Staffers in operating rooms can monitor their conversations, remembering the power of the patient's unconscious mind and what it can hear. Patients can try to be more informed about their surgeries, cutting down on fear and anxiety by understanding what will happen and what their own role is. And, of course, people can pray for themselves. That's 10 million people out there,'' he said. But he also says that the negative side of prayer doesn't have to be entirely eliminated.