An Exploratory Study into Traditional Zulu Healing and REG Effects (2005)

There are estimated to be over 250,000 traditional healers in South Africa (Edwards, 1999), of which two distinct types can be differentiated: the inyanga (italics refer to the Zulu term), who specialises in herbal medicines and potions; and the isangoma, who uses divination, mediumship, and what might be termed psychic to assist their clients. The isangoma's position is one of calling by the ancestors, and can happen at any time of life. It begins with a period of possession, followed by a period of apprenticeship under an established isangoma that usually lasts for about nine months and terminates with complete ukuthwasa (rebirth). The isangoma is considered an incarnation of the ancestors and is thus deemed able to communicate with the spirit world and universe at large. These healers are often the first port of call for the indigenous peoples during times of illness and emotional crisis, and Edwards (2002) has reported that the interventions these healers provide are commonly psychological in nature, and equally as effective as those from modern professional counsellors. Despite the fact that many interventions might be conventional in nature, many clients believe that izangoma (plural form) hold psi abilities. There has been widespread experimentation and commentary into direct mental interactions with living systems (DMILS), including lower level target organisms such as bacteria (e.g., Nash, 1984) right up the scale to human beings. Studies have indicated how volition can apparently affect the level of nervous system arousal (e.g., Braud & Schlitz, 1983), the hemolysis rate of blood (Braud, 1990), and larger scale well-being through mental healing/prayer (e.g., Byrd, 1988). A recent meta-analysis by Schmidt, Schneider, Utts and Walach (2004) comprised of 36 studies provides support, albeit limited, for the validity of direct mental interactions (d =.11, p=.001). Aside from biological target systems, psi research has also seen Random Event Generators (REGs) used extensively, both under volitional protocols, e.g., illumination of a circular array of lamps (Schmidt, 1973) and purportedly to measure unconscious background effects, e.g., FieldREG studies (Blasband, 2000; Nelson, Bradish, Dobyns, Dunne, & Jahn, 1996; Nelson,Jahn, Dunne, Dobyns, & Bradish, 1998; Radin, Rebman, & Cross, 1996). A 1989 meta-analysis by Radin and Nelson examined the effects of volitional approaches, and drew data from over 800 formal and control studies conducted between 1935 and 1987. Mean chance expectancy would predict a 50% hit rate, yet results showed a 50.02% hit rate for control studies, and 51.2% under active influence conditions (unweighted 50%-equivalent averages), an outcome that represented a small effect size (.0003) but a chance likelihood of p When volition appears to facilitate health improvements in the real world, there are inevitable considerations as to what mechanism might be at work. Are results due to psychosomatic or placebo effects facilitating physiological/immune responses in the client, or is there some form of genuine psi effect operating? There is some logic, therefore, in trying to measure healers on systems that seek to quantify the level of interaction between a healing mind and a target system. A recent paper by Radin, Taft, and Yount (2004), for example, uncovered negentropic effects in REGs during healing practices, and it seems reasonable to investigate REG-healer interactions further. This report thus presents exploratory data looking at how izangoma, utilising mental healing, affected the behaviour of an REG device. METHOD Participants Four izangoma (3 female, 1 male) of high local standing were recruited through personal approaches by an intermediary from the University of Zululand in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and paid R150 for their participation. …