Two people clasping hands across a table. Photo: By Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash.
Health, care: Barrie Mahoney on Friends and healing
‘The healing power of the Light is not confined to the past.’
The Quaker understanding of healing is rooted in the belief that God’s love is available to all, and that this love brings restoration. For Friends, healing is understood spiritually, emotionally and socially, as well as physically. From the earliest days, Friends have experienced and witnessed this healing.
George Fox saw Christ, whose story is full of healing, as a living presence within. And Fox himself was marked by a deep inward healing, after years of religious searching. He believed in the power of the Light Within to heal: there are accounts of him praying for the sick and encouraging Friends to rely on divine guidance for their well-being.
Although today we may have a variety of views on miracles, many of us still affirm that the Light Within can bring this deep healing, whether in the form of inner peace, emotional restoration, or physical well-being.
‘Healing is not just an individual experience, but a communal one.’
The stillness of Quaker worship can itself be healing. In a world full of noise and distractions, many find that simply sitting in expectant waiting brings clarity, renewal, and a sense of being held in divine love.
Some Meetings still practice healing prayer, a tradition whereby members may pray for those in need, sometimes with the laying on of hands. This practice echoes the way Christ healed in the Gospels and reflects the belief that God’s Spirit can work through the gathered community.
So healing is not just an individual experience, but a communal one: one that can challenge social injustices and care for those who are suffering.
Today, we hold a variety of beliefs about healing within our Society, reflecting the diversity of our tradition. Some embrace the experience of a healing presence, while others focus on the practical ways in which love and justice restore wholeness in the world. There are many ways in which Meetings provide support for those in need. Some emphasise holistic approaches, and combine spiritual reflection with medical or psychological care. Some experience healing as a physical, miraculous thing. Others see it more as a metaphor for personal and communal transformation.
But one common thread remains: we Friends continue to seek the healing presence of the Light, both inwardly and outwardly, as we walk our spiritual journey. For us, the healing power of the Light is not confined to the past; it is an active and living presence. Whether through personal experiences of divine love, the silent worship of a gathered Meeting, or the work of justice and reconciliation, healing continues.
