Healing Circles

The first time we visited Stonehenge on Salisbury plain was 31 years ago. Back then there wasn't any restriction to wandering through the huge standing stones or to touching them. Now, of course, you can visit the site but not get too close.

Archeologists are hard at work at Stonehenge in a new effort to discover the earliest purpose of this remarkable achievement. They estimate that the earliest circle of bluestones dates back 4500 years and was replaced by the monolithic sarsen stones still evident today.

It has been assumed that Stonehenge was a religious site and now they wonder if originally a place of healing. Ancient people may have travelled distances to be in the healing circle.

Religion has always connected healing of body, mind and spirit with the rituals of worship. According to the gospels Jesus was a healer who touched people who were mentally and physically ill to restore them to health. Our understanding of health and medicine has become largely scientific yet there is still a powerful spiritual component for many.

We have a prayer group which prays regularly for those who are ill. Do we anticipate a restoration to health and wholeness? While we don't just "name it and claim it" we do trust in a God who desires our highest good. We form our own healing circle in Christ's name.