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An investigation into the phenomena and practices of spiritual ...

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such as an operation or surgical wound. The cut edges bleed slightly <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> space between<strong>the</strong>m becomes filled with blood, lymph <strong>and</strong> injured cells. It is <strong>the</strong>n invaded by leucocyteswhich ingest all <strong>the</strong> foreign matter. Small capillary blood vessels are <strong>of</strong>f from <strong>the</strong> bloodvessel on each side <strong>and</strong> infiltrate <strong>the</strong> debris in <strong>the</strong> wound <strong>and</strong> so bridge <strong>the</strong> gap <strong>and</strong> restorecirculation. The new vessels, toge<strong>the</strong>r with <strong>the</strong> cells which are being transformed <strong>into</strong>fibrous material, are known as granulation tissue. Healing by secondary intention appliesto an open or gaping wound. Blood, lymph <strong>and</strong> injured tissue cells fill <strong>the</strong> cavity <strong>and</strong> tinylittle capillary loops <strong>of</strong> blood vessels are formed all over <strong>the</strong> wound area. These are veryred in colour, easily injured <strong>and</strong> bleed when touched. In time a little fibrous tissue forms,this streng<strong>the</strong>ns <strong>the</strong> capillary buds <strong>and</strong> also causes contraction <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> tissues. The woundbecomes smaller as <strong>the</strong> cavity gradually fills with granulated tissue <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> surface <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>wound is eventually covered by scar tissue. A discharge <strong>of</strong> lymph or pus if <strong>the</strong> wound isinfected persists until <strong>the</strong> granulation has reached <strong>the</strong> surface, after which epi<strong>the</strong>lium from<strong>the</strong> adjacent skin grows over <strong>the</strong> wound. Wound healing by secondary intention is appliedto those wounds with tissue loss or heavy contamination. Impairment <strong>of</strong> healing is <strong>of</strong>tencaused by inadequate blood flow, poor oxygenation <strong>and</strong> nutrition.The healing <strong>of</strong> a psychological wound has not been described in such details anywherebecause it is probably not possible to identify <strong>the</strong> granulation process <strong>of</strong> a psychologicalwound in <strong>the</strong> same way as <strong>of</strong> a physical wound. We can see <strong>the</strong> physical wound asdescribed above, but <strong>the</strong> psychological (or <strong>spiritual</strong>) wound is less obvious, but <strong>of</strong>ten forms<strong>the</strong> primary topic <strong>of</strong> popular <strong>the</strong>ological discussions, starting from C.S.Lewis‟s (2003,originally 1940) classic The Problem <strong>of</strong> Pain. In some cultures <strong>the</strong>re is no link between <strong>the</strong>physical wound <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> emotional, psychological, <strong>spiritual</strong> wound. The popular evangelistHickey (2000) draws on this discussion without much acknowledgement to paint prayer26

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