[MD] The value of ritual

[John Carl]

Thanks Ham,  for the thought-provoking points.

I heartily concur with the "power of positive thinking" tho it's hard to
distinctify whether people think good because they feel good, or do they
feel good because they think positively.

IMO, the most powerful force is social patterns.  If one is shunned and
rejected by all in your circle, it's almost guaranteed you'll end up with
some kind of dis-ease.  This has a biological causative roots in the immune
system which reads cues from the physical and social environment which
promote healing depending upon  one's attitude  and the perception of social
attitudes surrounding you.

Heard a lengthy dissertation on this on NPR not long ago refering to the
immune system as your "floating brain".

Be Well Ham,

John