2000 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

Thoughts of Healing and View of Human Body

Research Project

Project/Area Number	11610028
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	一般
Research Field	Religious studies
Research Institution	University of Tsukuba
Principal Investigator	TANATSUGU Masakazu University of Tsukuba Institute of Philosophy Professor, 哲学・思想学系, 教授 (30241748)
Project Period (FY)	1999 – 2000
Keywords	Healing / Breathing / Human Body / Natural Farming / Prayer for World Peace / Findhorn / Integration of Wisdom and Knowledge
Research Abstract	The purpose of this research is to examine the thoughts and meanings of 'healing (iyashi)' that has a close relation to both medical care and religious salvation, focusing attention on the views of human body and breathing, and elucidate the interrelation between science and religion, and if possible, expand the cognitive horizon where we can present a new worldview. As to the methods and contents of knowledge, there surely exists a gap between the history of religions and natural science, but we have attempted to make clear the differences in the views of nature and human as a preparatory work to integrate the research results of the two disciplinary fields. We ascertained the following three points through the consideration. 1. In some practices such as the work of healing and natural farming by the religious bodies and the new-age community, there is regard for the profound dimension of being, to which little attention has been given in the present system of scientific knowledge and technology. 2. It is neccesary to acknowledge the validity and limits of natural science that has not yet possessed any range to incorporate the profound dimension of being into its system. 3. One of the viewpoints, from which it is possible to integrate scientific knowledge and religious wisdom, may overlap with the viewpoint of questing for the properties of life that connects matter with spirit. As a result of the above-mentioned research, we have suggested that a clue to investigate vital phenomena manifested in the structure of human body and breathing, consists in the study of 'vibration' proper to life. On the horizon which this investigation will cast light on, may be prepared a position where we can take a survey of all modes of being concerning the world and human beings.