Serendipity Projects

In 2007, Emma Bragdon, PhD raised funds to complete her second film in a series on Energy Medicine, titled "Spiritism" and also to create a not-for-profit foundation, write articles and a chapter for a medical school textbook about Spiritism, and develop more educational and research opportunities for those interested in spiritual healing in Brazil.

Motivation behind Bragdon's Work

The US health care system is in crisis. It is the most expensive in the world but ranks 37th in effectiveness according to the World Health Organization. Brazil's Spiritist Centers and Hospitals are models that can help us reflect on and improve our system. The Spiritist model does not add expense, in fact, may make attending physical and psychiatric problems less expensive while adding therapies that improve well-being and longevity. 

What are Spiritist Therapies?

Spiritist therapies have been developed since the 1880s in Brazil. They are practiced in community centers and Spiritist Hospitals which follow the writing of Allen Kardec, a French academic. They are free, integrative therapies that complement conventional bio-medicine.

Examples of Spiritist therapies:

• "reforma intima" (Portuguese), assistance in personal transformation
• study of spiritual texts and group discussion of spiritual questions, eg. Why are we here?
• laying-on of hands (similar to Reiki or Touch for Health)
• disobsession — helping people rid themselves of obsessive thinking and behavior
• blessed water — prayers are said to infuse drinking water with positive energy, so it can be an aid in healing
• psychic surgery — healing accomplished through directing powerful prayers that effect measureable change in the subtle energy body of the patient
• medical intuition — intuitives offer important information for diagnosis and treatment protocols which go beyond the limitations of technological diagnostic devices
• training healers — people gifted as healers or mediums learn to harness these gifts to benefit their own well being and serve others
• charity — participants organize ways to assist the poor
• In the last 50 years, John of God has made himself available to medical professionals who come to learn from him, along with thousands from around the world seeking healing.

How can Spiritist Therapies help us in the USA?

Although medication and surgery have improved health care, we cannot rely on them to be the most effective therapies to uproot the origins of illness. We must take into account also that the Journal of the American Medical Association reports that complications stemming from medications and in-hospital care are the 3rd leading cause of death in the USA. We need to bring care of the spirit back into the practice of health care, so that therapy covers biological, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of life. Spiritist Centers have been able to accomplish this without indoctrinating anyone into a specific religion or philosophy. Spiritist Centers are ecumenical, educational and charitable organizations. Participation leads one from pathology to health and spiritual growth simultaneously.

A 30 minute documentary on John of God

"Beautiful beyond words... It offers a simple education of what really occurs in the human energy field when spiritual healing is taking place … in a way that is easily understood and accepted."
— Paula Sellars, Trainer

To purchase this DVD online for $24.95, click here. It has subtitles in German, Portuguese, and Spanish.
   

"The Marion Institute has been of great practical and philosophical support to everything I am doing. Its commitment to exploring new understandings of reality and of healing continues to invigorate my work. Its Serendipity Fund provided money at a crucial time in the development of the films I have been able to produce."
— Emma Bragdon

"Spiritism": A 30 minute documentary

Intimately reveals the colorful highly-effective spiritual therapies developed in Brazil in the last 150 years. Dr. Bragdon interviews Daniel Benor, MD, a foremost authority on spiritual healing, as well as Marlene Nobre, MD, President of the International Spiritist Medical Association. The message is delivered with heart, strength, and simplicity. Subtitles in Portuguese, French and Spanish. To purchase online, click here.

More than 20 million Brazilians attend these centers. One reports it is 90% effective in helping addicts and suicidally depressed regain wellness. Another claims 70-80% effectiveness with healing all manner of diseases. In the midst of the dissolution and change we are experiencing in the USA-we need POSITIVE MODELS OF COMMUNITY AND HEALTHCARE that we can bring home to enrich our community centers and hospitals.

Progress/Success Report

In November, 2008, two doctors and a minister visited several Spiritual Healing Centers and a Spiritist Psychiatric Hospital in Porto Alegre with Dr. Bragdon as their guide.  The Marion Institute is interested in bringing a few of the finest Brazilian Spiritist Medical doctors to the USA for a weekend intensive, to share their work.  These doctors are trained in conventional medical schools, highly gifted and trained as spiritual healers, as well.

In April, 2009, Dr. Bragdon was asked to produce a full length documentary film by one of the most well-known production companies in Hollywood with international distribution firmly in place.  She has accepted. The subject will expand on Spiritist healers.

In May, 2009, the World Wide Learning Exchange at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in Palo Alto, California, began collaborating with Dr. Bragdon to initiate a program to bring graduate school students to Brazil for further education and research. Dr. Bragdon's new Foundation, Foundation for Energy Therapies, Inc. has just achieved 501c3 status, and is now accepting donations to fund research in Brazil to be accomplished by Brazilians and North Americans working together.

Take action.

Help us support Emma Bragdon's important work.

In April, 2007, the Energy Medicine Films received a matching grant of $32,000 to fund the completion of the Spiritism film.

$27,230 has been donated and matched. 
 

Dr. Bragdon still has $4,770 more to raise to release the $4,770 waiting in the bank to pay the final bills for the film.  Remember: Each dollar you donate results in $2 for her work!

If you would like to help support the goals of the Energy Medicine Films, please donate here.

Donate by mail
Please make checks made payable to the "Marion Institute" with "Energy Medicine Films" noted in the memo line and send to:

Energy Medicine Films
c/o Marion Institute
202 Spring St.
Marion, MA  02738

Ph:  508.748.0816
Fax:  508.748.1976
Website: www.emmabragdon.com

Emma Bragdon, PhD
Energy Medicine Films Project Leader
EBragdon@aol.com
Ph: 802.674.2919