Module 4 - Magic Anyone? - Karla Erdman, writer

Module 4 - Magic Anyone?

2/15/2014

This week I'm going to leave the blog open. I'm still going to check to make sure you posted according to the deadlines, but I'm not going to hold your posts. They will be posted as you submit them. This is more of a real-world experience in online class discussion, and I want to see how the class handles it.

Suggestion: Read the story "No Witchcraft for Sale" first before creating your blog.

Prompt: What are your thoughts about “magic” herbs or potions and their healing effects? Do you think that powerful thoughts can control the health (or death) of a person? Why? How?
How might these two questions relate to religious beliefs?

Cole

2/17/2014 11:30:24 am

I myself do believe that there are some herbs in the world that do heal certain things. Although not every thing can be helped, there are certain illnesses or pains that can be cured or relieved by natural herbs or remedies, like headaches, sore throats, skin rashes, ect. These remedies have been around for centuries and have documented proof that things do work. I do believe that powerful thoughts can control the health of a person, but not the death. Some illnesses that people get are all in the mind. If someone believes that they are sick in some way, the mind could trick the body, and the person themselves, into believing they are in pain or sick. These people are sometimes referred to as Hypocondriacs. These two questions can relate to religious beliefs because sometimes when people in villages were sick, the "witch doctor" would pretend to perform a healing method on the person to make them think they were being healed. It could work or it could not work. It depends on the person and the sickness.

Mrs. Erdman

2/18/2014 05:30:21 am

Cole,
I agree with your statement about people making themselves sick. Just like people who have pessimistic viewpoints are usually miserable all the time and tend to bring down people who are around them.
I think healthy food helps keep people from getting sick, which is more important than trying to cure sickness.

Tori McCaslin

2/18/2014 03:39:47 am

I believe that herbs do have healing effects. Your thoughts definitely control your health overall, physically and mentally. A healthy mind equals a healthy body. You can think yourself into any situation or illness. Our minds are very powerful. These questions relate to religious beliefs because in some popular christian or catholic religions they contain things that people do believe to have healing properties. For example what you receive at communion if you are catholic, "the wine of jesus", "the bread", and holy water. People believe these things will cleanse them and the holy spirit will enter there body through them. In other religions like wicca or pagan, they also have potions and herbs that they strongly believe do work. Although I do believe herbs have healing properties, I also do believe your mindset is a huge part of it.

Mrs. Erdman

2/18/2014 05:32:47 am

Tori,
I like that you referenced more than one religion in your post. It is important for people to consider that people of all races, religions, ethnicities, etc. have different ideas about herbs, potions, and healing powers. Some people have prayer, some have herbs/potions, and some have crystals or charms.

Kasey Gallagher

2/18/2014 04:45:37 am

I believe that herbs and potions can have healing effects. Before modern medicine was created, the standard way of curing different illnesses were berries, plants, and concoctions all found naturally. I think that the mental part of curing illnesses also plays a large role in a person's ability to recover. I think that its possible to cure yourself by thinking powerful positive thoughts and I think you can make yourself sick by believing you have symptoms you don't actually have, but I don't think you can die from thinking negative thoughts about your health. Magic herbs and potions can be seen in the Catholic religion through drinking the "blood of Jesus" and eating "his flesh" as a way of cleansing your body and soul. It can also be seen in the Wicca religion through witch doctors who use "magic" to make different potions with healing (or fatal) powers.

Alyssa Saggio

2/18/2014 06:08:59 am

Hi Kasey, nice job on your response! I like hat you brought up the more ancient methods or techniques because it seemed as though a lot of the responses were thinking of a more modern mindset. I agree with both statements in your blog dealing with the positive thoughts helping to heal (because I didn't look at it from that specific aspect) and negative thoughts being able to kill a person. I don't think it is at all possible for someone to wish a person dead and have that person die. Also, as I stated in my initial blog post, I do feel as though the Catholic religious beliefs that deal with "drinking the blood of Jesus" and "eating his flesh" may be valid for those who do believe in Catholicism, but maybe if you took it as another approach. People who do not have this specific religious belief will most likely disagree with your response, like myself. Because I am agnostic, or without a religious preference, I feel unable to make the connections to the Catholic religion as a whole. Maybe that is why I am not viewing the "herbs and potions" as some type of "magical" thing.

Kasey Gallagher

2/18/2014 09:29:05 am

Hey Alyssa, thanks! I definitely agree with you. I would probably say I'm agnostic or maybe even atheist. I know I personally don't believe in anything practiced in Catholicism. I kind of looked at the response as thinking from another person's point of view when I answered the questions about religion! I think that when someone believes in something so strongly such as religion, they also believe that miracles can happen and I think that's where the "magic" comes from.

Devin Blattner

2/18/2014 04:46:09 am

In my opinion, I believe that specific herbs or "potions" can cure or kill a person. Centuries ago people used herbs as different types of medicine. There were potions for everything. Some cured people, some killed people and other were used to bring luck or fight off evil. Even in modern times potions and herbs are still used to cure minor injuries or sickness. Although I believe in herbs and potions having an effect on people's health, I do not believe that the thoughts of a person can affect the health of another. Like Tori said, the thoughts of a person can affect THEIR health but I don't think a person thinking negatively or positively about someone else will affect that persons health. There are different types of religions that use potions or magic to cure or hurt others such as Voodoo or Wicca.

Mrs. Erdman

2/18/2014 05:34:42 am

Devin and Kasey
What about VooDoo? Do you think people who practice and believe in that religion/culture think that thoughts can kill another person?

Kasey Gallagher

2/18/2014 09:23:34 am

Mrs. Erdman
When I wrote my response, I meant that I don't think a person can think negative thoughts and make themselves sick. I definitely believe that people who practice voodoo believe in what they're doing, just like in Catholicism when they "drink Jesus's blood and eat his flesh" they believe they will be cleansed. I think that when someone practices a faith, they do so because they believe in everything their faith stands for.

Kasey Gallagher

2/18/2014 09:31:18 am

In reference to my last comment, I meant "I don't think a person can think negative thoughts and make themselves die."

Devin Blattner

2/20/2014 10:56:28 am

Yes, I do believe that people who believe and practice Voodoo THINK that they can kill another person. Although, that doesn't mean that they actually CAN kill another person but the people who practice the religion believe that they can and that's one of the main reasons they practice that religion. I hope that makes sense...it was hard to write what I was actually thinking.

Alyssa Saggio

2/18/2014 05:57:23 am

Overall, it has been scientifically proven that specific types of plants or herbs do, in fact, contain healing powers. In my opinion, if these herbs are actually controlling the health of a person and helping them survive because of an illness, then I do not think that they are exactly "magical." They do have healing powers, but I think of magic as more of "spells and potions," like the movie "Hocus Pocus" or "witches and wizards," such as the book series "Harry Potter." My general belief: yes, herbs can help to heal or cure an illness and no, they should not be considered magical. Not only do herbs or potions come into play, but I feel that the mind can be a key factor in curing a sickness. Psychologically, the human brain can make a person feel as thought they may have a specific illness. Haven't you ever seen a person with a rash or some type of poison ivy infection and suddenly, you yourself begin to feel itchy as well? I think it is reasonable for a person to make themselves have some type of illness or at least feel as if they do. I do not feel as though because a man or woman wishes another person dead, that they will die. Also, Tori and Kasey had each brought upon the Catholic beliefs in reference to the healing herbs and potions, which I do agree can be considered valid, for Catholic denominations. However, as a person that does not really have a religious preference (I am agnostic) and even people who claim to be Atheists, this may sound silly. The other religious practices like VooDoo or Wicca, in my opinion seem kind of ridiculous.

Alyson Picione

2/21/2014 10:03:20 am

I completely agree with you. When I first read the post, I did not understand what it was asking. I guess I should have taken Mrs. Erdman's advice and read the story first because now my opinion has changed. I thought this was meant more about witchcraft and voodoo, but plants really do have the power to heal. A lot of the medicine we use today is plant based.

Tori McCaslin

2/21/2014 02:36:25 pm

Hi Alyssa! I have to say that I 100% agree with what you wrote. Like Alyson I didn't understand exactly what it was saying either and I wish that I read the story prior to doing this blog too. I thought that the story would be just like what the questions was asking, mostly about voodoo and witchcraft and potions. When in reality, the story was about healing and helping people. A lot of medicine comes from herbs and plants, just like Gideon's root cure.

Brian Burke

2/18/2014 09:08:58 am

I believe herbs are basic foundation of medicine. Herbs have been used for thousands of years for healing and other effects. There were potions with different purposes made. This may have led certain individuals or people that who weren't fully educated to believe that it was related to magic or god. depending on the issue I do believe they posses great healing effects as well. Regarding thoughts to ones health, I do agree with. Living in the modern age it can be proven that strong thoughts or emotions on a matter can have physical effects on ones health or body. I believe that negative thoughts can have a negative impact on a persons health. As far as death, I am unsure. These can be related to religious beliefs as well. Ones religion may recognize the power of negative emotion and choose to deal with it in a different manor because of its negative affects. I Would not personally believe that religious beliefs and their practices have a lasting effect on a person. When it comes down to it, everything is possible because of the resources we have on this planet. No witchcraft or voodoo will have any more of an effect on a person. And the effects of a herb or ingredient on a persons health will always have a scientific reason behind it and should not be regarded as "magical".

Alyson Picione

2/18/2014 09:11:48 am

I believe that herbs and plants have the power to heal. I do not believe in "magic" potions. I think that if a "magic" potion works for someone it is just a figment of their imagination. They want to feel better, so they do. I think positive thinking helps a person feel better emotional and helps them keep in good spirits, but I do not believe that it can actually heal a person. These two questions relate to religion because a person who believes in God probably doesn't believe in spiritual healing.

Cole

2/20/2014 05:27:08 am

I agree with what you said about there being no actual "magic" potions. I feel the same way. But I disagree with you when you say that people who believe in god don't believe in spiritual healing because there are Christians who believe that only god can heal people which is still a type of spiritual healing.

Comments are closed.

Module 4 - Magic Anyone?

Mrs. Erdman

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