---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you survey healing throughout history…"
description: "\"“If you survey healing throughout history and across contemporary cultures, and even within our own culture, you will encounter an extraordinary and fa..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/michael-heap-175769_faith_if-you-survey-healing-throughout-history_312835.jpg"
---

#  If you survey healing throughout history and across…

![“If you survey healing throughout history and across contemporary cultures, and even within our own culture, you will encounter an extraordinary and fascinating range of human behaviour and beliefs, bounded only by the healer's own imagination and the compliance of those seeking to be healed, and…” quote by Michael Heap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/michael-heap-175769_faith_if-you-survey-healing-throughout-history_312835.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/michael-heap-175769_faith_if-you-survey-healing-throughout-history_312835.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/michael-heap-175769_faith_if-you-survey-healing-throughout-history_312835.jpg)

> ““If you survey healing throughout history and across contemporary cultures, and even within our own culture, you will encounter an extraordinary and fascinating range of human behaviour and beliefs, bounded only by the healer's own imagination and the compliance of those seeking to be healed, and therefore unbounded. I think this is more so than in any context other than religion. Skeptical Intelligencer (4), 2005””

Michael Heap

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Healing practices are diverse, shaped by cultural imagination and belief, often unbounded except by religion.

**In simple terms:** Healing varies widely.

Key Takeaway

Respect cultural healing beliefs.

Themes

healing culture belief imagination religion history

Mood

inquisitive analytical open‑minded

Type

academic cultural critique

When to use this quote

- medical practice
- cultural exchange
- patient counseling

Key Concepts

anthropology psychology spirituality

Questions to Reflect On

- How to evaluate healing methods critically?
- What role does belief play in healing?

A Different Perspective

Uncritical acceptance may ignore harmful practices.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Healers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healers/) [Healing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healing/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Human behaviour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-behaviour/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/)

## Related quotes

> [Music can be healing, and with my history and my knowledge of both sides of what looks like a gigantic divide in the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-stevens/music-can-be-healing-and-with-my-history-and-my-knowledge-of-both/)

[Cat Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-stevens/)

> [The witches, the wise women, and the healers were also always the counselors. It's a whole other tradition of knowledge and learning that has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/starhawk/the-witches-the-wise-women-and-the-healers-were-also-always-the/)

[Starhawk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/starhawk/)

> [ “psychic healers that practice in the Phillippines \[sic\] \[are\] able to reach through a person’s energy body and pull out diseased tissue as an… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-borysenko/psychic-healers-that-practice-in-the-phillippines-sic-are-able-to/)

[Joan Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-borysenko/)

> [When I worked with various healers of one kind or another, very often what came up was that there was an "inner" person who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-alan-wolf/when-i-worked-with-various-healers-of-one-kind-or-another-very-often/)

[Fred Alan Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-alan-wolf/)

> [“It takes no genius to destroy. The creators, the givers, the lovers, the healers - these are the heroes who know - the building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-overmire/it-takes-no-genius-to-destroy-the-creators-the-givers-the-lovers-the/)

[Laurence Overmire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-overmire/)

> [Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/natural-forces-within-us-are-the-true-healers-of-disease/)

[Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/)

> [“Healer Myrim made no attempt to conceal the fact that Orthallen's treachery had not surprised her. Nor did she conceal that his demise gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mercedes-lackey/healer-myrim-made-no-attempt-to-conceal-the-fact-that-orthallen-s/)

[Mercedes Lackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mercedes-lackey/)

> [“We are urged by Socrates to be temperate, and as healers we can sometimes do the best for our patients by doing the least.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-colgan/we-are-urged-by-socrates-to-be-temperate-and-as-healers-we-can/)

[Richard Colgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-colgan/)

> [“We all are wounded, we all are healers. Time changes, role changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shon-mehta/we-all-are-wounded-we-all-are-healers-time-changes-role-changes/)

[Shon Mehta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shon-mehta/)

> [Folks who are alive today need to wake up and do what they can to stop abusing the planet, and find ways to preserve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-grey/folks-who-are-alive-today-need-to-wake-up-and-do-what-they-can-to/)

[Alex Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-grey/)

> [My mother says healers are born, not made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/my-mother-says-healers-are-born-not-made/)

[Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/)

> [ “\[...\] the kind of healer who knows that sometimes one must inflict terrible agony - rebreak a bone, carve off a limb, kill the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/the-kind-of-healer-who-knows-that-sometimes-one-must-inflict-terrible/)

[N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/)

> [“I grant we should add a third category: that of the true healers. But it is a fact one doesn't come across many of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/i-grant-we-should-add-a-third-category-that-of-the-true-healers-but/)

[albert camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/)

> [“Mental health professionals have their own blocks, distraction, prejudices, and cultural upbringing, all of which color the work that they do, no matter how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-e-smith/mental-health-professionals-have-their-own-blocks-distraction/)

[Laurie E. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-e-smith/)

> [We are not the healers, we are not the reconcilers, we are not the givers of life. We are sinful, broken, vulnerable people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/we-are-not-the-healers-we-are-not-the-reconcilers-we-are-not-the/)

[Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/)

## More Faith quotes

> [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/)

[St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/)

> [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/)

[Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/)

> [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/)

[John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/)

> [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/)

Riffat Hassan

> [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/)

[Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/)

> [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/)

[Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/)

> [“No man is prejudiced in favour of a thing, knowing it to be wrong. He is attached to it on the belief of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/no-man-is-prejudiced-in-favour-of-a-thing-knowing-it-to-be-wrong-he/)

[Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/)

> [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/)

[John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/)

> [Holiness sincerity, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/holiness-sincerity-and-faith/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [“The only limitations for your life are the limiting beliefs in your mind. —Matt Morris”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-morris-1/the-only-limitations-for-your-life-are-the-limiting-beliefs-in-your/)

Matt Morris (1

> [“Just because your faith is shaken doesn’t mean the faith is shaken. The eternal truths of the Kingdom aren’t altered or affected by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/just-because-your-faith-is-shaken-doesn-t-mean-the-faith-is-shaken/)

[Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/)

> [Grit, determination, the right amount of crazy, self belief - everything it takes to be a champion. I have that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-poirier/grit-determination-the-right-amount-of-crazy-self-belief-everything/)

[Dustin Poirier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-poirier/)

> [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/)

[Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/)

> [Once you pull the trigger, you've got to throw balls aggressively and with conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/once-you-pull-the-trigger-you-ve-got-to-throw-balls-aggressively-and/)

[Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/)

[Browse all 37,796 Faith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“If you survey healing throughout history and across contemporary cultures, and even within our own culture, you will encounter an extraordinary and fascinating range of human behaviour and beliefs, bounded only by the healer's own imagination and the compliance of those seeking to be healed, and therefore unbounded. I think this is more so than in any context other than religion. Skeptical Intelligencer (4), 2005”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Michael Heap"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-heap/if-you-survey-healing-throughout-history-and-across-contemporary/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Faith"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-heap/if-you-survey-healing-throughout-history-and-across-contemporary/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/michael-heap-175769_faith_if-you-survey-healing-throughout-history_312835.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/michael-heap-175769_faith_if-you-survey-healing-throughout-history_312835.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e8/michael-heap-175769_faith_if-you-survey-healing-throughout-history_312835.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If you survey healing throughout history and across contemporary cultures, and even within our own culture…” — Michael Heap",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Michael Heap",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-heap/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“If you survey healing throughout history...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-heap/if-you-survey-healing-throughout-history-and-across-contemporary/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-heap/if-you-survey-healing-throughout-history-and-across-contemporary/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
