Traditional ritual behaviour related to healing and harmonising are often dismissed out of hand in these ‘enlightened’ times. However, as Dr William Morrow explains:

“A further look at this mechanism reveals the power of the truly mysterious healing that is delivered by the placebo effect. Old notion of placebo: some medical research wants to eliminate the placebo effect in order to prove the effectiveness of a new pharmaceutical. New notion of a positive and purposeful placebo: promoting healing practices, including the “technique” of how family medicine is administered. And, knowingly or unknowingly, the delivery of alternative medicine could be described as following a ritual, even when the so-called science is not mainline.”