Sekhem: Spiritual Surgery and the Choice Between Power and Love

Physical and Spiritual Surgery

John of God had a remarkable gift, but he also abused his abilities and powers. There had been very good experiences with him, and his abilities were connected with beings who worked with him. In a way, he was a trance channel: he would leave, and the beings would come into his body and perform physical surgery. There was also another aspect, spiritual surgery, in which the healing presence was simply there without a physical operation.

The distinction matters. Healing can work through visible action, or it can work through a presence that enters the field and operates spiritually. In both cases, the power involved is real within the experience, but power by itself does not determine how that ability will be used.

When Spiritual Power Becomes Control

A great deal of political power had also gathered around John of God. He was a very politically powerful man and essentially controlled the surrounding area. A student once had the idea of offering an All Love class in the town where John of God worked. The small hotels and retreat places were well suited for classes, because the whole area had been arranged around people staying there for healing and retreat. Yet every place said that anyone wanting to do something had to speak with John first.

The student joined the line. Usually, at least three hundred people a day waited to see him. When the student finally reached John, he said that he had come only to ask whether he could offer a healing class. John, who was world-famous, stopped and addressed everyone. He asked whether the student was really coming there to hold a class in his city, then made fun of him. It felt painful to witness. The student did not receive permission to teach.

This was an example of power operating through boundaries and control. Spiritual communities can develop their own form of what might be called a spiritual mafia. There are boundaries that people are expected not to cross, and the person who holds the power may decide who is allowed to offer healing or teaching. The question is not only whether someone has spiritual ability. It is also how that person relates to authority, territory, recognition, and the freedom of others to serve.

Ability, Ego, and Responsibility

The energy available through this work can open many different abilities. Everyone working with it may discover a kind of spiritual power, and that power can express itself through healing, manifestation, or many other forms. It can also move through music, sport, and other capacities that a person already carries.

A young man once came to the work after struggling very badly with drugs. He played a little guitar and sang a little, but only at a very amateur level. His aunt asked whether there could be support for him. After working with him, he eventually came to the classes and immediately developed an extraordinary connection with the energy. He had large experiences, and he stopped using drugs. He later became one of the top singers in his country.

There was also a woman in another country who took the class and then became a very popular singer. Another man worked with a national handball team. One particular player he supported was among the biggest stars in Europe. These examples show that the energy can be taken into many different areas of life. It does not have to express itself only as formal healing.

The difficulty is that the energy can also work with the ego. A person may begin doing healing work and quickly start believing, “I’m this, I’m that.” This pattern appears often in spiritual communities. Someone may take a few Reiki courses, for example, and suddenly present themselves as a great master.

While travelling, a question was asked about well-known spiritual teachers and masters. In one country, everyone recommended a particular man. A taxi driver took Patrick Zeigler to his large healing center, which was almost as big as the center where the teaching was taking place. Patrick had the opportunity to sit and speak with him. The man said that he had taken only a few Reiki courses, developed his healing ability, and had become one of the top healers in the country.

Abilities can open very quickly. The important question is how a person handles them once they open. The same is visible among movie stars and sports figures. Some people manage recognition and influence well. Others become a little crazy with it. Spiritual ability, like public success, can enlarge both what is beautiful in a person and what still needs to be understood.

There is no way to know in advance what may happen when people leave this work. Abilities may be developing, and they may express themselves in unexpected ways. The responsibility is not merely to discover power, but to learn how to carry it without allowing the ego to take over.