How does prayer change a physical body?

Answer 1

It doesn't, prayer is a state of mind in the Jewish belief.

There are far too many definitions and interpretations of what prayer is to make any answer here comprehensive. In truth, everyone has an idea of what prayer is, but no one knows. The problem is that prayer is a faith based practice. What is faith based cannot be easily quantified. When dealing with the physical body, one must deal in the world of science, a different religion altogether (before you begin trying to argue that, recognize that WikiAnswers does not permit debate in answers, and look near the bottom for an explanation), and one cannot rely on one religion to define or explain anything that exists within a different faith. While a number of Eastern practices have shown that prayer and meditation can be effective vehicles for changing physiological processes, rarely are those changes permanent, often existing only for as long as the prayer or meditation are being practiced.

At best, modern scientific technique can only show a correlation between prayer and positive medical outcomes. No causation has yet been identified.

Now, to that statement above regarding science as a religion.

One of the best definitions of religion I have found is by former Princeton Anthroplogist Clifford Geertz. Geertz identified four common elements of all religion; he said: "Religion is (1) a system of symbols which acts to (2) establish powerful, persuasive, and long-lasting moods and motivations in [people] by (3) formulating conceptions of a general order of existence and (4) clothing these conceptions with such an aura of factuality that the moods and motivations seem uniquely realistic."

So:

1. A system of symbols: Science relies upon symbols to help define each particular area of study. This can be seen easily in the Einsteinean equation, E=MC2. Every first year science student can tell you that E represents energy, M represents mass, C represents the speed of light, and 2 is the mathematical notation for square. Translated, this becomes Energy equals Mass multiplied by the speed of light squared.
2. This equation alone has established powerful (all defining), persuasive (mathematically proven), and long-lasting (since at least 1905 when Einstein first proposed it in publication) moods (a

   frame

   of

   mind

   disposed

   or

   receptive,

   as

   to

   some

   activity

   , or idea--a way of thinking) and motivations (an inducement or incentive). Most of this is self-explanatory, or a foregone premise. But, for the purpose of clarity: it is powerful in that it is the stepping stone of an entire branch of science whose purpose is to define literally everything

   ; mathematical proof is empirical

   ; over 100 years is pretty long lasting in human terms; it defines a frame of mind or perspective; and, has become the focus of a large number of people who seek nothing more than to prove the premises and precepts of the discipline.

3. While Einstein's offspring does at least begin the explanation of the universe, the religion of science is a much broader critter. One area that goes a long way toward "formulating conceptions of a general order of existence" obviously would be Biology and more specifically Evolution. Although, if you need to remain in the macro universe, consider the Big Bang and all of the elements of science committed to collecting evidence and proving that little fireworks show.
4. "...c

   lothing these conceptions with such an aura of factuality that the moods and motivations seem uniquely realistic." Do I really need to explicate this? Tell you what, the next time the local university conducts a Symposium on Relativistic Astrophysics, sit in, then you can add to this and illustrate how that group of academics clothed the concepts with an aura of factuality.

But I digress.