Spirit Talks, Past Lives, and 'Third Eye' Claims: Viral ‘Healer’ Videos Blur the Line Between Science and Superstition

 

Kathmandu. As information technology rapidly transforms the world in the 21st century, digital platforms in Nepal are increasingly becoming marketplaces for superstition and unscientific health claims. Social media platforms such as TikTok and Facebook are amplifying content that exploits people's emotions, psychological vulnerabilities, and trauma, further institutionalizing traditional faith-healing practices in the digital era.

A striking example is Divyashram Healing Pokhara (TikTok handle: @muktahealer), operated by Mukta Khawas, who describes himself as a hypnotherapist, spiritual healer, and past-life regression therapist. Videos posted on the account have garnered tens of millions of views and thousands of comments, raising serious concerns over the role of regulatory authorities and the growing exploitation of emotionally vulnerable individuals through digital platforms.

Viral Videos Promote Unverified Supernatural Claims

The videos posted on the account make a range of extraordinary claims without scientific evidence, including assertions that human minds and emotions can be controlled through spiritual practices. Experts warn that such content can create emotional distress, psychological vulnerability, and even trigger conflicts within families and communities.

In one video, Khawas claims that the soul of a deceased child spoke through the body of a living person. According to the video, the soul of a seven- or eight-year-old child named Deepak, who allegedly drowned while swimming, entered another person's body and claimed, "Grandfather, feeling ashamed, buried me in a pile of paddy and killed me." The video has been viewed more than 3.4 million times.

Another video claims one has opened the "third eye" to see the universe. It further claims that the person witnessed Radha and Krishna in Vrindavan through the experience. The video has received more than 3.6 million views.

Similarly, several other videos claim to facilitate communication with deceased souls. One such video, in which a girl speaks with her late grandmother while asking where the soul goes after death, has been viewed more than 4 million times.

The account also features videos claiming that patients suffering from depression and anxiety for years were completely cured and stopped taking prescribed medication within just three days. Other viral videos promote claims related to past-life regression, black magic, ancestral salvation, and the treatment of insomnia and migraines without medication.

Grief, Trauma, and Confusion Exploited Through Social Media

Public reactions to the videos suggest that many emotionally vulnerable users are being influenced by such claims. Individuals grieving the loss of loved ones have commented, "I also want to talk to my late mother. Where is this place? Please give me their number."

At the same time, many users have questioned the credibility of the claims, describing the practice as a business built on superstition. Comments such as, "If this is true, call the spirit of Nirmala Panta to identify the killer," and "Reveal the truth behind the Durbar murder case," have also appeared under the videos.

In an interview with TechPana, Mukta Khawas acknowledged that he is not a psychiatrist. However, he said he had completed a master's degree in hypnosis from the "National Hypnosis Academy" and has been practicing under a shamanistic approach. He claimed that the services he provides are intended as "supportive" treatment for patients. Medical science, however, does not recognize or support such claims.

Clinical Hypnosis Has Scientific Limits

Hypnosis, or hypnotherapy, is a scientifically recognized clinical technique used by trained and certified psychiatrists or psychologists to help identify fears, phobias, and traumatic experiences stored in a patient's subconscious mind. However, experts say using hypnosis to claim communication with spirits, past-life experiences, or supernatural healing is both scientifically unsupported and ethically unacceptable.

During hypnosis, the human brain enters a highly suggestible state in which the subconscious mind becomes more receptive to suggestions made by the therapist. As a result, patients may perceive their own imagination, memories, or unfulfilled desires as real experiences or "messages from spirits." In medical science, this phenomenon is referred to as an Altered State of Consciousness.

Experts warn that one of the most dangerous claims promoted in such videos is encouraging patients suffering from depression or suicidal thoughts to stop taking medication within just three days. Doctors caution that abruptly discontinuing prescribed medication can trigger withdrawal syndrome, cause severe psychological trauma, and significantly increase the risk of suicide.

In short, hypnosis is a clinically proven therapeutic method that works with the subconscious mind under professional supervision and within established medical guidelines. Superstition, on the other hand, is based on blind faith in supernatural powers and unscientific beliefs, which in many cases can cause serious physical and psychological harm.

International Standards and Policy of WHO 

Globally, the practice of clinical hypnosis is subject to strict legal and professional regulation. In U.S. states such as Arizona, Arkansas, Michigan, and Minnesota, only licensed psychologists, clinical social workers, or specialist physicians are permitted to practice clinical hypnosis. Making therapeutic or healing claims through hypnosis without proper authorization is considered a serious punishable offense.

Similarly, the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034, adopted by the 78th World Health Assembly, outlines a clear framework for integrating Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) into national healthcare systems.

The strategy is guided by the "Do No Harm" principle and clearly rejects health claims or treatments that lack scientific evidence. It also seeks to prevent the spread of misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation in healthcare while protecting the public from unsafe practices. WHO further emphasizes that treatments provided under traditional medicine must comply with scientific evidence and operate within strict regulatory frameworks.

Laws Exist, but Enforcement Remains Weak

Nepal's laws prohibit unauthorized medical practice and the promotion of harmful superstitious beliefs. Sections 230 and 231 of the Muluki Criminal Code, 2074 prohibit individuals from providing treatment, prescribing medicine, or offering medical advice without proper authorization. Claiming to treat physical or mental illnesses without a license is a punishable offense.

Likewise, the Witchcraft Accusation (Offense and Punishment) Act, 2015 criminalizes torture or discrimination committed in the name of Dhami, Jhakri, Tantrik, or witchcraft. Experts warn that videos making allegations that family members murdered relatives through supernatural means could fuel violence and social conflict.

Similarly, the Nepal Health Professional Council Act, 1996 was enacted to ensure scientific standards among non-medical and non-nursing health professionals. Under Section 20, individuals who are not registered with the Council are prohibited from directly or indirectly practicing health services, including diagnosis, treatment, and disease prevention. Violations are punishable under Section 28 of the Act.

According to Dr. Dipendra Pandey, Registrar of the Nepal Medical Council, the Council has taken strict action against individuals practicing modern medicine or treating patients without authorization. He said the Council is prepared to investigate complaints immediately if there is evidence that individuals are illegally providing treatment, including advising patients to alter or discontinue medication prescribed by licensed doctors.

Despite these legal provisions, the continued promotion of unverified and misleading health services on social media without regulatory intervention raises serious concerns over the inaction of the Nepal Police, the Ministry of Health, and local authorities.

Scientific Mental Health Care vs Digital Superstition

While unverified healing practices continue to gain popularity online, organizations promoting evidence-based mental healthcare have been working to improve access to scientific treatment across Nepal.

The Centre for Mental Health and Counseling-Nepal (CMC-Nepal) has been providing community-based mental health and psychosocial counseling services for more than two decades. Established in 2003, the organization works in partnership with government health agencies to deliver mental health services in various districts across the country.

The Government of Nepal's National Mental Health Strategy and Action Plan, 2020, also aims to integrate mental health services into primary healthcare. Recognizing the influence of traditional faith healers in Nepali society, the strategy seeks to engage shamans and faith healers as entry points for scientific treatment by improving their capacity to refer patients to professional healthcare services without delay.

Through its school mental health program, CMC Nepal also trains teachers in child-friendly classroom management, positive discipline, and identifying psychosocial problems among children.

According to CMC Nepal, true dignity in mental healthcare can only be achieved when patients receive timely scientific treatment and counseling instead of being subjected to social stigma and superstition. Based on the organization's experience, patients suffering from depression, anxiety, and severe mental illnesses such as psychosis can recover and return to normal family and social life through regular medication, counseling, and family support.

Experts further stress that, even under the basic principles of hypnosis, mental illness should never be interpreted as spirit possession or communication with souls, but rather as a medical condition requiring scientific treatment and compassionate care.

However, the growing digital marketplace of superstition continues to delay patients from seeking evidence-based treatment, placing lives at risk while exploiting the emotional and financial vulnerability of affected families. At the same time, social media platforms have been criticized for failing to adequately enforce their own community guidelines against misleading health-related content.

पछिल्लो अध्यावधिक: असार २८, २०८३ २०:१५

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