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Part Four - What Spirits Could Be Behind Reiki?Natural We are community creatures who thrive in groups and can become very distressed when isolated. Little wonder, when you consider that, until relatively recently, our very physical survival depended on us belonging to a community. Various therapies that use touch are simply reinforcing a sense of belonging, of being nurtured and safe. In fact, all creatures that are nurtured from infancy respond well to touch, as any mother or pet-owner knows. Massage, in particular, works on both an emotional and physical level. It can stretch out and relax injured muscles, improve the circulation, boost the immune system and release chemicals that give us a sense of well-being. This is all well-documented. Our other senses are also part of our historical survival-kit. They constantly tell us about our environment and how to respond to it. They tell us the season of the year, when it is time to sow and when it is time to reap, when we need to get up and going and when it is time to relax and unwind. They warn us of danger and they tell us when all is well with the world. We can use our understanding of the way we are affected by different sounds, colours and smells, to produce a desirable effect. Designers use this understanding of colour when they suggest ways to decorate the various rooms of our homes to induce the very state for which they are intended. Musicians use this understanding of sound to stimulate and excite or to relax and soothe. Perfumeries use this understanding of scent to produce smells which evoke certain responses. This too is well-documented. We are affected by energies we cannot see (electricity and radiation, for example) and the Church does not imagine that we have discovered everything within physics that there is to discover. But it does call these things what they are - natural and physical, just waiting to be discovered, understood and explained by the sciences. None of these natural things are forbidden us. We are permitted massage therapy, to go and buy aroma-therapy products, to take herbal medicines that have been proven to be of benefit etc. provided there is no spiritual component or belief attached to them. Additionally, and not easily measured, quantified or understood is the way some people report unsought psychic revelations. We've all heard of a mother who suddenly knew that her child was in danger and was later proven right, or a person who felt suddenly prompted to call a friend, only to discover that the friend had been taken ill. I've experienced this myself. The Church doesn't deny that these experiences are real and neither does it condemn them. It possibly falls into the realm of us being part of "the communion of saints." The key to this is that these moments are UNSOUGHT. For us, as Christians, they can be seen as a call to pray for the person or the situation. It is when we seek these experiences that we can, and often do, run into trouble, because there is no shortage of spirits that are quite willing and able to take advantage of anyone seeking occult (hidden) knowledge.
Of course it could - and any resultant beneficial result is almost certainly natural, working within the laws laid down by God. But that this is not what Reiki claims for itself. It claims to be spiritual and it claims to channel spiritual energies. - If Reiki is purely physical, you don't need Reiki. You will do just as well in an hour with a physical therapist or even better if you treat yourself to a day of pampering at a spa, and with the added benefit of being certain that those who are laying hands on you are not calling on any spiritual powers. - If Reiki is purely physical, why do we sometimes see healing retreats featuring this technique, in Catholic parishes. When did you last see advertised a "healthy diet retreat?" Or perhaps a "physical therapy and exercise retreat?" Reiki is promoted in spiritual environments precisely because those doing the promoting believe there is a spiritual element. - If Reiki is purely physical, why do its practitioners need an "attunement" that may be assisted by unknown spirits? - If Reiki is purely physical, why are most of its promoters firmly in the New Age camp, with its smorgasbord of selective Eastern beliefs (while refusing the disciplines of these religions) yet always denying the fundamental tenets of Christianity? Regardless of the personal beliefs of individual practitioners, Reiki does claim to harness and manipulate hidden psychic and spiritual powers, in contradiction to Christian teaching, so we really do need to ask the source of these spirits. 52. Human Spirit Human beings are created to be spiritual, as much as physical, creatures. We are basically "wired for God," created in a way that makes us seek Him. Sometimes, in this quest, we become sidetracked, get off-course, even deny the very existence of God, but we are no less spiritual on account of it. Therefore it is entirely possible that Reiki and everything connected to it is from nothing more than a misguided human hunger for spirituality. In other words, it could be from the human spirit. The problem with that is that the human spirit is fully capable of being led astray and frequently is. There are plenty of evil spirits quite happy to take advantage of spiritual confusion and lack of religious discipline, so we really have to exercise a lot of discernment and bow to the knowledge and teaching of the Church in these matters, for the Church cannot mislead us in matters of faith and morals. Part of discernment requires that we look at the source and the fruits of any sort of practice, whether it is connected to healing or just dealing with our daily lives. The fruit of Reiki, as with any New Age practice, is to slowly disengage individuals from their Christian faith and so water it down that it becomes ineffective in their lives. Evil Spirits I don't believe that most Reiki practitioners set out to deliberately use evil spirits. Many don't believe in the existence of evil spirits, while those who are practicing Christians believe they have protection from these spirits, simply by invoking the name of Jesus. But not believing in something doesn't make it cease to exist and being a disciple of Jesus Christ also means being obedient to our Heavenly Father. New Age practices and beliefs ... including Reiki ... take us into realms forbidden by God. - It suggests that we can safely open ourselves to occult powers. - It holds out the promise of occult knowledge. - It seeks to manipulate occult forces. - It claims spirit guides. - It suggests that we have the power within ourselves to become godlike. - It contradicts the Christian (and indeed the Jewish and Islamic) concept of God the Father. - It is happy to deny Jesus Christ and some suggest He was nothing more than a Reiki Master. - It relegates the Holy Spirit to nothing more than an animating force. - It denies the need for Redemption and offers a panacea to all the problems caused by sin. - It uses signs and symbols, as if these have power in themselves. Let's look at what the Catholic Catechism has to say on this (italics mine): III. "YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME" 2110 The first commandment forbids honoring gods other than the one Lord who has revealed himself to his people. It proscribes superstition and irreligion. Superstition in some sense represents a perverse excess of religion; irreligion is the vice contrary by defect to the virtue of religion. Superstition 2111 Superstition is the deviation of religious feeling and of the practices this feeling imposes. It can even affect the worship we offer the true God, e.g., when one attributes an importance in some way magical to certain practices otherwise lawful or necessary. To attribute the efficacy of prayers or of sacramental signs to their mere external performance, apart from the interior dispositions that they demand, is to fall into superstition.41 Idolatry 2112 The first commandment condemns polytheism. It requires man neither to believe in, nor to venerate, other divinities than the one true God. Scripture constantly recalls this rejection of "idols, [of] silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see." These empty idols make their worshippers empty: "Those who make them are like them; so are all who trust in them."42 God, however, is the "living God"43 who gives life and intervenes in history. 2113 Idolatry not only refers to false pagan worship. It remains a constant temptation to faith. Idolatry consists in divining what is not God. Man commits idolatry whenever he honors and reveres a creature in place of God, whether this be gods or demons (for example, satanism), power, pleasure, race, ancestors, the state, money, etc. Jesus says, "You cannot serve God and mammon."44 Many martyrs died for not adoring "the Beast"45 refusing even to simulate such worship. Idolatry rejects the unique Lordship of God; it is therefore incompatible with communion with God.46 2114 Human life finds its unity in the adoration of the one God. The commandment to worship the Lord alone integrates man and saves him from an endless disintegration. Idolatry is a perversion of man's innate religious sense. An idolater is someone who "transfers his indestructible notion of God to anything other than God."47 Divination and magic 2115 God can reveal the future to his prophets or to other saints. Still, a sound Christian attitude consists in putting oneself confidently into the hands of Providence for whatever concerns the future, and giving up all unhealthy curiosity about it. Improvidence, however, can constitute a lack of responsibility. 2116 All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to "unveil" the future.48 Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone. 53. 2117 All practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one's service and have a supernatural power over others - even if this were for the sake of restoring their health - are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion. These practices are even more to be condemned when accompanied by the intention of harming someone, or when they have recourse to the intervention of demons. Wearing charms is also reprehensible. Spiritism often implies divination or magical practices; the Church for her part warns the faithful against it. Recourse to so-called traditional cures does not justify either the invocation of evil powers or the exploitation of another's credulity. The Catechism is just reiterating what has been revealed in the Bible, concerning the use of occult methods and powers. Put simply, we owe all our allegiance and worship to the one, true God. We are not permitted to call upon occult powers under any circumstance, not even in order to do good. Yet we see that Reiki does precisely this. When, acting in our human spirit, we disobey God, we are sinning, and God will not bless our sins. If we seek other spirits that are not of God (nothing that God sends will prompt disobedience to Him) then we are seeking the help of evil spirits. Period! But are there really powers and spirits that are not of God? Are There Really Powers And Spirits That Are Ungodly? One of the problems of our times is that we have lost any sense of the presence and operation of evil spirits and powers that run contrary to God's plan, yet this is not what the Bible tells us. There are countless references throughout the Old Testament, to the existence of "unclean" spirits as well as commands to avoid all those who seek to contact them or use their powers. Do not go to mediums or consult fortune-tellers, for you will be defiled by them. I, the LORD, am your God. (Lev 19:31) The New Testament, likewise warns us that there are other spirits at work that are dangerous to us. Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for (someone) to devour. (1 Peter 5:8) And St. Paul tells us clearly: ....our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. (Eph 6:12) Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Today, even many good Catholics see these things as figments of overly-active imaginations, something belonging to medieval times, yet the Church has recently reiterated and underlined the truth of the existence of demons and their resultant spirits. It has, once again, brought their activity out into the light and seeks to address what is perceived as a growing need for deliverance and, in more serious cases, formal exorcism. In 1998, Pope John Paul II addressed the role of Jesus as exorcist. According to a Zenit report: The Pope's message cast light on a very important, but often neglected ministry: that of the exorcist. This is not the macabre role seen in the movies, but, as the Pope explained, a putting into action of the power of the Holy Spirit to defeat the power of the Devil. Fr. Gabriele Amorth, exorcist for the diocese of Rome, announced several months ago that the role of the exorcist was in crisis. "The reduction of numbers of exorcists is leading many people to seek out 'wizards,' Satanic sects, and unscrupulous phonies who simply use others experiencing truly traumatic experiences for their own gain." Fr. Amorth pointed out how this phenomenon may indicate that Christians have stopped believing in the "Prince of this world." The exorcist affirmed that "in the academic preparation of priests, demons have already gone out of existence," since "for decades this part of dogmatic theology hasn't been studied in the seminaries and ecclesial universities." Modern theologians have tried to make the exorcisms in the Bible into mere "cultural language" to symbolize the struggle against evil, using the language of the day. The Pope's speech comes almost as a response to these statements. He confirmed the Church's tradition on the matter of exorcism, saying, "The three synoptic Gospels stress how, just after His baptism, Jesus was 'taken by the Holy Spirit to the desert 'to be tempted by Satan'." The Pontiff recalled how Jesus' work as exorcist lasted throughout His whole life. "With Jesus," he added, "the Devil lost his power in the presence of the Holy Spirit." PetersNet has an interview with Cardinal Jorge Arturo Medina Estevez on the topic of exorcism and in 1999, the Church published an document, called "De Exorcismus Et Supplicationibus Quibusdam," to address current needs and to apply strict guidelines. All this should tell the reader that the Church takes very seriously the activity of evil spirits - and so should we, because their hatred of God, hatred of Jesus and jealousy of our relationship with God drives these rebellious and fallen entities to seek nothing other than our total destruction. Of course, for most of us, this does not mean a direct and obvious onslaught. Most of us would recognise and run a mile from anything that smacked of Satan's work or looked obviously evil, and so, more often than not, these spirits appear as angels of light, as bearers of good ... and for a while they can maintain this illusion. But their aim is not good. Their aim towards us is purely malevolent and, sooner or later, the good they appeared to bring backfires on us. Today, we are seeing an unprecedented drop in faith in the basic tenets of Christianity among those participating in New Age practices. Additionally, as the euphoria wears off and the harsh reality of life hits home once more, there is a consequential increase in depression, loss of self-worth, psychological and even psychiatric disturbances among those who have participated in these New Age spiritual practices. 54.
The fact is that you cannot seek to unleash psychic and spiritual energies and hope for a good outcome. The devil is a liar, as he has been from the start. His hope is to lure people gently away from the protection afforded by the Precious Blood of Jesus, making all manner of promises but sooner or later, the promise turns out to have been empty and all that remains is hopeless despair. If you have been involved in any of these practices and want to find your way out, please do know that there is help. That help lies in Jesus Christ, who has the absolute victory over evil and all its snares. Jesus doesn't promise a bed of roses in this life but He offers a peace that transcends all our difficulties, has the power to forgive all our sins and restore our relationship with God (which often results in physical healing) and lead us into an eternal life of unimaginable bliss in the presence of the Most High God. If you are feeling lost, hopeless, depressed or any of the other ultimate consequences of participating in pagan and occultic practices, or if you have just become involved in them and want out, CLICK HERE NOW. You can return to these pages to continue reading, by simply closing the new window that opens, but we want you to know that there is hope, peace and forgiveness just waiting for you. How Does This Differ From Healing In The Church? Jesus came to restore our relationship with God to that which was intended from the outset. While Jesus was among us, His primary mission was to teach about the Father and to call us back into full relationship with our Creator. As Jesus taught, he demonstrated His authority and divinity by healing ... but these outward healings were a sign of an inner, spiritual reality, which was the forgiveness of sins. They were never done for their own sake, but always to call attention to His mission on earth and to demonstrate that with His coming, the Kingdom of God was now present to all who would but enter by believing in Him and doing the will of His Father and ours. Through His death, we have been healed. Through His resurrection, we have been freed, even from the bondage of death itself and those who die in Him will also rise, when the Kingdom of God, perceived only in part, is fully revealed in the Second Coming. I don't want to go to spend too much time on our Christian beliefs in this article, not because they are undeserving(!) but because there are so many wonderful sources, including the Catholic Catechism which can more fully explain, but following Jesus' Ascension to Heaven, He fulfilled His promise to send the Holy Spirit upon believers so that they too would be able to heal and to cast out demons - not simply for the sake of making people feel better but as a sign of His Lordship over all Creation. He promised to be with us until the end of time. He had already designed ways for us to avail ourselves of His healing, restorative love and forgiveness through the Sacraments. In each of the Sacraments of Initiation, of Reconciliation, of Eucharist and of Anointing Of The Sick, we are given the opportunity to be healed of the most serious harm done to us ... our broken relationship with God. We may also experience physical healing as our sins are washed away and we receive total forgiveness. For most of us, it is a gradual process, a combination of Sacramental graces and discipline in an ongoing process that lasts our entire time on earth, as we do battle with ourselves and our pride. Additionally, the Holy Spirit grants charisms, or special gifts, to those who are baptised into new life, in Jesus Christ. Among these is the charism of healing. It is for the Holy Spirit to decide how He will distribute these gifts and although we can certainly pray for them, so that we may better testify to the Lord Jesus and use the gifts for the upbuilding of the Church, it is still the Holy Spirit's decision on who will receive what. The Holy Spirit gives freely as He wills. We cannot pass our gifts to others for it is always God's initiative and never our own. In contrast, Reiki suggests that these powers can be passed from one to another, which is in clear opposition to what the Church has taught from the outset.
If you have been involved in New Age practices or any occultic activity and you want to find your way out of this cycle that takes you deeper into this false mysticism, then Jesus is just waiting to receive you, forgive you and restore you. First of all, KNOW that Jesus has already overcome the very worst that evil could throw at Him. Jesus came to earth to restore our relationship with God. He taught, healed the sick and cast out demons. For all this, He was willingly crucified - a most horrific torture - died and was buried. Three days later, He had risen from the dead and for several weeks showed Himself to many witnesses who have testified to what they saw and experienced. He ascended to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to empower His Church to heal, to cast out demons, to forgive sinners and restore people to their full relationship with God. JESUS HAS WON THE VICTORY No matter what you have done, it can never be so bad that it is beyond God's healing love, and He wants to heal you. To avail yourself of His free gift of eternal life, you need to repent of your past wrongs and sins, including and especially any involvement with the occult and pagan practices. To repent means to turn away, to renounce these former things. If you have made up your mind that you want the Living Water that quenches the thirst of the human spirit but you don't know how to pray, you might turn to God and say something like: Heavenly Father, I am very sorry that I have sought life outside of you. I am sorry that I have sought to know things that you, in your wisdom, have kept hidden for my own good. I am sorry for.... (just add what you have done or been involved in) and I renounce all those things now in Jesus' Name. I turn away from all of Satan's lies and deceptions and accept Jesus as my Lord and Saviour (for the first time, or anew, as it applies to you) and desire the fulness of life He has promised to all who follow Him to your heart. Jesus, come into my life and cleanse me of all my sins. Holy Spirit, refresh me and fill all those spaces of my mind, heart and soul where I have allowed darkness to enter. Teach me the ways of God and lead me increasingly to a personal relationship with Jesus so that I may worship the Father, my Creator in fullness and in truth. I pray this in Jesus' Name. Amen. This prayer is not a magical solution, an instant spell, but it is a beginning of a new or renewed way of life. If you are a Catholic, go to Confession. If you haven't been for a long time, it doesn't matter. The priest will understand. If you have been practicing your faith but have not confessed your involvement in the occult, you need to do it now. If you are not a Catholic, go and speak to a Pastor of your denomination. If you are not a Christian, go along to any Catholic (or other Christian) church and speak to a Pastor. Try and make an appointment so he will have plenty of time for you, then be assured of a loving welcome and follow his advice. And finally, St. Paul has some advice: Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all (the) flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit. To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication for all the holy ones. (Eph 6:11-18). Questions About Reiki And Other New Age Practices My Reiki healer is such a good person. How can they be tapping into non-Christian powers? Many people who get into alternative methods of healing, including those within New Age, have genuinely compassionate hearts and want to do good. Unfortunately, they don't trust in God's Providence and Wisdom and seek to bring about healing through other powers. This doesn't mean they are bad people but that they are ill-catechised and may have unwittingly been led astray. Sadly, in doing so, they may have opened themselves up to powers that are anti-Christ and these spirits and powers are quite happy to make use of their good nature for their own ends. Remember that you don't have to be a louse to catch lice! Can I accidentally "catch" evil spirits? Not really. We are generally afforded protection against them, even though they might torment and otherwise try to undermine us. But once we step out of the protection afforded by Jesus and the teachings of His Church, we are opening ourselves up for the potential to be used by them. Some practices go further and have us openly, albeit it unwittingly, inviting them in. When someone comes to the door of your home, you wouldn't just let them in without knowing who they are, yet many are quite willing to open themselves up for "attunement" by powers about which they know nothing and then seek to manipulate those powers for their own end. What about Catholics, or other Christians, who practice Reiki? Some people imagine that you can tap into these esoteric powers, even though they stand in contradiction to everything that is Christian, while still remaining safely Christian, as long as they use Jesus' name. This is little more than superstition. Jesus' authority works within us not by the simple utterance of His name, but through our discipleship, our following His teachings and our embracing of Him as our only Lord and Saviour. New Age stands in opposition to Christianity. It is, therefore, anti-Christ. It isn't possible to embrace the spirit of antichrist and the Holy Spirit, at one and the same time and anyone who imagines otherwise is deluding themselves. Catholics with a genuine charism (gift) of healing have no need to call on anyone other than Jesus Christ, need no methods, no attunement. They simply need to pray. 56. What does Reiki say about Jesus? Basically, in New Age spirituality, Jesus is seen as an "ascended Master," one of many. Some Reiki practitioners suggest that Jesus studied Reiki before beginning His ministry and that He was a Reiki Master. The spirituality behind Reiki does not see Jesus as divine, in the sense of being the only Son of God. Neither do adherents believe in His resurrection, His ascension or in the Second Coming. Of course, they will tell you that you are free to continue believing in Him if you like! |