Reiki Healing and the Catechism, Part 1

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Hello, friends!

The other thread, we were discussing Reiki healing. I would like to show, using reason and nothing more than the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the writings of the International Center for Reiki Training, the following claim:

It is impossible for Catholics of sufficient knowledge and faith to accept that Reiki healing is not a manifest moral evil.

I know we learn that the Sophists always began by stating what they sought to convince and arguing backwards from it; I hope it is understood that the only reason I start here with my conclusion is for complete transparency. It also makes it easy for me to define terms, as such:

Reiki healing: “(pronounced Ray-Key) is a method of natural healing based on the application of Universal Life Force Energy,” “…one of the more widely known forms of healing through direct application of Chi, or a force very similar to Ch,i” “a technique for stress reduction and relaxation that allows everyone to tap into an unlimited supply of "life force energy" to improve health and enhance the quality of life,” “The word Rei as it is used in Reiki is more accurately interpreted to mean *supernatural* knowledge or spiritual consciousness. This is the wisdom that comes from God or the Higher Self. This is the God-Consciousness which is all knowing. It understands each person completely. It knows the cause of all problems and difficulties and knows what to do to heal them.”

Sources: Well, I had them down at one point, but I got rid of them when I removed my footnote references by mistake. Anywho, they come from Reiki advocacy Websites.

Manifest moral evil: Evil that is clearly apparent or obvious to the mind or senses.

Pertinent Church Teaching [italics are added emphasis]:

Genuine charisms of the Holy Spirit are “ordered [to the Church’s] building up;” and are considered as gifts given—not skills; and all charisms are discerned by and submitted to “the Church’s shepherds.”

“799: Whether extraordinary or simple and humble, charisms are graces of the Holy Spirit which directly or indirectly benefit the Church, ordered as they are to her building up, to the good of men, and to the needs of the world.

800: Charisms are to be accepted with gratitude by the person who receives them and by all members of the Church as well. They are a wonderfully rich grace for the apostolic vitality and for the holiness of the entire Body of Christ, provided they really are genuine gifts of the Holy Spirit and are used in full conformity with authentic promptings of this same Spirit, that is, in keeping with charity, the true measure of all charisms.

801: It is in this sense that discernment of charisms is always necessary. No charism is exempt from being referred and submitted to the Church’s shepherds. ‘Their office [is] not indeed to extinguish the Spirit, but to test all things and hold fast to what is good,’ so that all the diverse and complementary charisms work together ‘for the common good.’”

Occult practices conceal a desire for power, contradict the love of God alone, and are not justified by health-seeking or cure-seeking variants. All of these are called “superstition.”

“2116: …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.

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 own part warns the faith against it. Recourse to so-called traditional cures does not justify either powers or the exploitation of another’s credulity.”

“2138: Superstition is a departure from the worship that we give to the true God. It is manifested in idolatry, as well as in various forms of divination and magic.”

Authentic Christian healing is characterized by “inviting belief,” in being granted “to those who turn to him in faith,” by “strengthening faith” and by “bearing witness.” Genuine acts of Christ are ordered towards freeing “men from the greatest slavery, sin.” Miraculous healing is always inextricably intertwined with faith, and with the remission of sins.

“548: The signs worked by Jesus attest that the Father has sent him. They invite belief in him. To those who turn to him in faith, he grants what they ask. So miracles strengthen faith in the One who does his Father’s works; they bear witness that he is the Son of God. But his miracles can also be the occasions for “offense; they are not intended to satisfy people’s curiosity or desire for magic. Despite his evident miracles some people rejected Jesus; he is even accused of acting by the power of demons.

549: By freeing some individuals from the earthly evils of hunger, injustice, illness, and death, Jesus performed messianic signs. Nevertheless he did not come to abolish all evils here below, but to free men from the greatest slavery, sin, which thwarts them in their vocation as God’s sons and causes all forms of human bondage.”

“2616: Prayer to Jesus is answered by him already during his ministry, through signs that anticipate the power of his death and Resurrection: Jesus hears the prayer of faith, expressed in words (the leper, Jairus, the Canaanite woman, the good thief) or in silence (the bearers of the paralytic, the woman with a hemorrhage who touches his clothes, the tears and ointment of the sinful woman). The urgent request of the blind men, ‘Have mercy on us, Son of David’ or ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ has been renewed in the traditional prayer to Jesus known as the Jesus Prayer: ‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’ Healing infirmities or forgiving sins, Jesus always responds to a prayer offered in faith: ‘Your faith has made you well; go in peace.’”

The sacraments of Penance and Anointing of the Sick contain in themselves the fullness of Grace for the purpose of human healing, and never so at the exclusion of authentic spiritual healing consisting not only in ease of mind but more essentially of the remission of sins.

“1421: The Lord Jesus Christ, physician of our souls and bodies, who forgave the sins of the paralytic and restored him to bodily health, has willed that his Church continue, in the power of the Holy Spirit, his work of healing and salvation, even among her own members. This is the purpose of the two sacraments of healing: the sacrament of Penance and the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick.”

“1468: ‘The whole power of the sacrament of Penance consists in restoring us to God’s grace and joining us with him in an intimate friendship.’ Reconciliation with God is thus the purpose and effect of this sacrament.”

The sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is always mindful of the special value of suffering, whereby people “[unite] themselves to the Passion and death of Christ,” or in their subsequent maturation, provoking “a search for God and a return to him.”

“1499: ‘By the sacred anointing of the sick and the prayer of the priests the whole Church commends those who are ill to the suffering and glorified Lord. That he may raise them up and save them. And indeed she exhorts them to contribute to the good of the People of God by freely uniting themselves to the Passion and death of Christ.’”

“1501: Illness can lead to anguish, self-absorption, sometimes even despair and revolt against God. It can also make a person more mature, helping him discern in his life what is not essential so that he can turn toward that which is. Very often illness provokes a search for God and a return to him.”

But once again, physical healing and reconciliation are inextricably intertwined.

“1503: Christ’s compassion toward the sick and his many healings of every kind of infirmity are a resplendent sign that ‘God has visited his people’ and that the Kingdom of God is close at hand. Jesus has the power not only to heal, but also to forgive sins; he has come to heal the whole man, soul and body; he is the physician the sick have need of…

1504: Often Jesus asks the sick to believe. He makes use of signs to heal: spittle and the laying on of hands, mud and washing. The sick try to touch him, ‘for power came forth from him and healed them all.’ And so in the sacraments Christ continues to ‘touch’ us in order to heal us.”

However, in all things, the “victory over sin and death” takes precedence.

“1505: …But he did not heal all the sick. His healings were signs of the coming of the Kingdom of God. They announced a more radical healing: the victory over sin and death through his Passover…”

Interestingly, the authenticity of Christian mystical healing is signified by its sometimes refusing to “work,” not for a failure on part of the healer or the recipient, but merely as a reflection of God’s will.

“1508: The Holy Spirit gives to some a special charism of healing so as to make manifest the power of the grace of the risen Lord. But even the most intense prayers do not always obtain the healing of all illnesses. This St. Paul must learn from the Lord that ‘my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness,’ and that the sufferings to be endured can mean that ‘in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his Body, that is, the Church.’”

Some questions for Christian Reiki practitioners:

1. Is Reiki ordered towards the “building up of the Church”?

2. Is Reiki a gift given by the Holy Spirit, or a practiced skill attainable by all by their own volition?

3. Are your “shepherds” (Bishops) in full knowledge and consent of your practice of Reiki?

4. Can you derive the sense of value of the Reiki you practice exclusively by its results?

5. Is Reiki a power that you control?

6. Does Reiki purport to “control or forecast natural events, effects, or forces by invoking the supernatural”? Does Reiki have “distinctive qualities that produce unaccountable or baffling effects”? Can Reiki be described as “seemingly requiring more than human power; imposing or startling in performance; producing effects which seem supernatural or very extraordinary; having extraordinary properties”? (These are the definitions of ‘magic’)

7. Does a Reiki treatment involve invitation of the patient to belief in Christ?

8. Does it require a plea based on faith in Christ?

9. Does it bear witness to the Gospel?

10. Is Reiki ordered towards freeing the recipient from the bondage of sin?

11. Does Reiki teach that there is any value in suffering, any participation in selfless love or unconditional giving?

12. Can Reiki help to bring about a “victory over sin and death”?

13. Is Reiki guaranteed to work given that all the measurable conditions are in place?

-- Skoobouy (skoobouy@hotmail.com), December 11, 2002

Answers

Footnote: The line beginning with the words "The sacraments of Penance and Anointing of the Sick contain in themselves" should be bold; it is my authorship and not a quote of the Catechism.

-- Skoobouy (skoobouy@hotmail.com), December 11, 2002.

Great job, Skoobouy!
I have added a link to this thread at the bottom of the original Reiki thread, so that visitors there may see your serious theological analysis here.
JFG

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), December 14, 2002.

i hope this is a response space for the reiki/healing/jesus web information, if not, sorry.

healing energy is all around us and is a divine gift that is for us all.

healing energy has been called many things over history today one of the methods used to access this energy is called Reiki.

the reiki master studies how to access/connect to the energy and becomes only a channel to let the energy come down and work on the students or patient.

the reiki master is a master and tool in all this because of the intent to "connect".

reiki education tells us that originally Dr. Usui in Japan was asked by one of his students how did Jesus heal. he meditated and prayed about this until he was enlightened and shown a series of symbols that represented how to anchor the energy of healing here on earth.

even thought reiki is open to all religions and belief systems it is based on how Jesus healed. John 14-12, "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me, can do the same miracles I have done, and even greater things than these will you do."

we all are still learning and there is room to expand our knowledge from the dark ages. reiki is a light that gives of a vision of what tomorrow can be.

-- cindy lee (libertybelle7@hotmail.com), March 09, 2003.


The passage you quoted, John 14:12, is the very reason why methods like Reiki healing are not of God. When Jesus said "anyone who has faith in ME", He was emphasizing that He alone is the one in whom we place our faith, not in methods or systems or "series of symbols that represented how to anchor the energy of healing here on earth". All of these approaches are violations of the first commandment. They are false gods - sources which people look to and place their faith in, INSTEAD of in God. The fact that such methods are "open to all religions and belief systems" stands as clear evidence that it is not of God, or compatible with His teaching, which is NOT open to all belief systems, but insists on belief in the TRUTH.

-- Paul (PaulCyp@cox.net), March 09, 2003.

Skooby's words (from the Catechism of the Catholic Church) bear repeating:

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 own part warns the faith against it. Recourse to so-called traditional cures does not justify either powers or the exploitation of another’s credulity.”

Jesus didn't "train" to heal others; Those healed by Him did not need to come back for a re-check; Jesus healed body and soul; He did not charge for healing. These are just a few differences between Christ's healing and reiki.

The biggest difference, of course, is that Christ's healing came from God.

Reiki healing does not invoke God at all, but rather channels "energy" or power from some other source. The "energy" has an intelligence all its own, and goes where it will. The reiki practitioner has no control over it, except to pass it on.

Reiki practitioners all use the same Bible quote as the one cited above by cindy lee, when trying to woo Christians. They also all chant the same mantra, "reiki can do no harm."

Yes, it can.

Beware. http://www.crossveil.org/page9.html

Pax Christi.

-- Anna <>< (Flower@youknow.com), March 10, 2003.



I have no answer, but a question? Reiki as I understand it deals with Chi. I am an acupuncturist and use the concept of Chi in my practice to help my patients, would you consider this "New Age?" Is oriental medicine in your opinion in the same category as other occult practices? Would you consider having acupuncture for low back pain? Thnk you for your reply. PHS

-- Dr. Paul H. Stuetzer (drpaul@cybermesa.com), April 28, 2003.

Jmj

Hello, Dr. Stuetzer.

You stated: "Reiki as I understand it deals with Chi. I am an acupuncturist and use the concept of Chi in my practice to help my patients, would you consider this 'New Age?' Is oriental medicine in your opinion in the same category as other occult practices? Would you consider having acupuncture for low back pain? Thank you for your reply."

If you are a Christian, and if you practice "non-Western" techniques without involving elements of any "Eastern" religion, then there is nothing immoral in using them. If the only way to use something like acupuncture is to involve some non-Christian religious elements, then it should be avoided. I know too little about acupuncture to know whether the legitimate "medicine" therein [if there is any] can be divorced from the "religion" therein [if there is any] -- but you would know.

On the other forum thread on Reiki, one of our excellent "regulars" here, Anna, wrote in February:
"[T]he Vatican has ... come out with a statement on the New Age, and although reiki practitioners claim that this practice is derived from ancient practices, many aspects of it could be categorized as New Age. The philosophy behind reiki is 'pantheistic,' while Catholicism (and Christianity) is 'monotheistic.' Pantheism is the belief that 'everything is God, that the world is God, or that the development of the world is the development of God' (Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 285). Monotheism is the belief that there is One True God. In reiki, the 'universal life force' (or qi, ki, chi) is drawn from the earth or atmosphere, through the reiki practitioner, and channeled into the recipient (or 'patient.') This channeling of energy [allegedly] brings about a physical change in the patient. Some reiki practitioners will call this 'universal life force,' 'God.' [Catechism] paragraph 2117 condemns this practice, even if it is being used to restore one's health. Try a bit of research at www.crossveil.com, which explains reiki far better than I ever could. A former reiki practitioner, now Catholic, describes reiki in detail." [Thanks, Anna.]

God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), April 29, 2003.


Thanks, John, for your response.

I've been away from this forum for just a couple days.

I don't claim to be well versed in reiki or the new age, but I can tell you of an experience of someone dear to me who received reiki treatments to alleviate migraine headaches.

She ultimately came to the conclusion that if some unknown supernatural force or power other than the power of Christ was being used by the practitioner to alleviate her pain, she'd rather live with the migraines and offer them up for the poor souls in purgatory!

We can actually sometimes benefit ourselves or others spiritually by our physical sufferings. Not all means of alleviating physical sufferings are "spiritually good" for us.

Pax Christi. <><

-- Anna <>< (flower@youknow.com), April 30, 2003.


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