|
Reiki
Apr 3, 2009 13:48:37 GMT -5
Post by kirstymca on Apr 3, 2009 13:48:37 GMT -5
Hi Guys, I was wondering if anyone knew anything about Reiki. I know a lady who's doing some training in it, and I don't know much about it.
She said it's not connected to a specific religion, but looking it up, it certainly appears to be spiritual in some sense (though whether literally spiritual in a biblical sense I don't know. It could just be a different way of describing things. After all, people in some cultures consider western medicine to be 'magic')
I thought this was a good place to ask, because there might be someone who could answer from a real Christian perspective - but also people would be open-minded enough not to say "it doesn't fit in with our modern western way of thinking, therefore must be inherently evil"!
Thanks KIRSTY
|
|
|
Reiki
Apr 3, 2009 16:53:37 GMT -5
Post by Teskas on Apr 3, 2009 16:53:37 GMT -5
Hello, Kirstymca.
Reiki is a form of massage/manipulation developed in Japan. It's origins lie in Chinese theories of anatomy. According to Chinese medicine, there are points all over the body through which energy flows. Total health allows the free flow of energy through these points, and ill-health follows from damages or blocks of the points. The Chinese theory actually originated from India and was brought to China when Buddhists, escaping persecution in India, took their spiritual theories with them to China. The ultimate origin of Reiki is Hindu religious beliefs from which the Buddhists borrowed. In Hindu health theory, there are certain areas of the body, with definable points, where specific spiritual energy flows. These areas are governed by various gods, and healing involves, among other things, the work of these gods in the body.
I've been in the Christian healing ministry quite some time, and conferred with many different leading ministers. The issues of these Oriental alternative healing methods have been discussed on several occasions. The general consensus seems to be that the origins of many of these "alternative medicine" techniques, such a Reiki, should be avoided. The two main reasons with respect to Reiki are: (1) it cannot escape it pagan origins because of the theory it operates out of; (2) it involves the laying on of hands, often by non-Christian practitioners. I know practitioners of Reiki say it isn't particular to any one religion, but they continually speak of "spiritual" energy. The problem is, whose spirit? The practice of Reiki can easily open a portal for the entry of several types of evil spirit.
I believe there are godly Christian physiotherapists and masseurs who help a patient or client on a physical level and also pray over them as they perform their work. I admit they are hard to find, but they are around. They are properly trained in the Christian healing ministry and work under a proper Christian pastoral oversight.
I don't want to sound sensational, but laying on of hands is a fraught business. No one should be doing it who is not spiritually mature. And certainly no one should do it without a solid wall of prayer protection and pastoral oversight.
There are a lot of neat things in the world, but, personally, I wouldn't touch Reiki with a barge pole.
|
|
|
Reiki
Apr 4, 2009 7:11:41 GMT -5
Post by kirstymca on Apr 4, 2009 7:11:41 GMT -5
Thanks Teksas, that was the kind of info I was looking for.
The lady I'm talking about isn't a Christian, and we don't really talk about spiritual things much, but hopefully I'll get some opportunity.
One 'good' thing is that she feels the teacher doesn't respect her enough as a person (and respecting others is an important part of Reiki) but because she has a disability and that will look good on the statistics!
So I need to ask God to help me live in such a way that she can see the real difference Jesus makes.
|
|
|
Reiki
Apr 20, 2009 22:52:01 GMT -5
Post by mongoose on Apr 20, 2009 22:52:01 GMT -5
Get grounded in the word, also, before you go into conversations about comparative philosophies, or spiritual beliefs, or whatever. Few things are as hurtful to us as to go into such conversations thinking we're secure and know the answers, and ending up being the mop with which the other party cleans the floor, because we really don't know all that much after all. It's a good remedy for pride in ourselves, but I'd much rather humble myself before hand than be humbled by a non-believer who's more knowledgeable than me. Remember, we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against all kinds of evilness that's in the world around us. To battle those things we take on the armor of the Lord, which, when you take a good look at it, all comes down to knowing and believing the Word of God.
As you learn the Word of God, and spend more time with Him, he changes you to become more like Him. You start to think and feel and act and talk like Him. So when you're faced with someone saying, "This is good," or "This is the truth," you're able to discern whether or not they're right. That's why the Bible says that the Word of the Lord is sharper than any two edged sword. . . discerning the matters of the heart. Also it says that when our minds are renewed by the washing of the Word, we will be able to rightly discern what the will of God is (Romans 12, I think, on that one.)
We can read everything out there on forums, in books, or wherever about apologetics, philosophy, theology, doctrine, etc. We'll learn lots of views that will differ from each other, and all will seem right and good until we find something else that disagrees with them. But what it all comes down to is whether or not we know God, and His Word, and whether or not we're living in the Spirit.
|
|
|
Reiki
May 1, 2009 14:28:30 GMT -5
Post by kirstymca on May 1, 2009 14:28:30 GMT -5
Thanks, Mongoose - very good advice. I rely on myself way too much. KIRSTY
|
|