Nuns Doing Reiki?

[takebacktonight]

This kind of goes along with saintwannabe's question about energy healing and stuff.

I know of a very old, very sweet sister that belongs to a 'healing circle' and does reiki. I won't post the congregation out of respect for them.

I think I know the answer, but, is this allowed? If it's not, then why is she permitted to keep doing it?

[Thy Geekdom Come]

Unfortunately, many religious and clergy members who are now in their later years were drawn into new age practices several decades ago, which is why the problems are so common even now, when those who were once young and susceptible are now in charge of parishes and religious congregations. This, however, does not make them any less "nice" or "friendly." In most cases, we must assume (and in all cases, we must hope) that they have been honestly deceived by these practices and are not aware of the evil in which they may be participating.

By the way, this is not meant to imply that this problem is in any way exclusive to religious and clergy (many lay people are just as involved in the new age) and we also have many clergy and religious who live out authentic spirituality.

God bless,

Micah

[cappie]

US bishops: Reiki is dangerous, superstitious
March 27, 2009

In a document released March 25, the Committee on Doctrine of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops blasted Reiki, a practice developed in Japan in the late nineteenth century that has gained acceptance in some Catholic retreat centers and other institutions.

After distinguishing between natural medicine and supernatural healing effected by Christ, the bishops conclude:

Reiki therapy finds no support either in the findings of natural science or in Christian belief. For a Catholic to believe in Reiki therapy presents insoluble problems. In terms of caring for one's physical health or the physical health of others, to employ a technique that has no scientific support (or even plausibility) is generally not prudent.

In terms of caring for one's spiritual health, there are important dangers. To use Reiki one would have to accept at least in an implicit way central elements of the worldview that undergirds Reiki theory, elements that belong neither to Christian faith nor to natural science.

Without justification either from Christian faith or natural science, however, a Catholic who puts his or her trust in Reiki would be operating in the realm of superstition, the no-man's-land that is neither faith nor science. Superstition corrupts one's worship of God by turning one's religious feeling and practice in a false direction. While sometimes people fall into superstition through ignorance, it is the responsibility of all who teach in the name of the Church to eliminate such ignorance as much as possible.

Since Reiki therapy is not compatible with either Christian teaching or scientific evidence, it would be inappropriate for Catholic institutions, such as Catholic health care facilities and retreat centers, or persons representing the Church, such as Catholic chaplains, to promote or to provide support for Reiki therapy.

The bishops add, “Some forms of Reiki teach of a need to appeal for the assistance of angelic beings or ‘Reiki spirit guides.’ This introduces the further danger of exposure to malevolent forces or powers.”

[url="http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2009/09-067.shtml"]http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2009/09-067.shtml[/url]