Reiki "Masters" [Q&A] From: David Loffer July 27, 1996 Greetings, I was hoping you would be able to help me to determine what a Ricki master or Raiki master is. Have you ever heard of this term? I have a friend who says she is a raiki master, but I am curious as to what this is. It sounds Hindu or some such. Would you know who I could write that may know if you do not? Thanks for the help From: Russ Lipton I know a little about this, but not a lot. My understanding is that it is a semi-occult Japanese religious practice that claims to have some vague Christian roots or affiliation. I don't know enough details to speak intelligently about it, unfortunately. I would caution you not to become involved with it in any form. What else has your friend said about it? From: Dave Loffer (Russ Lipton comments interspersed) July 29, 1996 Thanks for the letter in answer to my inquiry about the Raiki master. Actually, it is my friend who knows this person who claimed she was a Raiki master so I guess I am not so close to the situation as they, but these people are our friends and have told me some about this woman.They said that she claims to be a christian and believes in Jesus as Saviour, but speaks of so much more that there is "that we just don't know." From: Russ Lipton > Yes, as I mentioned, there are some pseudo-Christian claims that they > make. As you yourself are picking up on by your quote, whenever > anyone says that, what they are really saying is that the Holy Spirit > and the scriptures aren't enough, but they have access to the REAL, > secret, true knowledge. > Any sensible Christian realizes right away > that this is dead wrong. It is core to our entire faith (and > spiritual experience) that there are no "secrets" that are not > accessible to the simplest child of God by the Spirit. She seems to possess the ability of healing and has spoken about this, but the healing is not assocated with the Holy Spirit, that I can tell, but is rather due to the power which she has as a Raiki master. > Undoubtedly. I thank you for your warning to have no close contact with this person and I have not, but I have been trying to gather as much information about this as possible because of my friends and their developing friendship with this couple. They do not feel any real reason to refrain from contact since these people have told them they were christians, but there could be a very real reason to distance themselves from such who would link the word christian with the power of Satan. > I would try to help your friends deeply understand this matter of > "secret" and "open" knowledge and spirituality. Also, in > Christianity, spirituality is experienced corporately, that is, > through Christ revealed in totality in His Body . . . . where the > least important members are, in His divine sight, the most important. > This spirit is utterly lacking from other ways, including Reiki. > Again, what "knowledge", "power" or "spirit" do we lack from > everything given in Scripture and through Christ by His Spirit that > we need separately and uniquely from "Reiki"? Put another way, if it > adds nothing, why is it so special and necessary? And if it adds > something not ENTIRELY given in scripture, then why would any > Christian dare entrust themselves to it? > Finally, the breathing and other exercises are expressly designed to > open up the human spirit to other spirits, though the Reiki people > will either not tell you this or they will reinterpret it as > something "scientific" or "wise and Eastern." It is indeed wise > (truly), but it is the wisdom of the serpent. > I'll be praying for you. > Russ