New Age, Energy Healing and Christianity

I received an email from someone asking me about BodyTalk, one of the two primary modalities I use in my healing practice. She was interested in taking BodyTalk but, as a practicing Christian, wanted to be sure it was not of “New Age thinking.” I attempted to get her to give me a more exact question, but she couldn’t other than wanting to avoid “New Age.”

After much thought I sent her a response: “Many people fit BodyTalk easily into their Christian faith.

Jesus laid hands on people to bring healing…except for the time he healed long distance…and then there was the time he made a paste of mud with his spit to heal the blind man… which I’ve never tried .

When I begin Body Talk and connect with the person on my table, I take a moment and say a silent prayer.” I then told her to pray about it and then make her decision.

There is a deep fear on the part of the majority of Christians of the energy modalities which have become prevalent in the last few decades. They believe that energy work is a tool of the devil and will lead someone away from Christ.

I know numerous people who profess to be active Christians and use modalities such as BodyTalk, PSYCH-K, Healing Touch, Pranic Healing, The Reconnection, Matrix Energetics, Reiki… and I could continue the list for I don’t know how long.

These Christian people find themselves more in touch with God and with their faith than before they began this new work of theirs. They see themselves as continuing the healing ministry of Jesus.

Jesus was conscious of the need for healing. Although he attempted to reserve it for “the children of Israel,” he relented when the Canaanite woman implored him to heal her daughter by saying, “… even little dogs eat scraps which fall from the Master’s table.” (Matthew 15:22-28).

The Christian Gospels show Jesus healing many people in various ways, almost always by laying hands upon them. Mark 16:18 has him saying, “… they will place their hands on sick people and they will get well.”

The energy modalities I’ve mentioned above all use some form of laying hands upon the ill or distant healing. When it is done in the name of Jesus, you can certainly say that it is Christian based.

But are these forms of facilitating wholeness in the body “good” if they are used by those who do not profess a belief in the one once known as Yeshua bar Joseph? As contained in Luke 9:50, “Do not stop him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”

No matter what the religious persuasion of someone using BodyTalk, s/he has the deep desire to facilitate balance within their client, thus allowing the body to naturally repair itself. Their purpose is from the heart. How can that be wrong no matter what you call it?



Source by Cathy Chapman, Ph.D.