capacity to channelise universal energy. Usui placed Reiki under the system of natural healing which he began to reveal from then on. In this way he established the Usui Reiki Risho Gakkai in Tokyo, where he established initiation ceremonies for is disciples. 67.
In its initial stage Reiki emerges as a sect (Universal Vital Energy) which is later brought to the West (not secularized fully) as a curative practice. Then in 1980 the American International Reiki Association is instituted, contributing to its diffusion in Western countries. The same name, Reiki, is used by the Usui sect as well as for the practice of ‘alternative or complementary therapy’, from which springs the confusion among many. Similarly to other Eastern Masters, Usui redefines some ethical principles of Confucianism and other Asian traditions. Actually, there exist many diverse schools and systems of training for Reiki, as a result of the natural adaptations that the original version went through upon arriving in the West. This is the reason why it is difficult to speak of one unique Reiki system. Because there may exist Reiki Masters who teach it in fidelity to Mikao Usui, having no intentions of deceiving anyone, Christians cannot ignore the doctrinal incompatibility of its doctrines with the Christian faith, though it may present itself as harmless therapy. It is well known how difficult it is to delineate the borderline between the therapeutic and the spiritual in eastern disciplines. While defending works on the spirituality of the person, an implicit religious content is always included, though it may not be called religion. In general, which are the main elements of the cosmovision of Reiki which are incompatible with the Christian faith? In the first place, the cosmic dualism of Taoist origin, the theory of opposites (Yin-Yang) living in constant “spiritual warfare” against negative energies, from which one is safeguarded by protecting symbols (’shields’), amulets which promote a magic and superstitious mentality. On the other hand, in its writings there underlies a pantheism which reduces God to an energy which can be channelised if one concentrates and learns the techniques to do so. The syncretism is such that in its prayers to the “Father”, he is called “the Universal Superior Being” and the Holy Spirit is equated to “Ki” or “Chi”, that is to say, the energy permeating all which is received from the Universe, since God is no longer a person, but an energy which we can channelise. In some cases they resort to a pseudoscientific language to explain that we do not see God simply because he is an energy at another frequency level. This suffices to understand that they are very far from the Christian faith and steeped in the New Age. Similarly, some manuals of other Gnostic anthropologies speak of a “divine spark” trapped in our flesh and 90% of its adherents believe in reincarnation. Also, Jesus is called a great master healer who imposed hands and even funnily, propose him as a very ancient Reiki master. They include a doctrine about Jesus which disfigures his identity as Godmade-man and as unique Saviour, making him a healer among many. The Christian sense of the imposition of hands has nothing to do with the use they make of this gesture in Reiki. Suffice it to say that no one can call himself a Christian and have such a vision of God, of the world, of humanity and life after death. I have nothing against therapies of Japanese origin, but I always warm Catholics about the incompatibility of this doctrine that presents itself as a simple “therapy” with the Christian faith. Seeing that the world of new alternative therapies is so complex, how does one discern when it is distancing us from the Christian faith? Serious discernment is required with reference to the multitude of eastern disciplines imported to the West, since in the case that it may not be prejudicial in itself, it is important that one does not err in rejecting what is different just because it is unknown, nor giving naïve credence due to lack of a critical sense and adherence to the faith. The majority of Eastern disciplines brought to the west in the second half of the 20 th C (Yoga, Martial Arts, Zen Meditation, Tai Chi Chuan, Chi Kung, etc.) enjoy the beneficial healing testimonies received by those who practice them. That is because when practiced in a well purified content and with serious discernment, it is not a problem for a Christian to practice any one of them, except when it includes the learning of doctrinal and spiritual elements. An actual difficulty is that many of these are being reinvested with esoteric spiritualities promoted by New Age. One has to discern case by case and an important “vaccine” for good discernment is a deep experience of faith in Jesus Christ and solid Christian formation. The North American bishops have declared the scientific invalidity of Reiki. What is your opinion in this regard? Clearly it has no scientific validation, as well as many other therapies imported from the East, and much less do those pseudo-therapies promoted by the New Age. I believe a dangerous situation is brought about when a person abandons medical treatment in order to immerse himself in endless strange therapies with no scientific validation. One of the problems brought about by some Reiki masters is the promise of total healing, which obviously is not true. Reiki contradicts all advances made in the medical field. It presumes to find the cause for all that is bad in the energetic, spiritual and psycho-somatic imbalances. In this sense, there is a lot of dogmatism, lack of seriousness, discernment and honesty in this type of affirmations. The so called “complementary therapies”, among which Reiki is included, enjoy good propaganda, but not all are equally serious and are not always as effective as promised. It is true that traditional medicine has not opened itself too much toward new paradigms in its field, but it is also true that today anyone can proclaim himself “therapist” and one does not know of what discipline, where he graduated from, nor if anything he says is true. With all the scientific advances and the presence of new forms of uninstitutionalized religion it becomes difficult to draw conceptual limits, and thus, the border line between science, magic, the paranormal and the religious appears to be diluted in a gnostic magma. Many are confused by the misinformation that exists with regard to this topic. You are from Uruguay. What is the situation like in your country?