COUNTERFEIT SPIRITUALITY: Exposing the False Gods

by Bryan Mercier

Dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ for his kingdom and his glory

Nihil Obstat & Imprimatur

Preface – Spotting the Fakes

begins with knowing the real thing

counterfeit spirituality leads souls astray and brings with it many bad consequences.

How can we know the difference? . . . Thankfully God has bestowed marvelous gifts:

His Son, Jesus Christ

The Catholic Church

The Bible

False spirituality . . . camouflages itself in many disguises

The Devil mixes lies with truth, and this can make discernment difficult

Chapter 1 – What is truth?

all truth comes from God

Jesus came to teach us the fullness of truth

anything that is contrary to Jesus and his word cannot be truth and therefore is not from heaven

Jesus warned against false prophets who would arise and preach a different message from his

the counterfeit “Jesus” allows people to pray at home instead of attending Mass on Sundays, or to follow their consciences even when their consciences lead them to go against the Bible or the Church. According to the counterfeit “Jesus”, it is better to live and let live than to enforce rules and teach the Church’s doctrines

We must be cautious of the counterfeit “Jesus” whose only command is to practice a subjective, feelings-based love. This is not the true, self-sacrificial love that Christ requires, but rather a vague feeling of benevolence toward creation that seeks to supersede God’s commandments and teachings. In other words, counterfeit spiritualities decide for themselves what “truth” they choose to follow and what “truth” they wish to ignore

Follow Jesus and his truth, and your soul will be kept safe on the road to eternity. Anyone who promises to lead you by an easier or faster path than that which Christ has mapped out is a counterfeit

Chapter 2 – The New Age Problem

New Age spirituality blends many non-Christian religions

the goal of the New Age spirituality is to provide special spiritual knowledge (gnosis)

New Age proposes that we can save ourselves through various beliefs and techniques.

built on Hindu and Buddhist philosophies . . .

Monism = universal oneness (a Hindu concept)

Pantheism = everything is divine

Terms to be aware of:

Divinization

Ultimate Reality

Brahman

God-consciousness

Christ-consciousness

God-realization

God-essence

The True Self

Chapter 3 – The Law of Attraction

New Age spirituality and beliefs pull from multiple religions, including even the occult

New Age spirituality teaches that there is no Devil, no evil, and no right and wrong

this belief contradicts Jesus, who made it clear that evil is real, and that both sin and hell exist

Another belief that follows from monism and pantheism is the Law of Attraction, also known as the Human Potential Movement. According to this brief, our minds are all-powerful

The Law of Attraction takes a basic truth (that it is good for us to think positively) and twists it into a deceptive lie ; the Law of Attraction reverses the Christian prayer “thy will be done” into “my will be done”. Was this not the first temptation by the Devil?

other problems include blaming victims for the sufferings they experience. This worldview is incredibly dangerous, and not at all rooted in the true teachings of Jesus Christ.

Jesus commands us to pick up our crosses daily and serve

Remember, we are not God and never will be

Chapter 4 – Astrology and the Occult

The term “occult” pertains to knowledge of secret, paranormal or supernatural powers, which include Wicca and witchcraft, magic, Ouija boards, fortune-telling, seances, divination, astrology, tarot cards, crystals, and any other spiritual practices that attempt to foresee the future, contact the dead, or take part in paranormal activity not from God. These things can be harmful to our lives and dangerous to our immortal souls.

The occult:

Why do people fall into the occult?

Curiosity

Fallen away from the Faith

Ignorance

A catastrophe in their lives

Magicians

Lack of good catechesis

What can be involved?

Horoscopes

Palm readers

Card readers

Necromancy

Pendulum

Psychics

Mediums

deadly for our souls.

All these bonds must be severed completely

the First Commandment states, “You shall have no other gods before me.” {Ex 20:3}

God alone sees the past, present, and future, every moment in perfect clarity. God alone knows all things

The Bible states, “There shall not be found among you any one … who practices divination, a soothsayer, or an augur, or a sorcerer, or a charmer, or a medium, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord, . . .” {Dt 18:10-12}

The Catechism of the Catholic Church also warns us against these . . . “All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to ‘unveil’ the future. Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomenon of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums, all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conceal hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone.” {CCC 2116}

Astrology:

The goal of astrology is to foretell the future

Pagan roots

Contradicts God’s omnipotence and our free will

Don’t confuse astrology (not true science) with astronomy (true science)

the illegitimacy of astrology and horoscopes

“There are no good spirits other than angels ; there are no evil spirits other than demons. … The souls of those who die go immediately to heaven or to hell or to purgatory. The souls of the dead present during seances or the souls of the dead who are present in living bodies to torture them are none other than demons.” – Fr. Gabriele Amorth, exorcist

God is victorious! He is infinitely stronger than the Devil, who is a mere fallen angel, . . . But the Devil is far more powerful than we humans are, and if we place ourselves in his grasp, he has no mercy. This is why the safest path in life is to remain close to our Savior, Jesus Christ, who conquered Satan and all of hell. Throughout Scripture, Christ cast out demons with just a word. In the end, God alone will reign supreme in power, glory, and divine majesty. He desires us to join him in the light, but we must remain faithful and follow him.

There can be no Christian psychics or mediums, as these practices are condemned in the Bible.

Counterfeit spiritual powers are not gifts. They always carry a price and possibly the loss of heaven

This can be particularly confusing because the Holy Spirit gives charismatic gifts that may seem similar to psychic powers. These charisms include prophecy, words of wisdom, and words of knowledge. The Holy Spirit will sometimes reveal to people with these gifts hidden things about others, or he might impart particular words that they need to hear. He does this in order to help, guide, or bring healing to their lives

Christians can be open to the true gifts of heaven if they follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit and seek to do God’s will with all their hearts. These gifts must be used in the right way and for the right reasons, however: they should bring us closer to God and should be used for our good and the good of other people. A good Christian does not make a show of the gifts of God or charge money for them. These gifts bring us closer to Jesus and his Church, whereas a dark power of false counterfeit has the opposite effect

No matter how steeped in New Age or occult practices (from dabbling to full practice) someone may be, the path back is always the same: prayer, repentance, and following Jesus with all one’s heart. Anyone, at any time, can return to the Lord of heaven and earth – it is never too late [this side of death]. The more we give ourselves over to the light, the less darkness has a hold on us. This goes for all Christians, and for anyone wishing to live for God and avoid evil

Thankfully, the Church provides us with many aids to stay away from occult practices, and the power of the evil one. The best way to draw close to God is through prayer and the sacraments, especially confession and the Eucharist. Confession is known as 1 of the 2 sacraments of healing. In this powerful sacrament, God’s mercy, love, and healing are poured out in abundance on those who repent. Only our Lord can restore the pieces of our lives that are broken, lost, or in need of transformation. Only he can write straight with the crooked lines we make, and only he can give us back our wasted time with new, abundant life. Seek him and stay close to him each day

the Rosary is extremely powerful, as is the St. Michael prayer as is reading the Bible [especially the New Testament], the lives of the saints, and solid Catholic books

Chapter 5 – Yoga

intertwined with Hindu spirituality

What about yoga for exercise?

The majority of . . . stretches were borrowed, appropriated, and synthesized from other physical fitness and strengthening regimes [sic]. Specifically, they were taken from “primitive gymnastics” and later Danish gymnastics, YMCA fitness programs, calisthenics, Indian wrestling, Western body-building, women’s harmonial gymnastics, and more. In other words, the principal postures and stretches that many assume came from yoga did not originate with yoga, but derive from Western influence, mostly in Europe and Great Britain, emerging in the mid-1800s to kid-1900s.

a person who merely performs postures or stretches is not practicing yoga ; since these modern-day postures and stretches did not originate w/ yoga, and they existed long before their incorporation into yoga, the exercises themselves are not problematic for Christians to practice on their own.

The takeaway from this is that the exercises themselves are neutral and existed long before yoga teachers ever began to incorporate them into spiritual practices.

The problem arises when the exercises are performed in conjunction with spiritual beliefs and adherences. Yoga itself is not exercises. It is a system of spirituality with many beliefs and practices that are incompatible with Christianity. These include:

Universal energy

Chakras

Karma

Reincarnation

Kundalini

Chanting

Meditation

The third eye

Universal Oneness

Connection with your Self (considered a divine Self)

Connection to the Universe

etc.

The physical exercises alone may be neutral, but the practice of yoga, which is spiritual, is something no Christian may take part in. If you choose to utilize the exercises alone, that is fine, but realize that you are not practicing yoga.

larger problems loom in most yoga classes. The most obvious problems arise with those yoga teachers who view the spiritual aspects of yoga as indispensable. Christians obviously should not attend these classes.

Care should be taken, however, even with yoga instructors who focus more on the fitness aspect. Many studios and online classes emphasize bodily health, physical fitness, and the reduction in stress, yet many teachers unknowingly promote spiritual ideologies or non-Christian beliefs that are inherent in yoga and conflict with Christians beliefs. Certain principles and practices have caught on in the West and are passed down into many local yoga studios, especially through the training that yoga instructors receive. . . . From there, they often pass down these teachings in some way . . . to their classes.

Fr. Gabriele Amorth and other exorcists strongly warn against participating in yoga, especially in the spiritual aspects, meditation, and beliefs . . . These practices can, and have, opened people up to demonic spirits. For this reason, Christians are wise to avoid yoga classes and studios, as they often contain these deeply problematic elements . . . Even yoga instructors who believe in God/Jesus do not usually succeed in completely removing the problematic and incompatible teachings associated with Hinduism or the New Age. In part, this is because they are not informed or catechized enough to do so effectively and do not recognize the Hindu or New Age influences that have been passed on to them. So, although they may attempt to lessen the spirituality of their classes, they often unintentionally keep certain spiritual or philosophical components that Christians should not take part in.

Although it may be tempting to attend classes anyway and simply ignore the spirituality, it is unwise and unnecessary to put yourself in that situation

First, you should never expose yourself to possible spiritual dangers

Second, as a Christian, you must beware of causing scandal (which is giving bad witness of Jesus Christ and/or the Catholic Faith by one’s words and/or behavior). This can be a serious sin.

Where does this leave us?

If you would like to do the physical stretches, strengthening, and conditioning in the comfort of your home, that is fine, as long as there is absolutely no spirituality involved

If you watch videos or use apps, carefully weed out the ones that have anything harmful or problematic attached to them. Find programs that focus only on the fitness aspect.

Furthermore, be very careful about the way you describe your exercising. Beware of telling people that you “do yoga”

. . . alternatives:

Pietra Fitness (a Catholic online workout studio that offers a full video library of workouts aimed at helping you grow stronger in mind, body, and soul as a Catholic.

WholyFit (an older but similar Christian program)

“Christian yoga” is a confusing term and not really yoga.

Because yoga cannot be Christianized, Christians who practice yoga, even holy yoga, are often heavily influenced by it without knowing it. I encourage you to stay away from anything called “yoga”. Enjoy alternative means of exercise, instead, and if you [only] practice the postures and stretches, do not call your exercise “yoga” because it’s not. If a practice is called “yoga”, it is best to avoid it

Chapter 6 – The Truth about Reiki

“Holistic health”

Healthier lifestyles

Healthy foods

Natural remedies

Spiritual practices

Many of these observances pose no problem to our faith.

Others do pose problems, such as:

Reiki and other forms of energy medicine, including:

Therapeutic Touch

Healing Touch

Hands of Light

Qigong

Reiki is a system of healing based on the belief that everything in the universe is made up of energy

Reiki is not scientific

the spirituality and belief system of Reiki derives from a Buddhist tradition that contains many beliefs incompatible with Christianity

A spiritual energy pervading the universe is said to have a mind of its own

Auras and energy fields

Relative, subjective, and contradictory

“Whatever feels right to you”

Reiki is not Christian

Energy medicine poses serious problems for Christians

Reiki masters make a number of claims that contradict the Bible and basic Christian beliefs, including:

“God is energy”

“Reiki energy comes directly from God”

“God is the universe”

“Reiki is compatible with every religion”

“Spirits on the other side can help guide the energy”

“Jesus was a Reiki master”

Differences between Reiki and Christianity:

The god that is posited by Reiki is vastly different from the Christian God

A Hindu and Buddhist concept

But Christians believe that, while God is present among us, he is not part of the universe in any way, and the universe is not a part of him

Different beliefs about what gives human beings life

Reiki posits the existence of a life-force energy

But Christians teach it is the soul [created by God] that is our spiritual life-giving principal

Differences regarding our Lord

In reality, Jesus is the only Son of God

He shares the same divine nature as God the Father

Thus he possesses the same infinite power as the Father

He healed by his own power as God

Alternatives to Reiki:

Counseling

Massage

Talking to a good friend

True Christian healing has nothing to do with energy. Just consider the miracles of the saints or genuine Christian healers today. In Jesus’s name, they heal people, help people, and sometimes even perform astounding miracles. Not all of these healings are immediate, but the fruit is undeniable, and the approach is in line with God and his teachings. Christians with the gift of healing do not just relieve stress or help people to become more calm or accept their circumstances. They offer real healing through Jesus Christ.

Good examples include:

Sr. Briege McKenna

Fr. Fernando Suarez

St. Andre Bessette

There may be a danger of evil infiltration. That is why we need extreme prudence.

Reiki/healing with energy are not from God and can even be from a demonic source.

Reiki has the possibility of opening you up to a demonic influence.

People can be pulled in by ignorance, lack of good catechesis, or a sincere desire to heal people but in the wrong manner

Reiki and the occult

There are many additional occult and New Age influences that are often part of Reiki practices, including:

Spirit guides

Talking to beings on “the other side”

The “higher Self”

Past-life regression

Psychic experience

Crystals

Secret knowledge

Healing symbols

Chakras

Past-life experiences

Psychic sensitivities

Other beings who attend the ceremony

Reiki proponents assert that there are no negative effects with the use of energy medicine. But exorcists disagree. Clearly this practice opens the way for a number of dangerous spiritual influences, including demonic activity.

Many who undergo Reiki complain of ill effects that range from feeling sick to demonic activity.

I have heard from numerous people who recount demonic activity, attacks, and other ill effects after they began Reiki.

Some practitioners who leave the practice of energy medicine also report needing demonic deliverance

Catholic bishops have outright condemned Reiki and do not allow Catholics to participate in it.

One cannot be a good Catholic and practice Reiki

Chapter 7 – Centering Prayer

Counterfeit spiritual practices may mimic authentic ones, looking and seeming the same, but they are not the real thing and will not bring us closer to God. This is the case with modern-day centering prayer, which looks like Christian prayer but is not.

It reflects a Hindu and Buddhist spirituality.

This is not Christianity but pantheism.

What is Christian prayer? Our Catholic Faith teaches that prayer is lifting our minds and hearts to God in love. It is our way to foster and cultivate a relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Prayer consists of talking to God and listening to him, meditating on him and reflecting on his Word, and through this, coming to know him on a deeper level. What is the goal of prayer? Love! Prayer consists of nothing less than a deep, intimate, personal, loving relationship with Almighty God, who is very much in love with each one of us. . . . Authentic prayer involves having a relationship with God, which means filling ourselves with him.

How can we tell the difference and avoid the counterfeit version of prayer?

We must begin by examining the acceptable and more ancient form of “centering” prayer practiced by many Eastern Catholics. In this practice, a person repeats The Jesus Prayer, which says: “Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner”. The person repeats this prayer many times throughout the day – while at work or at rest. (This is not dissimilar to the practice of choosing a daily Bible verse to repeat throughout the day.)

The modern-day centering-prayer movement has a very different goal. Its aim is not to fill the mind with God, but to empty the mind completely.

The focus is on emptying and more emptying, which is the opposite of the authentically Christian form of centering prayer.

The Vatican document “On Some Aspects of Christian Meditation” speaks to this: “Naturally we want to forget the world to concentrate solely on God, but the various emptying techniques don’t go this far. They stop at the emptying and the emptying becomes the goal.”

The Vatican released a document on the New Age movement and false spiritual beliefs, titled Jesus Christ, the Bearer of the Water of Life. This document specifically states that . . . “New Age mysticism is turning inwards on oneself rather than communion with God, who is ‘totally other’. It is fusion with the universe, an ultimate annihilation of the individual in the unity of the whole.” Moreover, “it is necessary in the first place to bear in mind that man is essentially a creature, and remains such for eternity, so that an absorbing of the human self into the divine self is never possible, not even in the highest states of grace.”

If our goal in prayer is to sit quiet ; y with all of our attention and focus on the presence of God in and around us, that is good.

But if the goal is to sit with a completely empty mind, a void, then we should reject this kind of prayer. Clearing your mind can be utilized as a preparation for prayer and meditation, but it should never be a substitution for prayer. Quieting our thoughts for prayer and trying to silence our wandering minds isa good thing. To rid our minds entirely of all words and thoughts, however, even ones that God offers, is a flawed method of prayer.

Remember, the bgoa of prayer is relationship.

Centering prayer is not contemplation

Contemplative prayer (or infused prayer, or prayer of the heart) is the deepest form of prayer, which leads to union with God. There are no shortcuts.

The great saints and holy mystics teach us that deep prayer comes only through holiness of life and a deepening of our relationship with God.

None of these experiences is the result of readings or reasoning – they are given, received.

His mind is entirely enraptured in God and/or in an awareness of his presence.

Great saints such as Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross, for example, teach us that we must sit before God for his sake, expecting nothing, demanding nothing.

God is found in silence, but not in emptiness.

Centering prayer and other such practices are “ultimately an appeal to one’s own ability to reach the divine”

Chapter 8 – A Maze of Confusion: The Enneagram and Labyrinths

The Enneagram

The Enneagram is a system based on different religious traditions, pseudo-psychology, and the occult. It is a “geometric figure that maps out “the 9 fundamental personality traits”

It is not hard psychological science, but rather focuses on occult spirituality and on the cosmos

There are a number of problems with the Enneagram for Catholics:

It’s steeped in the occult

Cabbala

Pagan spiritualism

Astrology

Zen

Shamanism

Psychedelic drugs, Native SAmerican spirituality

Hypnotism

Divination

Contacting spirits

Receiving instruction through “higher” spirits

For these reasons, Fr. Pacwa states that “Christians need to be aware of the enneagram’s occult origins so they can prevent occult traces from infecting their faith in Jesus Christ

Many sincere Christians attempt to utilize the Enneagram as a purely psychological tool, but the Enneagram’s psychological aspects cannot be divorced from its occultic origins

Contrary to the Catholic Faith, when the Enneagram is used in “Catholic” circles, practitioners teach that the Devil is not Satan, but a person’s ego, while hell means “living in the ego”. The goal of the Enneagram, even in “Catholic” settings, is to move out of the deadly sins and into one’s “true identity”

The problem is that this removes the truth about where our salvation and freedom come from: Jesus Christ. By his death and resurrection, he saves us from sin, frees us, and gives us meaning, fulfillment, and eternal life. He alone is the way to heaven ; we cannot achieve heaven on our own or through any man-made system, such as the Enneagram

The Enneagram “prayer” replaces God with his creation, saying the universe provides everything for us, including “eternal life”. It equates our nature with the “Universal Source”, and claims that we are perfect

For these and many other reasons, the Catholic Church does not endorse the Enneagram. The Church’s document on New Age spirituality specifically warns that the Enneagram is a false form of Christian spirituality and a type of Gnosticism that has its roots in divination. Christians should stay away from this practice and stick with Myers-Briggs or other personality tests that are based in sound psychology and which do not contain problematic spiritual elements.

The Labyrinth

Labyrinths date back thousands of years and have multiple meanings and purposes.

Christian labyrinths emerged in the 13th century, allowing people to make spiritual pilgrimages when unable to embark on physical journeys to the Holy Land.

The modern “Christian” use of the labyrinth, however, includes many troubling ties to New Age spirituality

The modern New Age version of the labyrinth is focused on the self. This labyrinth was developed in 1991 by Lauren Artress, an Episcopal priest. Her labyrinth is not a Christian one but a New Age counterfeit, void of authentic Christian spirituality. Artress’s beliefs that underlie her labyrinth were influenced by the occult, goddess spirituality, and the Human Potential Movement

Its website contains no mention of Jesus or of sin. The user is encouraged to empty himself of thoughts and distractions, not of sin. There is no mention of purification, repentance, or conversion, which are the goals of a Catholic labyrinth or pilgrimage. Moreover, it does not encourage prayer to Jesus Christ, but focuses on the self: emptying oneself, filling oneself, and bringing healing forces into the world. The description contains only a vague notion of God.

How can you tell the difference?

In Christian labyrinths, a person prays specifically to Jesus while meditation on his life

As one walks the path, one meditates on the Passion of Jesus, recites the Stations of the Cross, or reflects on one’s own sinfulness.

Simultaneously, the person ponders ways to counteract sin, to grow in virtue, and to become holier

On the other hand, with New Age labyrinths, the focus is not on Christ but on self

Before you use a labyrinth, look at the organization’s website and/or read the accompanying literature. If the labyrinth is focused on Jesus and conversion, great! But if it has vague explanations of niceties that all revolve around you, it’s New Age.

Notice where the practice leads: Does it genuinely lead us to God, or does it draw us deeper into ourselves? Or does it merely lead to a higher power? Does it acknowledge the reality of sin, or does it deny or attempt to soften the truth about what sin is?

Chapter 9 – Eastern Beliefs and Practices

Zen Buddhism

Zen is a form of meditation within Buddhism used to achieve enlightenment

Zen consists of long periods of mediation, in which a person quiets his mind to achieve a state of complete nothingness.

The goal of this emptying of the mind is Nirvana, or the ultimate freedom of Self-realization

Zen is incompatible with Christian faith

It’s in disagreement with Christianity on theological and philosophical issues

How can we recognize the disconnect of Zen Buddhism with Christianity?

Most Buddhism does not posit belief in God

Practitioners of Zen Buddhism strive to reach deeper spiritual levels through their own efforts.

In contrast, Christians believe that salvation can be attained only through Jesus Christ, who died and rose to take away our sins

Zen Buddhism teaches that people cannot know anything at all through knowledge or reason but only through experience

Zen Buddhism values personal feelings over commandments and doctrine

For Christians, this is quite dangerous, as it negates the fact that Jesus came to teach us about God and who he is

Other principles in Zen Buddhism are irreconcilable with Christianity:

Being one with the universe

Equating God with complete nothingness or “emptiness of being”

Mind-emptying and concentration techniques

Void meditative states

Emptying ourselves of everything, including all thoughts, will never help us approach God or cultivate a loving relationship with him

Transcendental Meditation

Based on ancient Hindu spirituality (meditation, mantras, etc.)

Too many non-Christian beliefs and ideologies

The goal of this practice is to liberate oneself from pain and suffering, to achieve enlightenment, and to come into contact with one’s true and higher self (the divine Self).

Thus the end goal of Transcendental Meditation is contrary to the Christian end goal of meditation, which is union with God

The Catholic Church’s document Jesus Christ, the Bearer of the Water of Life, speaks to this:

“Many people are convinced that there is no harm in ‘borrowing’ from the wisdom of the East, but the example of Transcendental Meditation should make Christians cautious about the prospect of committing themselves unknowingly to another religion (in this case, Hinduism), despite what Transcendental Meditation‘s promoters claim about its religious neutrality. There is no problem with learning how to meditate, but the object or content of the exercise clearly determines whether it relates to the God revealed by Jesus Christ, to some other revelation, or simply to the hidden depths of the self.”

The key principle is clear: Transcendental Meditation is focused on the self and not on Jesus Christ

As Christians, we should not seek emptiness, connection to the self, or some “divine” enlightenment. We should seek union noly with God (the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)

Mindfulness

Derives from Hinduism and Buddhism

It is not prayer, meditation, a mind-emptying technique, nor even a spiritual practice

Rather, it is a neutral practice – there is nothing wrong with learning to live in the present moment and being aware of your thoughts and feelings, and how you respond to them. In fact, Christians are called to do this

While Christians ultimately seek to find peace and contentment in God, sometimes oher practices help us grow, such as going to a good Christian counselor and reading good self-help books (such as Brother Lawrence’s The Practice of the Presence of God).

Although mindfulness is not contrary to Catholic spirituality, there are some potential concerns to be aware of, which can be problematic and even dangerous:

Be very clear that this practice is not prayer, nor a substitute for prayer

It’s sometimes placed in a context of New Age and of Buddhist spirituality, which is antithetical to our Catholic faith

It is highly recommended that one practices mindfulness under the direction of orthodox Chrsitians

Feng Shui

The goal is to achieve peace and tranquility in life through the ordering of our houses and rooms

Practitioners endorse the Hundu worldview that everything is energy, and that life-force energy guides our live

Crystals used [see below]

Some Feng Shui consultants even delve into I Ching, a Chinese form of magic and divination

Bottom line: there is nothing wrong with keeping a tidy house and working to live in a tranquil atmosphere. For Christians, however, the practice of Feng Shui is problematic, as its ideologies are contrary to Christianity.

Crystals

Although many quartz crystals are probably fine, many others have evil spirits attached to them, as they are often used in occult practices. This is important for Christians to be aware of

Speaking from her experience, ex-New Age practitioner Moira Noonan warns: “Any crystals you’ve ever been given or purchased – quartz crystals, not lead crystals – you don’t know whose hands they have passed through. Any crystal can be ‘programmed’ (a spirit is attached to it, and I don’t mean the Holy Spirit)”

Problematic practices that may employ crystals include:

Reiki

Feng Shui

certain massage therapies

etc.

Acupuncture

Derived from traditional Chinese medicine

Attempts to heal patients by inserting needles in the skin at various energy points throughout the body

No relationship to scientific knowledge

Rooted in the belief that there is a universal life-force energy, similar to:

Reiki

Feng Shui

Other Eastern non-Christian practices

The problem with acupuncture is that its spiritual practice derived from a non-Christian belief system

These spiritual aspects include occult practices such as calling on the help of spirits. This can be done without the patient’s knowledge, which can be dangerous.

Have potential for negative or even demonic activity (“doorways”) – not the Holy Spirit

For this reason alone, Chrsitians should avoid this practice

Acupuncture is a Chinese medicine developed from a false spiritual worldview that utilizes spiritual practices not in line with Christian beliefs and possibly dangerous to our souls

Alternatives:

Exercise

Chiropractic care

Massage [medical]

Relaxation therapy

Music

Nature

Art therapy

Yin and Yang

The Yin and Yang of Taoism reflects the belief that everything has an opposite ; and these opposing, yet interdependent, forces work together to create a perfect balance

This belief traces its lineage back to I Ching, or Chinese divination

The Yin and Yang is based on monism, universal energy, and other beliefs that come from the Chinese philosophy of Taoism

There are many problems with this worldview:

Christians recognize that good does not need to be balanced by evil

Yin and Yang proponents believe that this balance applies to everything in the universe, including God

Proponents also assert that Satan is part of God, and that his darkness and evil balance out God’s light and goodness

This symbol or teaching shows up in certain martial arts, in some Chinese medicines, and even in Feng Shui

Karma and Reincarnation

Karma is a Hindu teaching that is connected to belief in reincarnation

Karma states that we receive good or evil based on the decisions we make

Karma and reincarnation do not hold up to logic

Karma and reincarnation are irreconcilable with Chrisianity

It’s impossible for a Catholic, or for any Christian, to accept reincarnation

We do not come back again and again, but we die once and then meet God {Heb 9:27}

The Catholic Church teaches, “Both cosmic unity and reincarnation are irreconcilable with the Christian belief ; a human person is a distinct being, who lives one life, for which he or she is fully responsible”

Past-Life Regression

Based on reincarnation

Uses hypnosis

The goal is to learn to release negative blocks that are holding patients back from being free

It is:

Scientifically unfounded

Fraudulent

Unethical

Waste of time of money

Shamanism

A religion of spiritualism practiced by ancient indigenous people of far Northern Europe and Siberia

A demonic practice of magic and sorcery

Centers in a Shaman, who is considered the spiritual leader of a tribe or culture

Medicine (wo)men, healers, and seers

“Shaman: a priest or priestess who uses magic for the purpose of curing the sick, divining the hidden, and controlling events” – Merriam-Webster Dictionary

A dark practice of magic that is steeped in occult spiritualism and divination

Alex and Ani

The problem is that their products are not just jewelry

Their marketing materials make clear the company’s anti-Christiasn and spiritually problematic ideology

“Limitless power, limitless good karma, limitless wisdom”

“Divine direction and soulful enlightenment”

“The union of masculkine and femnine energy”

Confusing for Catholics because the company also sells “Catholic” religious goods – BE WARNED! These are not Catholic, but infused with energy and prayed over/blessed by shamans

For Alex and Ani to dabble in New Age and occult spirituality is dangerous

Remember, spirits are real – and the only good spirit is the Holy Spirit. If any object has been “blessed” in the name of any other spirit, it is dangerous. As Christians, we must avoid these objects

If you have purchased jewelry from Alex and Ani, it is strongly recommended that you throw it away and have nothing further to do with it

Nothing good can come from items prayed over/blessed by shamans. If the Devil is attached to an object through blessings/prayers to a false god, then that item could be a doorway to the demonic

Final Thoughts

“Maybe the greatest threat to the Church is sanitized, feel-good, boutique, therapeutic spirituality that makes no demands, calls for no sacrifice, asks for no conversion, entails no beatles angst us, but only soothes and affirms in a completely subjective spirituality in which we decide what is right and wrong and what we wish to believe” – Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of NY

We need to pray and develop an even deeper relationship with Christ

We must also trust and remain close to the Catholic Church, which Jesus founded and which the Holy Spirit guides to all truth

If you would like to change the world, strive for sainthood – to become everything Jesus Christ created you to be.

Where do we go from here?