MB writes: "Not so long ago I had a Reiki massage - before I knew that this was an occult-based practice. Is it possible that I might have been spiritually harmed by this?"
We recently heard from a woman who went for testing at a local hospital for heart issues. While there, she told the technician about having recently lost her beloved dog. The tech responded by saying that this dog was her “familiar”, meaning a spirit being that was attached to her soul. Is there any such thing as a familiar spirit and, if so, what is it?
MR writes: "Our kindergarten son's music teacher plays a rap song where the boys are told to "hiss like a snake" and a song about fairies also. Our son refuses to participate in either song. He raised his hand and said that there are no such things as 'fairies' to which the class, the kindergarten teacher and the music teacher all agreed that there were fairies...Since then he has been teased and excluded and it's making him sad and angry. Do you have any info on fairies in the new age realm that we could pass on to the teachers about why we should not be chastised for NOT teaching our child about fairies?"
CL writes: "I have a question regarding Reiki. I am aware that as Catholics we should avoid Reiki, given that it can involve evil spirits. If I am getting massage therapy in an office where Reiki is practiced, even though I am not engaging in Reiki and the massage therapist is not either, am I in danger simply by being in the same building where the Reiki is taking place?"
LV writes: “I’m so tired of trying to figure out if an alternative is related to the New Age or not. Are there any guidelines Christians can use to help them discern what’s okay and what isn’t from a spiritual perspective?”
SMB asks: “I don’t understand the difference between an angel and a spirit guide. Aren’t they the same thing?”
SM writes: “Please help me explain the dangers of 11:11 sightings in everyday life. Does it have origins in sorcery or occult? If someone sees 11:11, they believe they are being given a moment to anticipate something momentous about to happen?”
We recently had a question about a so-called “Psychic Vampire Repellent” being sold on Gwyneth Paltrow’s outlandish Goop site which supposedly contains tiny “Reiki-charged crystals.” As ridiculous as it might sound, there’s a whole cottage industry devoted to distributing “Reiki-infused” products from jewelry to “kid calming mists” that should alarm anyone familiar with this occult-based practice.
Sonia ChoquetteMMA writes: “One of our relatives brings a deck of cards called 'Trust Your Vibes' by Sonia Choquette to every family get together. She calls them angel cards & is very insistent about wanting to do cards to "help" everyone. This has been the cause of much anxiety for us. I have already said how I feel about this. Is there any more we can say to her to make it clearer?”
