I am very much aware of this. The energy does come from God. When we pray over people for healing, the people are taught to perceive that God is the healer and the person is simply a conduit. Sometimes, in healing prayer, miracles occur, sometimes a deeper relationship with God, sometimes the energy of reiki is evidenced. But above all, the person is led to Jesus. Also, no money is charged.
I am glad you understand and are in agreement that the energy in Reiki comes from God. It does, as who or what else could possibly perform such healing but God! Yes, many times no money is charged however, there has to be some kind of exchange as the person who rediscovered Reiki, Dr. Mikao Usui, found out. He used to give Reiki for free but saw that many had reverted to their former way of being (disadvantaged) due to not honoring the gift that was given to them and simply taking it for granted. Thus, he found that when there is an "energy exchange" that is, something given in return for something that is given to them, then people tend to take the gift that was given to them more seriously and will honor it better. Besides accepting donations or money, which incidentally is for their TIME in giving or teaching Reiki, and not for the Reiki itself, many Reiki practitioners accept different services as well in order to satisfy the 'energy exchange'. Services such as helping a neighbor out, throwing out the trash for an elderly person, taking food to the needy, helping the community in some way, etc.
However, one thing must be made clear as well. Money today, as in yesteryear, is necessary in order for a Reiki practitioner to pay their bills just like everyone has to. If they did not charge something for the time required in delivering their services, they would not be able to pay their bills and might have to then work at some other job which would then take them away from being there to be of service to others when they request it.
And another thing, even nuns, sisters, priests, and other clergy have to accept money in the form of donations etc. in order to be able to pay their bills, salaries, membership fees, upkeep of the church, manicuring of the church grounds, laundry, food bill, paying the hired help, buying new clothing attire, sending money to the Vatican, etc. or the church could not survive if they merely offered their services for free and there was no one else giving money to them, hence, they have to use their "collection boxes" during services and at other times as well as sell religious articles, etc. Even the Vatican has all of its churches that are under their purview to send money to it in order to continue operating, so that is the lesson that Dr. Usui was also trying to make as to why some form of monetary exchange or offering is necessary I am sure.
Reiki uses healing energy. But it does so without reference to source. Each practitioner may teach it how he/she feels as regards source. Your link provides a Christian orientation, and I believe that there are such people out there. In fact you may be one, and I have no quarrel with any method that lets Jesus manifest in healing. A mature Christian can find God in anything. Some nuns I have known are not mature enough in Christ to know what they believe.
In the Usui System of Reiki, the initiate is always told to honor the Source which is God. I do however understand that there are many 'offshoots' of Dr. Usui's original Reiki teachings therefore, initiates may be learning something different.
Just as a reference to those who do not know Dr. Usui's Ethical Principles of Reiki, here they are:
1. Just for today, do not anger.
2. Just for today, do not worry.
3. Honor your parents, teachers and elders
4. Earn your living honestly
5. Show gratitude to every living thing.
These are great principles to live by and there can be no doubt that most if not all Christians would be in agreement with each and every one of them!
As for the nuns you know, if they are not mature enough in Christ to know what they believe then they may be in the wrong calling. I rather believe that many of them, as it regards Reiki, have seen that God is in full control and they would be acting merely as the instrument for God's work to be done through them therefore are completely comfortable with the practice.
The website of the specific practitioner is down, but here is a link from archive.org wayback machine to a few pages a couple years ago:
http://http://web.archive.org/web/20090304132014/http://www.guidedmetamorphosis.com/ Note, the law of attraction is in fact an occult law: "as you will, so shall it be". Stated in wicca as "as I will, so mote it be" and as Wiccan Rede "and that ye harm none, do as ye will." Note the butterfly symbol, and nothing about Jesus, and the repeated emphasis on you being your own healer.
http://http://web.archive.org/web/2...dmetamorphosis.com/Reiki_Typical_session.html removal of metal jewelry since it "blocks the practitioner's 'feel'". When God gives it to me, I can see the illness quite easily, jewelry or no jewelry. I am not bound by "magnetic vibes" because He is not bound by them. The statement in the link implies the energy is in the control of the practitioner. What exactly is a "powerful clearing exercise" and just how does chocolate "ground a person". Since when would a healer or prophet using God's energy say "I start at the head and work my way down to balance the energy"?
As with any religion or practice, there will be some who will use it in their own way and out of the realms of how it was originally taught. That goes for religion as well, most unfortunately, where some people will misuse the office or title given to them.
As for the jewelry, it should make absolutely no difference whether one wears it or not when doing Reiki. I too have heard that watches, rings, etc. should be removed but WHY I would ask? They are not a distraction, surely, for the energy that is coming from God! So, case closed on that one. As for the 'chocolate', etc. I have not heard of that one but no doubt someone has thought that up as well as you have found. As for starting at the head, etc. Dr. Usui's original teachings were such that he would lightly lay hands on a person's head and that was it. It was his protege', Dr. Hayashi, who is credited with establishing the different hand positions to work the way down. But many practitioners still insist on using Dr. Usui's original method when doing Reiki!
http://http://web.archive.org/web/2...guidedmetamorphosis.com/reiki_principles.html The five ethical principles are so interesting, since we cannot do any of this apart from Christ.
Exactly! And I have listed them all just a little bit above!
Where is that statement about Him? Without Him, asking this behavior amounts to expecting someone to earn their healing on their own merits.
In my honest opinion, I suspect that since Reiki was rediscovered in Japan, a country that is primarily Buddhist, mentioning Christ, as no doubt Dr. Usui, who incidentally was a Christian minister, would have had a difficult time doing without riling up many folks there who may not have understood about Christ.
The same can be said of the idea that the client heals herself. For a non-Christian, or especially for a young Christian, all the evil one needs to do is to start telling them anything, as a way they can earn their healing, and then take away some symptom he gave them in the first place, as proof his voice is God's.
There will always be those who will pervert a good thing in many professions and in many instances. Reiki is not about that, however. Perhaps there is a dark aspect in the way some may be saying things. However, for those who would truly believe that they can heal themselves, let them see if they can also give themselves life or to that of another person at the end of their normal life term, as only Jesus could do as per the Holy Bible!
This is why I warned Timofree to be prayed up and to know his limitations. These situations are very complex, and are different in each case. You have done a good job of giving the side that proves we must never condemn, I have shown the side that there are many opportunities for ministry in this regard.