Bruce G Epperly - The Energy of Love: Reiki and Christian Healing

THE ENERGY OF LOVE

REIKI AND CHRISTIAN HEALING

BRUCE G. EPPERLY

Topical Line Drives

Volume 26

Energion Publications

Gonzalez, Florida

2017

Copyright Bruce G. Epperly 2017

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U. S. A. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture references marked NKJV are from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Electronic ISBN: 978-1-63199-440-1

ISBN10: 1-63199-434-4

ISBN13: 978-1-63199-434-0

Energion Publications

P. O. Box 841

Gonzalez, FL 32560

pubs@energion.com

energion.com

This book is dedicated to the Reiki Healing Team
of South Congregational Church,

United Church of Christ, Centerville, Massachusetts,
my reiki students over the past twenty years,
and their embodiment of Jesus healing ministry
through reiki healing touch.

Table of Contents

CHAPTER ONE

THE ENERGY OF LOVE

Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. But when Jesus saw it, He was greatly displeased and said to them, Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it. And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them. (Mark 10:13-16, NKJV)

Everyone needs a blessing. Everyone needs to experience the power of healing touch. Everyone needs to be touched in ways that are safe, welcome, and nurturing. From the very beginning of our lives, we need loving touch to energize our cells as well as our souls. In fact, as studies of infants well-being indicate, from our very first breaths our lives depend on nurturing touch. Touch can comfort, welcome, energize, and transform. Parents and grandparents bless a bruised knee and comfort a frightened child with a hug. A hug can let us know that were not alone and everything will be alright. When we touch each other in love, this welcome and safe touch can heal our bodies, minds, and spirits. Regardless of our belief or doubt, our loving touch embodies Gods energy of love.

Thats the heart of gospel healing, the word made flesh to transform bodies, minds, and spirits.

Healing touch is at the heart of Christian faith. Jesus knew first-hand the power of touch to heal. As the incarnation of Gods creative Word, or Logos, the ever-present divine wisdom that created the universe and sustains each moment of existence, Jesus lovingly touched little children and the loving and affirmative energy of Jesus touch shaped the rest of their lives. Jesus laid hands on the sick and their lives were forever changed. Regardless of their prior health condition or social situation, they were now at home in Gods realm of wholeness and peace. Jesus commissioned his first followers to teach, preach, and heal, and to make Gods love known in changed souls and changed cells.

Jesus knew that healing touch, given by limited and fallible humans, can also bring energy and wholeness that can transform our lives. Today, Christians are rediscovering the healing ministry of Jesus through prayer circles and liturgical services of laying on of hands and anointing with oil. In so doing, they are embodying Jesus mission statement, I have come that they might have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10). They are incarnating in our own time the spirit of Jesus first sermon:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lords favor. (Luke 4:18-19)

Over the past two thousand years, Christians have embraced and, in many ways, created modern Western medicine. At their best, Christians have encouraged the integration of technology with healing touch and pharmaceuticals with prayer. Along with the best technological medicine, they have sought to embody the spirit of the Epistle of James:

Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. (James 5:13-15)

Healing touch connects us with the compassionate Christ, who welcomed outcasts, persons with leprosy, and persons struggling with mental health issues as full-fledged and fully alive members of Gods realm of Shalom. Today, many faithful followers of Jesus are also experiencing Gods healing touch through complementary healing practices such as acupuncture, acupressure, massage, and reiki healing touch. While some Christians are skeptical of joining Christian healing with complementary practices, fearing that it will lead believers to embrace non-Christian theologies, in contrast, these adventurous Christians are convinced that wherever healing occurs God is its source. They believe that the use of complementary healing practices, most of which affirm the importance of spirituality in the healing process, is as authentically Christian as the use of secular-oriented Western medicine, which seldom invokes the name of God in its healing protocols. They experience Jesus healing touch as they prayerfully provide healing touch to friends, family, neighbors, and strangers.

As a Christian minister, raised in the evangelical tradition, I believe that God seeks healing in a variety of ways. Gods vision of abundant life gives us permission to embrace the wisdom of global healing traditions as well as specifically Christian practices (Mark 9:38-41). In ministering with people of all backgrounds, I have witnessed physical and spiritual transformation through prayerful laying on of hands, anointing with oil, and words of acceptance and grace. I regularly conduct healing prayer services in my Cape Cod, Massachusetts congregation, which join prayer, silence, scripture, laying on of hands, and anointing. I have also seen people experience spiritual and physical healing through the practice of reiki healing touch and other complementary healing modalities.

In this text, my goal is to introduce reiki healing touch to Christians and respond to theological concerns, raised found among the more rationalist and conservative wings of Christianity. I also want to help Christians who are currently practicing reiki healing touch to connect reiki with the message and practices of the Healer Jesus and their lives as Christians. I believe Christians can faithfully practice reiki as a manifestation of the healing power present in Jesus and embodied in the early Christian movement. Initially practiced in Japan, Reiki, translated as universal or divine energy, is a form of prayer with your hands that can literally transform your cells and your spirit. Similar to Christian practices of laying on of hands and anointing, it can comfort, energize, and heal.

My approach to reiki is not just theological or professional; it is personal and spiritual. Although I have been a pastor and theologian for nearly forty years, I see both theology and ministry as profoundly practical in nature, aiming at the transformation and healing of persons and institutions. This has been evident in my commitment to join spiritual and healing practices to promote the healing of congregants, family members, and persons in need. For three decades, reiki healing touch has been at the heart of my own spiritual life. I have been a reiki practitioner since the mid 1980s and have been a reiki master-teacher since 1995. My interest in reiki healing touch paralleled my interest in embodying Jesus healing ministry in ways congruent with healthy theology and advanced medical care. In my own self-care and spiritual life, I integrate reiki healing touch with meditation, intercessory prayer, and spiritual affirmations. I believe that Gods healing power is at work in liturgical prayer, medications, surgery and chemotherapy, and also in reiki healing touch and other complementary health modalities.