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Shakti ~ Rising
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    Reiki and Atheism?

    rzukic
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    Post by rzukic Sun Mar 21, 2010 10:53 am

    While Reiki is recognized and many do practice it to meet their spirituall needs I am wondering what if stressed western man (that happened to believe in evolution) wants to learn reiki just as “modern tool” to cope with dailyy stress but is not ready to learn reiki history (which may or may not be accurate after all) and the question(s) here is:

    1.Would you accept such a student?
    2.Would Reiki still work for him, since some suggest that while the person to receive reiki doesn't have to believe in reiki in order for it to work as long as reiki practitioner does believe it works?

    Any thoughts?

    Find Out How Learning Reiki Can Change Your Life
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    Post by chi_solas Sun Mar 21, 2010 11:13 am

    rzukic wrote:While Reiki is recognized and many do practice it to meet their spirituall needs I am wondering what if stressed western man (that happened to believe in evolution) wants to learn reiki just as “modern tool” to cope with dailyy stress but is not ready to learn reiki history (which may or may not be accurate after all) and the question(s) here is:

    1.Would you accept such a student?
    2.Would Reiki still work for him, since some suggest that while the person to receive reiki doesn't have to believe in reiki in order for it to work as long as reiki practitioner does believe it works?

    Any thoughts?

    Find Out How Learning Reiki Can Change Your Life

    I first have to understand that Reiki is a system
    that uses ULFE. I believe it is natural energy. I
    don't have to accept a God to make this innate energy
    work. I have come across practitioners who do not
    like the term ULFE. The 5 principles do not include God. sunny
    Milarepa
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    Post by Milarepa Sun Mar 21, 2010 12:00 pm

    rzukic wrote:While Reiki is recognized and many do practice it to meet their spirituall needs I am wondering what if stressed western man (that happened to believe in evolution) wants to learn reiki just as “modern tool” to cope with dailyy stress but is not ready to learn reiki history (which may or may not be accurate after all) and the question(s) here is:

    1.Would you accept such a student?

    Reiki history, and the theory of evolution, both aren't requesites to expereincing Reiki.

    The expereince of Reiki is a spiritual one, and the more that perception is, the more profound the Reiki experience is. It's what i expereinced at least. If i was to teach, it's be from a spiritual place. So a person not interested in that it'd be mutual.

    rzukic wrote:
    2.Would Reiki still work for him, since some suggest that while the person to receive reiki doesn't have to believe in reiki in order for it to work as long as reiki practitioner does believe it works?

    sure, Reiki will work. It virtually eradicated my long term cocaine use within 3 weeks, and all i knew was Reiki was healing. The spirutual depth has formed over time. The more deeper experience has been when my perception of Reiki went much deeper though.

    chi_solas wrote:
    The 5 principles do not include God.

    True.

    Though at least one of the symbols is prob derived from a deity.

    The word 'Reiki' can also mean a spiritual being.

    On the Usui memorial it said Usui sensei felt a large 'Reiki' over his head.

    The memorial goes on to saw Usui sensei attained an enlightenment and conprehended the spiritual method.

    Can't be a 'spiritual method' without some form of spirit, Smile.

    warmest wishes
    Wayne
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    Post by AlienProgeny Sun Mar 21, 2010 10:51 pm

    Hello rzukic,
    I practice the system of Reiki, and I am a Humanist. Without trying to insult anyone here on the forum, I do not hold any beliefs in any deity and I am opposed to religion. That being said, I do still find it possible to be a spiritual person and have an effective experience with the system.

    One thing I found of interest recently: http://www.thenewhumanism.org/authors/zach-alexander/articles/still-atheists-run-deep This is an article on the New Humanism website. Take a read, it's interesting.

    I was VERY skeptical of Reiki when it was first suggested that I try it to help with some issues. After that first experience, with my pain gone, my skeptisim was still there but less. The guy who treated me suggested I learn how to do it and I signed up for his next class. The "attunements" worked, they took. That was in 1997 and that pain has never returned. I remained a skeptic to this day on a few aspects of the system, but with practice and more time working with the stuff I am growing less and less so.

    Jotaro
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    Post by chi_solas Mon Mar 22, 2010 2:39 am

    Thanks when I have more time I
    want to read that article in depth study
    vijaybali
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    Post by vijaybali Mon Mar 22, 2010 2:42 am

    hia friends,

    I had started reiki without believe and feel it is drama of people for money.

    that time i was very spiritual but as more as more i went to reiki i realize whatever i was doing or feeling spirituality is nothing only human made and real spirituality is
    different which i had learned due to reiki and now i am enjoying my life more and i
    have no expectation to god because reiki and reiki people taught me reality what is life
    So now i feel reiki is true spirituality in this world and it is only thing which tell
    us what is we are and why we come to earth....

    now for me it more growth for spirituality line rather than desire.....

    and our reiki ancestor also work for spirituality not for desire...

    but this world who come in reiki most of them learning for full fill desire but once anybody come in reiki. reiki slowly tell them what is reality and time come they also start to believe reiki for spiritual growth

    thanks and love
    vj
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    Post by rzukic Wed Mar 24, 2010 4:13 am

    AlienProgeny wrote:Hello rzukic,
    I practice the system of Reiki, and I am a Humanist. Without trying to insult anyone here on the forum, I do not hold any beliefs in any deity and I am opposed to religion. That being said, I do still find it possible to be a spiritual person and have an effective experience with the system.

    One thing I found of interest recently: http://www.thenewhumanism.org/authors/zach-alexander/articles/still-atheists-run-deep This is an article on the New Humanism website. Take a read, it's interesting.

    I was VERY skeptical of Reiki when it was first suggested that I try it to help with some issues. After that first experience, with my pain gone, my skeptisim was still there but less. The guy who treated me suggested I learn how to do it and I signed up for his next class. The "attunements" worked, they took. That was in 1997 and that pain has never returned. I remained a skeptic to this day on a few aspects of the system, but with practice and more time working with the stuff I am growing less and less so.

    Jotaro

    Thanks Jotaro for sharing this. You are right. It is indeed interesting!

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    Post by Shakti ~ Rising Thu Mar 25, 2010 3:16 am

    If I was to teach ( which I don't)...I would most definately share my experiences of reiki as being a spritual healing system and also a way in which spiritual awakenings can occur.....I would express this to the potential student, then leave it up to the Reiki to work with the gentleman in what ever way is fitting..... perhaps the greatest gift we could give to an athiest is the gift of Reiki......
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    Post by Lambs-Wool Mon Mar 29, 2010 5:04 am

    my views, that an atheist might usually get more comfortable in accepting reiki, since at the very outfit, reiki does not have a 'preachy' tone to offend anybody, and also due the very fact that 'apparently' reiki percepts and methods of application dont' a make a call to God or to some diety in order to be work...


    latently, however, reiki is all in all a spritual call... a spiritual call to a bigger wisdom than we have...


    my personal views, embedded in a mystic annxure, suggest me that reiki is a spiritual connection to the founder (Usui) in the first place, and then through him, to the rest of the later truths, and awareness..., such connection also triggers our own spirtuality, and connections with divinity, and we progress and experience things 'outside' Usui's shpere too... but this does not mean that as soon as we start experiencing figments of our own spirituality, the sprituality of the founder goes to any passive state...


    i have realized that religious minded people are sometimes not 'comfortable' with reiki, primarily due to the Bhuddist (or Shinto? ) connection, and the best they find the solution, if they were to anyhow practice reiki, is to cut away all spiritual connections of reiki with its founder, and to take a shaved version of reiki, where they have reiki, without any botheration of whose connection, it has finally reached them.....

    then onwards, they find it quite easy to append reiki with their own belief system, or religious thoughts..... on this parable, i have found many people saying that reiki is actually another name of divine power, but in restricted sense of how they themselves feel fit to define divine per their religious teachings..


    tbh, i find it bit dishonest, if i accept reiki without accepting its relation with its founder... if Usui had beliefs (religious or spriritual) that dont tie up with my belief or religious system, be it so, but my honesty prompts me to acknowledge that reiki is a gift bestowed to Usui, who then became availabe to us, since he (Usui) chose to transfer to us...


    if i really believe in some religious system, my such belief in that system must be strong enough so as to be not to be jeopardized by showing acknowledgement to Usui Sensei, even though Usui's beliefs does not fit into my system...


    do we have to adopt someone's system if we have to show him respect, reverence, acknowledgement ?

    there are various ways to reach GOD, some are easy, some are lengthy, Usui's was on of such paths too... i dont have to change my path, if i have to take benefit of the supreme blessings bestowed on Usui on his path... i can take advantage, i can take benefit, i can bow in gratitude to him for the help, awakening, and blessing...

    Usui must be a great man, a beautiful human being, and reverence for him is never out of place Smile!


    take care

    salman
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    Post by Milarepa Mon Mar 29, 2010 6:22 am

    Really interesting post Salman. What's most refreshing is cause you're muslim, and according to Islam, we can't be involved in any other things to do with another religion as far as experiencing God is concerned. You're aware of the superfluous Buddhist connection to Reiki, yet you're still able to easily integrate Reiki into your life, and Islam is a lifestyle path, all encompassing.

    so what you do, is instead of jumping on the bandwagon and saying there's no religious connection to Reiki, you trace right back to Usui sensei, and presuppose there must have been, and actually celebrate that!

    There's also our new member Jeff who's quaker. Dana whos' methodist (i think), Renu who's Hindu, and yourself. I bet that none of you have hang-ups about your life paths in Religion, and your Reiki. And i bet you're all reaping the immense benefits of it all. Cause when we look to it all as just different ways to cook potatoes, pasta, rice, that in a world of 6.5 billion individuals, a myriad of tastes are desired, that's acceptance, that's respect, that's love for all, that's spirituality. Heck, that's Reiki! Hehe.

    warmest wishes
    Wayne
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    Post by rzukic Mon Mar 29, 2010 11:06 am

    Very interested and refreshing post indeed! I must admit I have read it several times, with utmost respect. In order for me to take the most benefits out of it I hope you do not mind few questions (some of which might be off topic though)

    1.How one reconciles the free will and the fate?
    2.If my belief in any religious system (way or whatever we call it) is strong enough why do I have a need to supplement it with other system?
    3.Is it really “dishonest” to accept only part of the reiki that we can understand in our own way

    Regards,

    Discover How Learning Reiki Can Change Your Life
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    Post by Dragonfly Mon Mar 29, 2010 12:45 pm

    I always explain to my students that although Reiki is a spiritual practice, it can be practiced by anyone regardless of spiritual beliefs - and even if they don't believe in God. The quantum physics aspect of Reiki may be sufficient for those who are not spiritual believers but are comfortable with the idea of energy being present that we can tap into.

    As for my spiritual beliefs...I am Presbyterian but I have very strong Buddhist leanings because of the zazen practice I had incorporated into my life years ago. However, I was actually baptized as a Catholic, but grew up in a half Catholic, half Jewish home. Interestingly enough, even with that sort of eclectic background, I did not really understand and embrace the nature of faith until I began practicing Reiki.
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    Post by chi_solas Mon Mar 29, 2010 2:02 pm

    Jotaro, That was an interesting article.

    My first introduction to meditation was from
    Jon Kabat Zinn. He presents meditation starting
    with ourselves and then moving out from there as
    our heart grows larger and more loving. He makes
    it simple noting that a beginner can quickly catch
    up to the "experts" or was it that an expert was
    not to much futher a head than a beginner. Very Happy

    The meditation teacher/leader of the group I attend
    reminds us to think about a train station and as
    the train pulls into the station we do not board
    the train and it pulls away from the station. She
    tells us to do the same with our thoughts as they
    come a long like the train let them pass through
    the station. Arrow

    IMO one does not need to belong to a religious group
    to practice Reiki or meditation. I have found that
    they both work on the inner self. sunny
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    Post by AlienProgeny Mon Mar 29, 2010 2:50 pm

    I'm very happy that you liked the article, it was my pleasure to share it. The train station idea is a great one! A good, modern idea of nonattachment to thoughts during meditation. Thanks for sharing it.

    As a non-religious person, I find that there is a huge difference between spirituality and religion. Humans by our very nature are spiritual. Reiki has expanded athe spiritual nature in me. I am a loooooong wats from any enlightenment, but I am a work in progress. I believe that it is the journey that is important.

    Many get lost in the noise of todays society, I started meditating as a part of my martial arts prctice (usually as a group at the start and again at the end of class), but a few years ago have moved the practice outside of the dojo. I have tried a few different types of meditation, but the ones I have learned within my Reiki practice I enjoy the most! I often do joshin kokyu-ho while the rest of the class sits quiet. And of course I am a big fan or Hatsurei-ho.

    Take care!
    Jotaro
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    Post by Lambs-Wool Mon Mar 29, 2010 5:46 pm

    rzukic wrote:Very interested and refreshing post indeed! I must admit I have read it several times, with utmost respect. In order for me to take the most benefits out of it I hope you do not mind few questions (some of which might be off topic though)

    1.How one reconciles the free will and the fate?
    2.If my belief in any religious system (way or whatever we call it) is strong enough why do I have a need to supplement it with other system?
    3.Is it really “dishonest” to accept only part of the reiki that we can understand in our own way

    Regards,

    Discover How Learning Reiki Can Change Your Life

    thanks for the nourishing response Smile

    the question of free will versus fate has always been a very interesting one.. and any attempt to reconcile them or think deep about the relation, is in itself a big source of awareness and perception...


    my logical mind starts with the theory of cause and effect... whenever i plan things in a closed chamber, i can clearly see where my actions are leading me to... i plan to reach my office, for example, at 9.00 sharp and there's a one hour drive in between my home and office.. my chauffer is ready, my car is good, petrol is ample in the tank, battery ok, bla, bla, bla... my planning (or my free will) extends upto the moment when i sit in the car and the car is on the way...


    but this is the moment i m actually coming out from my closed chamber and i m now 'exposed' to eventualities... or better saying i m exposed to 'free will' of people other than me... when i reach half way, i find there is an accident in the middle of the road due to drunk driving of a young lad, road is blocked, rescue is engaged, but i have to wait... this incident was an 'effect' of that driver's reckless drivign and was an 'effect' of his choice of coming to road while drunk...

    so i reach office half hour late, i.e., 9.30 and m immediately taken to task by my boss, who shouts the very throat of him, and being already irritated, and feeling myself non-guilty for being late, i reciprocate him equally, we have a firworks and there i go... i m fired...

    i try to find a next job, but of no avail... economy down, things in turmoil.. i land into shoplifting for my petty needs, i m caught, and sentenced to jail... Ah, a long story...


    so my free will of boarding the car with ample time ahead, has infact been violted by free will of that drunk buddy, and i come to know this is my fate !


    talking generally, the life we live is a complex mix of elements within our perception and things even beyond that... the gesture of free will helps us to pick the path, and to take steps on it, but we have no control over the free will of events and of people and of nations... this is called our fate... so one's fate is decided by the free will of several others, and vice versa... this is a circular pattern Smile


    if everthing could have been decided by our free will, this would only be possible in a lab conrolled environment where many things 'remain the same', while in real life these thins dont remain the same..

    ah, sorry buddy, i could give the reconciliation in such naive terms only Smile


    your second question is a very interesting one, and i enjoyed a lot while reading it and thinking over it...

    humans are complex and diverse in their makeup... religions usually put foward a standard set of procedures and teachings, that have to be applied to all the people within that religion equally... this is something beyond imagination that one million people living a religion will have same mindsets, same lifestyle, same aptitutdes, and so this is, realistically speaking, also beyond imagination that every one of that million people will be 'wrapping' up religion around them in a same way... some will be doing it rigidly, some loosely, and some very sparingly.....

    what i generally feel about religions that almost all religions have spiritual foundings and basis... and to take advantage of the religion completely, we have to go direct with the spirituality within the religion, but since we sometimes (and quite often times too Smile ) choose to embrace religion sparingly, our needs of spirituality prompt us to find something to bridge the invisible hollow we have ourselves created by selectively picking up things within our religion....

    and here is the point that why we feel needs to supplement our beleif system through other inclinations...

    is this abnormal or unforeseen ? i dont feel so, whoever crafted a religion, would have in mind that humans, by their diversity of aptitude and flavours, will alwasy feel to taste things here and there, and the more a religion allows for such experimentation, while keeping the basics intact, the more that religion is dynamic Smile

    and by the way, 'stale' religions dont come up tests of sustainability often ! Smile


    your third question Smile is equally intersting :

    if Usui had himself issued 'commandments' that what we have to do, and what not, while using his system, then only it would have been dishonest on our part to not to go with those commandements while practicing his system...


    the only commandments he has given to us is the percepts which he requires us to revise and live daily.... it would be somehow a 'dishonesty', objectively speaking, if we opt to pick just reiki treatments or reiki channeling from the system, and to leave the percepts since we dont feel them important...


    but again, this is just my belief and my way of seeing the things bro Smile i float things as they appear to me, and i then listen to what others feel on that... this is where i get chance to make nose corrections to my beliefs, or to reinforce them through further study or thinking....


    i greatly apologise to all here, if i had insulted someone's beliefs who have different version of reiki and reiki practice than mine... to give less importance to what others believe, has never been my moral Smile



    Cheers Smile !


    salman
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    Post by Milarepa Mon Mar 29, 2010 6:31 pm

    AlienProgeny wrote:

    As a non-religious person, I find that there is a huge difference between spirituality and religion.

    What your differences/expereinces?
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    Post by AlienProgeny Mon Mar 29, 2010 8:58 pm

    Hi Wayne!

    I debated with myself about answering you in PM or here in the open. I'm picking the open so as to not hide the real me from everyone. I also think that it may help people understand my post in the past and future as well.

    I can only speak from a personal view. Spirituality is an inborn tendancy, and we are all born atheist. Religion is a man made subject that people are indoctrinated into. The majority of people are taught religion that is the "norm" within the culture in which they live. Granted, some people do turn towards a religion on their own as adults, but the majority are indoctrinated. From birth they are taught the teachings of their parents religion, and kept there through social/family pressures.

    I personally believe that we are spiritual by nature and atheism is our natural state of being.

    I honestly hope that no one took what I wrote as criticisim of any individual. I believe that my path is my own and we should be able to coexist in a peaceful society. This post should not be seen as me trying to impose my views onto anybody.

    For the record, I was born into a Catholic family, baptised, Sunday school, and I attended mass every sunday as well. I also through my father's side, had a Tendai Buddhist and Shinto influence, which I never really took to, but it was there. I was nine when I started to ask questions. Questions that eventually led me to where I am today. I did return to Christianity once. At 18 I joined a Portestant Church and was there for about a year. I thought that maybe a different view from that of the Catholics would appeal to me, it did not. I am rationally minded and science based in my thinking for the most part. Faith is something I personally can not do.

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    Post by Milarepa Mon Mar 29, 2010 9:33 pm

    AlienProgeny wrote:
    I can only speak from a personal view. Spirituality is an inborn tendancy, and we are all born atheist. Religion is a man made subject that people are indoctrinated into.

    This is true. The pineal gland is what makes us inherently have spiritual desires.

    AlienProgeny wrote:
    I personally believe that we are spiritual by nature and atheism is our natural state of being.

    Sure. The same can be said for any style of Reiki though. A style of Reiki is a man-made construct in which to experience the divine. Same as religion.

    AlienProgeny wrote:
    I honestly hope that no one took what I wrote as criticisim of any individual. I believe that my path is my own and we should be able to coexist in a peaceful society. This post should not be seen as me trying to impose my views onto anybody.

    You're too polite buddy! No-one could take offence at what you said, your opinion is your opinion.

    AlienProgeny wrote:
    For the record, I was born into a Catholic family, baptised, Sunday school, and I attended mass every sunday as well. I also through my father's side, had a Tendai Buddhist and Shinto influence, which I never really took to, but it was there. I was nine when I started to ask questions. Questions that eventually led me to where I am today. I did return to Christianity once. At 18 I joined a Portestant Church and was there for about a year. I thought that maybe a different view from that of the Catholics would appeal to me, it did not. I am rationally minded and science based in my thinking for the most part.

    I've been trying to find the archeological study that's relevant, but i can't. I'll look more later, and hopefully can provide exact details.



    Anyhow, the sum is, there's been a new dig found, somewhere in middle east or something i think. This dig pre-dates all others considerably. And what's most interesting is that the dig is a place of congregation/worship. There's no other domestic dwellings about, but the place is huge. And the life-span of it's activity spaned maybe 1000's of years. So, folks from far and wide came to this place to worship, and brought many resources that are not from around there.

    The implication is, that humans where congregating to do this in this place, when from all other records, humans hadn't even set up communities for farming/food. Humans were still meant to be living mostly in very small numbers then. This could re-write history, cause it's implication is that the reason why mankind came together wasn't out of a need for safety or for food, but out of a desire to worship together.

    Course, this is all BS i'm saying till i get the actual proper details. I'll try later, but hopefully it's appeal to your scientific side.

    AlienProgeny wrote:
    Faith is something I personally can not do.

    I don't know intimately bout all religions, only 3. Buddhism (Tibetan), Islam, & Christianity are not about faith. It may seem they are now, and clergy might say that bout some, but for one reason or another, the teachings that are experiental have been set aside. These religions are about expereincing something greater within ourselves, that is also outside of oursevles, and this connects us understandably to all things. Smile.

    Warmest wishes
    Wayne
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    Post by rzukic Tue Mar 30, 2010 5:30 am

    Lambs-Wool wrote:
    rzukic wrote:Very interested and refreshing post indeed! I must admit I have read it several times, with utmost respect. In order for me to take the most benefits out of it I hope you do not mind few questions (some of which might be off topic though)

    1.How one reconciles the free will and the fate?
    2.If my belief in any religious system (way or whatever we call it) is strong enough why do I have a need to supplement it with other system?
    3.Is it really “dishonest” to accept only part of the reiki that we can understand in our own way

    Regards,

    Discover How Learning Reiki Can Change Your Life

    thanks for the nourishing response Smile

    the question of free will versus fate has always been a very interesting one.. and any attempt to reconcile them or think deep about the relation, is in itself a big source of awareness and perception...


    my logical mind starts with the theory of cause and effect... whenever i plan things in a closed chamber, i can clearly see where my actions are leading me to... i plan to reach my office, for example, at 9.00 sharp and there's a one hour drive in between my home and office.. my chauffer is ready, my car is good, petrol is ample in the tank, battery ok, bla, bla, bla... my planning (or my free will) extends upto the moment when i sit in the car and the car is on the way...


    but this is the moment i m actually coming out from my closed chamber and i m now 'exposed' to eventualities... or better saying i m exposed to 'free will' of people other than me... when i reach half way, i find there is an accident in the middle of the road due to drunk driving of a young lad, road is blocked, rescue is engaged, but i have to wait... this incident was an 'effect' of that driver's reckless drivign and was an 'effect' of his choice of coming to road while drunk...

    so i reach office half hour late, i.e., 9.30 and m immediately taken to task by my boss, who shouts the very throat of him, and being already irritated, and feeling myself non-guilty for being late, i reciprocate him equally, we have a firworks and there i go... i m fired...

    i try to find a next job, but of no avail... economy down, things in turmoil.. i land into shoplifting for my petty needs, i m caught, and sentenced to jail... Ah, a long story...


    so my free will of boarding the car with ample time ahead, has infact been violted by free will of that drunk buddy, and i come to know this is my fate !


    talking generally, the life we live is a complex mix of elements within our perception and things even beyond that... the gesture of free will helps us to pick the path, and to take steps on it, but we have no control over the free will of events and of people and of nations... this is called our fate... so one's fate is decided by the free will of several others, and vice versa... this is a circular pattern Smile


    if everthing could have been decided by our free will, this would only be possible in a lab conrolled environment where many things 'remain the same', while in real life these thins dont remain the same..

    ah, sorry buddy, i could give the reconciliation in such naive terms only Smile


    your second question is a very interesting one, and i enjoyed a lot while reading it and thinking over it...

    humans are complex and diverse in their makeup... religions usually put foward a standard set of procedures and teachings, that have to be applied to all the people within that religion equally... this is something beyond imagination that one million people living a religion will have same mindsets, same lifestyle, same aptitutdes, and so this is, realistically speaking, also beyond imagination that every one of that million people will be 'wrapping' up religion around them in a same way... some will be doing it rigidly, some loosely, and some very sparingly.....

    what i generally feel about religions that almost all religions have spiritual foundings and basis... and to take advantage of the religion completely, we have to go direct with the spirituality within the religion, but since we sometimes (and quite often times too Smile ) choose to embrace religion sparingly, our needs of spirituality prompt us to find something to bridge the invisible hollow we have ourselves created by selectively picking up things within our religion....

    and here is the point that why we feel needs to supplement our beleif system through other inclinations...

    is this abnormal or unforeseen ? i dont feel so, whoever crafted a religion, would have in mind that humans, by their diversity of aptitude and flavours, will alwasy feel to taste things here and there, and the more a religion allows for such experimentation, while keeping the basics intact, the more that religion is dynamic Smile

    and by the way, 'stale' religions dont come up tests of sustainability often ! Smile


    your third question Smile is equally intersting :

    if Usui had himself issued 'commandments' that what we have to do, and what not, while using his system, then only it would have been dishonest on our part to not to go with those commandements while practicing his system...


    the only commandments he has given to us is the percepts which he requires us to revise and live daily.... it would be somehow a 'dishonesty', objectively speaking, if we opt to pick just reiki treatments or reiki channeling from the system, and to leave the percepts since we dont feel them important...


    but again, this is just my belief and my way of seeing the things bro Smile i float things as they appear to me, and i then listen to what others feel on that... this is where i get chance to make nose corrections to my beliefs, or to reinforce them through further study or thinking....


    i greatly apologise to all here, if i had insulted someone's beliefs who have different version of reiki and reiki practice than mine... to give less importance to what others believe, has never been my moral Smile



    Cheers Smile !


    salman

    Hi bro,

    No need to apologize. Your insights are greatly appreciated. Just keep 'em coming Very Happy )

    Thank You for taking time and responding!

    Regards,

    Resko
    chi_solas
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    Reiki and Atheism? Empty Re: Reiki and Atheism?

    Post by chi_solas Tue Mar 30, 2010 6:45 am

    AlienProgeny wrote: I believe that it is the journey that is important.


    Jotaro, its interesting how Martial arts, yoga,
    Reiki,& other alternatives have the same thread
    running through them. I'm reading a book "Making
    Miracles"by Dr Paul C Roud. he makes a point when
    talking about places like Lourdes that no one who
    lives near that area has ever experienced a miraculous
    cure. Its the hardship of the journey plus bathing
    in the spring, & praying are all necessary components
    of the treatment. Reiki and Atheism? 850837

    I'm also a product of being indocrinated starting
    with the first sacrament of baptism. I have spoken
    about the guilt of leaving such a "safe" community
    I often wonder if being a doubting Thomas is/was
    grounds for excommunication. scratch

    I also find that most folks who I have encountered
    in the alternative healing are folks who have left
    religious havens in place of freedom to speak what
    they believe to be the truth. Razz

    When I officiate weddings the couples who seek me out
    do so because they want a ceremony that represents
    who they are as a couple. They want a spiritual wedding
    and most couples are Catholic. I have officiated mixed
    religions. The first wedding I officiated was for a
    jewish couple. Most people like to dedicate a part of
    their ceremony to their ancestors. I love you

    I grew up immersed in Catholism. I lived in a
    "catholic community" It was a warm nurturing part of
    my growing up. I do not regret it. I have learned
    much from that experience.Reiki and Atheism? 850837
    chi_solas
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    Reiki and Atheism? Empty Re: Reiki and Atheism?

    Post by chi_solas Tue Mar 30, 2010 7:22 am

    salman that was a lot to absorb.

    As I was reading I recalled a friend
    whose first day on the job as a first
    responder to a train "accident" Spoke
    of how selfish the woman was to throw
    herself in front of the train and disrupt
    everyone's day. I was sorta taken back.
    I had never really thought of the victim
    causing so much malay to so many in that
    quick second that it took to jump in front
    of the train. scratch
    Shakti ~ Rising
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    Reiki and Atheism? Empty Re: Reiki and Atheism?

    Post by Shakti ~ Rising Wed Mar 31, 2010 9:59 am

    okay I'm a bit drunk and I;m far too lazy right now to read all the posts properly......

    but I completely agree with the idea that relisious and spiritual are two completely different things.... spirituality is our INNATE inheritence...religious tendencies are often social and environmental influences..... often religion causes seperateness and spirituality unites.....

    I disagree that the pineal gland is responsible for our spiritual desires.......but it plays a huge part in acting as a major door to spiritual perceptions and awareness........ our spiritrual desires are just INNATE they are our Divine inheritance........
    Part of the infinite consciousness with which we were born...
    Lambs-Wool
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    Reiki and Atheism? Empty Re: Reiki and Atheism?

    Post by Lambs-Wool Wed Mar 31, 2010 6:57 pm

    well Sharon the way we see religions today is not the way they have been crafted originally.... Practice of a religion is not limited to the extent of ceremonised rituals only... Practice of a religion is also not contained in cross-religion intolerance, violence, or over-preachy attitude of clergy or religious lords... Religion talks directly to our inner self, and the buliding of nations, sects, groups is always an outward picture, sometimes totally veiling what is going inside us through a religion....


    Practically speaking, what we observe around us, religions separate while spirituality, akin to universal love, unites us, but does this form sufficient ground to discard whatever good is contained in a religion ?

    Totally discarding a religion on the ground that it has failed in seeking its objective, might be a step that may need further thoughts Smile

    Take care

    Salman
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    Reiki and Atheism? Empty Re: Reiki and Atheism?

    Post by Colin Wed Mar 31, 2010 7:22 pm

    Shakti ~ Rising wrote:okay I'm a bit drunk and I;m far too lazy right now to read all the posts properly......

    but I completely agree with the idea that relisious and spiritual are two completely different things....

    Sorry for being slight off topic but I've just got to say that it made me laugh out loud when I saw you write that bit of drunk-speak "relisious"! lol!

    Sorry...carry on! silent
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    Reiki and Atheism? Empty Re: Reiki and Atheism?

    Post by Milarepa Thu Apr 01, 2010 12:49 am

    Shakti ~ Rising wrote: often religion causes seperateness and spirituality unites.....

    Spirituality unites? That's my experience. When i came to know Reiki, all my hang-ups and chips-on-my-shoulder fell away. And i saw the unity in all humans ways of experiencing the divine. With no judgment. It's why i believe & love all paths.

    So when we can see spirituality does'nt unite, when we judge some paths, and by implication the folks in it, as not being as spiritual, are we not suggesting: 'All men are equal, but some are more equal than others'?

    Check this out, i'd be interested in your comments afterwards...

    http://www.reikilearninglounge.com/the-coffee-bar-f5/religious-wars-fact-or-fiction-t838.htm

    Shakti ~ Rising wrote:
    I disagree that the pineal gland is responsible for our spiritual desires.......but it plays a huge part in acting as a major door to spiritual perceptions and awareness........ our spiritrual desires are just INNATE they are our Divine inheritance........
    Part of the infinite consciousness with which we were born...

    Anatomically, the pineal gland is the boss of the endocrine system, in which all things are governed, including desires. Rene Descartes also regarded it as the seat of the soul. Where the mind & body met.

    warmest wishes
    Wayne

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    Reiki and Atheism? Empty Re: Reiki and Atheism?

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