Removing Reiki
            QUESTION from Chris on December 10, 2003

Hi, Before I pose my question(s), I would like to offer thanks, and a bit of history. I am currently 20 years old. Several years ago, when I was probably not more than 12 (I forget exactly how long ago), members of my family became interested in Reiki. An uncle became a Reiki master, and began to initiate more of my family, including me. At the time, I went along with this without question, following the lead of my parents, grandparents, and other relatives. I remember my mother having a few reservations, but I remember saying at the time that if Reiki heals people, it must be okay - a rather naive view, I now realise. It was some years later until it occurred to me to wonder whether Reiki was in accordance with Christianity, but until recently the view that 'it helps people, it can't be bad' prevailed. I found myself thinking of the time Jesus cast out a demon and was accused of receiving His power from Satan. He replied that Satan could not stand divided against himself, and so I thought that something that helps fight disease in the body could not be evil. Much more recently, I decided that Christianity and Reiki do not mix, and that I wanted to get rid of Reiki. The problem was in accomplishing this. I wondered whether there might be some reverse initiation, and resolved to question my uncle, the Reiki master, on this the next time I saw him. Looking back on it, this was a prime bit of procrastination. Eventually, after some inner debate, I decided to do some investigating of my own. I did some digging on the Internet, but had trouble finding anything, until eventually I found this site. I found comments from people talking about getting Reiki out of hospitals, and then several posts from a woman who had removed Reiki by prayer. This was the catalyst I needed. Whilst I realised that prayer was probably the answer, something had been holding me back. This, however, gave me the courage, about a week and a half ago, to cast the Reiki, and its influence, out of myself in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And it went. The intense heat in the centre of my palms has now gone - as I prayed, I could feel something happening there, a sensation I can't really describe. At first I couldn't quite believe it (and I don't think it fully sank in for some time), but then I started pouring out thanks to God. And I would also like to thank the administrators of this site, and the woman, whose name I never did learn, for posting here. Now, however, I need to look beyond myself, to a family overrun by Reiki. My parents, sister, grandparents, uncle (the Reiki master), his sister, and her two children, all have Reiki to varying degrees. I received only the first initiation, and never learned about the various symbols involved, for which I am very thankful, but my grandparents and uncle have. I desperately want to see them rid of Reiki, but how to see it brought about? I suppose the first question is whether I believe God is leading me to deal with this problem. At the time of my prayer, this seemed like the next natural step, and I started thinking about how to go about it, but when later my girlfriend (who is very glad to see me rid of Reiki!) asked me if it was me who wanted me to work towards this, or God, I realised I didn't know. I shall continue to pray on this, but in the meantime I still feel the need to prepare myself. Sometimes I wonder if I should take a back seat and trust God to work through me, or not, when the time comes, but that seems like the easy, non-confrontational way out. If I am to go about this, how should I approach it? I have picked up from various places that the accepted wisdom amongst Reiki practitioners is that once you have received Reiki, you cannot get rid of it. And yet I have, and I hope that this will carry some weight if I bring it up - also the fact that I cast it out in Jesus' name; my family is, at least nominally, Christian. Though I don't know whether my uncle would call himself a Christian any more; I know that he believes in reincarnation, and has an interest in magic (though he doesn't practise any, at least as far as I know). Other than using this as a starting point, however, I don't know how to proceed. I mustn't alienate them, for then how will I help them? Your advice and prayers would be much appreciated. Chris