Conflicts with my past and present spiritual life

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biogirl7

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I was baptised in 2001 after being an ecclectic pagan for most of my life. Cliffnotes version: I was very sick (ended up dx’d with MS) and I was trying to draw in healing energy from the universe when what (who?) came to me in my mind’s eye was Christ. Being the ever-determined fatist that I am, I figured I can’t argue with that one. It was like getting hit in th head with a 2x4. So, after researching many Christian denominations, I settled very comfortably into Catholicism…and I do love my faith.

There is an issue that I’ve been trying to deal with…I still hold some of my old beliefs in herbs and crystals. I’ve studied herbal and crystal medicine and lore since I was young. I believe that God created all for our use and He created herbs and crystals with the particular energy that they have. There is no sorcery, no communication or commanding of spirits…just using the healing energy that God supplied through these herbs and stones to balance one’s life.

What I don’t understand is…Is this wrong to assume? Am I living in sin by doing this? I know how I feel about it, but I’m afraid that I may be being influenced by evil to feel comfortable about what I’m doing when, in reality, I’m going against Christ’s teaching.

So here I am…I feel fine about this, I feel like I’m incorporating another aspect of God’s power and love into my life by fully using all of the gifts He created for us to use. But…I’m afraid that the only reason why I feel this way is because of my past and I have some sort of residual evil clouding my judgment.

I hope this all makes sense.

Blessings…
 
I don’t see anything wrong with useing herbs for healing. That said, it sounds to me like you may be associating spiritual powers with the “crystals”. I don’t know exactly what you mean by crystals, but if you believe that somehow these crystals are channeling spiritual energy from God I would like to know where you got such an idea? Certainly God can send his graces to you in any fashion he chooses. I would ask you to examine your concience and determine if this idea is, as you fear, a remnant of your pagan beliefs. If I were you I’d talk to a few priests and see if they have ever heard of such a thing. If not I’d say try to see your past practices as just that, part of your past. Perhaps this knowledge you have of these practices will help you to relate to others who put stock in them. You may be able to help others come to beleive as you now do, in the Church.
 
Certainly there is nothing wrong with using herbs to treat ailments or boost health, after all a huge number of the most common and effective drugs in Western medicine were derived initially from plants.

Crystals? Well, I don’t discount that they may have some beneficial physical properties (who knows?). I don’t believe that crystals have been particularly well studied as far as Western science goes, and I certainly think they (among other complementary therapies) should be.

I have to admit to a strong leaning towards Western and more traditional health techniques here. I come from a family full of doctors. Certainly though, they are versed in some of the complementary techniques such as acupuncture, hypnotherapy and such.

Where I feel you may be crossing a line is when you start talking about ‘energy’. Bear in mind that not all energy is good, positive or beneficial in the long-term. Not all ‘energy’ comes from God is what I’m saying, and it is possible that in your quest for physical health you may end up losing out in terms of spiritual health, which after all is far more important.

So what I’m basically saying is try traditional medicine, do what you can in terms of nutrition and exercise as well, if you feel you’re not getting anywhere with these then try herbal medicine. But I’d steer clear of the crystals and anything that merely purports to influence ‘energy’ as opposed to having a demonstrable physical or chemical basis.

Clear as mud for you? 😃
 
I think these things give images to your mind that is soothing and maybe even healing for you. As time goes on they may become less important but I wouldn’t see any harm in it for now. I think there are many useful “techniques” to help ourselves get our mind right. Christ said, “whoever is not against us is for us” so I figure that if it helps and does not blaspheme Christ somehow you’re probably OK.

I say this of personal opinion and not intended to be a theologically correct answer.

Alan
 
biogirl7 said:
There is an issue that I’ve been trying to deal with…I still hold some of my old beliefs in herbs and crystals. I’ve studied herbal and crystal medicine and lore since I was young. I believe that God created all for our use and He created herbs and crystals with the particular energy that they have. There is no sorcery, no communication or commanding of spirits…just using the healing energy that God supplied through these herbs and stones to balance one’s life.

So here I am…I feel fine about this, I feel like I’m incorporating another aspect of God’s power and love into my life by fully using all of the gifts He created for us to use. But…I’m afraid that the only reason why I feel this way is because of my past and I have some sort of residual evil clouding my judgment.
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I don’t see how they are intrinsically destructive. A few weeks ago we had this in the Mass reading from Wisdom 1:13-15
Because God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living. For he fashioned all things that they might have being; and the creatures of the world are wholesome, and there is not a destructive drug among them nor any domain of the nether world on earth, for justice is undying.
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I hope this all makes sense.
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Blessings…
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It did to me. I’ve never done those things in particular but I think we can learn to use all the healing tools God has given us.

Alan
 
Thanks to everyone for their replies…

I just don’t want to do something that offends God. I’m not “channeling” energy with these crystals but rather settling unbalanced energy. Kind of like using a quartz to separate UV light into its separte wavelengths to see a rainbow. I would use Hematite to exaggerate whatever I was feeling at the time (if it was good) or use Amethyst to help decipher knowledge from a particularly tough lecture. Also, I wear an Azurite pendant in the shape of a waxing crescent because the azurite promotes health in the central nervous system and I have MS.

I will continue to meditate and pray about this. I will let you all know if something else comes to my attention.

Blessings…
 
Dear Biogirl…A good test as to whether you are unconsciously holding onto these things in error. Get rid of them using the prayer of abandonment. Just tell the Lord, you are totally His. Satan does not let go easily. He will use small cracks in our spiritual armour to get to us. That’s what these things are…small cracks. Even though you may have studied this. Your sources were not the Scriptures. Therefore, you may have unconsciously taken on the mindset of authors. Something to just think about. The fact that you are asking about this says that you are not totally at ease with this stuff now that you have converted.
 
This document my aid your relection on the topic:
ewtn.com/library/curia/pccpcida.htm

It’s titled:
JESUS CHRIST, THE BEARER OF THE WATER OF LIFE: A Christian reflection on the “New Age” from the Pontifical Council for Culture & Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
 
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