Is it acceptable for Latter Day Saints to be involved?

I was with my family at a theater watching the movie "Narnia." Aslan ,the lion, was willingly walking himself towards the stone table. My thoughts turned to the obvious parallel: Jesus Christ. I pondered His incredibly unending love that enabled him to willingly walk himself toward the cross. I was overwhelmed with deep gratitude for Him. All of a sudden I noticed that a warm flowing sensation of subtle Energy was streaming out the palm of my right hand. Whether it is called Quantum Touch or Reiki, Prana, Chi or simply "life force energy" it is obviously amplified by loving thoughts.

That is another reason I am comfortable having these modalities done by facilitators of high integrity, and why I am certified in some of them myself. "But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God." (Moroni 7:13) "A good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit." Another reason I know Energy Medicine has good ‘fruit’ is because it was promptings of the spirit that began my learning journey in the first place. It has been amazing how people and books and events have been orchestrated to cross my path with synchronicity.

I know the hand of the Lord has been over my life so that I would learn these things. Numerous spiritual experiences witness to me that there is truth in this work. Further, I know that God works by laws. "

To heal a person by the touch, or by the laying on of hands, in the name of Jesus Christ, or to impart the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands, is as much in accordance with the laws of nature, as for water to seek its own level... However, the touch, or laying on of hands, is not the only means of communicating the gift of healing. A word spoken, a mandate issued, or even a handkerchief, apron or other garment, worn or touched by a person full of this Spirit, and conveyed to another, has, according to sacred history, and also the experience of the present age, proved sufficient to communicate the spiritual fluid between minds of strong and mutual faith." (Parley P. Pratt, Key tothe Science of Theology, p 109-111)

My favorite hymn is "Lord, I Would Follow Thee." It says, "I would be my brother’s keeper, I would learn the healer’s art, to the wounded and the weary I would show a gentle heart." That is the aim of facilitators I know who do Energy work. One can’t speak for what other energy therapists do, but we in the healing arts can know whether we ourselves operate within the gospel’s bounds.

Why would an LDS mom learn of such Eastern sounding beliefs?

Some people might wonder why an LDS mom would want to learn of such Eastern sounding beliefs. Others get downright nervous. I hope that the quotes I found below on truth will dispel many misconceptions that members of the church may have. Brigham Young said,

"This is the belief and doctrine of the Latter-day Saints. Learn everything that the children of men know, and be prepared for the most refined society upon the face of the earth, then improve upon this until we are prepared and permitted to enter the society of the blessed- the holy angels that dwell in the presence of God."

Orson F. Whitney said in General Conference,

"God has been using not merely his covenant people, but other peoples of the world as well, to carry out a work that is too demanding for the limited numbers of Latter-day Saints to accomplish by themselves. This has been true down through the ages... Good and great men and women, who have not borne the priesthood or been fully aware of God’s ultimate designs, but who have thought profoundly, accumulated great wisdom, led exemplary moral lives, and unselfishly desired to uplift their fellow beings, have been inspired by God under many circumstances to deliver dimensions of light and truth that the people were able to understand and use wisely. This includes many reformers, and founders of the religions of the world, such as Zarathustra, Bautama Buddha, Lao Tzu, Muhammad, and Guru Nanak." (untitled address, 91st Annual Conference SLC 1921 p32-33)

Elder Bruce R. McConkie said in Tahiti:
"Keep all the truth and all the good that you have. Do not abandon any sound or proper principle. Do not forsake any standard of the past which is good, righteous, and true. Every truth found in every church in all the world we believe. But we also say this to all men—Come and take the added light and truth that God has restored in our day. The more truth we have, the greater is our joy here and now; the more truth we receive, the greater is our reward in eternity."

Joseph Smith said, "We should gather all the good and true principles in the world and treasure them up, or we shall not come out true "Mormons." (Teachings, p316)A Latterday Saint Perspective on Muhammad.htm/pop00007.htm

I stand with Garth L. Allred who wrote,

"For the Saints, all truths are compatible and will blend perfectly whether they are from sacred temples or from secular universities, or even from what we might consider foreign cultures. I believe that as distant doors are opened to the missionaries and as Israel is gathered from all nations- as we become more and more an international church- "They [who are gathered into the church] shall bring forth their rich treasures unto the children of Ephraim, my servants."(D&C133:30). Could it be that as East meets West there will be a complementariness of knowledge? Our highly technological culture has much to learn from those nations and cultures who realize the importance of mind and spirit healing connected with healing of the body. ... Since Israel has been scattered among all nations, it should not surprise us to find important healing
truths from among all nations. It would be naive to think that our western culture alone has the edge on truth- healing truths or otherwise. Of course caution must be encouraged as we seek for proper healing principles and practices for our spirits, minds and bodies. The spirit of discernment and wisdom is vital as we sift and sort through new ideas and techniques for healing....Sadly, I find people in the Church who reject medical and psychological help simply because this help lies outside the framework of the Church. Many times the process of healing takes in a combination of many different sources of help, working together to heal the whole person." (Garth Allred, Unlocking the Powers of Faith, p 6-7,10)

"For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God...and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ." (Moroni 7:16, 19) The things I have studied have deepened my testimony of Christ. I know God led me to and along this path. The Lord gives healing truths to people all over the world. Are we open to the possibility that modern men & women can be inspired of God on this subject? When we stay close to the Spirit He can lead us to truth from many sources. I know this because that is how my daughter got well! The Prophet Joseph Smith proclaimed that the Saints are not circumscribed by a rigid and unchanging creed or a prescribed set of beliefs, as were some of the churches of his day. He said,

"We believe that we have a right to embrace all, and every item of truth...when that truth is clearly demonstrated to our minds, and we have the highest degree of evidence of the same." (The Personal Writings of Joseph Smith p 420).

Brigham Young addressed the all encompassing nature of the gospel more specifically.

"‘Mormonism,’ so-called, embraces every principle pertaining to life and salvation, for time and eternity. No matter who has it. If the infidel has got truth it belongs to ‘Mormonism.’ The truth and sound doctrine possessed by the sectarian world, and they have a great deal, all belong to this church. ...All that is good lovely and praiseworthy belongs to this church and kingdom.‘Mormonism’ includes all truth." (Discourse of Brigham Young , p.3.)

Does the Bible mention our Energy system?

One’s Energy system has 7 main energy centers known as ‘chakras. ’ The word "chakras" is from Sanskrit meaning " wheels." Each wheel is an Energy center, a spinning vortex located down the center of one’s body. Ezekiel chapter 1 is the most obvious reference. The prophet saw in vision 4 creatures with the likeness of a man having wheels of colored brightness up and down. Ezekiel said "the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels" and "their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps...." Ezekiel said one wheel was like the color of a beryl (a green gem), and above their head it was the color of the terrible crystal and above the firmament over their heads it was the color of a sapphire stone (deep blue.) The color of amber was seen above the loins and from the loins downward "I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about." Those colors seem to match the location and color of the 7 main chakras!

Their appearance and work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel. Wherever the spirit was to go, they went. They had dreadfully high rings which were full of eyes. All of that fits with the literature on chakras. Verse 11 has a cross reference to D&C 77:4. "Q. What are we to understand by the eyes and wings, which the beasts had? A. Their eyes are a representation of light and knowledge, that is they are full of knowledge; and their wings are a representation of power, to move, to act, etc."Apparently, the "dreadfully high rings" contained light and knowledge, precisely what one would expect concerning the rings of the complete circuit of energy. D&C 93:29 teaches us that intelligence is the light of truth. D&C 88 teaches that the light of truth shines and that it is the same light that quickens our understandings. Quantum mechanics tells us that at levels well below protons and electrons there is mostly space. And that in that space -what exists? Information. The First Presidency has written, "There is a universally diffused essence which is the light and the life of the world... which proceedeth forth from the presence of God throughout the immensity of space, the light and power of which God bestows in different degrees to ‘them that ask him,’ according to their faith and obedience." (Improvement Era, Mar 1916, 460 quoted by Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, Apr 2005, 8)

Those who can see subtle Energy systems also write of a cord connecting our Energy body/physical being to our "Source" in heaven. Eccles.12:6-7 says "Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." In other words, when the silver cord that connects our Energy system from a heavenly place to our physical being is loosed, our spirit returns to God. That fits fine with my belief system.

Some people’s minds seem closed to new ideas, yet the Lord says we are to "be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle... Of things both in heaven, and in the earth, and under the earth. (D&C 88:78-79) I can think of few other subjects to study that purport to be in all 3 of those places other than our complete system of energy. (Some of our Energy centers are located a few feet under our physical feet, or "under the earth.") I feel fine learning about my Energetic body which is above, on and below the earth as long as I stay firmly planted on the rock of Christ which is His gospel. (See D&C 11:24) Orson F. Whitney wrote, "[The gospel] embraces all truth, whether known or unknown, it incorporates all intelligence, both past and prospective. No righteous principle will ever be revealed, no truth can possibly be discovered, either in time or in eternity, that does not in some manner, directly or indirectly, pertain to the gospel of Jesus Christ."

Energy Medicine sounds unconventional, is it ok?

Energy Medicine sounds so unconventional. Is it really okay? How many times in Sunday School have we heard the amazing story of Amanda Smith who lost her husband and a son in the Haun’s Mill Massacre? She found another son severely wounded with his hip blown away. Amanda knelt down and pled with the Lord for help asking Him to direct her with what to do. A voice gave her step- by- step directions so that the Lord could make her son a new hip. (Our Heritage pg 47-48) The answer wasn’t anything "conventional." The procedures may have sounded strange. Yet, surely we believe this story is true and that a novel approach was indeed what was needed. I doubt that people back then went around whispering how strange and untraditional the methods she used to treat her son were. I believe they rejoiced that the Lord through the Spirit gave her the wisdom to help heal her son in a manner previously unknown and certainly not understood. We have the same options today. I choose to rejoice that new options are available today!

1 Nephi 17:41 says, "...he prepared a way that they might be healed; and the labor which they had to perform was to look; and because of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished." God is just. Since He prepared a way for the Israelites to be healed, we can be assured that the Lord has also prepared a way to help us today! The question is, do we have enough faith to believe that He will help us? We are to liken the scriptures to ourselves. "Behold, he was spoken of by Moses; yea and behold a type was raised up in the wilderness, that whosoever would look upon it might live. And many did look and live. But few understood the meaning of those things, and this because of the hardness of their hearts. But there were many who were so hardened that they would not look, therefore they perished. Now the reason they would not look is because they did not believe that it would heal them. O my brethren, if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly, or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes, that ye might perish? If so, wo shall come upon you; but if not so, then cast about your eyes and begin to believe in the Son of God..." (Alma 33:19-22)

What are some basic premises in this field?

1. The mind/body connection is real. Thoughts affect our health. We are more than Person = Body.
Person = Body + Spirit + Mind.
2. We store emotions in our body which are vibrations or forms of energy that affect us.
3. When we store unresolved emotions in the body they can lead to pain and disease.
4. Forgiveness can heal on the physical level as well as the emotional, mental and spiritual level.
5. Our bodies are intelligent and know how to heal.
6. Love, gratitude, forgiveness, and praise in all things exhibits higher consciousness which has an impact regarding health.
7. Genetic issues stored in DNA can be cleared.
8. Subtle energy is non-local, so distance healing work is possible and efficacious.

It is my opinion that spiritual gifts can be at work in healing modalities.