In a recent article, the International Association of Exorcists (IAE) has warned of the growing practice of introducing Reiki departments and spaces in hospitals as a “supportive complementary therapy.” The exorcists specify on several occasions their empathy for the “extremely difficult situations” experienced by patients in these hospitals, but perhaps precisely for this reason, they warn with special concern about the risks presented by this technique.
Among these, the IAE highlights its classification as an alternative therapy, which can at no point substitute traditional medical treatments. They even allude to numerous scientific analyses that confirm the lack of support and evidence regarding the efficacy of Reiki. But above all, they warn patients about the spiritual dangers of this discipline, which leads those who receive it to “expose themselves to the extraordinary power of the devil.”
The message from the International Association of Exorcists was accompanied by the story of a victim of this discipline, a regular practitioner of martial arts who had been recommended Reiki therapies.
Speaking about his initiation, he recalls that he was not allowed to see what was happening behind his back, where a master performed the ritual over the so-called chakras or energy centers. Once the session concluded, everyone shared their experience: some saw their deceased grandmother, others the so-called “third eye,” others certain spiritual realities… In his case, he neither saw nor felt anything, except for a sharp headache.
He says that at that time, about twelve years ago, he did not consider himself a Catholic, went to church sporadically, and did not lead anything resembling a sacramental life.
The Symptoms: Voices, Anguish, and Presences
At first, Reiki occupied all his dedication.
“I began to believe that I had the power to heal. I tried to practice Reiki on someone, laying my hands while invoking universal energy... I thought I could help others and find greater well-being… But exactly the opposite happened,” he recounts.
Among other afflictions, he highlights insomnia, feeling disturbing presences, hearing voices, waking up suddenly, inexplicable crying, or states of profound anguish that he could not explain.
At first, he didn't give it much thought, convinced that Reiki was “something positive,” a simple tool to feel good and do good to others.
But he recalls that by then he had already stopped going to Mass, and his situation was progressively worsening.
Attracted to a Church: "It is the Lord Who Calls"
One day, while out walking, he recalls feeling a force that pushed him to enter a church he was passing by, approaching the priest directly. “I don't even know why I'm here, it's as if something drew me in,” he told him.
Although he reacted abruptly to the priest's invitations to stay, he ultimately stayed for Mass, following the parish priest's advice.
“It is the Lord who is calling you, try to listen,” he told him.
Upon doing so, he recalls having the impression that Sacred Scripture was speaking directly to him. “At that moment, my path of conversion began. Later, I went to Medjugorje and reconnected with the Church; I started to pray again, go to Mass, and learn more about the dangers of esoteric practices,” he recounts.
Created by Mikao Usui in the early 20th century, Reiki maintains the existence of a universal life force that can be channeled through the hands, the article reads.
The Occult
An exorcist analyzes the “10 Commandments” of the New Age: Is there something diabolical behind it?
Among them, he recounts the case of a Reiki initiate who, following inner voices, ended up murdering his mother. “Nothing like that ever happened to me. He also said that upon entering the church, he wanted to pray the Hail Mary, but the words came out backwards, in an uncontrollable way. He also claimed to have seen strange symbols that seemed to move before his eyes.”
Healed by the Sacraments
It was during his learning process that he understood Reiki was the cause of his ailments: “The more I prayed, the more sacraments I received, and the more I attended Mass, the more my ailments diminished, until they finally disappeared.”
Before concluding, he shares a reflection on his long journey of conversion, during which he learned that Reiki is far from being a beneficial practice compatible with faith.
“For me, Reiki was a deception that distanced me from God and the Church, causing me deep suffering. Therefore, I would like to warn anyone who practices this discipline or knows someone who does, because I have lived through it and I know how painful it can be. It is difficult to describe the state of mind I was in: the anguish, the sudden tears, the voices, the inexplicable experiences, and the gradual withdrawal from a life of faith.”
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