Sacred Practices Misunderstood: Exploring the Origins, Intentions, and Common Ground in Spiritual Healing
This post may be triggering for some, and it is certainly one of my more controversial topics, but I felt called to share to help open the conversation for deeper understanding.
Recently, I’ve come across posts in various social media groups (which will remain unnamed) where commenters of a particular religious sect have been labeling certain spiritual practices as demonic. These include practices I hold dear, such as applied kinesiology, acupuncture, Reiki, yoga, and even the use of sage to cleanse a space—just to name a few. I can almost hear my Indigenous Mexican-American ancestors rolling in their graves at the notion of sage being labeled as demonic!
I suspect these commenters are unaware of the origins of these spiritual practices and that their beliefs are rooted in fear of the unknown. Each time I encounter such posts, I struggle with whether to respond. Most often, I choose silence and move on. However, if you believe—as I do—that physical illnesses often stem from mental, emotional, and spiritual imbalances, then this current sore throat and fever of mine seem to be asking me to speak my truth.
Let me begin by saying that I grew up Catholic. I attended Catholic school until the 9th grade and participated in many Bible studies and retreats. However, the practice of Catholicism never resonated with my soul, especially as I became aware of systemic issues within the Church, like the abuse of children by priests. That personal journey is a story for another day, but it does inform my perspective. I should also mention that I have guided and taught many deeply religious individuals through these practices, helping them discover the profound common ground that connects spirituality and faith. These experiences have shown me that, at their core, practices like prayer, meditation, and healing share the same intention: to align with divine love, seek peace, and foster connection with the Creator. By exploring these shared principles, many have deepened their faith and found a greater appreciation for the universal truths that transcend cultural and spiritual boundaries.
My partner explained it best: “Every religion and spiritual practice is like a raft that is designed to support you on the journey toward love, compassion, and acceptance, but sometimes we judge someone else’s journey, and that leaves us spinning around in circles in the middle of the ocean unable to reach what we initially set out to find.”
Labeling something as "demonic", “evil”, or “wrong”, without understanding its origins, purpose, or intention shuts the door to curiosity and connection. Instead of approaching these practices with an open heart and mind, such judgments breed shame—not only toward the practices but also toward those who find meaning in them. Many of these practices are Indigenous, deeply rooted in specific cultures, and intended to be shared with those who align with their teachings.
In the spirit of clarity and unity, here’s a brief overview of the origins, purposes, and intentions of the practices I mentioned:
Applied Kinesiology
Origins: Applied Kinesiology (AK) was developed in 1964 by Dr. George Goodheart, a chiropractor who combined chiropractic techniques with principles from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), physical therapy, biomechanics, and nutrition. He sought to understand how muscle strength and imbalances could reflect the body’s overall health.
Purpose: This practice uses manual muscle testing to identify physical, chemical, and emotional imbalances, aiming to bring the body into harmony by addressing underlying stressors.
Intention and Protection: When approached with the intention of love and the highest good for the individual, AK becomes a powerful tool for healing. The practitioner acts as a neutral channel, and their focused intention ensures that the energy exchanged is pure and beneficial, eliminating any possibility of negative or demonic influence.
Acupuncture
Origins: Acupuncture is a cornerstone of TCM, with roots dating back more than 3,000 years. It is based on the concept of qi (pronounced “chee”), the vital energy that flows through the body along specific pathways called meridians.
Purpose: By stimulating specific points on the body, acupuncture restores balance, promotes healing, and aligns the physical and energetic bodies.
Intention and Protection: Acupuncture is traditionally grounded in the principles of balance and harmony, with practitioners trained to work with the body’s natural energy for the client’s highest good. When performed with the loving intention of promoting health and wholeness, there is no space for negative energies to enter.
Reiki
Origins: Reiki originated in Japan in the early 20th century. Its founder, Mikao Usui, developed this system of energy healing based on ancient practices and his own spiritual insights. Reiki translates to “universal life energy” (rei meaning universal and ki meaning life force energy).
Purpose: Reiki channels universal life energy through the practitioner to the recipient, addressing imbalances and promoting relaxation, healing, and spiritual growth.
Intention and Protection: Reiki practitioners are taught to set a clear intention to channel energy only for the highest good of all involved. This intention ensures that the practice remains a sacred exchange of healing energy, free of interference from any lower or negative forces. Reiki energy itself is inherently pure and cannot be misused.
Yoga
Origins: Yoga is an ancient practice originating in India over 5,000 years ago. Rooted in Vedic traditions, it integrates physical postures, breath control, meditation, and ethical principles. The word yoga means “to unite” or “to join.”
Purpose: Yoga fosters a union of body, mind, and spirit, promoting self-awareness, inner peace, and spiritual connection.
Intention and Protection: Yoga’s very essence is about aligning with higher consciousness and divine love. By dedicating one’s practice to love, growth, and the highest good, practitioners create a spiritually safe environment. This sacred intention ensures that yoga becomes a path of light and connection, not fear or negativity.
Sage Cleansing (Smudging)
Origins: Smudging has been practiced by Indigenous cultures for centuries, particularly in North America. Burning sage, especially white sage, is a sacred ritual used for purification, healing, and spiritual clarity.
Purpose: The act of smudging clears negative energies and invites protection, peace, and positivity into a space or individual’s energy field.
Intention and Protection: Smudging is inherently a practice of light and love. Setting a clear intention, such as “May this space be cleansed and filled with divine love and peace,” amplifies its positive effects and protects against any negative influences. The smoke is a conduit for releasing negativity and invoking blessings, ensuring the ritual is a spiritually safe practice.
The Power of Intention
Across all these practices, intention is the key to their purity and effectiveness. When one engages in these traditions with a heart full of love, a mind aligned with the highest good, and a spirit grounded in compassion, the energy surrounding them becomes a protective shield. Negative forces cannot thrive in an atmosphere of love and divine alignment.
By focusing on love, healing, and unity, these practices transcend cultural or spiritual misunderstandings, connecting us to universal truths and uplifting all who participate. Let them serve as reminders that light always overcomes darkness when approached with clear and loving intention.
For anyone who is uncertain about the power of intention, I invite you to read on.
The power of intention, from a quantum physics perspective, revolves around the idea that consciousness and focused thought can influence energy and matter. Quantum physics, the study of the smallest particles in the universe, reveals that reality at its core is not fixed but exists as a field of infinite possibilities, and conscious observation plays a role in shaping outcomes. Here’s how this relates to the power of intention:
1. The Observer Effect
In quantum mechanics, the observer effect demonstrates that the act of observing a particle can influence its behavior. For example, in the famous double-slit experiment, particles like electrons behave differently depending on whether they are being observed. When unobserved, they act as waves, existing in multiple states simultaneously (superposition). When observed, they collapse into a single state, behaving like particles.
Just as observation influences the outcome of a quantum system, our focused thoughts and intentions can influence energy fields around us. This suggests that our consciousness interacts with the quantum field, shaping reality in alignment with our thoughts and intentions.
2. Energy and Vibrations
Quantum physics reveals that everything in the universe, at its most fundamental level, is energy vibrating at specific frequencies. Thoughts, emotions, and intentions are forms of energy that emit vibrations. Positive, love-based intentions resonate at higher frequencies, while fear-based or negative intentions resonate at lower frequencies.
When you set an intention with love and for the highest good, you align your energy with higher vibrational frequencies. These frequencies harmonize with the quantum field, amplifying the likelihood of manifesting positive outcomes. This principle aligns with practices like those mentioned above, where clear and loving intentions are key to their effectiveness.
3. Quantum Entanglement
Quantum entanglement describes how particles that have interacted become interconnected, so much so that a change in one particle instantaneously affects the other, regardless of distance. This principle suggests that everything in the universe is interconnected at a fundamental level.
When you set an intention, you are not acting in isolation. Your thoughts and energy can influence not only your immediate surroundings but also people, events, and environments far removed from you. This interconnectedness underscores the power of intentions set with love and unity, as they ripple through the quantum field to affect the collective consciousness.
4. Collapsing Possibilities into Reality
The quantum field exists as a realm of potential, where all possibilities coexist until one is actualized through observation or interaction. Setting an intention is akin to choosing a specific outcome from the field of infinite possibilities. Your focused thought acts as a signal, collapsing the wave of potential into a tangible reality.
When you focus on a loving, clear intention, you are essentially programming the quantum field to align with that outcome. The clearer and more heartfelt the intention, the stronger the signal you send, increasing the likelihood of manifesting the desired result.
5. Coherence and Resonance
Heart-centered intentions, such as those based in love, gratitude, and compassion, create coherence in the body’s electromagnetic field, as shown by studies from institutions like the HeartMath Institute. This coherence enhances your ability to influence your surroundings and the quantum field.
When you approach practices like those described above with a coherent and loving intention, your energy becomes more ordered and powerful. This amplifies the practice’s effects, creating a protective and healing environment free from negative or chaotic influences.
Try it for yourself!
Set Clear Intentions: Define your intention with clarity and focus. For example, “May this space be filled with peace, love, and healing energy.”
Use Emotion as a Catalyst: Emotion amplifies intention. Feeling gratitude, love, or compassion while setting an intention strengthens the energy you emit.
Trust the Process: Once an intention is set, trust that the quantum field is aligning with your energy. Release fear or doubt, as these can interfere with the coherence of your intention.
By understanding the power of intention through the lens of quantum physics, we recognize that our thoughts and energies are not passive but active forces capable of shaping reality. With love as the foundation, intention becomes a profound tool for transformation, healing, and manifesting a world aligned with the highest good for all.
Is it true that not everyone operates with good intentions? Unfortunately, yes. This is where discernment becomes essential. Discernment is the ability to perceive and evaluate the energy, motives, and authenticity of a situation, practice, or person. It requires us to tune into our inner wisdom, guided by both logic and spiritual intuition, to assess whether something aligns with love, truth, and the divine good.
To cultivate discernment, start by grounding yourself in prayer, meditation, or reflective practices that center you in love and truth. Observe how the energy of a situation feels—does it inspire peace, compassion, and growth, or does it bring fear, division, or harm? Trust your instincts, but also seek wise counsel from trusted spiritual mentors or sacred texts. By developing discernment, we protect ourselves from negative influences and ensure that our actions and practices contribute to the light and not the shadows.
Ultimately, discernment empowers us to navigate the world with clarity, ensuring that we engage with intentions and energies that uplift and align with the highest good.
For those who still view these practices as 'demonic,' I lovingly invite you to take a moment to reflect and pray about it. Ask yourself: Why do these practices provoke discomfort or unease within me? Could it be that I am limiting my perspective because they don’t align with my personal belief system? Am I judging the whole based on a single negative experience? Have I closed my heart to the possibility of embracing that which I might not fully understand?
At their core, aren’t love, compassion, and unity the foundation of all religions, faiths, and spiritual practices? By approaching these questions with an open heart and a willingness to seek understanding, you may uncover the shared threads of love and truth that connect us all.
Rather than resisting discomfort, approach it with childlike curiosity. The spiritual practice of ‘facing your demons’ isn’t about rejection or denial but about integration—discovering the unifying thread of love that flows through all things. May we learn to hold space with compassion and respect for those whose paths differ from our own, embracing diversity as a reflection of the infinite ways love can manifest.
P.S. For anyone interested to know, my sore throat dissipated and my fever finally broke after writing this post. 😉