What is the christian idea of this forbidden magic? Is Tai Chi magic? If not is Chi kung magic? If not is Reiki magic? Where do you draw the line with manipulation of your body's energy?
I ask because I was thinking of creating a form of christian mysticism that focused on manipulating "divine energy" for certain effects.
I wouldn't try it tbh
About the only thing I share with "magic" believers is a liking for the symbolism of different metals. I like wearing a plain iron cross pendant (not the German symbol). I always liked that passage of Jesus in Revelation where he "rules with a rod of iron" and "out of his mouth goes a sharp sword that shall smite the nations". Iron is symbolically both a symbol of strength and defense. It's both from the heavens (meteors) and an element associated with earth. And in Rudyard Kipling's famous poem, Iron is the greatest metal, for it redeemed mankind through the nails of the cross.
Iron might've been a symbol for Mars once.. or some silly magic warding.. but I think Jesus took it for himself.
Magic as it was understood by Christianity is to gain some boons from demons or dead (necromancy). Its usually about obtaining some information.
Also, divine energy is grace of God and its easy to "manipulate": Do good and be virtuous. Thats about it.
I can't help but explore. I feel very driven to seek out anything of value from this. I was able to quite some birds with some love energy, years later it still comes up in the back of mind. I don't know what else to do about it. I feel like this is my purpose.
Interesting. I'm not big on symbolism myself but I suppose I can understand.
Well, that's not energy.. or magic. It's simply love. And God is love (even when he appears as iron, in my case. Heh).
That's a much clearer definition. Thank you for your advice.
one of the names of the devil, satan, is Pan
Infact "Pan" means "everything"
Pantheism, is the belief that the universe (everything) is god.
Magic, was seen as everything arriving from this belief that there are energies and causal effects that can be harnessed from the universe and directed through our bodies. The belief that we can become posessed by evil forces is part of the belief that pantheism is the enemy of christianity. Pantheism from the worship of pan, the green man, the burning man, the bipedal goat, etc. So tai chi etc would be seen by christians as a form of worship that goes along with ideas born of pantheism
Interesting. I knew Pan was some nature related god, but somehow never drew the relationship to pantheism. Seems obvious now.