GLM writes: “I have been doing block therapy for a while and it’s really helping me but some of the meditation seems New Age to me. Can you check this out and write something about it?”Because the New Age and its non-Christian worldviews are so much a part of the healthcare industry, Catholics in search of healing need to exercise due diligence before getting involved in any kind of therapy regardless of how innocent it may appear on the surface, especially those that include a meditation component.
Block therapy is the perfect example. Comprised of exercise, breathing, and meditation, it’s described as a process designed to work on the body’s fascia, which is the connective tissue that hold the cells together. Fascia can be damaged by surgery, injury, posture issues, and even breathing incorrectly. These injuries can cause adhesions that can pull the body out of alignment and block blood and oxygen flow.
Block therapy attempts to correct these problems by utilizing a therapeutic tool called a “Block Buddy”. This bamboo block is placed under various parts of the body during isometric exercises. “With gravity and body weight, the Block Buddy is able to sink deeply into the tissue all the way to the root of your issues,” the website explains. “The pressure brings increased blood and oxygen into the area warming the connective tissue and ‘melting’ the powerful seal between the layers of unhealthy restrictions.”
Students use the block for a minimum of three minutes in various positions while also employing diaphragmatic breathing to increase their oxygen absorption.
“The combination of increased oxygen, the freeing of adhesions, proper posture and alignment form the basis of the Block Therapy/Fluid Isometrics system,” the site explains.
The founder of this therapy, Deanna Hansen, a Certified Athletic Therapist and founder of Fluid Isometrics™ openly admits to having been a student of Iyengar Yoga where she learned the importance of good body alignment and diaphragmatic breathing; however, there is nothing wrong with diaphragmatic breathing or good body posture. Neither of these practices are yoga-based.
Where Block Therapy runs into trouble with Christians is in its meditative component, something the founder seems to be well aware of, but makes no effort to compensate for. As she writes in this article: “I begin this week's blog with the understanding that discussing meditation, chakras and energy may not be in your belief system. Because Block Therapy addresses all aspects of the body – the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual – I believe that it is important to discuss the spiritual and healing aspect of the Block.”
She goes on to present her beliefs, which are based in Hinduism, as if they should be everyone’s beliefs. “A concept you may or may not be familiar with is our body has an energetic system, connected to our spiritual self, called the chakra system. The Chakras are the energy centers in the body that distribute the life force to all the cells.”
Leaving aside the spiritual aspect of this statement, science tells us that the subtle energy being described here (“life force”) doesn’t exist, which means the energy centers known as chakras don’t either. Because Hansen claims that in order to “fully access our chakras, and to detoxify our tissues, the meditative aspect of Block Therapy is imperative” we can assume that due to it being based on an erroneous form of energy, the overall effectiveness of Block therapy is questionable.
Hansen makes no effort to accommodate people’s spiritual beliefs, and because Block Therapy has components that are diametrically opposed to the Christian worldview, Christians should pass on this practice.
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