TM writes: “Please talk about decalcification of pineal gland. It seems like a good and healthy thing to do. However there is a lot of connection to opening up third eye, etc. There is also a lot of symbolism [associated with the pineal gland] with Pinecones within the Vatican. Please go into depth about this topic. If I can feel better by flossing my teeth, avoiding fluoride, and eating natural foods to decalcify my pineal gland, that sounds like something I would like to do. Obviously I do not want to mess around with anything that is occult or new age.”
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Pharmaceuticals Found in "Natural" Brain Boosting Supplements
Is Gestalt Therapy Okay for Christians?
BA writes: "A friend of mine is training to be a gestalt therapist. Can you clarify if this is new age and if so, why?"
Gestalt therapy is a form of humanistic therapy which is a “mental health approach that emphasizes the importance of being your true self in order to lead the most fulfilling life.” Because the New Age is totally “self” centered, some of the practices used in this therapy, such as dream work, can be associated with New Age philosophies which may be introduced by practitioners.
Why You Shouldn't Waste Your Money on Bioresonance Devices
The Wacky Wednesday edition of EWTN’s Women of Grace® Live Radio is always an interesting show that never fails to turn up questions about some of the wackiest New Age practices and “treatments” on the planet – such as whether or not a “bioresonance” device known as the Healy can really keep us healthy.
A Pseudoscience Known as Craniosacral Therapy
PT asks: “I am writing you about craniosacral treatment. It is a kind of massage, physical therapy variant. In the Vatican document it is not referred to directly but I understand that it is based on oriental "energy" belief system. Would it be possible for you to enlighten me about this some more. People have been asking me.”
When Alternative Medicine Goes Wrong
Can Catholics Use Herbal Medicines?
KJ writes: “Dear friends of our family who are devout Catholics have become so disgusted with Big Pharma that they are turning to herbal medicine almost exclusively. In addition to how these natural remedies might be impacting them physically, what about their spiritual health? Isn’t this just a bunch of superstition?”
The Link Between Essential Oils and Witchcraft: What’s the Big Deal?
Beware of Strange "Healers"
AE writes about a "chiropractor" that she and her father have been seeing in California, a suspected illegal immigrant using the name Javier Lozano. They know little about the man except that he is married, goes to Mass weekly, works as a plumber during the day, and will accept only donations for his services. I will let AE describe what this "healer" does when she visits him.
Understanding the Difference Between Complementary and Alternative Medicine
The field of health care has a lot of new players these days – and many of them have little or nothing to do with conventional medicine. There’s complementary medicine, alternative medicine, whole medical systems, mind-body medicine, integrative medicine, etc. These fields are inundated with New Age practitioners, so it’s a good idea to learn what they are and what to watch out for.