Should a christian believe in "pressure points" on the body? Is it even legit?

[yeshuaslavejeff]

...moved to private chat...

 

[~Anastasia~]

Vitamins are not usually the problem. But we are getting too OT here. You may have the last word. This is obviously very important to you. I was trying to answer the OP and explain my reasons.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Good, then we agree that discernment is necessary.

Well, think of it this way: (as long as not allergic)

How "discerning" does a housewife have to be to pick
bananas, apples, lemons, lettuce, cabbage,
carrots , pototatotos , onions, plums, strawberries , 100% stone ground wheat bread, almond milk, distilled water, grapes, blueberries, etc etc etc
for her family ?

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Vitamins are not usually the problem. But we are getting too OT here. You may have the last word. This is obviously very important to you. I was trying to answer the OP and explain my reasons.

Well, it's been fun ! ((p.s. vitamins are often the need))
There's a private chat room if anyone wants to continue let me know via message.

 

[mmksparbud]

That's only SPOCK, on StarkWreck. (very popular)

No---If you have a heart condition, pressure on the carotid artery can drop you. Seen it on a friend who ended up with heart valve surgery -- in the ER, the Dr gently pressed on it to check the reflex--dropped like a sack of potatoes, that's how the doc knew he had a problem.

https://www.healthtap.com/topics/pressing-on-carotid-artery
If you compress your carotid too vigorously, you can initiate a reflex that slows your heart and, in the extreme, could even cause you to pass out. (unlikely). If you press hard and long, you can interrupt circulation to that side (hemisphere) of your brain and cause damage

 

[actionsub]

That's only SPOCK, on StarkWreck. (very popular)

And doggone near every TV western and cop show in the 50s and 60s. You pop a guy on the back of the head with the handle of the gun; he drops like a sack of potatoes.

 

[NothingIsImpossible]

Thanks for the replies. Pretty much what I expected. And yeah we do vitamins to only when it shows it actually works. Such as I take Vitamin D and Cranberry suppliments (for kidney stones).

 

[~Anastasia~]

I hope I didn't cause any confusion. Vitamins, nutrition, and herbal remedies (with knowledge) I never had any problems with. Scripture even refers to such things as healing from plants, and medicines (which would have been herbal for the most part) being given by God.

Therapies must each be considered on their own. Simple massage I think is certainly fine. I would question the knowledge of ones that are a "step up" from there - which includes most of what people will find as alternative therapies from practitioners. I wish I knew the origins in particular of pressure points, but I tend to think they are among the safer of this tier. I've used similar knowledge for immediate relief when it was a matter of controlling local blood flow, for example. And at the far end are the really out there stuff like crystals used in healing, yogic methods, etc. which I personally would reject without even bothering to look deeper.

Like I said, I don't think my first post was much direct help. I hope the side discussion on my part did not confuse matters.

 

[ValleyGal]

There are many natural health remedies that do work. Pressure points is one. Acupuncture, essential oils, massage, shiatsu...all work.

In the west, we have a certain way of looking at the body - through physiology and anatomy, and we look at various systems in a certain way, and our medicine approach is based on this. In the east - India, Asia, etc. they have different ways of looking at the body. One of those ways is through meridians, and there are others. Meridians work... there is a specific "line" that is for "water" and if you trace that line, the person's waterworks start up - the need to urinate, cry, etc. Just because they look at medicine differently than we do, does not mean it's new age or wrong. It's just different medicine. There is nothing mystical about it. In fact, maybe for them, our approach to medicine might seem mystical and hokey (I mean, prayer for healing? If I was not a Christian believer, I would think it's hokey).

Essential oils are not hokey...they have specific chemical compounds that are known in the medical community for healing certain things. Just because it comes from a natural source in the form of oil rather than some pharmaceutical's synthetic pill, doesn't make it wrong or hokey. It's the same with plant extracts and other natural remedies like Echinacea for colds... you take it as you feel a cold coming on and it's effective as it boosts your immune system to fight the cold naturally using your own immune system.

God created these natural remedies and different ways of understanding and healing the body - evidently by culture. Did you know that shiatsu is a form of Asian physiotherapy? That's all it is. And it works! It is passive stretching. What's so hokey about that?

I am only careful about the use of energy healing. I will use laying on of hands in the same way someone else might consider it reiki...but I do not have a "reiki master"; instead, I have Jesus.

So back to the OP, sure, pressure points are fine. In fact, pressure points are primary places where massage takes place. Never massage the bony areas hard - it hurts. But massage the muscles and it feels good. Pressure points are in those muscles. And if you understand the nervous system, you will understand that there are nerves in the hands and feet that correspond to various areas of your body... this means that with regular manipulation, your body will start to regulate itself according to where you manipulate. It's not about massaging a certain area on the foot to make your neck feel better. It's about function. Massage a certain area to make your body function better.

There is nothing hokey about any of that....

 

[Goodbook]

Not sure what the issue is with your wife but...

The way God designed our bodies everything IS connected. Remember when Paul spoke about members of the body and like the eye or the toe saying they are not needed well every part is improtant and interconnected with all other parts of the body. So you cannot blanket say its unchristian. 1 corinthians 12:21

Jesus was pierced in his hands and feet. It hurt him just as if someone had plunged a spear into his heart (they did later).
Jesus also instructed Peter in foot washing. Peter wanted his whole body washed but Jesus said it was ok just to have his feet washed clean.

I dont know if this helps you understand how our bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made but I do know if one part of the body hurts the whole body starts being affected.

 

[JCFantasy23]

I don't believe in mystical auras with it, but I do believe in connecting nerves and the way our bodies are setup. Pressure points and types of massages definitely work if the person knows what they're doing. Pretty hard to dispute this if you've ever had help with it. I found out last year a way to get rid of sinus headaches with pressure points in my face - what a relief!

 

[tatteredsoul]

Now I do realize there are some things we can do that the medical industry doesn't like, mainly because they lose money. But not everything thats natural, halsitic...etc I believe is legit or good as a christian.

For example I love to give my wife a massage. But she asked about pressure points on her body and if they worked. I wasn't totally sure at first because when I was younger I looked at that stuff but even if its "ok" to do as a christian. I don't belive it works. Alot of that stuff comes asian medicine. Which as you know is based on body auras, mystical stuff...etc. Stuff as christians we don't believe in.

Heres a image of the "pressure points" on a foot:
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/91/1a/fe/911afea7c05a6a17df811b582bf4e2c1.jpg


Does that seem legit to you? Like rubbing some of the toes makes your eyes feel better. and rubbing near the middle helps your kidney. Christianity aside my logic tells me it makes no sense at all. Your eyes, kidney, heart...etc are not connected directly to your foot or hands. Someone told my wife massaging the foot wrong can hurt her because of those same points. Again I think its all fake and comes from unchristian origins.

What do you think?

BTW I should add I was seeing a Kinesiologist years ago, they are "Kinesiology is a scientific study of human or non-human body movement. Kinesiology addresses physiological, biomechanical, and psychological mechanisms of movement.". It legit helped but they never went by magical points on your body. The would crack my neck, crack my back, massage certain parts of my body, tuck in my knees for a crack and so on to help me. And I legit felt GREAT for a week or two. But this pressure point stuff others do doesn't do anything.

The thing is we were supposed to learn the mythical and mystical in due time. It isn't necessarily sacred knowledge, but because at BEST we are corrupt, we have to stay away from it.

Sort of like the cliche of tapping into deep power, but you must be pure of heart, or it will consume you.

Because we are at BEST spiritually degenerate on our own, many mythical and mystical are forbidden because it will categorically deplete you - often to death. (If we were holy, we would have so much energy that we would radiate light. Then, perhaps we would be better equipped to use and understand the mythical and mystical - like the holy angels.)

But, God gave "powers" to His prophets, and He will in the future. They were, of course, God led so it didn't deplete them.

With that said, I would say it would be best to stay away from reflexology, and certain kinesiological practices. Not because of their "mystical" nature, but because if you know little, or nothing about it yourself it can easily harm.

In reality, it is based on bioenergy fields, chakras, and flows of energy. Some of it is pure physics/biology/chemistry, the rest is the usual mystical thing.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

I found out last year a way to get rid of sinus headaches with pressure points in my face - what a relief!

The oldest remedy in the usa is a spoonful of apple cider vinegar organic unfiltered in a glass of distilled water, sipped.
As soon as you take a sip, it is done ! (~99.99% of the time so far (in 200 years) ) .....
And costs just a couple pennies each time....

 

[mmksparbud]

The thing is we were supposed to learn the mythical and mystical in due time. It isn't necessarily sacred knowledge, but because at BEST we are corrupt, we have to stay away from it.

Sort of like the cliche of tapping into deep power, but you must be pure of heart, or it will consume you.

Because we are at BEST spiritually degenerate on our own, many mythical and mystical are forbidden because it will categorically deplete you - often to death. (If we were holy, we would have so much energy that we would radiate light. Then, perhaps we would be better equipped to use and understand the mythical and mystical - like the holy angels.)

But, God gave "powers" to His prophets, and He will in the future. They were, of course, God led so it didn't deplete them.

With that said, I would say it would be best to stay away from reflexology, and certain kinesiological practices. Not because of their "mystical" nature, but because if you know little, or nothing about it yourself it can easily harm.

In reality, it is based on bioenergy fields, chakras, and flows of energy. Some of it is pure physics/biology/chemistry, the rest is the usual mystical thing.

You need not indulge in any mysticism for reflexology or acupuncture and the like to work--it is the act itself that heals, not the mumbo jumbo with it--and it will not deplete you anymore than it depleted my nieces Rottweiler when done on him. It's called wisdom and God gives wisdom to us to use.

 

[tatteredsoul]

You need not indulge in any mysticism for reflexology or acupuncture and the like to work--it is the act itself that heals, not the mumbo jumbo with it--and it will not deplete you anymore than it depleted my nieces Rottweiler when done on him. It's called wisdom and God gives wisdom to us to use.

Did you see where I specifically stated the reason why I suggested not to do it?

 

[mmksparbud]

Did you see where I specifically stated the reason why I suggested not to do it?

Yes, there is nothing stated in the bible about acupuncture or reflexology that can not be done. You leave the mumbo jumbo alone, the chanting and baloney some might do and your fine. It certainly didn't harm my nieces dog or any other animal that has undergone this. I had acupuncture, there was no mysticism involved whatsoever, and none with reflexology, I have a book on it and there is nothing mystical about it. You message pressure points, that is it. It is foolish to say that rubbing a point on the body is mystical and otherworld and connected to the occult in any way. No one I know has had any sort of mysticism associated with any of it. I've gone to chiropractors also, no difference.

 

[tatteredsoul]

Yes, there is nothing stated in the bible about acupuncture or reflexology that can not be done. You leave the mumbo jumbo alone, the chanting and baloney some might do and your fine. It certainly didn't harm my nieces dog or any other animal that has undergone this. I had acupuncture, there was no mysticism involved whatsoever, and none with reflexology, I have a book on it and there is nothing mystical about it. You message pressure points, that is it. It is foolish to say that rubbing a point on the body is mystical and otherworld and connected to the occult in any way. No one I know has had any sort of mysticism associated with any of it. I've gone to chiropractors also, no difference.

I stated that the OP should stay away if nothing is known about the topic, or not enough. Some practitioners do not know enough themselves. Not only can you be damaged physically, but spiritually depending on the mistakes.

It is enough of a risk to find someone truly knowledgeable in these practices in the first place. A lot of non injury is due to statistical "luck," and not because the practitioner is knowledgeable.

 

[Goodbook]

The same can be said for pharmaceutical (drug) based medicine.
Its just as hocus pocus as the 'alternative' stuff most of the time. Its just instead of 'energies' its potions and concoctions, often lethal ones.

 

[LovebirdsFlying]

I'm not sure about massaging some spot on the toes and making vision better, but I do know that some forms of pressure point therapy work to bring pain relief. It's especially helpful to have my husband hold his knee up against my lower spine. After a few minutes of that, the pain is a lot less. Exactly how it works, I don't know, but it works. I'm pretty sure the explanation is some aspect of medical science that hasn't been discovered yet. From what I've read on shiatsu and reflexology and acupressure, Eastern medicine talks about "releasing trapped energy" and "freeing the life force." On the surface, that sounds to me like a bunch of New Age hooey, but then when you think of blood flow and nerve synapses and things like that, the concept becomes more reasonable.

 

[Dave-W]

For example I love to give my wife a massage. But she asked about pressure points on her body and if they worked. I wasn't totally sure at first because when I was younger I looked at that stuff but even if its "ok" to do as a christian. I don't belive it works. Alot of that stuff comes asian medicine. Which as you know is based on body auras, mystical stuff...etc. Stuff as christians we don't believe in.

Absolutely those pressure points exist.

Remember in Star Trek where Spock had his famous "neck pinch?" there is a nerve at the base of the neck that if you squeeze it the right way will bring down the most buff muscle guy to his knees.

There are others that can also render an assailant immobile.

And that has nothing to do with "Asian medicine" or other antichrist new age junk.