About sophrology ????

[Marcia]

Marcia not everyone sees you as a liar. Some resort to these tactics when they do not like the information. This was quite the ad hominem. Sorry you had to endure that.

Thanks, Rev! :wavey:

 

[Marcia]

http://www.examiner.com/x-2766-Atlanta-Astrology-Examiner~y2009m2d14-ImagineThe-City-of-Atlanta-Board-of-Astrology-Exaniners

Soon after its passage, the City of Atlanta Board of Aldermen wrote and voted into law a new City Ordinance requiring those seeking to practice astrology in Atlanta had to meet certain standards, the most important being the requirement to pass a 7 hour supervised exam administered by the Atlanta Board of Astrology Examiners. The City of Atlanta thus became the only city in the United States with a mandatory examination for professional astrologers.


This ground breaking ordinance was written and strongly supported by then Alderman (and later Congressman) Wyche Fowler and then Alderman (and later Mayor of Atlanta) Maynard Jackson. They were assisted in writing the ordinance by Atlanta astrologers Maxine Taylor, Louise Bromley and Rosemary Jones. They and other top Atlanta astrologers worked tirelessly to elevate the practice of astrology from "fortune telling" to an officially accredited profession.


Then in 1974/75 the City of Atlanta Ordinance was amended to include The American Federation of Astrologers national examination as an optional test for license applicants. This new move to national prominence for Atlanta astrology was the result of efforts by astrologer Lil Huber, another major activist in Atlanta’s increasingly powerful astrological community.

...Currently, The Atlanta Board of Astrology Examiners is "inactive". This is mainly due to the fact that applicants choose to take the American Federation of Astrologers national exam to qualify for a license, thus the local qualifying exam has not been given for many years. But the establishment of this board was critical to setting and upholding professional standards for astrologers in the City of Atlanta and by extension in the State of Georgia. Many Georgia astrologers who did not practice in the City of Atlanta chose to take this exam as proof of their professional creditability.

 

[Gina B]

I completely agree with Marcia. There are things which seem perfectly fine, even fun, or that we can do and ignore certain parts of.

Forget it. Don't screw with it. Learn about it. Study it.

That includes yoga. At one point I got a yoga CD from McDonald's and was excited about starting it with my girls. Seemed harmless and fun, then I read and studied more about it and was SHOCKED at what it's a gateway to. I'm more than sure that other methods of weight loss exist...methods that aren't introductions to Satanic ideas and rituals. If there aren't, just keep the weight. Better a few extra pounds and a clear conscience than the alternative!

 

[JMSR]

I'm not asserting or defending one or the other, but now I have an honest question about what Titus 1:15 really means.

 

[Johnv]

If you are truly using the principles of Feng Shui, then you are using occult principles...

There's a concept in interior design of energy flow of a room, which has absolutely nothing to do with feng shui. It's a practical design concept, not a philosophical concept. You're saing that it's occultic to control the energy flow of a room, just because some philosopher somewhere ascribes the notion of chi to it.

What!!! I honestly can't believe you are accusing me of lying.

I do not do so lightly, but I acknowlege that I overstepped the bounds of speaking the truth in love. According to your site, the Atlanta Board of Astrology Examiners was setup by the City of Atlanta. It was not. Now, the city did indeed require that anyone wanting to conduct business as a professional astrologer to adhere to professional standards (the multi-hour exam you refer to). But that exam was administered by the ABAE, not by the City. The ABAE was a not-for-profit agency not affiliated with the City, but conducted certification for the city, and the exams were given on city property. The reason for Atlanta doing so was to prevent fraud by people doing business as astologers (it has been illegal in Atlanta prior). Eventually, people seeking to achieve professional standards started going through the American Federation of Astrologers (they had a national standard exam).

You owe me an apology for accusing me of giving false information.

So offerred. I overstepped the bounds by accusing you of lying. I don't beleive you were intentionally lying. Rather it's a simple matter of your information being mistaken. You, however, owe me an opology for accusing me of engaging in the occult.

 

[Marcia]

There's a concept in interior design of energy flow of a room, which has absolutely nothing to do with feng shui. It's a practical design concept, not a philosophical concept. You're saing that it's occultic to control the energy flow of a room, just because some philosopher somewhere ascribes the notion of chi to it.
.

Sorry, you are wrong. The energy is the "chi." Feng Shui comes from Taoist beleif, John.

I do not do so lightly. According to your site, the Atlanta Board of Astrology Examiners was setup by the City of Atlanta. It was not. Now, the city did indeed require that anyone wanting to conduct business as a professional astrologer to adhere to professional standards (the multi-hour exam you refer to). But that exam was administered by the ABAE, not by the City. The ABAE was a not-for-profit agency not affiliated with the City. The reason for Atlanta doing so was to prevent fraud by people doing business as astologers (it has been illegal in Atlanta prior). Eventually, people seeking to achieve professional standards started going through the American Federation of Astrologers (they had a national standard exam).

You need to apologize to me publicly. You accused me of lying. The Board came about as a result of the city ordinance; this is why it came into being. Are you quibbling over my word selection? The Board was made up of astrologers who formulated and graded the exam. But the test was administered at City Hall. The City assigned test takers numbers to replace names, and they had the names for the numbers. The letters sent out to those who took the test, telling them whether they passed or failed, were sent out by a city office.

Maybe you don't like my wording but I am not lying. To say I'm lying is way over the line.

So offerred. I don't beleive you were intentionally lying.

But that is what you said. So I still think you should apologize.

Rather it's a simple matter of your information being mistaken. You, however, owe me an opology for accusing me of engaging in the occult

I just looked over what I've written here and I never made personal comments to you until you attacked me, and that was simply in response to your remarks. And I never accused you of anything. I was simply giving the facts on Feng Shui.

 

[sag38]

John, you are way out of line my friend. Why not be a man and apologize correctly and move on? You disagree with Marcia and that's fine. But, you are dancing around the facts trying to make Marcia look bad. But, you are the one who has mud on his face.

 

[Johnv]

Let me make this clear. I erred, and overstepped my bounds by accusing Marcia of lying, and I extend a heartfelt apology for that error. I won't make that same mistake again (okay, being human, I probably will, and if I do, I will buck up and apologize when it happens).

Now, in regards to a Christian using fensh shui techniques to decorate a room:

I stated earlier than there's a concept in interior design of energy flow of a room, which has absolutely nothing to do with feng shui. It's a practical design concept, not a philosophical concept. It has no basis in the Feng Shui philosophy whatsoever. Marcia, you're saying that it's occultic to control the energy flow of a room, just because some philosopher somewhere ascribes the notion of chi to it. To accuse a Christian of occultism in that case would be a false accusation. It's no different than the early Lutherans removing stained glass windows out of fear of them being "too catholic", or refusing to shake hands with people because it was a Muslim custom (yes, I know people who do that).

A Christian can use Feng Shui principles to decorate a room, and not compromise one's faith. A Christian can do karate and not compromise one's faith. A Christian can do yoga and not compromise one's faith. A Christian can participate in the Olympic Games and not compromise one's faith. A person can use the manes of the days of the week (which honor false gods) and not compromise one's faith. Etc, etc, etc.

 

[donnA]

some christians do not care how much false religion they participate in as long as thye can find a way to justify it. the bible gives no such justification for playing games with false religions.

 

[Johnv]

some christians do not care how much false religion they participate in as long as thye can find a way to justify it. the bible gives no such justification for playing games with false religions.

Except that there's no "participation" in false religions in the aforementioned examples. If you truly want to "stop participating" in false religion, stop using the names of the days of the week. Be sure to stop using the numerals 0-9, since that's a Muslim invention.

 

[Thinkingstuff]

We are to look at things through the filter of God's word. Some things are inherently evil and come from false religions. These practices honor other gods and beliefs contrary to the true God. Such is the nature of what I speak of here.

Gods word doesn't cover all aspects of life. For instance God's word doesn't teach us how to make anti-biotics. Nor does God's word discuss the step by step process of how our brains work. Worshiping other gods is evil. Given. Food offered to other gods is a bad thing. The food itself is good not bad. Paul had a discourse about eating food offered to other gods does not condemn you save you think its sin.

 

[Marcia]

Gods word doesn't cover all aspects of life. For instance God's word doesn't teach us how to make anti-biotics. Nor does God's word discuss the step by step process of how our brains work. Worshiping other gods is evil. Given. Food offered to other gods is a bad thing. The food itself is good not bad. Paul had a discourse about eating food offered to other gods does not condemn you save you think its sin.

The topic of the OP is not food, but a practice. Please read some of my articles on related issues to see my points.

 

[Marcia]

Let me make this clear. I erred, and overstepped my bounds by accusing Marcia of lying, and I extend a heartfelt apology for that error. I won't make that same mistake again (okay, being human, I probably will, and if I do, I will buck up and apologize when it happens).

Thank you, Johnv. I appreciate that very much.

Now, in regards to a Christian using fensh shui techniques to decorate a room:

I stated earlier than there's a concept in interior design of energy flow of a room, which has absolutely nothing to do with feng shui. It's a practical design concept, not a philosophical concept. It has no basis in the Feng Shui philosophy whatsoever.

What do you mean by "energy flow?" When Feng Shui experts refer to energy, they refer to chi, which is what Feng Shui is based on. If you are talking about aesthetics and how a room looks, or how the space looks or is arranged, that is not a true "energy flow." But if the term Feng Shui is being used, it is about chi. That is what Feng Shui is - those are just the facts.

Marcia, you're saying that it's occultic to control the energy flow of a room, just because some philosopher somewhere ascribes the notion of chi to it. To accuse a Christian of occultism in that case would be a false accusation. It's no different than the early Lutherans removing stained glass windows out of fear of them being "too catholic", or refusing to shake hands with people because it was a Muslim custom (yes, I know people who do that).

And what kind of concept is it to "control the energy" of a room? What kind of energy? What is it composed of? How do we control it? This is what chi is and controling it is Feng Shui. This is occultism, to control or manipulate unquantifiable energy. If you are talking how a room looks, that's a physical and aesthetic thing, which is not what Feng Shui is based on. Did you read my articles on Feng Shui? I know what I'm talking about.

A Christian can use Feng Shui principles to decorate a room, and not compromise one's faith.

Using Feng Shui priniciples is using spiritual principles because that is what Feng Shui is. It started by finding a good gravesite for relatives so the ancestors would not disturb the living. It expanded with Taoist beliefs about man, earth, and heaven. Feng Shui uses a tool for divination and the principles are all based on attracting "good" chi and deflecting "bad" chi. It has to do with the parts of the house that have money areas, love areas, health areas, etc. and getting good chi in those areas. It's more comlpex than that, but those are the essentials. It also has to do with outdoor land configurations, bad and good luck, etc.

Feng Shui has been westernized so it will sell here and made to look as though it is mere decorating the way we know it, but it is not. I am guessing that is what you are talking about - a Westernized and probably watered-down version which uses the term "Feng Shui" but perhaps is not actually Feng Shui, or it is Feng Shui but disguises it with innocuous terms like "energy."

Feng Shui has these kinds of teachings:

Dangers to avoid include the destructive cycle of the five elements and the imbalance of yin and yang. The five elements — earth, water, fire, metal, and wood — can be in productive or destructive relationships with each other.62 If you are born in an earth year, for example, it is not good to have many plants since wood (which corresponds to plants) destroys earth, but having bright or red decor (corresponding to fire) is good since fire produces earth.63 If the yin and yang are not balanced, “they can become fierce and threatening,” creating an “obnoxious and poisonous” chi, which will bring “misfortune and ill luck” to the residents.64


While there are medicines for an illness, there are also specialized remedies and cures for problematic chi. Mirrors are often used to deflect negative chi, and wind chimes, plants, and hexagrams are used to attract chi through more beneficial channels.65 Convex mirrors will diffuse negative chi, for example, while a concave mirror will attract and absorb beneficial chi.66 An exorcism ceremony called the Tun Fu supposedly purges a building of spirits left from previous occupants.67


Even if you get your house in proper feng shui shape, you must consider the feng shui of the grave sites of your parents and other ancestors as crucial since feng shui also determines the luck for descendants.68

http://www.equip.org/articles/feng-shui-decorating

 

[Johnv]

The topic of the OP is not food, but a practice.

Paul doesn't make a distinction. Paul says a person should not be judged not only in what they consume, but also, in celebrations they practice. But Paul goes on to say that no one should be disqualified by people who, as though displaying humility, go on and on about what they've seen.

That's exactly what is happenning when someone says "doing karate, practicing yoga, or decorating one's house using the rules of feng shui is occultic". That person's judgements should be avoided according to Paul.

 

[Marcia]

From the same link

It can be difficult, however, to find much that is based only on aesthetic principles; virtually all of the advice is based on the flow of chi, or the balance of yin and yang, or the directions and elements. Here are some examples: · The stove should be positioned toward the east and southeast of the kitchen because that is the direction for the wood element.
· Flushing the toilet with the lid open increases the chances that “your money will go, too.”
· Cover your computer screen at night if it is in a bedroom so it won’t “act as a mirror and disturb your spirit” in sleep.
· Hang curtains at the bottom of stairs or put a mirror on the landing to draw chi up so that chi does not flow down and out the door.
· To help chi rise up the stairs, put plants under the stairs or hang art that is “light and bright.”
· Because the kitchen is the money room, cooking on all burners with a variety of food will help bring in money.
· Use crystals to draw in chi.
· A home’s front door should be simple and practical and face the sun so that it will attract “fame, fortune, and longevity.”
· Don’t have the foot of your bed in line with the door; the bed’s head should be on the north/south axis to be “in line with the magnetic energy of the earth.”
· A pointed roof (associated with fire) against a curved roof shape (associated with metal) is destructive since fire melts metal

.

 

[Marcia]

From the same link

Around the fourth century a.d., feng shui split into two schools, one based on landscape contours and the other based on the use of a “cosmic compass to chart astrological factors, I Ching hexagrams, the Five Phases, and other elements,” with further “metaphysical” elements added around the eleventh century.38 The former school became known as the Form School and the latter became the Compass School.
The Form School depends on intuitive insight and emphasizes the shape and contours of the area.39 The Form School might advocate that a small river should be in front of the house, that there should be an open view of the sky, and that the most used door of the dwelling should have “auspicious decors,” which are Chinese characters containing “auspicious meanings.”40 The four mythical animals — the red bird, the black tortoise, the blue dragon, and the white tiger — are to be placed symbolically in the front and the back and to the left and the right of the desired location. This can be done with landscape shapes, colors, and/or statues. The black tortoise, for example, is ideally a hill at the back of the building.41
The intricate approach of the Compass School, based on a view of the flow of chi as well as the earth’s magnetic effects and fields, uses the trigrams of the I Ching, which are subdivided into 64 hexagrams.42 The elements of the compass method are based on Chinese numerology “that identifies lucky and unlucky corners of a building according to specific numerical calculations.”43 Particular colors are also associated with the compass points.44
Lucky Corners and Magic Squares
Within the Compass School, the most popular tool is an octagonal grid called a bagua, which shows the eight basic directions of the compass. These directions are known as guas (categorized according to birth time), which can also be called the Nine Palaces (eight directions plus the center).45 This process detects the lucky and unlucky areas of the house.46 The eight directions include four that are positive (stimulation, success, content, calm) and four that are negative (depression, loneliness, weakness, destructiveness).47 The eight directions also correspond to the eight trigrams. Using your birth date and time, you can generate a chart of your eight guas to reveal in which of the eight directions each of the positive and negative forces abide.48
The eight directions can also be depicted in a square shape called the Luo-shu (or Lo Shu) or magic square.49 According to legend, the magic square appeared on the back of a turtle 4,000 years ago.50 The square, which is comprised of numbers that add up to 15 in any direction, became part of Taoist magical practice.51
The compass method, for example, may result in the north being “calm,” the southeast “destructive,” the south “weak,” and the west “content.”52 Contemporary feng shui uses names for these directions that are more palatable to the modern consumer, such as prosperity, fame, relationships, creative energy, travel and helpful people, career, knowledge, and family and health.53

 

[Johnv]

What do you mean by "energy flow?"

Any room has a natural energey flow. There's nothing supernatural or mystic about it. The fact that feng shui attributes it to a supernational notion such as "chi" is irrelevant.

I'm sorry, but a Christian cannot do this.

Well, I did. I decorated my house using feng shui principles. And it didn't compromise my Christianity one iota.

 

[Marcia]

Paul doesn't make a distinction. Paul says a person should not be judged not only in what they consume, but also, in celebrations they practice. But Paul goes on to say that no one should be disqualified by people who, as though displaying humility, go on and on about what they've seen.

That's exactly what is happenning when someone says "doing karate, practicing yoga, or decorating one's house using the rules of feng shui is occultic". That person's judgements should be avoided according to Paul.

Yes, this is about food, not a practice based on spiritual beliefs in manipulating chi and balancing yin and yang. I do not see the analogy with Feng Shui (or yoga).

You keep bringing up karate - that is another topic. Actually, we had a thread on martial arts a few months ago.

 

[Thinkingstuff]

The topic of the OP is not food, but a practice. Please read some of my articles on related issues to see my points.

I will read your Articles as I find them interesting. However, the practice of siting in the Sieza posture like food is not bad. Practicing breathing to calm nerves and focus mind is not bad. Closing your eyes is not bad. Doing all these things together are not bad. Doing all these things and empting your mind and becoming self absorbed is. Thats how they relate. Principle is the same.

 

[Marcia]

Any room has a natural energey flow. There's nothing supernatural or mystic about it. The fact that feng shui attributes it to a supernational notion such as "chi" is irrelevant.

Well, I did. I decorated my house using feng shui principles. And it didn't compromise my Christianity one iota.

Please explain "energy flow."

I don't think you used Feng Shui - maybe it was something calling itself Feng Shui. Or it was telling you what to do without saying why.