Mel Gibson And The Force

 

Mel Gibson is both an enigmatic and tragic figure. I had my brush with him when he attended Midnight Mass at the Ave Maria Chapel with Fr. DePauw in 1994. The award winning movie star, director, and producer brought his wife and three oldest children. He asked the head usher if he could speak to Father after Mass. Fr. DePauw, who focused on all things spiritual, knew nothing about him, yet agreed to speak with him in private. They would talk together for about 30 minutes.

The next Sunday, Father said he was impressed with Mr. Gibson who stated that he "wanted to be a good Traditionalist" and had come up with a "great idea for a movie." (That was probably a reference to The Passion of the Christ, which came out ten years later in 2004).  That movie was (in my opinion), the greatest film of all time. Mel Gibson's father, Hutton Gibson, was one of the very first sedevacantist laymen, who unfortunately was also a Home Aloner. (Hutton Gibson died in 2020 just short of turning 102 years old). 

Since that time, Gibson got divorced and had adulterous affairs resulting in illegitimate children. I don't know if he has gotten his act together, but we must pray for him. He is said to have another epic movie coming out on the resurrection of Christ. Recently, Gibson gave sedevacantism notoriety when he appeared on the "Joe Rogan Show." Rogan is all over the place in his beliefs. He does not affirm belief in God but is "open to it," favors the legalization of marijuana, supports socialized medicine, yet affirms the right to bear arms and rejects cancel culture. He supported Trump in 2024, but endorsed Communist Bernie Sanders in 2020. 

One of my readers sent me a video clip that shocked me. While talking with Rogan, Gibson talked about his encounter with a qigong (pronounced chee-gong; and also spelled chi kung) "master." The actor relates how seemingly supernatural things were taking place, and Gibson asked the advice of an unnamed  Traditionalist priest to see if it was "demonic." Unfortunately, it doesn't seem Mel was dissuaded nor do we know the eact exchange between him and the priest. 

All forms of alleged "energy healing" (most notably qigong and Reiki) are occult and, therefore, demonic. This post will expose energy healing as the occult practice it is, so it may be avoided.  

"Energy Medicine"

Qigong and Reiki are two of the best known pagan/occult "healing" methods. These methods share a common belief in the universe as a unified field of energy that produces all form and substance. This vital force, which supports and sustains life, has been given many names. The Chinese call it “chi,” the Hindus call it “prana,” the Hebrews call it “ruach,” and the American Indians name it “the Great Spirit.” (See e.g., The Energy Codes: The 7-Step System to Awaken Your Spirit, Heal Your Body, and Live Your Best Life, [2024]).

This energy is not a visible, measurable, scientifically explainable energy. Rather, it is believed to be a “cosmic” or “universal” energy based on a monistic (all is one) and pantheistic (all is God) worldview. To enhance the flow of “healing energy” in the body, one must allegedly attune to it and realize one’s unity with all things. Becoming “one” with this universal energy (“God”) yields health. (Whoever heard of a sick god?) One must also “smooth out” any energy blockages that may develop within the body. Then one will be healthy.

To understand energy medicine, one must understand two important underlying concepts: auras and chakras. 

Auras:

Auras are sometimes referred to as a human energy field and are found outside the body. They were popularized by Theosophist (occultist) Charles Webster Leadbeater (1854–1934). Leadbeater transitioned from an Anglican priest to a spiritual mystic who believed he had clairvoyant powers. He spent much of his time studying (and adopting) occult beliefs and practices. As a result of his studies, he determined that “It is not around the human body alone that an aura is to be seen; a similar cloud of light surrounds or emanates from animals, trees, and even minerals, though in all these cases it is less extended and less complex than that of man.” (See C. W. Leadbeater, “The Aura,” The Theosophist, December 1895, https://www.cwlworld.info/The_Aura.pdf)

 Leadbeater’s ideas caught fire and were later adopted and spread by famed clairvoyants/occultists like Rudolf Steiner and Edgar Cayce.  Auras allegedly have seven layers connecting with the seven chakras but "each person’s aura has a unique size, shape, and frequency and contains distinct energetic imprints of their mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional conditions." (See Eliza Swann, Auras: The Anatomy of the Aura, pg. 36)They are frequently illustrated as rings of colors and light around a human body, but they can come from anything physical. The various auric layers are:

• Causal Body: outermost layer; connected to the Crown Chakra
• Celestial Body: responsible for spiritual ecstasy
• Etheric Blueprint: the body’s map of energy
• Astral Body: controls dreams and psychic energy
• Mental Body: responsible for spiritual discernment and gifts like clairvoyance
• Emotional Body: connected to Sacral Chakra; where our feelings reside
• Etheric Double: gives vitality and life

(See Ibid, chapter 5). 

Auras haven’t been empirically demonstrated by science, but those who subscribe to this  pseudoscientific belief will point to electromagnetic fields as "evidence" of their existence. Coexisting with auras are "chakras," which reside within the body (and under the protection of the aura) which will be examined next.

Chakras:

Like auras, chakras have roots in Eastern religions, including Hinduism and Buddhism, and they are promoted heavily in the occult, which shares much with Eastern worldviews. According to these belief systems, the world is made up of energy, even down to the air we breathe and the ground we walk on. Our bodies comprise energy points called chakras. Chakra comes from the Sanskrit word that means “wheel.” Author and “intuitive healer” Cyndi Dale describes them this way: “Chakras are energy centers in our body that, when perceived by those of us who are blessed to be able to see them, look like wheels of light spinning in and around the body — stars in miniature.”(See Cyndi Dale, “Introduction” in Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Chakras: Your Definitive Source of Energy Center Knowledge for Health, Happiness, and Spiritual Evolution, [2015], pg. xlv). 

Depending on the source you reference, there are generally between five and seven chakras in the human body, though some will claim there are up to 88,000 chakras.

In the West, the seven-chakra system is the most popular. Beginning in the late 1800s and early 1900s, the system was developed by various sources, including Theosophists Helena Blavatsky and Charles Webster Leadbeater (the same person who popularized auras). Each chakra is found along the human spine, from the head to the tailbone. They are all said to be connected to various organs, and the chakras’s health determines one’s physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Eliza Swann summarizes the seven chakras and their purposes this way:

• Root (Muladhara): at the base of the spine; responsible for survival
• Sacral (Svadhisthana): below the belly button; responsible for creativity and sexuality
• Solar Plexus (Manipura): near the stomach; responsible for willpower and identity
• Heart (Anahata): in the chest; responsible for connection and humility
• Throat (Vishuddha): near the throat; responsible for communication
• Third Eye (Ajna): between the eyebrows; responsible for wisdom and intuition; helps a person ascend to higher consciousness

(Source: This list was derived from Swann, Auras, chapter 4). 

Qigong and Reiki

Qigong is described as:

Like qigong, Qi~ssage (energy massage) focuses on balancing and enhancing the flow of energy through the body’s energy channels, or meridians, in part through the power of your mind, or your visualization, and, most importantly, the unconditional love from your heart….. There are twelve major energy channels in your body and hundreds of energy points all over your body. Each of these points affects the balance and flow of your body’s energy; however, only a couple dozen of these energy points are vitally important in helping you heal and in helping you experience and maintain your optimal health and wellness. (See bodymindheartandsoulharmony.com.au/massage-croydon/qi-ssage/#:~:text=Qi~ssage%20%E2%80%93%20combining%20the%20energy,physical%20stimulation%20of%20the%20body.). 

According to www.Reiki.org, "Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by "laying on hands" and is based on the idea that an unseen "life force energy" flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one's "life force energy" is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy."

The Occult Connection:

Wherever it has appeared—in ancient paganism, modern occultism, or parapsychological research—this “life force” has been accompanied by altered states of consciousness, psychic phenomena, and contact with spirits. Additionally, those who are capable of perceiving, and adept at manipulating, this force invariably are shamans (e.g., witch doctors), “sensitives,” or psychics, thoroughly immersed in the pagan/occult world. 

Many energetic health therapies seek to enhance the flow of “healing energy” in the body. Unfortunately, by engaging in such practices, many people have been sucked headlong into occultism. The person will start to use meditation that induces altered states of consciousness opening the door to demonic possession/obsession (N.B. Demonic obsession is disturbance by demons from without the person's body). 

One such example is Dr. Bernie Siegel, a Brooklyn, NY born Jew and former surgeon. He retired in 1989, and will turn 91 this year. He is deeply involved in the occult and has written many books on the subject of occult healing via "energy manipulation" which includes both reiki and qigong. In Siegel's book, Love, Medicine & Miracles he writes of how he met his "spirit guide" (demon) during a "mystical exercise" at a conference led by a couple, the Simontons:

The Simontons taught us how to meditate. At one point, they led us in a directed meditation to find and meet an inner guide. I approached this exercise with all the skepticism one expects from a mechanistic doctor. Still, I sat down, closed my eyes, and followed directions. I didn’t believe it would work, but if it did, I expected to see Jesus or Moses. Who else would dare appear inside a surgeon’s head?

Instead I met George, a bearded, long-haired young man wearing an immaculate flowing white gown and a skullcap. It was an incredible awakening for me, because I hadn’t expected anything to happen. As the Simontons taught us to communicate with whomever we’d called up from our unconscious minds, I found that talking to George was like playing chess with myself, but without knowing what my alter ego’s next move would be.

George was spontaneous, aware of my feelings, and an excellent adviser…. All I know is that he has been my invaluable companion ever since his first appearance. My life is much easier now because he does the hard work. (See  Love, Medicine & Miracles, [1998], pgs. 19-20). 

In addition, Siegel has come to believe in reincarnation and practice necromancy. All along with "energy healing." The biggest problems with reiki and qigong, is an implicit belief in the heretical view called pantheism, where "God" and the universe are one and the same. Alterations of life energy are sometimes said to be the source of events that previously have been called supernatural or miraculous. Some adherents of energy-based medicine offer the life force as an explanation for what people have called miracles. In this scheme there is no longer a need for a personal, all-powerful, transcendent God. Instead, the impersonal life force is the cause of “miracles.” Moreover, being part of this life force, we too can master it and perform “miracles” as well. Jesus, then, was merely a master of this life force.

Remember what Mel Gibson claimed happened to him.

The Vatican Council of 1870 Condemnes Pantheism

 From the First Vatican Council (1870), Dogmatic Constitution on the Catholic Faith, Dei Filius states:

The Holy Catholic Apostolic Roman Church believes and confesses that there is one true and living God, Creator and Lord of heaven and earth, Almighty, Eternal, Immense, Incomprehensible, Infinite in intelligence, in will, and in all perfection, who, as being one, sole, absolutely simple and immutable spiritual substance, is to be declared as really and essentially distinct from the world, of supreme beatitude in and from Himself, and ineffably exalted above all things which exist, or are conceivable, except Himself. 

3. If anyone shall say that the substance and essence of God and of all things is one and the same; let him be anathema. 

4. If anyone shall say that finite things, both corporeal and spiritual, or at least spiritual, have emanated from the Divine substance; or that the Divine essence, by the manifestation and evolution of itself, becomes all things; or, lastly, that God is a universal or indefinite being, which by determining itself constitutes the universality of things, distinct according to genera, species and individuals; let him be anathema. 

5. If anyone does not confess that the world, and all things that are contained in it, both spiritual and material, have been, in their whole substance, produced by God out of nothing; or shall say that God created, not by His will, free from all necessity, but by a necessity equal to the necessity whereby He loves Himself; or shall deny that the world was made for the glory of God; let him be anathema. 

Life energy is what pagan religions and occultists have called God. This is the cornerstone of occult  spirituality: You shall be as gods. If the energy flowing through us is indeed the life force that permeates reality, it must be what we have called God. If we are energy and energy is “God,” then we must be divine. Energy-based practitioners and patients that embrace this point are likely to be involved in a number of related occult practices that result from such reasoning. Some, like actress Shirley MacLaine, may become so bold as to say “I am God!” Of course, not all practitioners and patients have made this leap, but if the underlying principles of life force energy are followed through to their logical conclusions, this is the end of the line: We are "divine." You have implicitly accepted a heresy condemned infallibly by the Vatican Council of 1870.

Even The Vatican II Sect Agrees

Proving the old aphorism, "Even a broken clock is right twice each day" true, the Vatican II sect "bishops" condemned the practice of Reiki in 2009, four years before Bergoglio was elected "pope." The document entitled Guidelines for Evaluating Reiki as an Alternative Therapy, has this to say in paragraph #9:

The difference between what Christians recognize as healing by divine grace and Reiki therapy is also evident in the basic terms used by Reiki proponents to describe what happens in Reiki therapy, particularly that of "universal life energy." Neither the Scriptures nor the Christian tradition as a whole speak of the natural world as based on "universal life energy" that is subject to manipulation by the natural human power of thought and will. In fact, this worldview has its origins in eastern religions and has a certain monist and pantheistic character, in that distinctions among self, world, and God tend to fall away. (Emphasis mine)

Their conclusion:
Reiki therapy finds no support either in the findings of natural science or in Christian belief. For a Catholic to believe in Reiki therapy presents insoluble problems...In terms of caring for one's spiritual health, there are important dangers. To use Reiki one would have to accept at least in an implicit way central elements of the worldview that undergirds Reiki theory, elements that belong neither to Christian faith nor to natural science.
Without justification either from Christian faith or natural science, however, a Catholic who puts his or her trust in Reiki would be operating in the realm of superstition, the no-man's-land that is neither faith nor science. Superstition corrupts one's worship of God by turning one's religious feeling and practice in a false direction.(See paragraphs 10 and 11; Emphasis mine. The term "Catholic" is meant to denote a member of the Vatican II sect). The same would hold true for qigong and all "energy healing" methods. 

Conclusion

Mel Gibson had an encounter with occult forces. There's no escaping that fact. We need to remember, however, that pain and suffering in this world is very real. Consequently, in many cases individuals (like Mel Gibson) turn to energy-based occult "medicine" because of a desire for health. As such, when interacting with those involved in questionable forms of alternative medicine-such as energy-based medicine-we need to be sympathetic and compassionate, but unafraid to present the truth for spiritual health comes before all else. "And fear ye not them that kill the body, and are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him that can destroy both soul and body in Hell." (St. Matthew 10:28).