The sign of the cross

Recently while writing about the church … and sending out empowerments .. the sign of the cross has come into my awareness.

When we connect someone to Reiki we envisage the energy moving down the body in a line through the crown downwards…

This brought to mind what a Catholic effectively does when they bless themselves.

The right hand goes up to the third eye ( In the name of the father), draws a line down to the solar plexus ( the son) … and then crosses over to the left shoulder ( and the holy) and then crosses over the heart to the right shoulder ( spirit. Amen)

This is interesting when viewed in an energetic way. The son ( sun) at the solar plexus … the father at the third eye … and it is interesting because the fingers start right on the third eye. It is also intersting that making the sign of the cross is often called `In the name of the father’ as that is what you say first …

What one is really doing is drawing energy down from the third eye to the solar plexus and then cutting it off across the heart.

So … it is basically like signing a cut off in your Universal Life force energy flow.

This same symbol … the cross is used as a `Christian symbol’ … supposedly symbolising the crucifix.

I recall years ago being `sent for’ with a wee friend of mine to have tea with a nun in the priest’s house. It was odd really. We were probably two of the most disruptive influences at that wee Catholic primary school and yet this nun invited us to tea. I can’t recall that much about it … other than we both sat there laughing a lot … most particularly when she showed us what she said was `a piece of the cross which Jesus had been nailed to.’

We both thought that this was odd, weird and kinda funny for several reasons at that time… 1. we estimated that if all the nuns and priests all over the world had a wee bit of the `cross’ then put together it would probably make over a million crosses. 2. why was she showing it to us … were we supposed to be impressed or in awe about it and 3. What a weird thing to have in your possession … especially if you did think it was real.

If this had been an attempt to frighten us both into submission it failed miserably.

Anyway … getting back to this cross.

I do not like this sign … and never have done. As a child I never understood why there had to be a gigantic cross with a statue of Jesus nailed to it hanging in the church … and it was pretty gory too … with red paint for the hands and feet … great nails sticking out … and an open wound depicted on his side.

It was all fairly grim viewing for a child.

During Christmas celebrations this year there was a gigantic luminous cross attached to the steeple of the parish church where we live. This felt so obtrusive and I felt pretty angry when I first saw it .. later rejoicing when it blew a fuse and went out on 12.12

Years ago a Shaman friend of mine once told me that a way to cut off someone’s energy so that they do not affect you was to imagine a cross drawn on them … a line from their head downwards and then another line across their shoulders … effectively crossing them out.

She did say that it was not something to use lightly … even at the time I felt that it was not something I would want to use … it did not sit well with me.

However … there is a striking similarity between this practice and the one which all Catholics over the world are taught to use on themselves… effectively crossing themselves out….some people actually do call it `crossing themselves.’

It also brings to mind the saying `Cross my heart and hope to die.’

There are so many things which so many have been doing and saying and not asking why … it is time to really take a look at various practices and ask some questions.