Rick Warren, Dr. Daniel Amen and and Dr. Mark Hyman have partnered together to co-author “The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life.” PR Newswire reports:
“The Daniel Plan” details a healthy lifestyle program based on five essential principles of faith, food, fitness, focus and friends. The program was developed and originated at Saddleback Church in 2011 and within the first year more than 15,000 church members lost a collective of more than 250,000 pounds while experiencing decreases in health issues and stress and increases in spiritual growth and energy.
“The Daniel Plan is far more than a diet; it is about living a healthier life based on biblical principles,” said Warren. “While all five essentials are necessary, it is the components of faith and friends that I believe are the secret sauce that make the plan so effective. When you have God and a group helping you stay on track, you have far more than willpower driving you to make positive changes and you are far more likely to stay consistent.” (source)
For those who missed the 2011 Daniel Plan initiative at Saddleback Church, let us review some of the problems here. The “Daniel Plan” was a 52-week health initiative. The doctors to kick-off Saddleback’s health and wellness initiative were Dr. Mehmet Oz, Dr. Daniel Amen, and Dr. Mark Hyman. On the Daniel Plan website, Rick Warren says the Daniel Plan is based on the book of Daniel chapter one wherein “Daniel challenged the king of Persia to a health contest,” says Warren. Warren states that Daniel challenged the king to his “rich foods” while Daniel would eat his “healthy foods” and then they would see who was healthier at the end (source).
It seems as though Rick Warren is grasping for any biblical support for his health initiative. Though Daniel was healthy at the end of 10 days of eating only vegetables and drinking only water (Daniel 1:12-14), the prophet was not concerned about being healthy but being ceremonially defiled. “Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat” (Daniel 1:8). The Jews often ate meat from preparing animal sacrifices and such, but the reason Daniel did not want to defile himself with the king’s meat is because it was ceremonially unclean in the way it was prepared. Daniel was a righteous man who sought to keep all the laws of God, especially avoiding the eating of blood in meats or eating pork. As a captive to the Babylonians, he had no say in how the Babylonians meat was prepared and wanted to avoid to defiling himself with unkosher meat. 70 years later, Daniel did partake of the Babylonians meat because he was exalted to a position in the empire where he could choose how it was prepared according to the Jews preparations (Daniel 10:1-3). Therefore, it was Daniel’s primary intention in not eating the king’s meat to honor God and keep His commandments. Rick Warren’s “Daniel Plan” does just the opposite.
Warren’s doctors share advice much more than vitamins, exercise and diet. For example, Dr. Amen, a clinical neuroscientist, psychiatrist, and brain imaging expert, strongly advocates having a healthy brain and managing stress through meditation. In attempt to counteract the controversy in Warren’s handpicked doctors endorsing mediation, Warren stated in a sermon no longer available on the Saddleback website called “Part 4: The Prayer That Changes You”:
It’s called meditation. Meditation? What in the world is that? Some people think, wow, that’s scary. This has actually become a controversial word. Some very, very confused believers have been teaching—I’ve seen it on the Internet—that Christians should be afraid of meditation and run from meditation. That’s nonsense! The Bible talks about meditation and commands it
Indeed the Bible speaks about meditation. For example, “Isaac went out to meditate in the field” (Genesis 24:63). God spoke to Joshua and commanded: “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success” (Joshua 1:8). There is no problem with this kind of meditation. But the meditation being advocated by all three of Warren’s Daniel Plan doctors is not the deep focus and delight in the law of God as the Psalmist said, “his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night” (Psalm 1:2).
But Dr. Mark Hyman, on the other hand, is a promoter of mystical meditation. On page 322 of his book The Ultramind Solution, Hyman says that people from all religions can benefit from mediation. Dr. Hyman says that “Mindful meditation is a powerful well-researched tool, developed by the Buddhists” and “Tibetan monks used mediation, which is very easy to learn” (Hyman, Mark. The Ultramind Solution. New York, NY: Scribner. p.384, p.278).
Dr. Oz is a practitioner of Transcendental Meditation, a form of Hindu Mantra meditation. Oz states: “When I meditate, I go to that place where truth lives. I can see what reality really is, and it is so much easier to form good relationships then” (Skube, Daneen. “Become a wizard of multitasking!” Chicago Tribune. September 12, 2010).
Dr. Amen also makes it clear that he is advocating eastern meditation practices, not the musing and communing with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that the Bible commands. On page 224 of Change Your Brain, Change Your Body he talks about how the meditation practiced by Buddhist monks seemed to “tune people in, not out.” In Change Your Brain, Change Your Body, Amen recommends taking Yoga classes (pp.224-226). In his book, Sex on the Brain, he recommends a Kundalini Yoga mediation called Kriya Kirtan:
I teamed with Drs. Dharma Singh Khalsa and Nisha Money to study the impact of meditation on the brain. We chose a simple twelve-minute form of kundalini yoga mediation, Kriya Kirtan, that is easy for busy people to practice. It is based on the five primal sounds: saa, taa, naa, maa (aa being the fifth sound). Meditators chant each sound as they consecutively touch their thumb to fingers two, three, four and five. The sounds and fingering are repeated for two minutes out loud, two minutes whispering, four minutes siltenyl, two minutes whispering, and two minutes out loud” (Amen, Daniel. Sex on the Brain. (New York, NY: Harmony Books, 2007).
In an interview with Rick Warren, Dr. Amen teaches:
Being on a regular stress management practice, which could be regular prayer, could be doing simple forms of meditation. Meditation fooled us because I thought when we scanned people who meditated, oh, everything’s calming down very nicely. Absolutely not what happens. What happens is the front part of your brain, which is the most human thoughtful part of your brain . . . activates when you meditate strongly. In fact, after eight weeks your resting brain is stronger” (source).
We know from Amen’s writings that the type of meditation that he is speaking of with Warren includes eastern meditation. Not only does Dr. Amen recommend meditation but he is also a Tantric sex promoter. In his own words, Amen describes Tantra as “a term applied to several schools of Hindu yoga in which sex is worshipped” and that Tantra “has been applied to sexual practices of other religions, including Tibetan Buddhism and Taoism” (Amen, Daniel. Sex on the Brain. (New York, NY: Harmony Books, 2007). Tantric sex is the use of Hindu mysticism during sex. In a 6-CD set called Create a More Passionate Night, Dr. Amen joined up with Tantra educator T.J. Bartel. Dr. Amen expresses his activism for tantric sex in his book Change Your Brain, Change Your Body:
In my book, The Brain in Love, I wrote about Tantric sexual practices, and was fascinated by the concept, which involves using the mind… I wanted to experience it for myself and thought it would be a wonderful way to enhance mtanay relationship with my wife, Tana… T.J. Bartel, an advanced certified Tantra educator, became our teacher… I felt as if I had to share his knowledge with everyone I knew.” (Amen, Daniel. Change Your Brain, Change Your Body. New York, NY: Harmony Books. 2010. p.283).
Now that Dr. Amen is sharing his beliefs about meditation with Rick Warren and millions of his followers, will he share tantric sex with them next? Author and research analyst Ray Yungen describes Tantra and its dangerous implications:
Tantra is the name of the ancient Hindu sacred texts that contain certain rituals and secrets. Some deal with taking the energies brought forth in meditation through the chakras and combining them with love-making to enhance sexual experiences.
Once completely off-limits to the masses of humanity, Tantra, like all other New Age methodologies, is now starting to gain increasing popularity… The potential to impact a very great number of people, especially men, was brought out in an article by a sex worker who incorporates “Tantric Bodywork” into her services… she has turned to Tantric Union to give her clients what she feels is not just sex but “union with the divine.” …Now the “multitudes of men” who come to her get much more than they bargained for. In the past, wives and girlfriends needed only to worry about sexually transmitted diseases from cheating husbands and boyfriends, but now their men may instead bring home spiritual entities! (Yungen, Ray. For Many Shall Come in My Name. pp.115-116.)
Also training Saddleback on health is Dr. Mehmet Oz, Oprah Winfrey’s “favorite doctor” and a highly renowned cardiovascular surgeon. In an interview with Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr, called “My Muslim Identity”, Dr. Oz spoke about his Islamic heritage and how he has been influenced by the mysticism of Sufi Muslims. Moreover, Dr. Oz is fond of the ideas of cultist mystic Emanuel Swedenborg. Swedenborg denied hell and eternal punishment and claimed that God had given him the ability to talk with angels, demons and other spirits. Dr. Oz stated, “As I came into contact with Swedenborg’s many writings, I began to understand Swedenborg’s profound insights and how they applied directly to my life” (“Mehmet Oz Finds His Teacher.” Spirituality & Health. November/December 2007).
Though he is a Muslim, Dr. Oz practices yoga first thing every morning (“Fit: Mad About ‘You..'” Express Night Out. Hallett, Vicky. July 24, 2007). On his television show, Dr. Oz told millions of Americans to try the practice of Reiki, an “energy healing” that is based on the New Age chakra system. That Dr. Oz Show ended with a recommendation to “try Reiki” as the #1 “Oz’s Order” (source). Reiki is exceedingly dangerous because it puts those practicing it in communication with familiar spirits.
Reiki Master S.J. Culshaw writes on page 11 of the Reiki First Degree Manual that “beings called Reiki Guides sometimes assist in the healing.” One press release stated:
Reiki Masters across America and the world had cause for celebration on January 6 when Dr. Mehmet Oz revealed his Ultimate Alternative Medicine Secrets for 2010 during his nationally broadcast afternoon talk show. He ranked Reiki #1. Dr. Oz said, “Reiki is one of my favorites, weʼve been using it for years in the Oz family, and we swear by it” (source).
Reiki is also practiced regularly on the children in the Oz home. In the Oz “All About YOU!” tour, Reiki was practiced on 1,500 plus people. The crowd was led through progressive relaxation, “envisioning a golden light all around, drawing the light inside and then breathing it back into the space around” them. (source). In one interview, Lisa Oz explained, “You can become a Reiki master in three weekends. You’re not trying to manipulate anything. You’re a facilitator bringing energy from the universe into your patient” (“Fit: Mad About ‘You..'” Express Night Out. Hallett, Vicky. July 24, 2007).
Sadly, that’s not all. Dr. Oz has also endorsed a book titled The Instruction by Ainslie MacLeod which it’s publisher describes with the following summary:
Have you ever sensed that your life has a deeper, more meaningful purpose–but donʼt know what it is? If so, youʼre not alone. To help you and the millions like you, psychic Ainslie MacLeodʼs spirit guides have given him a systematic approach to uncovering who you really are–and the life your soul has planned for you. They call it “The Instruction.” Now, for the first time, this unique teaching is offered as a step-by-step program for realizing personal fulfillment. The Instruction will take you through ten “doorways” to unveil the life plan your soul created before you were even born.
MacLeod states that the purpose of his book is “to understand the coming shift in consciousness that is poised to sweep the planet. This transformation will affect everyone of us in some way.” Dr. Oz statement on the front cover of MacLeod spirit-channeled book says, “I recommend this book to those who seek greater spiritual well-being and a better understanding of their lifeʼs purpose.”
Both Dr. Amen and Dr. Oz advocate entering into altered states of consciousness through hypnosis. Dr. Amen says he helps his patients “using hypnosis and teaching them self-hypnosis” (Amen, Daniel. Magnificent Mind At Any Age. New York, NY: Harmony Books. p.118).
These handpicked doctors by Rick Warren are not witnesses for Jesus Christ but for meditation, hypnosis, tantric sex, Reiki, and the New Age. Indeed these practices are spiritual and have profound results, but they are not of God and not of Jesus Christ. For those who will dare to be Daniels, we must not defile ourselves with Warren’s “Daniel Plan” as the prophet Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the delicacies of Babylon.
Lighthouse Trails recently published a follow-up to the Daniel Plan initiative and book called “Rick Warren’s Daniel Plan Accelerates – Tells Followers to Practice 4-7-8 Hinduistic Meditation“:
So a fair question to ask is just how much of this New Age spirituality has rubbed off onto Rick Warren and the Daniel Plan? Well, we think quite a bit has. We would like to offer a convincing example. On September 26th, on the Daniel Plan website (owned and operated by Saddleback Church), an article titled “How to Manage Your Stress in 76 Seconds” was posted. The information below should be read and watched with discernment and in no wise is an endorsement from Lighthouse Trails. On the contrary, the practice we refer to below, if practiced, could potentially lead to dangerous Kundalini experiences. But we find it necessary to post this information because this is the direction that much of the church is heading right now. Our urgency to warn outweighs our hesitation to post this. People’s lives and souls are at stake.
The Saddleback article on September 26th is written by Dr. Joel Kahn, who tells readers to practice a technique called the 4-7-8 relaxation breathing sequence. First giving the usual instruction for meditation to sit up straight, Kahn then proceeds to give the steps for this breathing exercise with a sequence of breath in for 4 seconds, hold the breath for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds. The rest of Kahn’s article tells readers of the benefits of doing this relaxation exercise. But let’s take a look at a video by another advocate of the exact same method – the 4-7-8 sequence – that gives more detail and explanation. As we stated a minute ago, because this is the direction the church at large is heading through the contemplative prayer (i.e., spiritual formation) movement (and the Daniel Plan movement), we are compelled to show this with the hope it will unveil the true nature of this and other forms of meditation.
A photo from Dr. Joel Kahn’s website
The video below is by a man named Dr. Andrew Weil, a highly respected meditation proponent. He received his medical degree from Harvard University and is the Director of the Center for Integrative Medicine of the College of Medicine, University of Arizona. Dr. Weil is not a fringe personality. (If you cannot see this video below, click here. Our report continues below this video with some vital information.
How interesting that Dr. Weil, clearly an “expert” in the field of meditation, admits that all breathing techniques (including those used in Yoga) come from India (i.e., Hinduism). Lighthouse Trails has been trying to tell Christian leaders that for 11 years now! And contemplative prayer is in the same category as “breath” prayers, and both are spiritually dangerous. Ray Yungen elaborates:
When we compare meditation techniques used in stress reduction with the type of meditation used in New Age spirituality, it is easy to see these practices as basically the same. Both methods use either the breathing technique or mantra exercises to still the mind. Unknown to most people, a blank mind in a meditative state is all that is necessary for contact with a spirit guide.
An example of this is found in John Randolph Price, founder of the Quartus Foundation and initiate of the December 31 World Healing Day Meditation. Price became involved in New Age metaphysics through just such a meditative encounter. He reveals:
“Back when I was in the business world, the American Management Association put out a little book on meditation, which indicated that meditation was a way to attain peace of mind and reduce stress in a corporate environment. So I decided I’d try it . . . I discovered how to come into a new sphere of consciousness. Consciousness actually shifts, and you move into a realm you may not have even known existed.”1
As one meditation teacher explains:
“It is more than a stress reducer. It is the vehicle all religions use to impart the esoteric knowledge of their own mystical tradition.”2
Thus, many people have unwittingly become New Agers by simply seeking to improve their physical and mental health through meditation. Two examples on this issue are comments made by two authors who honor the higher self view of man, Joan Borysenko and Ann Wise. Borysenko, a medical doctor, revealed:
“I originally took up secular meditation for its medical benefits and in time discovered its deeper psychological and spiritual benefits.”3
Ann Wise, who works in the corporate field to improve decision-making abilities for business people, makes an identical observation:
“Those who initially participate in this work purely for enhancements to their productivity in the corporate world are often startled and pleased by what one VP called “the value and inevitable focus on spirituality that evolved from the work.” . . . I often find that individuals who began brainwave training [meditation] for a specific, objective purpose also become quickly interested and involved in seeking higher levels of spiritual consciousness.”4 (from A Time of Departing, pp. 98-100)
What this means is that the people at Saddleback and the people who are participating in the Daniel Plan have been introduced to a meditation practice that can potentially turn them into New Agers! And remember, in the New Age, there is no room for the Cross at Calvary because the higher self takes the place of a need for a Savior.
Incidentally, some people may think that the term “spirituality” means Christianity, but that is not it. When the term spirituality is used, it is referring to the idea that God is in everyone (ie., the higher self).
September 26 2013 isn’t the first time the Daniel Plan website brought in the 4-7-8 meditation technique. It was introduced to the Daniel Plan on October 14th 2012,
One more thing you should know – on December 3rd, Rick Warren’s new book, The Daniel Plan, will be released. The co-authors of this book are Dr. Hymen and Dr. Amen. As we stated earlier, Dr. Amen is an advocate of tantric sex; and Dr. Hymen is connected to a shamanic organization calledFourWinds (“where modern science meets ancient wisdom“).
By all appearances and logic, it looks like Rick Warren is going full speed toward the New Age/New Spirituality with the throttle fully engaged.