|
WE INVITE YOUR COMMENTS
|
|
HOME |
PAPERS |
NEWSLETTER |
|
|
DO THEY MIX ? COMMENTS
|
|
M. Bioethics, B. Appl. Sc.(CHN), Dip. N. Ed (Mid), Dip. Trop. Diseases. R.N.R.M. Reiki Practitioner, Therapeutic Touch practitioner and teacher. (Kreiger/Kunz method).
|
|
The tendency to inflate Reiki practice to include spiritual responses [reading,
passing messages] diminishes both areas and should be seriously questioned
before recognition and endorsement of this integration occurs.
Each of these approaches to healing has a potential contribution to make. However, for that potential to be even partly realised, issues of practice boundaries, training, minimal skill levels, and professional ethics and standards must be identified and resolved in each case for application in a Western Industrial culture. Of especial concern to me here is the collapsing of boundaries between Reiki and spiritualism, particularly where the practitioner's training in spiritual approaches has been inadequate. Spiritual healing requires many years of specific work to ensure the absence of ego driven responses, confusion between client and "therapist" issues and the premature emerging of issues for the client where the practitioner is unable to handle these when emerged. Conferring empowering permission for spiritual actions by amateurs after a few hours of Reiki training is irresponsible in the extreme, because of the harm that can be done by the virtually untrained person. The assumption of the rights of the client through the imposition of practitioner feelings, symbols, and beliefs where there is no contract for spiritual intervention or evidence of practice competence constitutes extremely unsafe practice. Confusion between Reiki and spiritualism, through the introduction of spiritual practices into Reiki, will do a great deal of damage to the reputation of the Reiki approach, and ensure that it remains on the unacceptable fringe of healing practices in Western cultures. Reiki can and should stand by itself. Any attempt to embellish it with other practices seems to constitute a lack of faith in Reiki.
M. Bioethics, B. Appl. Sc.(CHN), Dip. N. Ed (Mid), Dip. Trop. Diseases. R.N.R.M., Senior Lecturer, Caroline Chisholm School of Nursing, Monash University, Melbourne. Reiki Practitioner, Therapeutic Touch practitioner and teacher. (Kreiger/Kunz method).
As you may be aware, I have expressed some concern about the practice by some
Reiki channels of communicating to clients perceived images that arise in their
consciousness ' as a valid part of Reiki practice'.
To explain my concern, it
is necessary to differentiate between 'intuitions' and between images that come
to mind during treatment that may have nothing to do with the client.
For example, how do nurses
know when someone has cancer where there is no definite evidence available in
support of this diagnosis? (This occurs too often to be a coincidence).
Some
argue that there is a particular smell about cancer that is picked up.
How do
nurses working in coronary care units/medical wards know that a patient is
going to have a heart attack when they appear to be on the way to recovery, or
look healthy at the time?
It is well known amongst health professionals that
doctors are commonly contacted at all hours of the day or night and told "I
don't know what it is, but I am not happy with Mr X's condition. Can you come
and assess him?" Invariably, something happens within a few hours. So how do
they know?
It is relevant to note that this phenomena tends to occur far more
often with the skilled and experienced nurse who is able to pick up a whole
variety of clues, and that this process collectively creates an uneasy feeling
that something is wrong. Some (questionably) claim this as "intuitive knowing'
when in fact it is a practised interpretation of subtle clues.
Intuition has also been linked to insights experienced during health assessment
that lead to the nurse following a line of questioning to explore hunches or
hypotheses that arise. The key point is that the hunch stays as a hunch until
or unless it is confirmed by the client.
Furthermore, the way hunches or
hypotheses are used as an aid to assessment is to try and gather facts that
would disprove the hunch (first) or support the view that something exists or
is going on. Therefore, intuitive ideas are used to guide questions but not
interpreted as true without more evidence.
Images experienced during treatment.
I believe this is also true of Reiki channels,
who often move into a meditative or Alpha state when giving
treatment. It has been suggested among Reiki circles that images frequently
arise for practitioners when treating clients, who may well be in an Alpha
state at the time.
However, the courses I have attended in relation to
meditation and the literature clearly indicate that during meditation a lot of
"stuff' or repressed emotions may come up for both practitioner and client.
"Stuff" pushed down is likely to be released with deeper and deeper meditation.
The significance here is that if Reiki practitioners are moving into a
meditative state, they are more likely to access their own "stuff" from within
their own psyche that is released and may present as images.
I have certainly
experienced this myself. It is also possible but I would suggest, less likely,
that if tuned in well to another, such as the client, they could pick up images
from the client's subconscious.
Given the uncertainty of source, and in fact
validity of the images as being real (it could be a scene from a scary movie
buried within the subconscious), it would be highly unethical to present this
image as 'real' to the client with the interpretation that it is from the
client's higher self or even from the client's consciousness.
If referred to at
all, I believe it should be in the same vein as hypotheses - in that it may
have no foundation whatsoever and should not be projected onto the patient
without any evidence to support that it is in fact true.
To illustrate the point further I hope, a Reiki practitioner (actually) told a
client that she 'sees him' as a child outside a house that is on fire, and that
he 'is desperately trying to get inside to rescue his parents'. The client was
disturbed at being given this 'message' which he could not relate to at all,
and left saying that and did not want to have Reiki again.
If I had 'received'
such an image, I would almost certainly not tell the client. Rather, I would
find out if the client had any experiences or images themselves, and if they
had any meaning for them.
At most, based on the hypotheses concept I have
mentioned previously, I may lead up to asking him (if appropriate) about any
particular childhood memories of his parents, and if he had any unresolved
issues, etc.
However, I feel comfortable about asking these questions as a
nurse, and believe I could handle his response (if any) or refer him to someone
who could.
Because of the potential for gross misinterpretation, particularly by
inexperienced practitioners with no other qualifications such as counselling,
nursing, medicine, etc, I would advocate that Reiki channels should not tell
patients about images that they believe they have received.
I would also
question suggestions that both the 'higher self' of both the client and
practitioner would support this practice. While I am not denying that we do
subconsciously 'create our experiences', this is like saying that all
experiences are OK because we co-create them at a higher level.
I do not
believe that Reiki practitioners can claim that they are not morally
responsible for the harm they cause based on these sort of arguments - i.e.,
that it is consistent with our higher self, or even our Karma.
We could not
morally justify condoning to another 'failed treatment' from the point of view
of an already vulnerable client when in fact there was a good chance we were
projecting additional stuff or negativity onto them as a practitioner, rather
than facilitating their healing.
This is negligence at the very least, and as
harmful as malpractice would be within a medical context at its most damaging.
It would also give Reiki a bad name eventually I believe, and therefore put
people off seeking this wonderful treatment when they could receive so much
benefit from it.
I did not realise I felt so strongly about it until I got started. I hope this
is something you will consider with other Reiki Masters, and maybe let me know
what you think. I will add my formal titles with my name in case you want to
cite me in the future. I also have references and extensive experience to
support the claims presented.
Psychic Readings in Reiki PART 1 Psychic Readings in Reiki PART 2 Illustrations in the form of selected Case histories
It is understood that some Reiki students have learnt 'psychic reading' as a
part
of Reiki and therefore practise this in good faith as a part of their Reiki
treatments. The authors are sympathetic to their situation and wish to make it
clear that it is the practice they question and not necessarily the
practitioner.
This paper is offered to provide an alternative viewpoint to that which teaches
that everything that comes to the practitioner's awareness, when giving Reiki,
originates, as is often claimed, from a 'higher self' or 'guardian angel', etc.
We
invite comment on the content and direction of this paper from practitioners
of Reiki who either are already working, or are contemplating working in the
professional field, such as in hospital, hospice, or clinic situations.
We are also creating a dossier of case studies dealing with the effects of psychic practice in Reiki - both harmful or otherwise - and will appreciate the receipt in writing of any relevant case studies. We would stress that confidentially will be maintained in these case studies: where appropriate, names of persons involved will be omitted or changed. |
|
Mornington Peninsula Reiki Centre, PO Box 17, Bittern, 3918. Phone/Fax (03) 5983 9971. |
Reiki Journey Centre, Clifton Hill, 3068, Phone/Fax (03) 9482 5336. |
|
|