The Reiki Clinic at the Windana Community Centre in St Kilda, Melbourne was established in 1992. Since then approximately fourteen hundred Reiki treatments have been given to residents of the Windana Society's Drug Withdrawal House (DWH).

At WFTC 21st World Conference - "Brave New World" - (Melbourne, Australia, 17-22 February, 2002) Eileen Chapman and Geraldine Milton presented a paper :

The authors have presented evidence relating to the effectiveness of a treatment known as Reiki, which is based on the concept of energy healing, outcomes of Reiki treatments for the residents of the Windana DWH, and a brief overview of Reiki.

In this workshop we will deal in more detail with the history of Reiki as well as its theory and practice. We will look at the Reiki Clinic's structure and principles of practice as well as offering people an opportunity to experience Reiki.

1. HISTORY AND ORIGINS OF REIKI
Reiki is a healing art, rediscovered at the end of the 19th century by a Buddhist scholar, Mikao Usui. One of the Reiki Masters initiated by Usui was a Japanese medical practitioner, Dr. Chujiro Hayashi, who operated a Reiki Clinic in Tokyo. Hayashi is credited with creating the basic form of the practice of Reiki. in the Usui lineage.

This form of Usui Reiki practice and its teaching was passed on to a Japanese American woman, Hawayo Takata, who brought the practice and teachings to her homeland of Hawaii and subsequently the American mainland. Takata's teachings of Reiki extended over forty-five years before her death in 1980.

Takata initiated twenty-two Reiki Masters empowered to initiate and teach students. The explosion of Reiki throughout the world stems from Takata and her twenty-two Masters. She held a vision, as did Dr. Usui, that Reiki would spread throughout the world.

In the West, Takata was acknowledged as a Grandmaster and bearer of the Reiki lineage. After her death, her granddaughter, Phyllis Furumoto, took up the mantle of lineage bearer. The Reiki form and teachings brought to the West by Takata are known as Usui Shiki Ryoho (The Usui System of Reiki Healing).

For many years, it was believed that, due to the Second World War, Reiki had died out in Japan. However, in recent years it has become known that the Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai (Usui Reiki Healing Method Society), founded by Usui with himself as the first president, still exists.

Little is known about the Gakkai teachings due to the fact that Reiki is considered a spiritual discipline and in the Japanese society spiritual issues are considered sacred and not freely discussed. There is also a protective attitude on the part of the Japanese people towards many of their cultural practices, particularly in relation to the West.

In recent years information has become available of another lineage bearer, Dr. Ranga Premaratna Ph.D. of the Reiki Jin Kei Do lineage (Reiki Path of Wisdom through Compassion). This lineage stems from Hayashi who was known to have trained around twelve Masters. Aside from Takata, one of his other students was a Buddhist monk, Venerable Takeuchi.

Premaratna states :
"Takeuchi trained a novice monk, Seiji Takamori. Seiji convinced that there was more to Reiki than was available and that he felt his teacher knew, sought and gained permission to embark on a journey to Nepal and Tibet. There he found an order of monks practising a system of healing, of which Reiki is a simplified form. After spending many years with these monks, Seiji returned to the monastery and in later years travelled to the West where he offered healing in this System." (Premaratna, R.J. (Ph.D.) 1999 p.11)

Only in the final years of his life did Takamori offer teaching to his only student and inheritor, Dr. Ranga Premaratana, the current lineage bearer and source of all information on the Jin Kei Do Lineage.

Premaratna states in the "Masters' Ennersense First Stage Practitioner Manual" that "Although there are direct links between Reiki and the form of healing passed on to Takamori by the monks in Nepal and Tibet, it may not necessarily be the only origin of Reiki. He further goes on to say that the original sutra which describes a healing method could be interpreted differently by different monks depending on their own state of enlightenment. This could lead to the existence of more than one origin of Reiki." (p.11).

2. EXPLANATION OF REIKI
Reiki is a Japanese word, or kanji, which can be translated with varying subtleties of difference in meaning. However, it is generally understood to mean Universal Life Force Energy.

For a fuller explanation see the section "Overview of Reiki" in the abovementioned Chapman and Milton paper given at this Conference. "Einsteinian physics tells us that light energy is the substance of the universe." (Gerber, 1988). Milton and Chapman in 1995 maintained that this light energy is understood as the source or universal life energy and that people will interpret this source in their own way. (Milton G. and Chapman E. 1995)

Despite the origins of Reiki being clearly Buddhist, it is not connected to any belief system. Nor is it necessary for the recipient to believe in its efficacy, although it is helpful for them to have an open mind. Reiki treats at all levels, mental, emotional, physical and spiritual. It is not a substitute for any other form of treatment, nor does it interfere with any other treatment. Rather it complements other forms of treatment as well as being a healing art in its own right.

The energy is not manipulated by the giver, rather the energy flows to the receiver. It has been suggested that possibly the cells of the receiver draw the energy as needed. (Barnett L. & Chambers M. 1996 p.23.) The energy appears to 'switch off' when enough has been received.

When this is explained to clients they often perceive themselves as being more 'in charge' of their Reiki experience. This is an important factor for those undergoing drug withdrawal and rehabilitation as they often have low self esteem and can be feeling out of control of their lives. Recipients may describe experiencing tingling, warmth, sensations of energy and, in a few cases, possibly pain while the givers hands are in position.

In a some cases temporary healing reactions, usually mild, can occur. The healing reactions can manifest from accelerated detoxification, resulting in release of toxins causing headaches, etc. These are offset for the receiver by the benefits and general sense of wellbeing that usually result from a Reiki treatment.

For example, in the Chapman & Milton paper presented at this conference, some very clear themes are given of benefits such as relaxation and improved sleep. The effects of Reiki treatment may at times be dramatic and at others quite subtle. The healing effects are sometimes noticed in the hours or days post treatment.

Reiki is a wonderful way of providing unconditional touch and nurture. Many recipients are deeply moved by the depth of peace and emotional warmth that they experience.

The beauty of Reiki is that whilst being powerful and effective it is also simple. Furthermore, there are no contraindications as a weight of empirical evidence indicates that it can do no harm.

3. REIKI PRACTICE
Reiki is a hands-on practice. During treatment the practitioner gently places their hands on the recipient's body in a basic sequence. The hand contact is light and gentle and the hands may be held slightly away from the body if, for any reason, contact is not appropriate. The contact is entirely passive. The Reiki energy will pass through any material enabling the recipient to remain clothed. A Reiki treatment usually takes place over one hour. The Reiki practitioner neither diagnoses nor offers a prognosis.

The treatment sequences used in the Clinic stem from the Usui System of Reiki Healing, as brought to the West by Takata, and the Reiki Jin Kei Do Lineage. The sequences treat the main energy centres and organ systems. Reiki Jin Kei Do practitioners will also treat the recipient's energy field. The reason behind practicing a sequence is to provide the receiver with a holistic rather than a symptom based treatment.

4. DEVELOPMENT OF THE REIKI CLINIC AT WINDANA
When the Reiki Clinic commenced in 1992 my expectation was that it would service people in the general community. However in those early days only a few clients attended the Clinic. So, having a small team of keen Reiki volunteers and few 'customers', I approached the DWH staff to enquire if any of the residents might like to experience Reiki.

While the staff response was generally lukewarm, three residents 'willing to try anything' presented for Reiki. They then shared with other residents the positive effects of their experience and the following week the initial three were accompanied by two more residents eager to experience Reiki.

This word of mouth publicity gradually produced a constant flow of DWH residents attending the Clinic. Also, as the House staff began to notice the effects that Reiki was having on recipients, they began actively encouraging new residents to have Reiki treatments. One staff member commented that she loved working on Mondays (Reiki Clinic days), as for her there seemed to be a more mellow atmosphere in the House.

In response to the demand for Reiki from DWH residents, it was decided to reserve for them all treatment spaces in the Clinic. The exception to this is that in the first hour of each Clinic session we still treat people from the general community. The latter often include people in the Windana Community Integration Program.

In 1992 Reiki was perceived and practised as a healing folk art. Reiki is perceived to be safe and therefore it was not felt in the Reiki community that any professional training or development was necessary.

Reiki practitioners at that time mostly confined giving Reiki to family and friends or practised informally in volunteer groups. It was in this climate that the Clinic began offering Reiki. However, it soon became clear to me that, in view of the vulnerability of the DWH clientele, it was imperative to introduce professionalism to the Clinic's operation.

While, as stated above, there is empirical evidence that Reiki is safe, from my experience of supervising the Clinic I began to perceive that some of the volunteers could not be considered to be safe in their practice. The main problem was often lack of boundaries. To create professional guidelines for the Clinic, I was able to draw on my previous experience of supervising Shiatsu diploma students in their clinical practice.

From this experience we were able to evolve Clinic Procedures, Principles of Practice and also Rules in relation to boundaries and ethics, which all Reiki Clinic practitioners are required to follow.

After discussion with Windana it was agreed that a Windana staff member would provide supervision for the Clinic Supervisor. The latter would be responsible for safe and effective Reiki practice in the Clinic; be responsible for documentation of treatments; facilitate a debriefing session; provide guidance and support for the Reiki volunteers; and make a hand-over report to DWH staff at the end of each Clinic session.

The debriefing session takes place with professional confidentiality and a designated time for sharing of the treatments prior to the Supervisor making a hand-over report. It is also provides support and education for the Reiki practitioners.

After receiving Reiki, recipients may at times choose to spontaneously share with the practitioner experiences, thoughts and emotions which need to be processed with a counsellor.

In such cases, with the recipient's permission, we inform the staff of this during the handover so that the resident can be offered a follow up talk with a staff member. The handover also contributes to communication between the DWH staff and the Reiki Clinic team, thereby enhancing the sense of community.

4. FUTURE OF THE REIKI CLINIC
The Chapman and Milton paper presented at this conference indicates that the outcomes of the Reiki treatments given to the DWH residents since 1992 show significant benefits for people in recovery from drug and alcohol abuse. Research is now needed to further support these findings.

It is my heartfelt wish that funding for such research can be obtained to undertake the necessary research. This would facilitate the expansion of the Clinic at Windana. It may also encourage other Therapeutic Communities to set up similar Clinics so that Reiki can support even more widely those brave people who struggle in the journey of recovery.

References
Barnett L. & Chambers M. 1996 ."Reiki Energy Medicine", Healing Arts Press. Rochester, Vermont

Gerber, R. 1995. "Vibrational Medicine: New Choices for Healing Ourselves".2nd Ed. Bear & Co. Santa Fe

Milton G. & Chapman E. 1995. "The Benefits of Reiki treatment in drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs". Conference Proceedings, Pathways to Healing. Enhancing Life Through Complementary Therapies Sept 24-5. Canberra Royal College of Nursing

Premaratna, R.J. (Ph.D.) 1999. "Masters' EnerSense System of Healing - First Stage Practitioner Manual" Sydney, Australia

 CLICK HERE 
to read the Milton/Chapman paper:
"Reiki as an intervention in drug and alcohol withdrawal and rehabilitation
- Almost a decade of experience"

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.