The Training & Practice of Reiki
by Peter Warnock, ITEC Dips. Reiki Master, MIPTI.

I believe that to most practitioners Reiki is far more than a healing system - it is a belief, a philosophy and a system of healing. Its practice demands both acceptance and integrity and I am becoming increasingly concerned at the direction in which Reiki teaching appears to be moving.

My work brings me in contact with Reiki students and practitioners of all levels and I keep hearing disturbing accounts of what people were - and most importantly - were not taught.
Were it not for the fact that all the accounts I hear are at first hand I would be tempted to dismiss them as being untrue or exaggerated but I cannot.

TAKEN CAREFULLY

One of the things I find most disturbing about the way Reiki is being taught is the duration of the Master’s courses. I fail to understand how people can expect to teach after just 2 or 3 days not to mention the “1 day quickie” training. Qualification should not be bought!
Having learnt to drive you would not be competent to teach the skill within a few months - Reiki is no different - students need to be taken carefully through the process of becoming a Master and then to have ongoing support and guidance.

Some Masters will, it seems, accept students for master training without checking their applicants qualifications or experience and competence as a Second Degree Practitioner.
In my role as as Reiki Master for the New Age Agency I have to vet people to ensure that those who practice Reiki for the agency are qualified and competent. One practitioner I interviewed was at the time doing a short Master’s training but it became evident that he could not draw the Second Degree symbols and obviously could not use them.
Later speaking to the Master concerned I was horrified to learn that he was actually aware of the deficiency in his student’s training saying that he would make sure that the student would learn the symbol but that he would continue with his Masters training.
Quite often I have met practitioners who aim to become an “instant” Master without undertaking an ongoing Masters training. I have to question their intent. Do they have commitment and respect for what they are doing? - and for the people to whom they want to treat? If the motives are for the Highest Good then training with a committed and dedicated Master is necessary.

'BOUND BY'

Some Masters talk about the need to break away from the dogma and guidelines which, they claim, other teachers are “bound by”. In so doing they are breaking away from some of the fundamental concepts of Reiki and removing guidelines and boundaries within which the students can work. This is making Reiki a free for all and causing confusion among students. Many Masters are training students from initial introduction to Master level within a few short months and allowing, in some instances encouraging, them to start teaching almost immediately. I believe that it is essential that students maximise the benefits of training by integrating their learning with experience within traditional Reiki guidelines. A true teacher has to use their own belief and experience and not repeat second hand wisdom.
A student following one of my Masters courses told me of an approach made to her by one Master offering to provide Master training in one day of intensive training for a cost of £400 which “could be made back by the end of the month by teaching others”. Apart from the obvious implications concerning teaching standards this approach is clearly ethically dubious.

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

The shorter courses may - I repeat only MAY - be cheaper but what is saved in pounds (£) is lost in knowledge and understanding. In terms of value for money the cost of a single day of training is frequently far greater then many of the longer courses.
Reiki is about Universal Love and not money or personal ego so may those who truly wish to spread the light of Reiki shine for all to see.

PRINCIPALS AND PRACTICE

In the final part I hope to share with readers some ideas on the principals and practice surrounding the training of Reiki practitioners.
Peter Warnock was apprenticed to scientific glassware manufacturer in 1985 and continues to work there on a freelance basis helping to complete orders for specialist glassware. He is a qualified masseur and aromatherapist and therapy teacher and has twice acted as personal therapist to jazz practitioner and Master it was this aspect of his work that gave rise to his article.

Editorial Note: Members are invited to express views and opinions of reiki training for this article which will be continued in the next issue.

The Studio
A Member’s Story
by Thérèse Spencer-Doyle

Malcolm Hazell and his partner are florists by trade and in September 1998 they moved their business to The Studio in Lonsdale Road, Queens Park.

The upstairs at the Studio consisted of 6 rooms which had previously been used as a dental laboratory.
There were leaks everywhere, dust and dirt and an awful lot of discarded teeth!!
outside force
Malcolm the florist had also trained as a psychotherapist and masseur now seemed to be compelled by some outside force to turn the dismal upstairs rooms into an Holistic Centre.
Not only did Malcolm not know where to start, he had no finance. He was not to be detered - this became a mission that had to be achieved.
And it was, the now beautiful upstairs rooms became the New Holistic Centre.

'The successful establishment of the
Holistic Centre marks not the
end of an ambition but the start of another'

The question Malcolm then faced was who, in addition to himself, would work at The Centre? Having been guided into the project Malcolm decided not to advertise. He would, he was sure, be guided to the right person.
joined the project
In March 1999 when visiting his osteopath he met Thérèse in reception.
She had been working there for three years and although Malcolm had been going regularly for treatments they had not previously met. Whilst chatting Malcolm realised Thérèse was the intended therapist for his holistic therapy centre.
Offering massage, reflexology, clinical kinesiology and allergy testing I was delighted to have the opportunity to help make his vision a reality.
The successful establishment of the Holistic Centre marks not the end of an ambition but the start of another - the establishment of a new therapy training centre for which Thérèse will be senior tutor.
The story of “The Studio” is being serialised by the BBC and expected to be shown later in the year.

John Wilks ARCM, MA, RCST, MIIR, BTAA

An associate of the Royal College of Music John Wilks’s first career was a a flautist but under the pressure of his developing career as a therapist and trainer. Music is a personal pleasure and an opportunity to play in charity concerts.
Having received initial training at the West London School of Massage he has qualified in cranial-sacral therapy, reflexology and, of course as a Bowen practitioner. He is also active in “Therapy Training Overseas” a charity that aims to take practical therapy assistance to troubled regions of the world.

With back pain now one of the major reasons for visits to the GP, it’s great to come across an approach to treatment that is fast, pain-free and doesn’t involve any manipulation.

Australia has been the birth-place of a number of revolutionary physical therapies in the last 50 years, but The Bowen Technique must be one of the most extraordinary.
Developed by Tom Bowen in Geelong, South Australia, the technique involves a series of light moves over connective tissue which help realign the body, stimulate energy flow and balance the body at a cellular level.
John Wilks, a therapist who has been using the technique in his clinics for the part 31û2 years says “patients often report that the therapy seemed to be working from the inside out; that changes are taking place without any effort or volition on the part of themselves”

NATURAL GIFT

Certainly the technique frequently works very quickly. Tom Bowen himself was extremely busy in his clinic, as was verified by the 1975 Victorian government inquiry into alternative health care professionals.
The study documented Bowen seeing some 13,000 patients per year as assessed over a 27 week period. Considering treatments were seven days apart and most people needed only two or three treatments, that was an amazing number of clients per year.
Tom Bowen discovered that he had a natural gift for healing after brief medical training and service in the second world war and developed the technique over a number of years up to the time of his death.
In 1974, whilst attending a National Health Conference in Adelaide, Australia, he was introduced to massage therapist Oswald Rentsch.
Although Rentsch knew nothing of Bowen’s work, he spontaneously asked if he could train with Bowen. Rentsch was invited to Geelong by Tom Bowen and spent 21û2 years studying and learning Tom Bowen’s skills.
Bowen had had no time to document his work and eventually gave Oswald & Elaine Rentsch permission to record his technique.
They were able to introduce Bowen’s healing technique to patients in their own clinic in Hamilton, Victoria but, at Bowen’s request, only started to pass the knowledge on to others after his death in 1982.
Myself and my colleague Nicola Hok were asked specifically by the Rentsch’s to teach this work and are running workshops and seminars in the south of England & Ireland.
We work under the auspices of the Bowen Association of the UK which is a member of the British Complementary Medical Association and aim to have the Bowen Technique recognised as a national vocational qualification in the near future.

EXCELLENT REPUTATION

It is misleading to think that the Bowen Technique is just good for back pain. Certainly it has an excellent reputation for treating it, but it also seems to be very effective for asthma and other respiratory conditions, frozen shoulders, headaches (migraine, sinus,) knee and hip restrictions, menstrual problems, pelvic imbalances (tilt, leg length, hip imbalance,) RSI, sciatica, skeletal and muscular problems and TMJ conditions.
Currently there are now over 300 practitioners of the Bowen Technique in the UK, many of them osteopaths, physiotherapists and chiropractors.

Editors Note:
Further information on the Bowen Technique and the training is available by contacting 0700 2698324.

Therapists and the Law

Self-employed therapists and those working for or owning small businesses - that means the large majority of our members - have to cope with new laws and regulations.

Our contributor, Mr. Hacon Williams MIOSH, MIIRSM, MILT, is a consultant on all aspects of health, safety and employment law. In a series of articles he will highlight and explain important laws effecting members.

Current Areas of Health & Safety Controversy

There are many areas where either poor information is available or where contrary advice is given. I am going to tackle two such areas, namely micro-pigmentation and electrolysis - disposal of sharps and, secondly, the use of glutaraldehyde for sterilisation of equipment and as a wipe down.

Micro-pigmentation and electrolysis

Disposal of sharps
The basis of the laws covering these treatments comes form the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) (LGMP) Act 1982 Local Authority Byelaws Relating to Acupuncture, Tattooing, Ear Piercing and Electrolysis.
Outside London the regulation of micro-pigmentation is, at present, not directly covered, as the primary legislation does not exist. There is much pressure to have the Primary legislation enacted. However, where a salon is registered for other skin piercing activities then the local authority is empowered to regulate the micro-pigmentation under Section 15(7) of the existing regulations.
Electrolysis is undertaken using various systems and is also covered by sections 15(7) of the LGMP. There is some controversy over whether the electrolysis needles require to be treated as contaminated sharps. This is due to the belief that the needles destroy any contamination due to the temperature generated during use. The Medical Research Council recommendations for heat sterilisation are that as a minimum a temperature of 121°C must be maintained for not less than 15 minutes. This is also the lowest temperature that sterilisation can occur. Thus it becomes obvious that the needles are not self-sterilising and must be treated as contaminated sharps.
Section 15(7) requires that all needles must be either placed into a covered leak proof box or placed into a disposable sharps box. If the needles are to be reused they must be treated during the working day and the box must also be sterilised. Where a sharp box is used it must be disposed of at suitable intervals. The Local Authority regulates the disposal methods. (Sources: Department of Health & Prof. N. Noah MB FRCP FPHM Public Health Laboratory Service Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre).

Glutaraldehyde
I have recently observed that several Therapy Magazines have recommended Glutaraldehyde for sterilisation of equipment. Glutaraldehyde is a powerful cold disinfectant that was widely used in the Health Service and else where. It is known by trade names such as Cidex, Totacide and Asep. Glutaraldehyde is capable of irritating the user’s skin, eyes, throat and lungs and more importantly it can sensitise the user’s skin, lungs and respiratory system. This can have serious implications under work related injuries.
Glutaraldehyde is subject to COSHH Regulations and an Occupational Exposure Limit (OEL) was in place. This OEL was replaced in January 1999 by a Maximum Exposure Limit (MEL) as recommended by the Advisory Committee on Toxic Substances. The MEL levels are 0.02 parts per million and 0.5mg per cubic metre. Thus it becomes illegal to expose persons to concentrations above the MEL. The Health and Safety Commission have also recommended that, wherever possible, glutaraldehyde should be replaced by a less hazardous substance. It is interesting to note that the Health Service is phasing out glutaraldehyde and in the mean time very strict controls on its use are in force. These include the user being required to wear protective gloves and apron and a visor or goggles when handling or using glutaraldehyde. Its use as a wipe down disinfectant has been banned in the NHS. In addition to comply with COSHH air monitoring and extraction ventilation systems have been provided and staff who use glutaraldehyde are having health monitoring. I do not believe that therapists have the time, equipment or finance to undertake the requirements of COSHH for the use of this substance, especially when equally good disinfectants are available. (Sources: British Safety Council, Health Services Advisory Committee & HSC).

Author’s note: This article is written as a general article on Health and Safety matters. It is not authoritative and is meant to serve as a pointer towards understanding the law and gaining more detailed information.
I can supply specific advice and information to clinics and salons but only by visiting and undertaking an assessment. For further information please telephone or fax me on 01267 238143. R. K. Hacon Williams.

Understanding Lupus

Lupus is more common that MS but therapists are often at a loss to know how best to assist clients with this complex condition.

One-Day Seminars
under the auspices of Lupus UK

Included in discussion will be:-
• Etiology of Lupus (SLE)
• Immune-endocrine-nerve system connections
• Orthodox & complementary medicine approaches to treatment
• Social & psychological effects
• Effective exercise
• Lifestyle changes
Yeovil 2nd September 2000
Bristol to be announced
London to be announced

Seminar details available by phoning Linda on 01935 (Yeovil) 840132