The Training & Practice of Reiki
Part 2
by Peter Warnock, ITEC Dips. Reiki Master, MIPTI.

Thank you for your letters regarding the first part of the article on Reiki. It certainly raised mixture of responses. I will respond to those which need responses personally by phone or letter. Please continue to send in your views.

I believe that to those who have been properly trained in Reiki, it is far more than a healing system - it is a philosophy and hence a way of life which is open to those of all faiths and belief systems.
When used with true intent it is one of countless ways of creating a clearer connection to your true self and therefore to your ‘God’ and to find the truth about how you can live in harmony with both ourself and the world around you.
It seems that many people are searching for ‘something’ in life, they feel like something is missing, some call it peace, some call it love, some call it enlightenment or ‘God’ and many search for it from outside themselves by taking higher and so called more powerful courses or spiritual disciplines and not stopping to fully use them. Then swiftly moving on to the next, they do not realise that this love can be found by using any one of these courses.

COMMON GOAL

For those of us who teach these healing disciplines, whatever the discipline, I encourage that we all work to a common goal to help others find their truth as well as the ongoing journey of finding our own truth. I feel that it is unfortunate that some teachers have allowed themselves to be drawn into the web of politics of who is better and more powerful.
No one course is any more powerful than any other - call it Reiki, call it Karuna, call it Sekem or any other name - they are all roads to ‘God’ and there is nothing more powerful than the creator.
If you really are looking for your truth then you will only find it by going ‘within’ yourself, which is the fundamental concept of Reiki - working with yourself. It is of paramount importance that you integrate each level individually so that you appreciate the different tools and subtleties that each level offers. There is no point going on to higher and higher levels if you have not fully integrated and thoroughly practised the previous ones.

UNNECESSARY STRAIN

Some practitioners are now being taught both Reiki First and Second Degree in just one day each over the same weekend - hence not having the necessary integration period between the degrees which energetically has the effect of reversing the first degree attunement, stunting the individuals personal healing process and placing unnecessary strain on their energy field.
There are no short cuts, no instant enlightenment just by attending a course. The course can only teach you tools to show you how you can learn how to love yourself and others unconditionally and then the true learning begins with plenty of practice on yourself.
When searched for, this truth seems illusive as it is not something you really learn, it is a realisation which only comes with the acceptance of who you are and everything you are - a perfect, living. breathing expression of the creator. We are all just doing the best we can with the tools which we have learned in order to deal with our pain - and all of us are in pain in some way or another, be it physical, mental, emotional or even spiritual. For me, through Reiki, I have found a way of accepting and understanding that my pain is purely my body’s way of telling me that I am doing something that does not agree with me. If I choose to ignore it then my body will find a stronger, usually more painful, way of telling me. But it is my body that has created the pain so I have created it. I personally imagine the pain as a prickly wrapping to a beautiful gift being the truth of the lesson being taught by the body. Then I can accept the pain as my creation and love it for being part of me and hence learn the lesson from it.
I personally believe that everyone would benefit from being attuned to Reiki as it gives one the tools to take responsibility of your own health and healing. I know this to be true through my experience of practising and teaching and also by speaking to therapists who have been attuned either by myself or other Reiki Masters.
I personally teach with a passion for Reiki and feel that this passion is necessary in order to teach to the best of my ability. I am not saying that my way is the only way or the best way but I simply ask those who are teaching Reiki to keep evaluating your courses and to set the highest standards possible. It is up to all of us to help ensure that such a pure and sacred art does not become disreputable because of the actions of a few.

Therapists and the Law

In this issue our contributor outlines the provisions of the new Fire regulations (effective from 1-12-99) and the responsibilities of employers, owners and landlords. “But I am an INDEPENDENT Professional Therapist” I hear many of you protest. Check Policy definitions Number 11 on Page 3 of your policy booklet – it lists 7 possible reasons why, in law, you may be regarded as an employer.

The New Fire Regulations and Your ResponsibilitIes The Fire Precautions (Workplace) Amendment Regulations (FPWR) 1999 came into force on the 1st December 1999. The new regulations are very difficult to read as they are a series of amendments of the 1997 Regulations. For this reason I will state the main responsibilities that have been passed to specific persons. If you are an employer of any number of employees, a property owner or landlord of multi-occupancy building then you have the duty to comply with the regulations. In addition the FPWR amends the Management of Health & Safety in the Workplace Regulations (MHSWR). MHSWR has been reissued as a new MHWR 1999, and it came into force on 29th December 1999. The new FPWR has a very much reduced list of exemptions and all exempt sites are subject to specific regulations. Establishments that were previously covered by a Fire Certificate are now subject to the new FPWR. Your New Duties FPWR 1999 requires that employers and owners and landlords of multi-occupancy buildings are to: • Provide and maintain fire-fighting equipment • Provide and maintain appropriate fire detection equipment • Provide accessible and simple to use non-automatic fire-fighting equipment • Appoint, train and equip staff to implement fire-fighting measures • Liaise with external emergency services concerning special site risks not covered by other regulations • Provide adequate escape facilities To meet these requirements it becomes incumbent upon those charged with these duties to undertake a full and sufficient fire risk assessment, the record of the assessment must be available to the Fire Brigade where the employer has FIVE or more employees. However, I would recommend that all employers retain a hard copy of the risk assessment, as it is the only positive way to prove that one has been carried out. Let us now look at each requirement. Provide and maintain fire –fighting equipment refers to both fixed automatic and non-automatic equipment and portable equipment. The need for fixed equipment is determined by the risks assessment, most salons and clinics will probably not require fixed equipment. Maintenance must be undertaken by competent persons and records retained. RISK ASSESMENT The provision and maintenance of appropriate fire detection equipment is determined by the risk assessment. This covers the smoke detectors and alarms and if coupled with the detectors the emergency lighting. Maintenance is to be by competent persons and records retained. Accessible and easy to use non-automatic fire fighting equipment refers to fire extinguishers and dry rising sprinkler systems. Again the requirement is determined by the risk assessment and maintenance must be carried out and recorded by competent persons.

Appointed trained and equipped fire fighting personnel does not mean that you have to have your own fire fighters. A person can be appointed and trained to take charges of the evacuation and role call of staff and other persons. The risk assessment will decide the level of requirement. Liaison with emergency services is important where special risks are involved. Many therapy premises have rooms within rooms and these may need to be highlighted to the fire fighters. Similarly pools, spas and hydrotherapy tanks need to be detailed, fire fighters hate falling into pools in full protective equipment! Finally the escape facilities need to be suitable and sufficient for the staff and clients to be able to make good their escape from the building without having to resort to long travel distances or perilous routes. Again the risk assessment will calculate the requirements and design the escape routes and ensure that the signing is adequate and legal. The Fire Brigade Fire Prevention Officers will give assistance with FPWR 1999 requirements, however, it is still the employer, owner or landlord who is responsible for the decisions taken. Enforcement is by the Fire Brigade Authority and they now have the right of entry to inspect workplace property at any time to ensure compliance. They now have the powers to issue Prohibition Notices and Enforcement Notices in the same way as the HSE. Prohibition Notices will be issued where it is considered that life or major injury is probable and the notice prevents any further work in the site until the requirements of the notice have been met. Enforcement Notices will be issued where it is considered that serious breaches of the regulations have occurred. The notice requires specific improvements to be made to the property within a specified time. Appeals against both types of notice can be made to the courts within 21 days from the date of issue. CONCLUSION FPWR 1999 applies if you employ any person, are a property owner/landlord of a multi-occupancy building. You must undertake a full and sufficient fire risk assessment and retain a hard copy on site if you have five or more employees. As a result of the risk assessment you must provide and maintain fire-fighting equipment, ensure staff know how to operate it and appoint staff to undertake fire fighting duties, liaise with emergency authorities if there are special risks and provide and maintain fire detection equipment. In addition you must comply with the MHSWR 1999 and FPWR 1999, both new regulations which came into force in December 1999. This article is written as a general article on Health and Safety. It is not authoritative and is meant to serve as a pointer to where to gain detailed information. I will happily provide specific information for salons and clinics, but only by visiting the premises and undertaking an assessment. For further information please Telephone or Fax me on 01267 238143. R K Hacon Williams MIOSH, MIIRSM, MILT

It is unusual but, with Private Medical Insurance (PMI), the more you pay doesn’t necessarily mean that you get the best cover. Some of the better known PMI companies charge huge premiums for decidedly inferior products. Some of the common problems with the traditional insurers are:-

• Limits applied to the amount they will pay out for in-patient consultation fees and other in-patient specialist charges.
• Limits applied to outpatient consultation fees
• Restrictive hospital scales or higher premiums for those who live in the Home Counties and London.
• High premium inflation.

As an Independent Intermediary I represent over 15 different insurers and can advise on the entire PMI market. When I was asked to set up an affinity scheme for all I.P.T.I. members and their families I was able to select the most suitable insurer for your large association with members thoughout the UK and from all age groups. Clearly, I am not going to recommend an insurer that fits the above description of the typical market leaders; they are generally more expensive and more restrictive than some of the lesser known specialist insures like Royal and Sun Alliance, Legal & General, Universal Provident and Bristol Contributory Welfare Association.
For the I.P.T.I. members I chose Universal Provident. They are the fastest growing PMI provider and they have some unique elements to their policy that I believe makes them unbeatable, and which probably explains their rapid growth. Universal Provident stand out from their competitors by offering the following special features:-

• No restrictive hospital scales.
• No limits on inpatient fees and hospital charges
• No limits on outpatient consultations
• Physiotherapy authorised following GP referral
• Fixed second-year subscription rate (5% above year one).

When the I.P.T.I. Affinity Scheme was first envisaged it was hoped that we would attract over 80 members. At this level of membership a very attractive premium below £40 per month would be available to all age groups up to age 70. Unfortunately too few members have committed to the scheme with many preferring to wait until the minimum 80 members has been achieved.
This reticence, understandable for those over 55, has meant that, until we get 80 members, I am having to tier the rates as follows:-

Up to age 45 £30 per month
46-50 £40 per month
50-54 £50 per month
55+ Specific quotation required.
These rates are highly competitive for very comprehensive cover. Even Universal Provident’s normal rates for individuals are much higher than the I.P.T.I. rates:-

45 years £42 50 years £58 54 years £75.
Remember also that Universal Provident is amongst the most cost effective plans available. One of the best known PMI insurers charges much more for inferior cover and a 54 year old would pay over £120 per month for the privilege!
With NHS waiting lists still disappointingly long, mixed wards, no matrons (and this, I believe, has been the single most significant reason for the reduction of hygiene standards in the NHS today), and the disappointment of numerous cancelled operations, isn’t it time you considered Private Medical Cover?
People buy PMI for many reasons but usually it is for

PEACE OF MIND
PROMPT TREATMENT
and PRIVACY.

For more information about the I.P.T.I. PMI Affinity Scheme, please call Martyn Farrington for an application form on 01777 703177 or Keith Burns for advice and general information on 01522 810857.

JACM – The end

Although we know of no official  announcement we have to assume that the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine is unlikely to reappear. For many months we have maintained contact with their office, but repeated assurances that the journal would resume regular publication simply have not happened.
Many members who subscribed during 1999 have not received the issues to which they were entitled and a formal claim for the cost of lost issues has been submitted. Unfortunately we have to be realistic and accept that it is unlikely that the publishers will be in a position to repay much (in any) of outstanding subscription payments.

New And Renewed Subscriptions from March 2000

On the basis of the assurances given by JACM that the publication would be resumed, I.P.T.I. continued to offer the concessionary subscription rate to members. As a safeguard it was also decided that subscriptions received would not be registered until the publication was again regularly available. Several members who requested subscription refunds have already received them. Refunds of the remaining subscriptions that we hold will be made during the first weeks of January.

Positive Health
If you wish to receive new and authoritative information about alternative and complementary therapies why not consider subscribing to Positive Health – a journal now in its firth year of publication and available to members at a reduced subscription rate. See the announcement elsewhere in this issue.