Reiki in the 21st Century

With so much going on in the World today I thought it worth taking time out to think about Reiki, where it’s come from and where it’s going. This is not about the Reiki story with Mikao Usui but Reiki being practiced in the UK.

For those of us who undertook our Reiki training in the last century (!!) things with Reiki have changed so, so much. This was brought about in the main, from the House of Lords question about the regulation of Complementary and Alternative Therapies in 1999 with a Government report on CAM being issued in 2000. Added to this was the case of Dr Harold (Fred) Shipman who on 31 January 2000, was found guilty of the murder of fifteen patients under his care. The question was asked ‘if this can happen in a regulated practice what is happening in an unregulated practice’.
I’m not going to go into this here, but ask me if you need to know more.

Since then there has been a great deal of resource and energy put into producing Voluntary Self-Regulation for CAM with agreed National Occupational Standards (NOS) for the giving of treatments and a Core Curriculum (CC) for the teaching of therapies.

The Reiki Council was formed as a collective, non-profit making umbrella organisation, by a number of Reiki Organisations in 2002, primarily named the Reiki Regulatory Working Group (RRWG) to produce a NOS and a CC for the teaching Reiki in professional settings. In July 2008 RRWG was renamed the Reiki Council.

RRWG spent many years working with Skills for Health and The Prince of Wales Foundation for Integrated Health – which became CNHC (both Government backed) and by the time we became the Reiki Council the NOS were in place followed a few years later by the CC.

Reiki Council produced an accreditation system which is used by their member organisations resulting in Reiki Practitioners having the opportunity to apply for a Reiki Council verified Professional Practitioner certificate, plus Reiki Council accredited Verified Reiki Courses, courses that result in successful students attaining the Professional Practitioner certificate.
This also enables registration in the Government backed CNHC Register.

Throughout this time Reiki organisations worked together in Reiki Council the producing of these documents and still work together as an umbrella organisation for Reiki Organisations.

So, here we are over 20 years later with a full accreditation service in place for ReikiKind who choose to go down this route. Remember Reiki is a Voluntary Self-Regulation practice. What Reiki Council have done is opened up a route for those Reiki Practitioners who wish to work, or volunteer in an establishment that requires certifiable accreditation. This applies to many, though not all, hospitals, hospices, care homes etc who are now starting to accept Reiki into conventional medicine in the Government backed Integrated Health System.

Those of you who know me know that, representing The Reiki Connection, I have been involved with the verification process, initially being in the Reiki Working Group for NOS, then becoming the Verifications Officer for Reiki Council, and then Chair to the Reiki Council. So, I too have been involved for over 20 years, but resigned my position as RC Chair to bring a change of energy to the group. 
Verification is a fantastic tool for those who wish to work in a professional setting as described above. It takes a great deal of time and dedication to achieve the set criteria for the Reiki Council accreditation/certification.
The verification process is at the level of an ‘A’ level.

So, that’s a bit of history on the progression of Reiki in the UK.
BUT – there is a growing misconception that Reiki Practitioners need to go down this route.
This is not the case – it’s a choice!

The Reiki Connection was also formed in 2002, primarily as an organisation for my Reiki students. TRC members have the benefit of cheaper practitioner insurance through Balens, the insurance company also used by the Reiki Council and the majority of its member organisations. Other benefits include having easy access to the Reiki Council Professional Practitioner verification as TRC is also a Verifying Organisation for Reiki Council and CNHC. Plus being kept up to date with the way things are changing in Reiki in regards to accreditation being required more and more for those members in professional practice – by this I mean working and/or volunteering in a conventional medical institution.

There are thousands upon thousands of people simply doing Reiki for themselves for personal growth. There are thousands and thousands of people doing Reiki for themselves, family and friends.

There are thousands and thousands of Reiki Practitioners giving Reiki to members of the general public. It is a very rare occurrence for Reiki Council to receive complaints about a Reiki Practitioner.

Being insured and a member of an organisation shows that the Practitioner is serious about their Reiki business and that they are happy to follow Codes of Ethics and Practice that the organisation would have provided.

However in saying all that – TRC is primarily an organisation set up to support ALL members, whichever route they choose with their Reiki and/or their practicing of Reiki.

TRC offer all ReikiKind help, support and guidance for the person using Reiki for self healing and/or self development to the person wishing to give Reiki in a professional setting such as a hospice.  

We are here for all ReikiKind