The Future of Reiki
By Jennifer Thibodeau
September 2008
Originally submitted to the Canadian Reiki Association newsletter.
September 2008
Originally submitted to the Canadian Reiki Association newsletter.
Like many Reiki people, I am interested in the historical origins of Reiki healing. Thanks to Usui-sensei's memorial stone at Saihoji Temple in Tokyo, we know that Reiki Ryoho began in 1922 when Mikao Usui attained enlightenment while he was fasting and meditating on Mt. Kurama in Kyoto, Japan. Since the 1990s, there has been considerable research done to uncover the truth of other aspects of Usui-sensei's life and the evolution of the Reiki healing art, and this will doubtlessly continue. Recently, however, I began to wonder about the future of Reiki healing - how will it continue to evolve? What is in store for us as Reiki people? In search of these answers, I interviewed seven Reiki Teachers/Masters - James Deacon, Rev. Hyakuten Inamoto, Cerise LaCore, Jessica Miller, Frank Arjava Petter, Kathleen Prasad and Franz Stiene to learn more about their opinions and visions of the future of Reiki healing.James Deacon
For more than a quarter of a century, James Deacon has been involved in extensive research into wide-ranging and diverse aspects of the field of 'Mind, Body & Spirit'. He has a strong background in 'vital-energy therapy' disciplines, and he undertook Reiki Master-level Attunement & Training in 1998. His website is www.aetw.org.
What do you see in the future of Reiki?
"Well, (as I'm sure we all do) I would like to see Reiki Ryoho continuing to 'move into the light', and hopefully gain ever greater levels of acceptance - by both the public at large and the medical professions - as a valid complementary therapy.
Certainly in terms of Reiki Ryoho practice in a professional context, I feel that issues around regulation are going to be even more prominent in the near future.
Globally, it is definitely becoming a case of 'self-regulate before the state regulates.' In the UK, for example, proposals for a move towards voluntary self-regulation by mid 2008 are being discussed. Issues under consideration include a code of safe professional practice, disciplinary and complaints procedures, and the creation of a UK Register of Professional Reiki Practitioners. Now, while many view this primarily from a perspective of encroachment on individual freedom, personally I see self-regulation as being an important step towards gaining credibility in the eyes of the medical professions.
With there now being so many different Reiki Ryoho styles, and different approaches to practice, I feel it is very unlikely that we, as a community, could ever hope to (many would say, ever want to) arrive at a situation where we have achieved some form of universal standardisation of training and practice (even if self-imposed).
However, while standardisation of training and practice may not be 'on the table', something I feel we do need to remain mindful of is the issue of standards of training and practice. After all, in Reiki Ryoho we have an ethical duty of care - not just to those who come to us for treatment, but also, to those who come to us for training.
With any art or discipline (whatever its nature) moving from, as it were, 'the shadows of relative obscurity' into 'the bright light of popularity', there is always a risk that standards of training and practice may suffer.
I feel we would be naive to think that, in the case of Reiki Ryoho, things should necessarily be any different. Instances of poor standards of training not only dishonour those receiving that training, they also impact on the perception of the overall professionalism of the Reiki Community as a whole, in the eyes of the very people we need to be reassuring.
In my opinion, the implementation of systems of self-regulation and the setting of 'benchmark' or 'baseline' minimum standards, is perhaps essential in order to guard against various degrees of failure in relation to the above-mentioned duty of care; and by extension, to ensure that Reiki Ryoho receives the professional recognition it so richly deserves as a highly effective therapeutic practice."
Rev. Hyakuten InamotoRev. Hyakuten Inamoto is the founder of Komyo Reiki Kai. He teaches Reiki Ryoho (healing art) around the world, and lives in Kyoto, Japan, the birthplace of Reiki healing. His website is www.h4.dion.ne.jp/~reiki/english/index.html.
What will Reiki be like in the future? Will it die out or expand?
"The future of Reiki is so bright. More and more people in the world will seek Reiki Ryoho through which they know they can gain health and happiness."
"A big positive change; with more and more Reiki people, the world will be at peace and people will be happier."
"The religions will respond positively and harmoniously to Reiki healing art, for it is a gift and a blessing from the universe. It rises above any man-made belief systems."
Cerise LaCore
Cerise LaCore holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Health with a Specialization in Homeopathy. She is a Certified Komyo Reiki Shihan, Certified Massage Therapist, and is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Naturopathy and PhD in Natural Health. Her website is www.gypsy-wynd.com.
What evolutions do you foresee regarding Reiki?
"Personally, I would LOVE to see Reiki taught in a more standardized fashion, especially for those who plan on using it in a therapeutic setting. There are so many discrepancies about the history of Reiki, or the "true" teachings and lineages of Reiki, etc., etc.. It's enough to make your head spin. I would love to see the same information taught by every Reiki teacher.
While this is not so much of an issue for those who choose to use Reiki for the benefit of just themselves or their families and/or for those who develop it as a path to personal spiritual enlightenment, I believe this issue becomes tantamount when utilizing it in the therapeutic arena.
And I believe that as Reiki becomes more and more accepted as a viable adjunct to conventional medicine, some sort of standardization MUST occur.
I can foresee Reiki being divided into two modalities: #1, a spiritual practice, and #2, a therapeutic practice. Now the interesting thing is that in order to have an effective therapeutic practice utilizing Reiki, practitioners must FIRST have developed it as a spiritual practice. So perhaps there should be another separate level or degree. For those who choose it as a spiritual path, no changes need to be made, but for those who choose to add the therapeutic aspect, perhaps an additional Reiki "Practitioner" level should be added."
"Changes are already occurring with Reiki and traditional Western medicine. People like Pamela Miles and Julie Motz have been instrumental in introducing energetic practices into hospital settings.
I am personally seeing more and more conventional doctors referring their patients in to someone like me. Unfortunately, they are waiting until all conventional medical avenues have been exhausted, making it a more difficult and longer process for the patient.
I think as Reiki becomes more accepted by the medical community, we will see an improvement in medical care as a whole. This is because Reiki focuses on healing the entire person, not just ridding the body of symptoms.
Unfortunately, too many times patients are relegated to feeling like a "diseased liver" or a "broken bone", or whatever their current ailment happens to be. With Reiki entering the medical field, I think a quantum leap in consciousness would naturally occur. Patients would no longer be viewed as having sick "parts", but would rather be viewed as a human being out of balance, with symptoms occurring in various ways so as to help point out the "true" underlying cause of the disease or symptom."
"Reiki can be used in so many ways, the possibilities are endless. Reiki healers can be brought into surgery to help facilitate the smooth outcome of the surgery, to help support the energy of the patient, and also to help support the energy of the surgeons and staff. This is being currently done in some hospitals, especially on the East coast.
Reiki can also be used to help people heal quicker, for pain relief (thereby reducing the need for medications), and to help relieve the stress and anxiety that so often occurs when a patient is ill or injured. In addition, there is sort of a bond that occurs between the Reiki practitioner and the patient when Reiki is given. Often, patients feel like some sort of relationship has developed between them and the caregiver. This helps the patient to feel more safe, acknowledged and nurtured. And people who feel safe, acknowledged and nurtured, naturally heal faster. So much of a person's recovery is dependent upon their trust in their caregiver, whether that be a doctor, a nurse, or a Reiki practitioner. Receiving Reiki is a way of developing that trust.
Furthermore, this could help reduce hospital and medical costs. Initially, this might not seem like a wanted outcome for the doctor or hospital since medical care has become such a big business, BUT it would return the care of the patient back to the doctor instead of the insurance companies. The Latin root of the word "doctor" is docere which means "to teach." Because insurance companies are calling the shots, doctors don't have time to remember their patient's names, never mind actually TEACH them something about their health.
And maybe if we can get the big money out of the medical industry, it can become what it was intended to be - a place of healing. So many doctors I have spoken with go into the medical profession with the best of intentions. They just want to help people. But they get caught up in the machinery of the HMO's and because medical training is SO expensive, they have no choice but to play along. And frequently, they get ground down in the process and have to abandon their idealism."
"I think doctors and nurses would do well to be trained in giving Reiki. The doctors and nurses that I have trained have mentioned that it has helped them greatly both in their diagnoses and treatment of the patient. I have one doctor who routinely uses Reiki to zero in on problems by scanning over the patient, and I have had reports from ICU nurses who have used it to reduce the heart and breathing rates of trauma victims. Pediatric nurses have stated that babies are calmer and thrive better when given Reiki treatments in the nursery.
UCD Medical Center here in Sacramento, California has discovered that children suffering from Sickle Cell anemia have less episodes and crises when they receive regular Reiki treatments. They referred in a little boy to me several years ago whom I wound up attuning and to this day, he has not experienced another sickle cell episode.
I think the ways in which Reiki can be combined with western medicine is limited only by our imaginations. Working together, who knows what we will discover?"
"The first response from the public might be skepticism or even fear, especially for those who might consider it not in keeping with their religious beliefs. But with time, education, and documented case findings, these fears may be eradicated."
Jessica Miller
Jessica Miller is a senior level teacher for the International Center for Reiki Training. She has been teaching Reiki since 1993, and she is the author of Reiki's Birthplace: A Guide to Mt Kurama. Her website is www.reikimastery.com.
What do you foresee regarding the future of Reiki?
"Reiki is going to be something that everyone does - at least a basic level because it can be learned in a weekend and the teacher's level can be learned in less than a year. It will become so common that there will be a Reiki person in every house. Reiki is the folk medicine of the future.
While many will be content with the basics, some will feel inspired to follow it to a deeper level. These will become the Reiki explorers. They will make pilgrimages to Mt. Kurama, where Reiki began and the other sacred places of the earth and use Reiki to connect into the Ki of the place. They will treat Reiki as a general purpose metaphysical tool, and use it for both healing and exploring the universe, learning more from direct experience and less from books."
"I think there'll be more understanding and respect for Western Reiki and Japanese Reiki. Reiki has developed differently in both places and they both have their strengths. Western Reiki focuses more on all the great things the practitioner can do immediately after being attuned. Many of the Japanese techniques are slower, and focus on techniques that take time to become proficient at but will ultimately improve their Reiki ability. I teach both."
"Everyone is going to learn Reiki. The number of people who will study it will increase and it's only a matter of time before everyone will learn it. None of us has to heal the whole world, we just handle our little corner and then train other people to handle their little corners. For something to really make a difference in the world on a long term basis, you have to be able to spread it faster than the rate of population growth. Reiki is one of the few things you can do that with."
"There will always be free or low-cost classes where people can receive a Reiki attunement and learn a few basics. I would love to see Reiki taught in high school, as an elective like cooking or first aid. But just as anyone who truly is inspired by cooking or medicine is going to seek out additional training or information so they can do more with it, so too will many people want more advanced training."
Frank Arjava Petter
Frank Arjava Petter is the author of seven international Reiki bestsellers. He teaches worldwide. More information on books and training courses with Arjava is available at: http://www.Reikidharma.com or http://www.JikidenReiki.eu.
What is your vision of the future of Reiki?
"The future of Reiki is already here, embedded in the Reiki Principles: They begin with "Kyo dake wa", which means "only today". If the present moment is lived fully and consciously, the same will happen tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. I see the future of Reiki in the eyes of my two year-old daughter, Christina. I feel it in her little hands: she lives Reiki; she has breathed Reiki ever since she was conceived. For her, Reiki is the most natural thing in the world.
My vision of Life a few years from now is that the next generation will give Reiki the place that it deserves. You may see that as an analogy: Reiki begins in your mother's womb... All other ways of promoting Reiki are good, but will not touch the heart of the inhabitants of planet Earth. Personally I would like to start a hospital and hospice in the near future, but that is another chapter...
To bring the attention to the present, practice Reiki on a daily basis, give treatments and above all, enjoy it. This way your conscious example and the joy you experience will spread from your heart to the person next to you. This is how Reiki grows: from one heart to another.
The second best approach to spread Reiki (after teaching kids) is to teach Reiki to health care practitioners in all fields. If you ask me every mother, every nurse and every doctor on Earth should have Reiki."
"The last sentence on the memorial of Usui Sensei in Tokyo is a powerful future prediction. It says that Reiki will conquer and heal the world and its inhabitants. This has been happening for a while and will be happening more and more in the future. Reiki fits into every heart, because it is your natural state. It is what your mother did with you when you were a baby. It is what every human being does when he or she gets hurt. You touch your wounds, you look at them, caress them and you blow at them. Before you know it, you feel tremendous relief. If this is brought into the consciousness of many people, Reiki will again become a natural thing: just, what you do when you don't feel well.
I travel all over the world teaching Reiki and most of the time I teach in non-English speaking countries. In Latin America, for instance, Reiki is huge - much more than anywhere else I have been. But people practice Reiki literally everywhere, and especially here, in this moment and in your very own heart. Don't worry about that which is far away. Don't worry about the global situation. Deal with your own situation instead. Live Reiki in every moment, in your classroom as well as in your private life.
If you are looking for a capable teacher, look into his living room. If you want to know how far you yourself have progressed on the path, look at how you are with your family, in the supermarket, on the highway..."
"Reiki wants to touch the hearts of many, and you can trust that it will do so. It takes those who are good conduits and teaches through them. You see this in Mrs. Takata or others of her caliber. Regardless of the teacher's own issues, or their psychological challenges, Reiki gets the job done. Because Reiki does not require a certain philosophical background, it fertilizes the fields of every country on Earth."
"I can only share with you how I deal with this issue. First of all; I adjust my fees upon the economic situation of the countries I work in, to make it affordable. And second, I go where the winds of love take me.
Traditionally, in Japan, Reiki was a way for wealthy people to give something back to their fellow men. In the West we are so identified with the idea of "ME". I am the most important person in the world, I want- I want- I want. In the East the focus is on the collective. A beautiful image of this is the story of a Chinese nun, Kwan Yin. She was a spiritually well-developed student of a Buddhist Master, who was told by him that she would achieve enlightenment in her next life, when she would be re-born into a male body. Upset by this, she made a vow never to be born as a man, and to help humanity to achieve what she herself was longing for. She became the South East Asian idol of love and compassion. Think of her when you do Reiki. Forget your self, forget your desires and your ego-gratification. Become compassion..."
"In developing countries one of the most pressing needs is to furnish adequate medical attention. Because this need is not met by the governments, the people turn to Reiki and help themselves as well as helping each other. This is a good way of using Reiki as it was originally meant: as a powerful healing technique. In Usui Sensei's words: "The secret art of inviting happiness, the spiritual medicine for all illness."
But there is a danger that lurks not only in developing countries, but everywhere on Earth. Because financial resources seem limited to some of us, Reiki is sometimes seen as an easy way to make money. Then Reiki may be used as a multi-level business scheme, and this is not where it belongs. Reiki is active compassion... Let's help it find its way back to where it belongs. You are the key!"
"Our responsibility is to provide quality training, to train local teachers with love and devotion for a few years, and thus help the people to help themselves. Then it is time to pull out of these countries, and let the local teachers take care of it. They know their own people the best."
Kathleen Prasad
Kathleen Prasad is a Reiki Master Teacher, Author and Educator. She is the co-author of Animal Reiki: Using Energy to Heal the Animals in Your Life. For more information, please visit www.animalreikisource.com.
How will Animal Reiki evolve?
"Since Animal Reiki is spreading to more and more animal people in all walks of life, it will become more mainstream. More people are discovering the benefits of Reiki for themselves, as well as their animals. This will create more opportunities for animal Reiki practitioners to build private practices. In addition, because of increased awareness and public knowledge of this modality, people will begin to ask for it from their Holistic Vets. I see Holistic Vets as incorporating Reiki into their offered modalities, so that their clients will have a wider range of healing options available to them. Already many are referring their patients to Animal Reiki practitioners. Reiki for animals will be included more and more in holistic animal care books, radio shows and television series, which in turn will create more public awareness."
Will there be a continued interest for people to become Animal Reiki Practitioners?"With wider use will come more awareness about the benefits of Reiki for animals, and the field of Animal Reiki will become more accepted. I have been training people in Animal Reiki and helping them start their professional practices for almost five years and have seen a tremendous growth in demand and opportunities. To help meet this demand, I have developed an Animal Reiki Practitioner Directory on my website, and every month, more and more people are finding their way there and getting referrals for Reiki treatment for their animals. This is a great time for people to start their animal practices, as the field is just on the cusp of finding wide appeal and great public demand."
What will happen with the more pressing needs of animals in shelters or animal sanctuaries?"Shelters and animal sanctuaries are the ideal places for Reiki practitioners to give back to the world. The animals in these places will be their best teachers in energy and healing. I encourage all my students to volunteer Reiki in these places for the animals who need it most. The animals give so much back to us when we offer them Reiki: many times over what we give them in healing energy. Typically, when an animal Reiki practitioner is coming regularly to donate services to a shelter or sanctuary, even if at first there is much skepticism, in time, the staff will begin to notice the healing effects of Reiki and begin to ask questions or even recommend which animals need Reiki each day. In time, the staff may even ask to be trained in Reiki. This is beneficial not only for the animals in their care, but also for the healing of the employees who, due to the difficult nature of the work, often suffer from exhaustion, stress and burn-out. I would like to see larger animal organizations such as the SPCA feature Reiki in their national magazines to spread Reiki to more and more animals in greatest need."
What do you think will happen with Reiki and institutions for animals, such as zoos or wildlife reserves? Will Reiki be used to help endangered animals in the wild?"Absolutely it will: it already is! Reiki is already being used at these places by individuals who work their in official and volunteer capacities. In time, Reiki will speak for itself and be adopted in a more official way. Another example of how Reiki is being used to help animals in these places is in the healing circle offered through my yahoo group "Animal Reiki Source." There is a group of us from around the world who offer Reiki on a regular basis to animals who need it most: endangered animals, wild animals, animals in zoos and reserves, shelter and rescue animals, etc. We also offer Reiki to animals affected by current events such as wildfires, hurricanes, floods, etc. Individual members alert the group to issues in their local area or animals they are already working with who are in greatest need, and we all send Reiki."
Do you think that Reiki will someday be offered in Veterinary schools?"With time and continued funding of Reiki Research in institutions such and the NIH and organizations such as the University of Arizona (who have a large interest in holistic healing research), science will continue to uncover the wonderful mystery that is Reiki healing. When enough research has been done, Veterinary schools will offer Reiki. They already offer other alternatives such as Acupuncture, but this was only after many years of research, so we must be patient. The good news is that there is research being done."
Frans Stiene, Australia
Frans Stiene is the co-founder of The International House of Reiki, co-hosts The Reiki Show podcasts, and has co-written several Reiki books with his wife, Bronwen.
What could be the future of Reiki 30 years from now?
"It is possible that if the system of Reiki continues as it currently is then it will disappear. With Reiki there are so many diverse ideas about what it is and how it is practiced that people begin to lose any belief in it and will discontinue practising it. Not that it is itself a belief system but you need to believe that there is a real base to what you practice to give you the motivation to continue with it.
Due to lack of structure of the system there are more and more people creating new lineages and histories and myths about Reiki that the system of Reiki will mean nothing - naturally less people will want to learn a system that is not a system but an eclectic mix of ideas from a multitude of countries that has no foundation. If there is no sense to it then there will also be no interest in it.
Even a lot of Japanese teachers are inventing new ways to do the attunement, new techniques etc... all under the banner of Reiki and Usui sensei, while none of these methods have anything to do with Usui sensei. Through all of this it is getting very confusing for practitioners and clients alike.
The only real hope is that we start to take the system of Reiki seriously. Look at the origins, the commonalities and the future directions of the system. How do we see what we do fit into that?
I went to this talk a while ago by a Western Yogi. He was talking at this trendy yoga centre, and the first thing he asked was, "Why do you all practice Yoga?"
Some said, "To become fit, to get a good looking body, it is popular." etc... After this he said, "You do not practice the right Yoga," as none of them had stated that they were doing it because they wanted to become enlightened and help others. This was the original meaning of Yoga. I personally believe this was the original meaning of the system of Reiki as well.
Many New Age systems created in the 1980s are no longer practiced due to their lack of a strong foundation. It would be a shame if this, too, happened with the system of Reiki. For this reason we need to go back to the roots of Reiki and remember that it holds at its base a Japanese philosophy and culturally connected foundation."
Due to lack of structure of the system there are more and more people creating new lineages and histories and myths about Reiki that the system of Reiki will mean nothing - naturally less people will want to learn a system that is not a system but an eclectic mix of ideas from a multitude of countries that has no foundation. If there is no sense to it then there will also be no interest in it.
Even a lot of Japanese teachers are inventing new ways to do the attunement, new techniques etc... all under the banner of Reiki and Usui sensei, while none of these methods have anything to do with Usui sensei. Through all of this it is getting very confusing for practitioners and clients alike.
The only real hope is that we start to take the system of Reiki seriously. Look at the origins, the commonalities and the future directions of the system. How do we see what we do fit into that?
I went to this talk a while ago by a Western Yogi. He was talking at this trendy yoga centre, and the first thing he asked was, "Why do you all practice Yoga?"
Some said, "To become fit, to get a good looking body, it is popular." etc... After this he said, "You do not practice the right Yoga," as none of them had stated that they were doing it because they wanted to become enlightened and help others. This was the original meaning of Yoga. I personally believe this was the original meaning of the system of Reiki as well.
Many New Age systems created in the 1980s are no longer practiced due to their lack of a strong foundation. It would be a shame if this, too, happened with the system of Reiki. For this reason we need to go back to the roots of Reiki and remember that it holds at its base a Japanese philosophy and culturally connected foundation."
No one can say with certainty exactly what the future holds for Reiki. After interviewing these Reiki teachers, my confidence is renewed that with some diligence and the ethical practice of Reiki healing and teaching, it will continue to grow and touch the lives of more and more people, one Reiki class and one Reiki treatment at a time.
Jennifer Thibodeau is a Komyo Reiki Kai Teacher. She studied Reiki in Japan, and returned to Canada in July 2007 after living in Japan for five years.