Wanderings' Wanderings

healing of karmic illusions

I’ve visited Mexico City many times in my life and each time I would watch in wonder as people would process towards the Basilica de Guadalupe on their knees. At that time I did not understand why these people would suffer so much so that suffering would end, but ultimately their faith would help pave the way for change in their lives. They believed they would be helped if they paid a price. As I grow in the Reiki healing modality, I begin to understand that one’s frame of mind has everything to do with one’s ability to heal.

If we are so engrossed in our own discomforts and can not see past our infirmities, we struggle with moving beyond what is keeping us from health, but when we can see a clear path to health we often travel the path much faster and with little, if any complications.

What brought this up? I read an article today where someone was in the hospital and saw an event which concluded with negative results. The person witnessed someone else experiencing severe pain. A passing nurse offered Reiki to help ease the pain. The nurse claimed she was a Reiki master and so the person experiencing the pain agreed.  The “master” placed a hand above the person’s head and one behind her back while concentrating with her eyes closed. After a few moments she made motions like she was pulling something out of the person’s body and throwing it away. The nurse repeated the motion several times with her hands in different positions. The whole process took 5 to 6 minutes. The nurse stopped when she was paged to a patient’s room. The person receiving the treatment never noticed the nurse left because her pain was overwhelming. The person’s response was, “I just need my morphine.” The writer of the article then goes on to say they suspected the person was addicted to the morphine. The writer also stated that Reiki was “bullshit” because of that one experience.  If that was my only experience with Reiki, I might say the very same thing.

There are of course several things going on in this example, the first of which is that the alleged Reiki master should have known better than to offer Reiki to someone in acute distress. Reiki is NEVER a substitute for real medical emergency care and should only be offered when the person is not in critical need. Reiki is not a crutch, it is a tool to help a person grow towards health and wellness; not some quick fix. A real Reiki master would know that, especially given that the alleged master in this case was also a nurse.

You were my favorite drug

Second, the person experiencing the pain was under the influence of a highly addictive narcotic which just happens to also cloud the mind. If I see someone in excruciating pain, the first thing I’m going to ask is did they take something for the pain. We would have gotten to the fact this person was using harsh pain killers in which case the alleged master should have again recommended immediate emergency care and NOT Reiki.

All this brings us to the third thing: what was the person’s intention? If all they wanted was their morphine then the alleged master asserted their own dominance and control over the situation by not asking for the person’s intent. Reiki practitioners are not supposed to be ego driven miracle workers. We are supposed to be people who help others walk their own paths of health and wellness.

This brings us to the third thing: what was the person’s intention? If all they wanted was their morphine then the alleged master asserted their own dominance and control over the situation by not asking for the person’s intent. Reiki practitioners are not supposed to be ego driven miracle workers. We are supposed to be people who help others walk their own paths of health and wellness. The practitioner was passing by and inserted themselves in a situation that could have proven disastrous.

The person experiencing the pain may have been going through withdrawals from the narcotic, there is just no way of knowing, and an alleged master broke with ethical practice to help where they may not have been wanted, but more to the point, the person on the morphine may not have been in any frame of mind for healing. A drug addict only wants the next fix, not the solution. Because of the actions of one alleged master, one person has a negative opinion of this wonderful healing modality.

Healing must first begin with a person wanting to be healed. All the best medicine in the world will never be enough if a person does not actually want to be healed. There are people who thrive on illness because it provides them attention. They will never reach full health because their minds will continue creating one illness after another.  Care must be given to empower a person to want to heal, then and only then can true healing begin.

Healing must begin with the willingness to heal.  When a person wants to heal, they will find the right path and avenue to achieve that end result.

Related articles

• Reiki tiki bullshit (mojoey.blogspot.com)
• Why Do People Turn to Energy Healing? (using-spiritual-energy.blogspot.com)
• Can You Really Heal Your Body By Using Your Mind? (hilarytopper.com)
• 10 ways to build a healing mentality (wow.com)

The seven major Chakras

The Fifth Chakra is more than just the center for the throat.  Aside from the obvious, this chakra focuses on the expression of one’s self through thought as well as voice.  Clear communication, where thoughts and ideas are expressed, come from this chakra. This is the center for one’s needs, wants and feelings. It deals with ideals, philosophy, psychology and the need to understand at the intellectual level.

Thoughts too have a voice of their own and can carry with them the full power of the throat chakra. How much of one’s thoughts remain in the past, or worry about the future, and have difficulty dealing with, and remaining in the present?

Thoughts are not merely expressions of the mind, but help us further our own needs.  We  carefully discern what it is we choose to say by rationalizing our thoughts, thinking how we wish to convey our message, and then finally formulating the words which will be expressed.  Much of this happens with lightening speed, but it is the same process for each and every person.

So, let’s use our Fifth Chakra for a moment and think about how thoughts then relate to energy.

We know sounds we make through our mouths carry with them a form of energy known as frequencies.  They are real waves that can be measured by scientific equipment.  Well, so too can thought be measured by scientific devices, only those devices measure a different type of frequency known as “Waves”, and are broken down into 4 main waves: alpha, beta, delta, and theta ["The Physics Factbook" http://hypertextbook.com/facts/].  These waves can move far beyond the person from whom they are emanating.

Now, put intention behind those thoughts.  What do you think will happen?

Reiki teaches us that energy will go where it is needed, but so too will energy which is given life and purpose through our thoughts.  When we think negative thoughts, we create for ourselves a negative environment and attract like energy.  When we think positive thoughts the same thing happens and our surroundings become filled with positivity and renewed vigor.

But think for a moment what happens when we direct our thoughts towards someone else, or towards another situation separate from ourselves.  What happens then?  Energy is put into motion through intention, whether realized or not, and goes out to that particular situation.  If someone there picks up on that energy and accepts it, then cycles whether negative or positive, are perpetuated.  Regardless of whether the thoughts are positive or negative, they are sent and the person sending those thoughts MUST be willing to accept responsibility for those thoughts.

Thoughts have power and can either support us and bring us to new heights, or can depress us and force us to new lows.

Which would you rather have?

Related articles

• The Seven Chakras and What They Mean (brighthub.com)
• Exploring the Chakras (slideshare.net)
• Chakra Meditations (lifescript.com)
• The Aura and the Chakras: Spiritual Healing (chakrayoga.suite101.com)
• The Fifth Chakra: Throat (brighthub.com)

There was a time when the spoken word was something synonymous with knowledge, truth, and empowerment, but all too often words today are just hollow expressions of the vestiges of a bygone era.  Today, the spoken words spewing from varied orifices are filled with spite, hatred, and vitriol: not good, not good at all.

There was also a time when the energywork industry was new and something only the rich could afford, but today has transformed into something much healthier.  But still there are those holding on to ancient vices who are bound by old and tiring injustices, and are determined to remain mired in old ways and are charging large sums of money to even those unable to afford the most basic of necessities.

Cool.  That is where they are in their walk through this life.  So be it, but I will not join those ranks and files of unethical practitioners.  I will instead focus on the need around me and ensure I am able to reach out to EVERYONE regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or any of the other varied boxes and categories in which we put the dynamic people of this earth.

Ethics is not merely a bunch of words strung together on parchment and pinned to a wall for all to read.  Ethics is an action which, like the sea, rage on and boils in the blood.  It is a movement of emotion flowing forth from the practitioner.  It is a way of life and not merely something to satisfy those who enter the sacredness of space provided by the practitioner.

There was again a time when ethics, honor, and all things good was gauged by a person’s handshake.  Honor was bound by a person’s promise; by the word spoken and then acted upon by the speaker.  It was something gained over time through diligence and hard work.  Today it is expected and demanded by those who have yet to break a sweat.  Entitlement rules the world and the word honor has been replaced by the phrase, “Give Me.”

In energywork we not only move and flow the energy around and within a person, place, or thing, but we also move and manipulate the very core of being.  If we are not ethical in our practice then real serious damage can be wrought and in so many different and subtle ways.  Our ethical natures are not only judged by our services, but by our demeanors, actions, words, rates, ratings, and whether or not we, or others in our field, can follow through on their promises.  One promise made by one practitioner can affect the entire industry.

Ethics is a verb and something which should be integral to the practitioner, to the client, and to society.  Ethics is Ethics, and what is good for one group is equally good for another.  There can not be one set of ethics for one group and another set for a different group.  Unethical behavior is the same no matter where you go, or by whom the unethical behavior is modeled.

Live it.  Breath it.  Be it.

To those who would be clients in any energy modality…  Ask to see your practitioner’s code of conduct, ethical code, or other WRITTEN guarantee of ethical behavior.  If they are unable to furnish you with a copy of their code of ethics, walk away.  The same should hold true for any profession or professional.  If they haven’t got an ethical guideline, then please do yourself a favor and demand one, or find another venue for your patronage.  If nothing else, you will have made that practitioner or business person think about developing a set of ethical guidelines; something they should have done from the very start.

Related articles

• A Meditation on the Ethical Side of Energy Production (beliefnet.com)
• New Humanist Blog : Work ethics (newhumanist.org.uk)
• Center for Ethics: Update (crookedtimber.org)
• Ethical issues ignored in teaching, research of sustainability (scienceblog.com)

You’ve heard this new catch phrase, but what’s it all about?  As the name suggests, client centered care is all about the client’s needs and not the needs of the corporation, practitioner, doctor, lawyer, or any other entity.  It’s about the individual who comes to you seeking assistance for their needs, not their wants.  I want a million dollars, but I need a roof over my head, food in my belly, and health and wellness in my life.

Client centered care is about focusing attention on the need of the client and doing everything possible to help that client achieve their goals, while at the same time enabling the client to take personal responsibility for their actions, lives, and health.  It is a mind-frame whereby the providers, practitioners, and others focus on someone else’s needs rather than their own.

Adopting a client-centered approach often requires a shift in attitudes. Even while trying to deliver good-quality services, most service providers and other practitioners have assumed that they, as care experts, know what is best for clients.  A redirection to a focus on the client brings up the recognition that a clients’ concerns and preferences are equally, if not more valid and important than the care provider’s.

Many organizations or practitioners have historically seen clients as passive recipients of services or products.  Most business models see the provider as the expert and therefore the more important voice in the care of the client.  In contrast, client-oriented organizations elevates the client and enables the client to begin voicing their needs in their shift to health and wellness.

In the client-centered care model, clients are considered first and foremost at every point in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of services and care.  The clients become the experts on their own personal circumstances and needs.  Providers gather information from clients to design and offer appropriate services and treatments, all with the client’s approval.  No portion of care is done without the clients approval, permission, and input.

When this approach is used, the client feels empowered and takes on a whole new idea of their own health and well-being.  They begin to set goals to create their ideal healthy model.  They begin changing their lives and situations to help themselves grow beyond their current limitations, but most important, they begin to take ownership of their health and wellness.  They begin to take care of themselves.

What could be better than a client who takes personal responsibility for their health?

Blessings+

K

Sky Of Gold In Peace

Go figure.  Someone friended me on Facebook in the morning, sent me spam telling me I could make “Millions” through the Energywork industry by the late afternoon, and by the evening I had told them what they could do with their spam and blocked them.  The problem is, there is a new pattern developing where people actually think the energywork industry is the new gold mine and get into the field solely because they think they can make money.  The problem with that line of thought is that the energywork industry is about intent.  People are, or can be healed based on intent.  If the intent is to make money, then healing is thrown out the window and real damage can be done.  If the intent is healing, but you charge, that’s a different story altogether.

For the sake of this excursion into the wild world of inappropriate forms of communication I’ll be brief.  In the above case where someone sent me a message on how to make millions in the Energywork industry, the sad part was that person was a Reiki I practitioner.  They should have been taught intent was important to healing.  They should also have been taught the principle of fair exchange.

Can a person make a decent living in the Energywork industry?  Yes.  There is no doubt this industry has the potential to grow and expand, but a major push in this industry is “Client Centered Care” where the client’s needs come first and are primary in any healing scenario.  This means if a client can not afford full price, accommodations are made so they are still able to get what they need.  We often refer to this principle as “sliding scale”.

I honor and respect that there are practitioners who make a living helping people achieve their health goals through energywork.  Those same people have learned that it’s not about the money.  It’s about the quality of life.  Charge a fair price and your calendar will remain full.

In this world of fast food, fast money, fast everything, I think I’d rather take the fast nickel rather than waiting for the slow dime.  I’d rather be helping people than spending all my energy on advertising.  I guess I’m old fashioned that way.

It’s not about the millions.  It’s about the multitudes.

Peace Lingers In The Heart Filled With Love.

K

(There are lots of excellent related articles at the end of this post.)

Conscience, Judas

Once again we come to that ever illusive concept of ‘Intention’ and this time there is a bit of a challenge regarding the concept.  My wife and I have been remiss is telling people that intention is the all powerful and only guiding force (or at least should be) in energy healing and in energywork of any kind, but there is so much more to intention than a mere thought.  There is an entire ethical component to intention, not the least of which is ensuring your intention does not interfere with, or control, or obfuscate in any way someone else’s intention.  I’m very sure that even Judas had the best of intentions for betraying Jesus, but in the end his conscience got the best of him.

When I start believing that I know more, or know better than a client, trusted friend, or anyone for that matter, I begin a cycle of control and dominance which is inconstant with health and healing.  This is true for any healing modality such as massage, energy healing, Western medicine (Doctors have long been held in the highest of regard, but they need to learn to work with their patient and not dictate to them) or even spirituality for that matter.  As a spiritual director I am well aware of how fragile the spiritual side of our humanity is, and as such I must be careful in helping people grow, ensuring they are doing so because they WANT to grown and not because I wish they would.  There is a very find line between assistance and dominance and so many people cross the line both consciously and unconsciously.  Either way they are playing a dangerous game that will one day come back to haunt them.

What is paramount when using Intention is that your mind and thoughts are balanced by those of the client or person seeking help.  You must ensure you adjust your intention to match theirs, or if you feel yourself pulled in another direction, then you must communicate that feeling to your client and seek their understanding and approval for the divergence.  Case in Point: You’ve been working with your client now for some time and have often felt something deep down trying to make it’s way to the surface, but have restrained yourself because of your client’s intent.  You’ve never communicated that feeling to your client.  During this session, you feel the same thing and decide to work on that feeling and see where it goes.  Suddenly your client has a reaction to the energy session.  There are so many different possibilities to what just happened that we won’t even begin to touch on them, but rather than having a potentially explosive situation, think about how this situation could have gone: you are working on the same client as above, but then when you sense the feeling coming up again, you communicate to your client that you are sensing something and don’t quite know how to describe what’s coming up.  The client relates to you that yes, they have some issues with a certain subject and that it’s okay to work on that area, or perhaps the area is too sensitive for them right now and they’d rather not work on the subject.

American students experience Tuina

In the first case, you took control away from the client, and in the second case you gave the client complete control over what happens to them.  In the first situation, the net has dropped out from under the client, and in the second, they are made to feel safe and secure, knowing you are out for their best interest.  Even if you’ve been working with the same client for years and years, you must still allow your client complete control over their healing.  They must take the responsibility for their health and wellness and can only do so if they are fully informed as to what is going on during a session.  If you work silently during the treatments, then make sure to bring up your observations at the end of the session when you discuss how the session progressed and then give your recommendations for the next session.  Again, this puts your client in control of their healing, or growth.

When you think of Intention think of this: your own will or wish for someone else must never be more important than what the person feels is right for them.  Just because you want them to be in a better place doesn’t necessarily mean they want the same thing.  When a person feels trapped or cornered they often react in a manner contrary with healing and the potential for their becoming overly emotional, or even violent increases.

I could intent to create peace on earth, but unless everyone on earth is willing to have peaceful coexistence with each other, my intent will never come to fruition, and if I ever impose my intent on others by forcing them to have peaceful relations, then I am creating an environment which is totally contrary to the intent.  Give people a chance to control their lives and they will often choose the right path for them, but control and dominate and you only succeed in maintaining a hostile environment.

The road to hell may be paved in good intentions, but then the road to heaven is paved in intentions made manifest through cooperation.

Peace…

Related articles

• Shen Mind Intent (clearstaichi.com)
• Relax here: The art of energy healing (timeoutny.com)
• Energy Healings: Basics of Prana, Reiki and Aura . (using-spiritual-energy.blogspot.com)
• Preparing for Unprogrammed Worship in A Programmed (Quaker) Meeting (gatheringinlight.com)
• Your energy creates alchemy (whoheals.com)
• Energy Protection – 7 Steps (clearstaichi.com)
• On Being a Student Therapist: Making a Diagnosis (psychcentral.com)
• Massage is energy exchange (starkeys.com)

…healing flows.

Jan and I quote that every chance we get, but seldom do we ever expound on the concept.

For the purposes of this article, let’s define ego as your own identity.  It is that part of you that recognizes your individual-ness and helps you focus purely on yourself.  Again, for the purpose of this article, we are going to include the more common definition and also say that ego is synonymous with conceit.  In the strictest sense, this analogy is closer to the truth than saying ego is only self identity.  Ego is more our individual emotional response to our perception of self.  Please understand that in talking about ego, we are not talking about those with superiority complexes, we are only talking about an individual’s perception of the self.

In healing of any kind, whether it’s through Western medicine, Chinese medicine, alternative and/or complementary medicine, or any other form of healing, the ego must be removed from the practitioner’s conscious, and subconscious mind.

Why?

If someone comes to you for relief of an ailment, what ever it might be, they are coming to you because THEY need the relief, not because you need the client.

That was so important, I think it’s worth repeating, but differently…  Clients go to healing practitioners because of their needs, not because of the practitioners needs!

Pills

Healers should be focused on the needs of their clients and not on their own needs.  If a healing practitioner is more focused on their own needs, then they will do a disservice to their clients, by focusing NOT on their client, but their mind will “accidentally” wander, or they may suggest something not in keeping with the client’s real treatment.  You don’t think that’s possible???  What about Western Medicine Doctors who prescribe medications that kill people rather than make them healthier?  Have you heard the lists of side effects of some of these medications out on the market today?  Some of the side effects include, “Death“, “Suicidal Thoughts”, “Difficulty Breathing”, “Chest Pains”, “Heart Attack“, and in some cases “Stroke“, “Uncontrolled Bleeding”, and other horrific effects.  Those are all aside from the normal constipation, diarrhea, dizziness, and other more “common” side effects.  What doctor in their right mind would ever prescribe something which has the potential to do more harm than good?  The Answer: those who are more concerned with the bottom dollar than their patients health.  It is that simple.

Now think of this in the field of CAM (complementary and alternative medicine).  Someone goes to a massage therapist who is having a bad hair day.  They present with mild back pain due to tension or stress and need relief.  The therapist is still stuck on the jackass who cut her off in traffic on the way into the office.  Take a few moments to think about the possible harm which could be done to the client.  Instead, the massage therapist goes to the back room, focuses for a moment, clears her mind and lets go of the outside world so she can focus purely on her clients’ needs.  When she walks back into the room, she is able to give her client her full attention.  This is letting go of the self or the ego.  This is putting someone else’s needs before the self.  This is when true healing can occur.

In Reiki we are always reminded we do not control the energy, nor are we the actual healers.  We are merely tools which help (as in assist) the energy to go where it is needed most.  If we impose our will over someone else, then the  energy still goes where it is needed most, but we might be thinking more about our bills, or relationship, or something to which we put more energy than our client’s needs.  In that case, the energy will flow to our needs rather than our clients.  When we let go of our own needs and focus on our clients, we are able to be better facilitators of the Reiki energy.

There is another aspect to this whole thing of ego which is the individual concept of importance.  Over the course of time, a practitioner may begin inflating their own ego due to so many people being helped by their services.  This can lead to a type of conceit whereby a practitioner may begin to think they are better than other practitioners or even better than their own clients.  This type of dangerous thinking can later lead to complexes of superiority whereby the practitioner begins to believe they are far superior to any other person around them.  This leads to belittling, name calling, and all sorts of other issues which should be avoided at all costs.

So, the saying truly does hold true, if you remove ego from the picture, you are able to focus better on your client/patient.  Healing is not about what the practitioner is doing, but about how the client is feeling!  The client must come first in any healing industry.

There is just one more thing with letting the ego go, when you finally realize you are no better, nor lower than anyone else around you, you can begin to understand the connectivity of all things not only on this world, but throughout the entire universe.  When you rid yourself of superiority you begin to allow for understanding and continued learning of the diversity of energies which dances all around us.  When you let go of ego, you begin a path of a deeper awareness of all things and how they relate to one another.  Let things be as they truly exist, not how you want them to exist.

Let go, let flow!

Coins and banknotes

There is a lot of discussion over what is fair pricing and what constitutes highway robbery.  “Time is money“, and “there is value to service” are just a few of the things which in my opinion keep people from reaching their full potential, but there is some truth in what is being said.  They key is figuring out what is too much and what is enough.

I am a full time Reiki practitioner and while I do not live high off the hog, I am not hurting either.  I do not gouge my clients because there is simply no need to do so.  When I taught in a college, I received about $30.00 an hour, as a Reiki practitioner I make anywhere between $45.00 and $65.00 depending on the situation, and for teaching, I make about the same, but I teach multiple students at once to help keep costs down for the students.

But the question has come up, how does one find value in a thing, and does one have to charge the same amount as others charge?  Does one have to charge at all?  Is there a value for a thing other than financial?  And should monetary gain be one’s only motivation, or even THE motivation in anything we do?

Sure, I have to pay my electric bill, my mortgage, and buy groceries, but do I have to go out and gouge people, and is gouging here, the same as gouging somewhere else in the country?

There are bound to be varying pay schedules everywhere.  There are going to be those who charge very high amounts and those who won’t charge anything.   The point is that we each have different ways of doing things.

There are also going to be those who do things purely for monetary means and their rates will be purposefully inflate.  In the realm of healing though, one has to wonder what type of healing they are going to provide; the cheapest so they get a higher return, or good quality healing commiserate with their fees?

If I put this into a different perspective, I’m only charging what I charge because the Reiki community has told me, and everyone else, that if I charge a low rate, I must not be any good, or must not give my full attention to the session. How sad is it, that I can not even choose my own rates because a community forces such exclusivity?

I think I rather like the idea of empowering others to take responsibility for their own health, and so I’m going to charge fairly.  I do not believe I should price gouge just because everyone else does, or just because Massage Therapists the same amount.  Folks, Massage Therapists do a whole lot more than I do during a session!!!!  What they do is physically exhausting!  What I do should never make me tired because I am not supposed to use my own energy, but instead use the Reiki energy available to all people!!!

Besides…  isn’t price gouging illegal and unethical?   $30.00 to about $70.00 seems fair to me.  More than that and people seem to be taking advantage of others and situations!  I think I’m going to reexamine my price structure, and drop my prices considerably.

Our industry should not be about the prestige, or the money!  It’s about the healing we help others realize!

Maybe it’s time for standardization in the Reiki community.  Maybe it’s time for licensure and enforcing Ethical standards!  It truly is time to get rid of ego and politics and return to the healing aspect of our work!

When ego goes, Reiki flows!

Related articles

• Reiki Enters The Mainstream (medicineformindbodyspirit.wordpress.com)

Ethics on the Brain

(The following is copyrighted by Kenneth J. Nelan and Janet Soldon and may not be reproduced without written permission of the author. To obtain permission, please visit http://www.sacredwandering.com/contact.html.  If you would like to purchase the book, “Being An Ethical Reiki Practitioner” you can order it through Amazon.  The ISBN number is: 978-0-557-22180-6)

The Ethical Practitioner

Okay you practitioners, it is your turn.  You have responsibility as well and your ethical actions, or lack thereof, can either put you in a great situation, or wind you up in jail.  The choice is yours.

Again, the following are just examples of ethical principles.  You should sit down and develop your own ethical guidelines for your own practice.

Power, Power, Who’s Got the Power?

Just for one second, walk over to your Reiki space.  Walk up to your Reiki table (or what ever you use) and just stand there for a moment.  Survey your space in all it’s finest.   Pretend you have a client on the table.  Look down at where your client lays, and stop.  At this moment, you are hovering over your client.  You are in a dominant position when you are standing over your client.  This is a position of power and if abused, can lead to all sorts of trouble.
This is the time you should be respecting your client the most and helping them to relax into the session.
Now, place your hands over the throat, or heart chakra area.  Look at what you are doing.  How are your hands placed?   When you are in this position, it can be looked upon as if you are choking them, or keeping them down on the table.  From a distance, it is as if you are forcing your client to lay on the table.  While everyone knows this is not the case, you still need to be aware of the possibility your client may have issues regarding being restrained.  Chances are you will never encounter a client who has a reaction, but better safe than sorry.
If you’ve never done so, get up on the tab

le yourself and see things from your client’s perspective.  Look around your space from their level.  Do things look great from a standing position, but not from your client’s position?  Fix it!  Is your heart beginning to race?  Think of how your client feels at this moment.  What can you do to make them more comfortable.  What would you do to make yourself more comfortable on your own table?
Serving your client, not yourself

It is important to serve your client’s needs and not your own.  This means being aware of what is going on in your own life and dealing with those issues as soon as they arise.  Are you having a difficult financial time?  That is just fine because here comes that client who can afford more than their fair share so maybe you’ll just charge them a few extra bucks right?  No one will know the difference.
Wrong!  You have just violated one of the most sacred principles of client / practitioner relationships and chances are you will never see that client ever again.

- In other words -  Separate your own issues from that of the client and treat everyone with the same dignity.  If you have a sliding scale, stick to it and don’t change it in mid-stream without first informing ALL of your clients.

In addition as an Energy practitioner, it is not up to you to decide what is best for the client.  Never force your energy on the client and never state what is going to be worked on during that session.  The practitioner should always be conscientious of the client’s needs and time frame.  Perhaps the client does not want to work on something particularly sensitive at that moment and would feel better if it were worked on at a later session.   There is a reason practitioners ask for the client’s intention at the beginning of a healing session.
A good practitioner will try to work themselves out of a job, in other words, empower the client, so not make them dependent on you.

Perceiving and Interpreting Perceptions Correctly

In order to perceive how our clients are, we use our own energy system.  Unprocessed emotional defenses and trauma will affect your own energy system, and limit your ability to perceive what is happening with your client.  You must therefore be aware of what is going on with yourself at all times, and if you are not balanced, or not feeling well, do not proceed with the treatment.
If there are certain conditions which you are finding in every one of your clients, then it is likely that you, rather than all of them, have a problem in that area.  On the other hand, if none of your clients ever have a problem with a particular chakra, it is likely that you have a problem there yourself and you are avoiding that area for yourself rather than your client.  Work with someone else as needed to become or remain emotionally, physically, and energy healthy.

Transference and Counter-transference

Some people are going to have, or develop positive feelings for you because you were able to help them, or conversely will develop negative feelings for you if you are unable to help them.  This is perfectly normal, but boundaries must be kept.  Do not allow your client to fall in love with you.  It is perfectly appropriate to suggest they begin seeing someone else if you feel a boundary has been crossed.
There are also times when the Energyworker or Reiki practitioner sometimes develops feelings, positive or negative, for the client.  Psychologists call these situations as “transference.”
If you as the practitioner feel loved by your client and begin to love them back that is called “counter-transference.”
Refer to the American Psychological Association‘s ethical guidelines1 to set appropriate boundaries with your clients.

Sanitation

You can never be too conscientious regarding the cleanliness your hands and your work area.  Always wash your hands, or sanitize them before you begin a treatment as germs can pass from one person to another very easily by touch.  Also, be aware of the state of your hands if you are moving from a person’s feet to their face.  Use a tissue when appropriate, or have hand sanitizer handy for just those moments.
There is another aspect to sanitation which you should consider.  When you wash your hands with soap and water, you are actually physically grounding yourself.  All of the water pipes in any house or business location will be grounded to the earth so that anything which comes in contact with that ground will be released.  Another reason to wash is to clean the energy field around your hands so always wash your hands at the end of your final  session.

Of course your work area should be clean, neat and inviting.  It should not be overly crowded, yet feel comforting and warm.
If you use linens, ideally you should change them after every client.  At the very least, the pillowcases should be changed for each and every client.  People sweat through their clothes, have animal hair on their clothes, and whole hosts of other things they carry with them from place to place.  Would you feel comfortable sleeping on the sheets your clients used?  If not, then don’t make your clients do the same thing!

Confidentiality

Image by Wayan Vota via Flickr

This is an area where many businesses, relationships, and personal responsibilities fail.  Confidentiality is perhaps one the of the most sensitive areas a practitioner can focus her or his attentions.
Any and all information obtained from the client before, during and/or after the session must be held in the strictest of confidences and never shared with anyone, even with permission from the client.  The only exception should be if you are told the client is going to hurt themselves, or someone else.  At that point you have an obligation to notify the authorities.  If applicable, a client must be informed of any legal limits of the breach of confidentiality.  For example, if a client shares with the practitioner that he or she has abused a child, that information must be shared with local authorities.
The only other exception would be if you are a Reiki Master who is conducting research (this will be covered later.)

Confidentiality is a primary responsibility for the practitioner.

If a practitioner presents a lecture, writes a paper or book, all identifying information about a client must be withheld or obfuscated unless the client has given written consent to the use their personal information.  Even then, names should never be used or should be disguised in such a way as to prevent others from knowing the client.
Think of it in these terms, would you want all of your sensitive information spread throughout your community?

Physical Boundaries

Never touch a client inappropriately.  Nothing else should have to be said about this particular concept.  It should be very clear.  Regardless of whether you are working on a male or female client, and regardless of whether the person is a close friend, partner, family member, or a regular client, you should never touch any sexual organ, or touch any person inappropriately.  If you do, be prepared to either be sued and lose everything you have, or be prepared to go to jail.

Along with all the above, re-read the clients section.  You should  be aware of everything the client will be expecting and are responsible for those ethical considerations as well.

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Think About It.

(The following is copyrighted by Kenneth J. Nelan and Janet Soldon and may not be reproduced without written permission of the author. To obtain permission, please visit http://www.sacredwandering.com/contact.html.  If you would like to purchase the book, “Being An Ethical Reiki Practitioner” you can order it through Amazon.  The ISBN number is: 978-0-557-22180-6)

The Ethical Client

Yes, you there, the one looking in the window wondering if you want to be a part of this community.  Reiki is a two way street and you have just as much, if not more responsibility than your practitioner.
You are the only person who can ensure your rights are not violated, and if they are, then you have a moral and ethical obligation to report that infraction.
Likewise, as a client you have an obligation to uphold an ethical standard.  You are the only person in charge of your healing or your own deep personal change.  You are the one seeking the services of a Reiki practitioner or Energyworker.  You have some things of which you need to be aware.

It is very easy to blame others for our own actions so first and foremost, check in with yourself and see how you are doing.  Are you okay with yourself?  Do you love yourself.  If so, then carry on.  If not, then you need to know that information before heading into any healing session.  It will help you determine if you are projecting onto your practitioner or if what you are experiencing is real.  Perhaps your first healing session should be to learn to love yourself.  From there you can always heal yourself.

Who Can You Trust?

This is perhaps the first and biggest question facing the client today.  “Where do I go for a Reiki treatment?”  “How do I find an ethical practitioner in my area?”
Just one bad apple or negative experience can have a devastating effect upon the lives of many.  How can you tell if a healer might not have the same ethical standards as the rest of the community or the same ethics you are looking for?  There are no surefire formulas, but drawing upon the suggestions of other healers as well as personal research and experience, here are some things you can do to take care of yourself when seeking the care of others.

1. Look through advertisements to find a practitioner in your area.  Reiki practitioners are always advertising in local papers, or specialty magazines.  Once you find a name or two, investigate them.  If they are a business, call the Better Business Bureau to see if complaints have been filed against them.  If the person is not a business, ask to meet with them prior to having them work on you so you can get to know them.  Any reputable practitioner will be more than willing to answer any questions you have and help you feel better about your first session.  Be open to this new experience, but be on guard that you aren’t lied to or that the practitioner doesn’t make promises they can not keep.
2. Ask people you trust – including other healers – if they can recommend a practitioner.  Sometimes a prospective healer can provide you with references from his or her own clients. To respect clients’ confidentiality, they will have to ask their permission first.  But, especially if they claim dramatic success stories, they should have grateful clients who would be happy to talk to you.
3. Never be afraid to ask if the practitioner has developed a Client Bill of Rights, or something similar.  Even if a practitioner has never created such a thing, they should be able to explain their way through what they view as your rights.
4. Guard your boundaries.  The practitioner needs to be very clear about boundaries and if you feel like the practitioner is hitting on you,  or even vice versa, trust this feeling and explore it.  If there can’t be an honest dialogue about it, you may need to find a different practitioner.
5. Find out exactly what the healer is offering for services and determine how that compares to what you’re looking for. Be wary of healers who promise miracles – who guarantee they can fix whatever ails you, no matter how dire.  Ask for evidence to back up their claims.  Are there studies?  Has their approach worked for other clients with your problem?  Is the healer saying what you want to hear just to get your business, or what you need to hear to ensure your health?  Be realistic with your expectations.
6. Ask about cost up front.  Fees do not always reflect a practitioner’s capability or integrity.  Those who offer their services for a donation (usually lay healers) or on a sliding scale are least likely to be motivated by greed.  That is not to say those charging high prices are crooks, but price is generally an indication of ego.  The higher the cost, the more that person thinks they deserve higher prices.  It is important to realize you are receiving a service and so it is important to pay something – monetarily or in kind – so you don’t later feel indebted to a healer.
7. How open is the healer to your questions?  Secrecy is incompatible with informed consent.  You should be able to find out anything you want to know about a healer’s philosophy and practice as well as their techniques and methodologies.  If they are practitioners of a higher degree, they may ask to use symbols.  It is perfectly acceptable to ask what the symbols are and what they are used for.  If a practitioner refuses to give you that information, then you have no way of knowing what is being done to you so ethically you should refuse the use of symbols until you are informed as to their meanings.  It is also appropriate to ask if they are trained in the use of the symbols.  (For example, Reiki I practitioners are not attuned to use symbols.)
8. Find out if your prospective practitioner is associated with any agencies such as the IARP (International Association of Reiki Practitioners2).  Just as medical doctors have professional bodies that legislate and enforce ethical standards for their members, so too do some alternative or complementary practices. A simple phone call or fax may reveal if the healer has a record of misconduct.
   Most spiritual healing and energy work practitioners – Reiki and therapeutic touch, for example – do not have monitoring bodies, unless they belong to another profession that does. Instead, they may have voluntary membership associations from which they can be expelled for misconduct, yet remain free to practice. Again, a simple call or fax can uncover a “record.” However, a healer who chooses not to belong to an association may have nothing at all to hide other than not being a joiner.
9. Don’t be a loner. If there is anything you find suspicious about your therapist, discuss it with someone you trust.  If you’re going to be alone with a healer who has yet to earn your trust consider having a friend accompany you and be in the room during your session.  Any ethical practitioner will warn you about the private nature of your healing session, but will also acquiesce to your needs.  Remember, you are in control.
10. Search yourself.  Are you looking for healing in all the wrong places? Some people go from one therapist, workshop and/or seminar to another when what they really need is a good counselor.  Sooner or later, denying psychological problems that may make you vulnerable to misconduct by an unethical healer.
11. Above all else, maintain your own self-responsibility.  You do not owe a healer your loyalty ‘no matter what.’  The healer provides a setting and the tools, but it’s up to you to choose whether to participate in any activity, whether to follow the healer’s directions, or whether you walk out the door.  It’s your health and welfare that is on the line, not the healer’s.  If something doesn’t feel right to you, it may not be right so listen to your gut!
12. You need to know what to expect during a session.  If you have never had a session before, then this is especially important information as it can help alleviate fears or worries.  The practitioner should be able to describe what is going to happen during the treatment.  If not, find someone else.
13. Perhaps one of the most important things to remember is that if you feel forced into proceeding with your session, then you need to leave immediately.  Do not pass go, do not collect $200.00.  Find the nearest exit, and go; even if it means going out through a window.  You should never feel forced into doing anything and if you do, you will never receive the healing you need.  Instead you will be focused on the abuse you are suffering at the hands of your healer.

The above thirteen guidelines are nothing more than common sense suggestions of how you should find a practitioner with whom to work and help you make an informed decision about your healing session.

One thing in particular to be aware of, is anyone who claims they can heal anything and everything from which you may be suffering.  First of all, the practitioner is not the one who does the healing.  They are merely a facilitator for the energy to go where it is needed, when it is needed.  Be especially careful if someone tells you to do only whatever they tell you to do, or that they must be the only practitioner you go to.  Such behavior is indicative of a person with a superiority complex.  That person is probably looking for someone they can control.  Ultimately, you may or may not receive the healing you need, but one thing which can be guaranteed is that you will be abused by such a person and end up scarred from your experience.  This is not being said to scare you, but to merely make you aware such things happen no matter the industry.

Listen for key words and phrases.  If a practitioner tells you they may be able to help alleviate a symptom, or help you with what you are going through, then you are talking to someone who has experience and knows they are not the healer; that is the type of person you should be trusting as they are willing to see what happens, but can not give you an actual guarantee of healing.  The practitioner understands there may be underlying conditions or reasons for what you are going through, and that only through balance healing can you achieve your own goal.

It is not your healer’s path, but yours and yours alone.  You will have to live with yourself and the consequences, ether positive, or not so positive, and not your healer.