Becoming a Reiki Volunteer in Hospice

I have been asked many times, "how do i get to do Reiki in hospice?"

This week I was trying to answer this question on the Tera listserv, and some answers starting pouring out - so I am going to paraphrase some of them here.

"Be patient, be open, don't force it when it isn't meant to be. Know that your power is in stories."

Last weekend I was listening to a radio interview from 2009, with Legacy bearer Phyllis Furomoto interviewing Anneli Twan - and they were ......sharing stories. Stories of their childhood, and learning from Takata (that is how they refer to their beloved teacher).

Now there thought to be more than 1 million Reiki practitioners world wide. How did Takata present a wisdom that she had learned in Japan, and teach it in such a way that it resonated across the world? One gains a better understanding of the essence of Reiki through stories. Takata told stories. And after her transition, her students told her stories. And as I have visited Reiki shares in my own community, in Vancouver, in Kyoto - across different lineages and styles of Reiki what has stayed with me are the stories that have been shared. People speaking from their hearts, sharing from their hearts, telling how they came to practice Reiki and what it has meant to them.

Physicians and nurses who work in hospice often face situations where their authority means nothing, where they face unknown, where they face challenges they themselves are not fully prepared for.

It is not so widely known that Hospices are required to have a certain percentage of their care to be provided by volunteers. There is a national course in the United States that must be completed to allow one to participate as a hospice volunteer - and hospices must offer the course. If they do not have volunteers they cannot continue as a hospice and participate in Medicare. Why? Because the spirit of volunteers was central to the formation of the Hospice movement, and is embedded in its regulations.

Here are two books about Hospice - these authors were prominent speakers at the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine symposium this year. Sandra Bertman wrote a book, "Facing Death." And Sherry Showalter wrote, "Healing heartaches." And both of these books are filled with stories - of people dying, of people caring for them, of sharing and of compassion. This is the essence of Hospice.

Someone whose heart is not drawn to these stories will not last in Hospice, they will burn out. So walk away from them. Offer to help, be low key, take the volunteer course, and if a program will not allow you to do Reiki within your volunteer hours - simply walk away to another program. You are needed. You will be wanted.

Here are some web sites

www.hospicevolunteerassociation.org/hvaOverview.aspx

www.nhpco.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=4813

www.hospicefoundation.org/volunteers

If you talk about your own story, how you were drawn to Reiki, how that drew you to want to be a Hospice volunteer, explain simply the five basic precepts of Reiki - you will find resonance - Reiki precepts resonate with Hospice, they are embedded in its soul.

If I had one simple message about Hospice it is that there are places where you are needed. Now. Know that. Trust the spirit guides to put you in the right place at the right time. Then get out of the way, and let it be about the energy and the connection. You will find sponsors and people who appreciate you. Think on what Usui started with. Think on what Takata started with.

Be patient, be open, don't force it when it isn't meant to be. Know that your power is in stories. Be prepared to be present and give compassion when others are willing to receive it.