In my own ongoing Reiki journey, a recent weekend in Barrie, Ontario was very moving for me. My friend Lorinda Weatherall was hosting a class in Komyo Reiki Kai taught by Hyakuten Sensei, and i decided to attend. There were 20 students, all experienced Reiki teacher-practitioners, including 8 "retaking" the class. By Sunday afternoon we realized that at lunch or dinner or over coffee, effectively each of us had gotten to know each and every one of us - no formation of cliques, everyone outreaching and connecting, and that made the sessions and the energy very special.
Hyakuten Sensei teaches a style of Reiki which is both simple and elegant. He was taught by Chiyoko Yamaguchi (1921-2003) who herself was a student of Chujiro Hayashi (1879-1940).
At all levels Komyo Reiki Kai focuses on the Five Precepts, which are translated slightly differently than what is taught in Takata based lineage.
Kyo Dakewa Today Only
Ikaruna Do not anger
Shinpai Suna Do not worry
Kansha Shite With thankfulness
Gyo Wo Hageme Work diligently
Hito Ni Shinsetsu Ni Be Kind to Others
And a "motto" - "Go placidly in the midst of praise or blame"
And how wonderful for conventional physicians and nurses to have access to this philosophy, which is so complementary to conventional care!!! How can we calm others, and bring compassion and hope to a situation if we cannot first focus and calm ourselves, and be free as we can be from rushing and worrying?
How sad it is to see physicians and nurses, healthy and with a wonderful career, who are so caught up in the frustrations of the health care system that they lack gratefulness for their own day to day lives.
It seems to me that this approach, assists us in being better doctors and nurses.
As i continue in my own Reiki journey, i find that empowering others is increasingly important to me. Patients with incurable illnesses feel their lives so out of control. Helping them find a sense of control in the smallest things in life, starting with their own breathing, is so important.
We have been Blessed with volunteers who want to provide Reiki. Even if I could be just as effective as all my Reiki volunteers, and so many of them are so well trained, it makes more sense for me to empower others to participate in helping patients, and focus on working with my team and maximizing the conventional tools that we have. Full time Reiki practitioners should not fear physicians being trained in Reiki and "taking it over." The more one practices Reiki on oneself, the more on is guided to having less ego, not more, and to doing that which is most constructive for bringing compassion into a situation.
Today i received a wonderful email from a local Reiki practitioner who found my program listed on the Center for Reiki Research list of Reiki programs.
To be a volunteer in a Hospice in the United States, one must simply take a brief volunteer qualifying course, taught for free by all hospices. It is then good nationwide. Whether Hospices understand Reiki or not, Volunteerism is a part of the formative heart and soul of the Hospice movement. And you will find an increasing number of Hospices overjoyed to have Reiki volunteers.
The fact is in my area, most of my "competitor Hospices" are happy to have Reiki volunteers. And continuing to be a conventional physician, my day is long and complex enough that it makes the most sense for me to do those things that others cannot. Reiki is simple - and spiritual - in can include touch but as we have been taught in level two, Reiki does not even require touch - it is not massage.
Hospices are increasing coming to understand though that versions of "simple touch," just simple human contact, holding a hand, can be reassuring and calming to people caught in a web of suffering. Even non verbal patients can be aware of simple touch, or Reiki with or without touch.
Presence matters. It matters to not be alone.
To Lorinda for organizing the weekend, to Hyakuten Sensei, and to all the Reiki Practitioners who shared the weekend in Barrie, Ontario with me - thanks and gratitude.
