The UK Reiki Federation
Reiki Belongs in Hospitals
by Carole Easton
Ever since I was first introduced into Reiki, I knew I had to get it into hospitals and felt the best way was through the nurses and doctors. They were to be my prime target for they were the ones who would then, in turn, introduce it to the patients and relatives. Reiki could then flow in abundance throughout the medical profession, thereby creating a loving, healing environment for patients in hospitals, not forgetting, of course, GP surgeries, Well Woman Clinics and even dental and veterinary surgeries.
For this to happen, I needed to create an example at Lynden Hill Clinic where we have established the first Reiki Clinic in the country. Over the years, the majority of our staff, including our resident doctor, matron, nurses and management, have been initiated into Reiki and use it on a daily basis. We have ongoing workshops for nurses from other hospitals to come along and be initiated into Reiki and we have development and support groups. The benefits to all are numerous and we now feel that Lynden Hill Clinic is a wonderful example of how Reiki works in a medical environment.
One of the wonderful things with Reiki is that whilst you are giving it, you are also receiving it yourself, which means that in emergency situations, it is enabling you to stay calm and peaceful.
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| Carole Easton demonstrates one of the hand positions used during an initiation/attunement. | |
Karen Higgins, Care Assistant, administering Reiki to patient Stanley Kitler who is also attuned and giving himself Reiki. |
What is Reiki?
For those readers who are not familiar with Reiki, I will briefly explain
what it is. Please also refer to issues 17 and 18 of Positive Health for the
history of Reiki and further information.
Reiki is a Japanese word that means ‘Universal Life Force Energy’. As children, we ‘know’ this source, we are one with it, but as we grow up, we forget and feel separated. One of the gifts of Reiki is a feeling of being reconnected. Reiki is neither a religion nor a belief system. It opens the way to new depths of spiritual experience and understanding. Once you have been initiated, Reiki is activated by placing your hands on yourself or another person. The Reiki energy is then effortlessly drawn through the body at a pace corresponding to the need and will go to the level where the energy is blocked, charging it with loving \]energy and raising the vibrational frequency. The energy is healing, not the practitioner. In giving Reiki, there is no transmission of any personal energies between giver and receiver. Reiki is both a powerful and gentle healer.
Overall uses of Reiki
As all disease entails energy imbalance, Reiki is effective in most cases.
Simple illnesses such as colds, ‘flu, headaches, stomach upsets and mild
infections usually respond rapidly. Burns will heal faster with far less or
no scarring. As well as aiding the withdrawal process of addictive drugs and
substances, Reiki can effectively relieve pain and reduce the unpleasant side
effects of strong drug therapy, while strengthening the immune system to aid
the body’s own natural healing activity.
Long-term chronic illnesses can be relieved over time. Illnesses such as ME/PVS (Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome) can be particularly helped when the person is initiated/attuned, as this is something they can do for themselves, raising their vibrational frequency and working on the thymus which stimulates the immune system. Reiki is a very effective form of stress management and reduces shock very quickly. Through the healing process we become aware of our habits and the effect they have on our health and wellbeing. Once we have had the initiation/attunement, raising our vibrational frequency puts us more in touch with our intuition and creativity.
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| Geraldine McHugh (co-founder) and our Doctor, Liza Jackson, giving Reiki to a patient whilst monitoring the heartbeat. | |
Physiotherapy Department - showing how easy it is to give Reiki to our patients during their treatment time. |
The benefits of Reiki in a hospital environment
Reiki is so simple. There is no need for preparation and it can be utilised
in all hospital environments including operation rooms, intensive care units,
emergency rooms, and all in-patient and out-patient rooms. It can be used
at any time alongside any treatment. There are no side-effects or contra-indications.
It is non-invasive and no adjustment of clothing needs to be made. The patient
can be standing, sitting or lying down. It can work through plaster casts.
Reiki does not depend upon the consciousness of the receiver. The patient
could be in a coma or in a severe emotional state - it will not make any difference.
Just a few minutes of Reiki can radically change the patient’s condition.
Stress can turn to peace and those with panic attacks can return to normal
breathing. Reiki is always at its best in emergency situations.
Ambulance crews would really benefit from using Reiki, both for their patients and themselves. I myself gave Reiki to a crash victim whilst she was waiting for the ambulance. When I arrived, she was cold and shaking, sitting upright and a passer-by was holding her head still. I immediately applied a Reiki Sandwich, one hand on her back, the other on her chest. Within minutes she was breathing normally, lovely and warm and had stopped shaking. No-one knew what I was doing nor cared as the change was remarkable. Imagine all emergencies dealt with in this way. I trust this will happen soon.
Doctors and nurses working in terminal care units are having to care for the patient, the relatives and their own personal feelings around loss. The feelings of helplessness can be quite over- whelming, especially where children are involved. Just by placing your hands on patients and those close to them, you will enable them to find peace and also experience the peace yourself. Reiki is guided by divine wisdom. It has nothing to do with the channeller, so when applying Reiki to the dying patient, it is not to stop the process of dying, but to give peace and comfort in aiding their transition.
The nurses who work in paediatric units will find that children are exceptionally responsive and love receiving Reiki. Children have no pre-conceived ideas about healing and are therefore truly open to all the benefits of Reiki. Nurses are usually very busy people who come into a profession with a deep desire to truly care for sick people only to find that they spend more time working with machines and highly technical procedures. They may probably think they would not have the time to apply Reiki, but this is not the case. The Reiki touch can be given whilst taking temperatures and blood pressure, dealing with surgical dressings, helping the patient to sit up, dressing, combing their hair or just sitting and holding the patient’s hand or placing a hand on the shoulder whilst talking with them.
This article is reproduced with permission from Positive Health magazine, Issue 23 November/December 1997. www.positivehealth.com
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