The UK Reiki Federation
Annual Review and Festival
Leicester University March 2003
WOW, what a great weekend!
The setting of this year’s Festival - in large country style houses on a tree-lined avenue, with warm comfortable rooms - was ideal. The adjacent botanical gardens were a real bonus too, and we were blessed with fantastically sunny, warm weather for the whole of the weekend!
Graham King opened the Annual Review on the Saturday with a lovely meditation, which helped to put us all in a loving and relaxed space. As most of you know, Neil Anthony has moved on to other projects, as has Rosie Andersen, although both remain members of the UKRF. We wish them well, though we will miss Neil’s light and laughter and Rosie’s gentle compassion.
With no Chair or Vice-chair present, the Annual Review was placed in the very capable hands of Doreen Sawyer and Henry Burrell. Those members who hadn’t already voted for the vacant positions of Chair and Vice-chair did so during the morning and the results were presented to members later in the day. As well as confirming Kay Zega as Chair and Mari Stevenson as Vice-chair, Doreen confirmed that Mike Randall and Caroline Anson had also joined the Management Committee. We send our Reiki blessings to them all and thank them for their generosity in taking up these positions.
Henry presented the financial report for the past year. Membership numbers continue to rise, which is heartening. Thanks to all of you out there who are helping to raise the profile of the UKRF. Sandy Haden, our archivist, sent out a plea for anyone with the legal expertise to advise us of any legal restrictions which could apply if we wished to use any article held by the UKRF. Please contact her if you can be of help. Interesting displays included those from the Pioneer Working Team, whose information when collated will be of use in PR/Media; the Research Working Team, who will be involved in keeping us up to date with relevant research; and a display from the Regional Facilitators.
The afternoon commenced with clear explanations centring on Voluntary Self Regulation and National Standards from Hazel Russo and Tom Lane. Hazel, a project manager for the Prince of Wales’s Foundation for Integrated Health explained why we need Voluntary Self Regulation and how FIH are working with many different therapies as they move towards regulation and integration into the statutory sector (NHS, Prisons etc). Tom Lane, a CAM project manager for Skills for Health, outlined their role and remit, and then explained the relevance of National Occupational Standards in the integration of Reiki into traditional healthcare. Tom acknowledged the UK Reiki Federation’s involvement in the initial NOS templates developed last year and mentioned the possibility that funding may be available to take the next important step, to begin to look at NOS in relation to Reiki. We are indebted to both Hazel and Tom in providing further clarity over Voluntary Self Regulation and the key part it will play in the integration of complementary and alternative therapies into traditional healthcare.
Sunday was our Reiki Festival and Mari Stevenson opened the day with a meditation
from the original form of Reiki, a joyous reconnection to oneself, though
our thoughts were also with the problems on the other side of the world. This
placed us all in a very gentle, peaceful frame of mind ready to enjoy the
workshops to the full. Members were given the opportunity to enjoy a variety
of workshops on offer, from professional guidance on setting up a practice,
through to drumming workshops.
All good things come to an end . . . as did this wonderful Festival weekend.
As we came together for the final Reiki gathering of the Festival, Mari spoke
of how light and special the weekend had been. She introduced Kay, the new
Chair of the UK Reiki Federation, who drew the Festival to a close with a
wonderful meditation ‘Being the Light’ which culminated in the
lighting of individual candles as we turned our thoughts once more towards
a more peaceful world and combined our energies with the intention of spreading
unconditional love and enlightenment – each day, in every way.
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