[kmchugh]

Originally Posted by Daytonite

I discussed this at length with my Reiki Master. It is OK to use Reiki touch on a patient without telling them you are doing so because the patient by nature of seeking healthcare is giving you permission to help them.

Originally Posted by Daytonite

I do not disagree with you. This is why I discussed this at length with my Reiki Master. I was very concerned about the ethics of this. But, your response just brings out the point I made that many people feel that doing these kinds of things is "way out there". I do not do any Reiki on anyone who has not requested I do so.

OK, first of all your two quotes above are complete odds with one another. In the first, you tell us it's OK to use reiki without telling the patient you're doing so. But then, in the second paragraph you tell us you don't use reiki on anyone who has not requested it. Which is it?

Your justification for using reiki on patients without their knowledge is based on the assumption that by seeking healthcare the patient is giving you permission to use whatever therapy you choose in order to help that patient. Would you accept a doctor prescribing and administering chemotherapy without the patient's knowledge, on the same grounds? Is it OK to give blood to a Jehova's Witness patient without their knowledge? The same logic used above would suggest that either of these was a perfectly acceptable course of action because this patient "by nature of seeking healthcare is giving you permission to help them." Of course that's not true. The fact is it is unethical for any practitioner to practice any therapy on any patient without that patient's specific knowledge and express consent. I would think that lesson was drilled into all of us in nursing school.

For the record, if I, as a patient had a nurse use any therapy, including unproven, unfounded therapies such as reiki or therapeutic touch, without my knowledge or permission, I would be quick to report that nurse to both his/her supervisor and hospital administration (and probably the state board of nursing as well). I would insist that the offending nurse at a minimum be fired from their position. I find certain aspects of both reiki and therapeutic touch that violate my personal religious beliefs. I would be highly offended if either of these "therapies" were used on me without my specific permission (which I would never grant). Beyond that, nurses are already stretched to the limit. There is already more than enough for a nurse to do in any shift. It is unwise (not to mention unethical) to practice therapies that are at best highly dubious when there are other things that need to be done.

Were I you, I would stop practicing alternative therapies, even if it is just a small part of the therapy, on patients without their knowledge. You are opening yourself to a world of trouble.

Kevin McHugh

[Mystery5]

I totally agree with you, Kevin. I investigated Theraputic Touch after my experience, and was told that it was in the same catagory as Reiki, drawing on unknown energy forces, and not compatable with my Catholic faith. Anything of a Spiritual nature such as these therapies must not be foisted upon a pt without his/her knowledge and consent, IMO.

I don't discuss my religion with my pts, unless in the rare circumstance it is clear that they share my beliefs. It is entirely unethical. Practising these techniques on someone would be equivalent to my secretly baptizing a baby without consent of the parents. It is forbidden to do so by my Church and by any professional standards in the book.

[zenman]

For the record, if I, as a patient had a nurse use any therapy, including unproven, unfounded therapies such as reiki or therapeutic touch, without my knowledge or permission, I would be quick to report that nurse to both his/her supervisor and hospital administration (and probably the state board of nursing as well). I would insist that the offending nurse at a minimum be fired from their position.

It is of course very unethical to do anything without a person's consent, but just for the record, you have no say in the consequences for the offending person...so don't insist on your punishment.

I find certain aspects of both reiki and therapeutic touch that violate my personal religious beliefs. I would be highly offended if either of these "therapies" were used on me without my specific permission (which I would never grant). Beyond that, nurses are already stretched to the limit. There is already more than enough for a nurse to do in any shift. It is unwise (not to mention unethical) to practice therapies that are at best highly dubious when there are other things that need to be done.

It's true that we are stretched to the limit, but let's not forget that modern western medicine works on the patient's "illness" while many of the so called alternative therapies focus on the person's "sickness."

[ntwlkr00]

Background first:


First let me say that the respect I have for those of you who have dedicated yourself in the health field is very high. Honestly, I believe while the Doctor/Surgeon is essential in the cutting out of a disease, its the nurses (male/female) that really helps to heal people.

With that being said, I am kind of a reluctant healer. I seem to be able to make others feel good by just laying my hands on them. I have seen this numerous times throughout my 34 years on this earth. I recently have had the intuition (which I trust), to leave within a resonalbe time and after proper training my current job in telecom industry and go out and work on people. My choices have been many. I could go with Reiki, massage therapy, touch point therapy, etc. I dont have to convince myself that these things work, I have seen it to be successful to many times before.

Quick Story:
I have been invovled in martial arts for many years, both internal and external. That has led me to everything from chi gung, to occult practices to quantum physics and so on. Throught out all this the one thing I have come to believe without a shadow of doubt. Is everything is energy and everything can be influenced both for postive and negative means, through energy transference.

One such instance is when I was smaller I cut myself with a knife in the left palm pretty deep. Well, didnt want the folks to know becuase then I would have to explain why I had to "live" blades swinging them around outside. So, aftrer the cut happened, I went to my bedroom and simply used visulization and projection/leading of energy to the injured part. Withing 15 min the cut was closed, like melded back together with only a slight evidence of being cut, similar to a paper cut. This happenes many times over my lifetime with cuts and brusies....

Ok, the question.....As I said I can usually touch people, which I have when giving massages or they have pain, and make them feel good. The most common comment I recieve is that there is something about my hands that makes the person feel warm, safe and relaxed.

I am tired of working in telecom, even though it is a good carrerr. I find no enjoyment in it because I dont feel I am contributing to life or the universe. Before you think I don mystical symblos and runn around chanting new age mumbo jumbo, let me tell you if you seen me out in public you would not even know anything that I have been invovled with, nor would talking to me (unless I wanted to tell you, which usually invovle trust), would know that I have been involved in vodun ceremonies in haiti, west indian ceremonies in trinidad, a myriad of martial mental trainings, shamanisitic training and others.

I took these for one reason to help other and myself. I have done this, but know I want to do more. I have a newly acquired friend who is spanish and a very accomplished reader. She has felt my hands as some of her clients as well and told me I have something (I dont like using the work gift, sounds to new agey). So, contacts in this kind of business would be no problem.

I promise know the question. How would one go about getting involved in Reiki or other healing technologies. I assume there is a grade system, and I would feel more comfortable with some kind of certification. I will eventually do massage thereapy as well, and have already picked out the school. But I feel intuitively that I need to learn/develop other energy techniques as well.

Ok, thats it, thank you for your time. I promise other posts will not be as long...

Take care, you all are the tru healers in the world.....EAST/WEST combo the best...


Ntwlkr00 (jer)

[eresa]

Originally Posted by ntwlkr00

Background first:
First let me say that the respect I have for those of you who have dedicated yourself in the health field is very high. Honestly, I believe while the Doctor/Surgeon is essential in the cutting out of a disease, its the nurses (male/female) that really helps to heal people.

With that being said, I am kind of a reluctant healer. I seem to be able to make others feel good by just laying my hands on them. I have seen this numerous times throughout my 34 years on this earth. I recently have had the intuition (which I trust), to leave within a resonalbe time and after proper training my current job in telecom industry and go out and work on people. My choices have been many. I could go with Reiki, massage therapy, touch point therapy, etc. I dont have to convince myself that these things work, I have seen it to be successful to many times before.

Quick Story:
I have been invovled in martial arts for many years, both internal and external. That has led me to everything from chi gung, to occult practices to quantum physics and so on. Throught out all this the one thing I have come to believe without a shadow of doubt. Is everything is energy and everything can be influenced both for postive and negative means, through energy transference.

One such instance is when I was smaller I cut myself with a knife in the left palm pretty deep. Well, didnt want the folks to know becuase then I would have to explain why I had to "live" blades swinging them around outside. So, aftrer the cut happened, I went to my bedroom and simply used visulization and projection/leading of energy to the injured part. Withing 15 min the cut was closed, like melded back together with only a slight evidence of being cut, similar to a paper cut. This happenes many times over my lifetime with cuts and brusies....

Ok, the question.....As I said I can usually touch people, which I have when giving massages or they have pain, and make them feel good. The most common comment I recieve is that there is something about my hands that makes the person feel warm, safe and relaxed.

I am tired of working in telecom, even though it is a good carrerr. I find no enjoyment in it because I dont feel I am contributing to life or the universe. Before you think I don mystical symblos and runn around chanting new age mumbo jumbo, let me tell you if you seen me out in public you would not even know anything that I have been invovled with, nor would talking to me (unless I wanted to tell you, which usually invovle trust), would know that I have been involved in vodun ceremonies in haiti, west indian ceremonies in trinidad, a myriad of martial mental trainings, shamanisitic training and others.

I took these for one reason to help other and myself. I have done this, but know I want to do more. I have a newly acquired friend who is spanish and a very accomplished reader. She has felt my hands as some of her clients as well and told me I have something (I dont like using the work gift, sounds to new agey). So, contacts in this kind of business would be no problem.

I promise know the question. How would one go about getting involved in Reiki or other healing technologies. I assume there is a grade system, and I would feel more comfortable with some kind of certification. I will eventually do massage thereapy as well, and have already picked out the school. But I feel intuitively that I need to learn/develop other energy techniques as well.

Ok, thats it, thank you for your time. I promise other posts will not be as long...

Take care, you all are the tru healers in the world.....EAST/WEST combo the best...


Ntwlkr00 (jer)

Dear Jer
Thank you for the correspondence. Regarding your question, I would
google -Reiki training and or classes in ( your city or town ) and see what comes up. Also check out local Reiki practioners, they may be able to help.
I myself am a Healing Touch Practioner and you can get more info about that from the web or going to Healing Touch International.

Keep me posted and I wish you well
eresa

[Homesick Gypsy]

When my mother was in hospice with lung cancer, we would have (and did) appreciate any soothing touch that was directed her way, as long as it was done with love and with a good intent. I think that's the bottom line of what nurses do - especially in hospice.

I was vacationing in Eureka Springs one time, and a Buddhist monk said they sensed something about me and ask if they could say a prayer. I'm not Buddhist by any stretch, but of another faith, but I said yes, please do. I'll take all the prayers I can get.

I also received Reiki sessions when I was a brand new rape survivor, and while I didn't have any startling epiphanies, she was a very good and understanding massage therapist.

[Assist]

Originally Posted by Homesick Gypsy

When my mother was in hospice with lung cancer, we would have (and did) appreciate any soothing touch that was directed her way, as long as it was done with love and with a good intent. I think that's the bottom line of what nurses do - especially in hospice.

I was vacationing in Eureka Springs one time, and a Buddhist monk said they sensed something about me and ask if they could say a prayer. I'm not Buddhist by any stretch, but of another faith, but I said yes, please do. I'll take all the prayers I can get.

I also received Reiki sessions when I was a brand new rape survivor, and while I didn't have any startling epiphanies, she was a very good and understanding massage therapist.

A: i am working to bring more energy healing modalities into hospice settings .... my main modality is energy work and my partner is a hospice RN.... we have found that even one session can take one that is having a most difficult time and can turn it around to where their passing is much smoother ....

am fortunate to be connected to a doctor that refers many of her patients as energy work is of extreme value when used with traditional medicine .....

have been able to reduce a hepatitus C patient with a load value in the millions into the hundreds in just a few sessions ... also have seen people on heavy oxycodone be able to get off of it without Any withdrawl symptoms....

Am in the Seattle area if there are any nurses interested in
more information on energy modalities would be happy to help in this ...

Love & light

[MovieNurse]

Hi,

I am able to do Energy Work on people and it always gets attention since it looks so odd. The good thing about this is that people always ask what you are doing and most of them want to educate themselves on alternative medicine. Next thing you know they want to try it and then they experience the results and spread the word.

Shirl

[MIA-RN1]

I know this is an old thread but I wanted to add a bit. I don't want to ruffle feathers but I do want to share my thoughts with other reiki practitioners here.
I am a Reiki Master and try to be an open channel for reiki as often as possible.
I understand both sides of the dilemma of working on patients without them knowing, or telling them and risk having them become fearful or doubt my professionalism, and wrestled with it many times myself.
Finally I realized that the person's higher self will either accept it or not. I work currently with teenagers and if someone is upset etc I will say "Would you like me to rub your shoulders" Or I'll put my arm around them and say Sometimes is weird but my hands get hot and it might help you feel better" or something like "Wow my hands feel hot! DO you feel that?" They always say it helps, feels good etc. No mention of reiki but they all say it feels nice and they tend to calm down. (works great for PMS moods too)
My coworkers all know about it and several ask for mini-reiki now and then.
Im still in nursing school and with my adult patients at clinical I just allow reiki to flow because I have noticed if a person does not accept it, it does not go. My hands stay cool, I don't get that energy feeling, that 'zone' that tells me its going.
I have practiced this idea on my kids. My son is very very closed to reiki and my daughter is a total sponge. My hands have never heated up with my son, with the exception of the one time he asked for it because he felt terrible with a sinus infection and couldn't sleep. Hands got hot, son got to sleep. Any other time he just doesn't accept it. My daughter loves it and has to tell me to stop because of the heat.
So I don't think you can reiki a patient who doesn't want/desire/believe in it because it just won't go. It falls into free will. You offer it by free will and the patient either accepts or rejects it using their own free will of their higher self. The other side of this is that even if the patient isn't accepting it, you are still opening to it and it can help you as a nurse (or a very nervous student nurse lol) calm and focus your own self and your own care.
I also wanted to comment on someone's comment about reiki being a good business. It is, but be careful because several states require you to be a massage therapist before providing hands-on care. Just an FYI I learned from the master who trained me.

[Daytonite]

Thanks for adding to this thread. It is good to hear the thoughts from a Master. I think you are right about a person accepting or not accepting this form of healing whether they know it is coming their way or not. My reiki master told me to just use it as I went about nursing in the hospital and not to worry about seeking permission. We also talked about giving Reiki to animals and since I have a cat that has arthritis in one elbow I will frequently reiki her. Animals seem to know what you are doing, particularly cats and will make some kind of indication if it is too strong for them. Have you had that experience?

I had an interesting experience a couple of years ago where my guides were very eager that my physician know that he was in possession of some healing energy of which he was not aware. They told me it was given to him as a gift with the permission of his own spirit guide who was a healer. All he had to do was place is hands on people and the energy would do it's work. They wanted him to know that he need not be afraid to touch his patients. I don't know what that was all about, but at the risk of getting put on a psych medication I passed the information to him. I often wondered if it wasn't reiki energy, but never went about trying to find out.