Sylvia Thompsoncharts the rise of reiki in advance of the first national conference this weekend on the complementary therapy, which uses healing energy.
There has been a quiet upsurge of interest in the so-called healing art of reiki in Ireland in the past few years. Although still widely misunderstood or indeed misinterpreted, it is nonetheless increasingly being incorporated into complementary therapy programmes in healthcare settings, particularly in cancer support centres and palliative care units, throughout the State.
On Sunday next, the Reiki Federation of Ireland, the organisation of reiki practitioners and trainers, will host its first national conference in Dublin. Reiki practitioner and former chartered chemist Patricia Sheehan says the purpose of the conference is to "celebrate integrated healthcare where it has happened and give voice to practitioners who are using reiki and seeing the benefits".
She sees reiki as fitting well into the new models of personalised care, currently being developed in conventional medicine.
Reiki is defined as the transfer of "universal energy" from one person to another. Reiki practitioners have been trained to tune into this healing energy and allow it to flow from one person to another.
Patricia Sheehan says that quantum physics can explain vibrational healing practices such as reiki.
"At an atomic level, everything that exists in the universe vibrates energy. The electromagnetic output of the whole body can be measured using an electromyography and the normal biological frequencies of the human body is around 250Hz [cycles per second]," she says.
"When tests were carried out on people who used healing energies such as reiki, it was found that the body frequency registered in a band between 400Hz and 800Hz."
Reiki practitioners claim that these heightened levels of energy can dissolve blockages and create balance in mind, body and spirit.
Other forms of vibrational energy used both diagnostically and therapeutically in conventional medicine include ultrasound, radiation and laser.
Deirdre Ruane, clinical nurse specialist in complementary therapies at St Francis Hospice in Raheny, Dublin, will speak at the conference. "We introduced reiki to our complementary therapy programme two years ago and 78 reiki sessions [ of a total of 920 complementary therapy sessions] were given last year to patients in the hospice, those in day care and those who come in especially to have therapies," she says.
Last year, Ruane carried out a study of the perceived benefits of complementary therapy among patients who had never received complementary therapies before. "We examined four therapies - aromatherapy, reflexology, massage and reiki - and had very good feedback from those who had reiki. They said it was very relaxing, it gave them more energy and there was a strong feel-good factor."
Ruane says the public needs to be better educated on the benefits of complementary therapies and how they can work very well alongside physiotherapy, occupational therapy and counselling.
Another speaker, Maura McGinley, is a nurse who practises and teaches reiki. She also represents the Reiki Federation of Ireland on the Federation of Irish Complementary Therapy Associations (FICTA).
She says that as a complementary therapy, reiki can be of value before and after cancer treatment. "I treat a lot of cancer patients, some of whom have found that reiki can relieve the nausea associated with chemotherapy.
"Some also say that it helps in pain relief and improves their sleep. As it is very comforting and soothing, it can also help reduce stress and emotional turmoil."
McGinley says there is a need for large clinical studies on reiki as so far many of the studies are limited, due to the small number of patients used. She acknowledges that in some circles, reiki is viewed sceptically and indeed negatively.
"There are strong views against reiki because some people are using crystal therapy, angel therapy and other psychic work and calling it reiki. I've no problem with people using other therapies but they have to call them what they are. That is why the regulation process is so important and the Reiki Federation of Ireland is currently setting standards for training," she says.
Dr Brendan Fitzpatrick, a GP with a special interest in complementary therapies, will also speak at the conference. He says that while many GPs now refer patients for acupuncture, osteopathy and chiropractic, there are still issues around practitioners not knowing their limits.
"Some practitioners will continue to give treatment rather than knowing that it is no longer appropriate. Complementary therapies have a lot to offer and doctors need to have a more basic knowledge of a range of therapies to help guide their patients better in the choices they make," he says.
Reiki Touching Lives, the first national conference of the Reiki Federation of Ireland, is on in the Regency Hotel, Drumcondra, Dublin on Sunday, February 4th, 10am-4pm. Admission is free. See www.reikifederationireland.com or tel: 086 3576142.