by Laurelle Gaia
Teaching Reiki is one of the greatest joys in my life. Through my Reiki classes I have met people who have inspired and challenged me, and people who have become my best friends. Together we have learned deeper meanings of trust, faith, serving the highest good, and of course unconditional love.
Over the past eleven years I have seen many changes in the way Reiki is taught, and as we enter into the new millenium we will undoubtedly see many more. My personal vision for Reiki training in the years to come is that all teachers will work with integrity and maintain ethical standards in their teaching, so that students receive comprehensive training, and fully experience the loving essence of Reiki through the learning process. I would like to see the internet serve as a tool to network people together more effectively than it is today. Today the internet often serves as a wall or veil between the student and the full learning and healing experience that a classroom setting can offer. I envision the internet bringing students to dedicated teachers, and serving as an informational support tool in the new millenium.
Dr. Usui worked diligently to teach Reiki to others by taking time and care to insure that students had sufficient information, and personal experience with the energy. In today's fast paced society, with the need for healing so great, the dissemination of Reiki information and energy is important to reach the masses. However, I feel it is imperative that quality in the teachings be maintained as well.
The International Center for Reiki Training (ICRT) is committed to establishing and maintaining standards for teaching Reiki. While we openly acknowledge the value provided by all Reiki practitioners and teachers regardless of their lineage or affiliation, we do feel it is beneficial for students to receive comprehensive training, rather than abbreviated classes, or attunements and information via the internet.
We also feel this is imperative to preserve the integrity of Reiki's reputation in the eyes of the traditional medical community and the general public by providing the quality of training that is acknowledged by professional organizations such as the American Holistic Nursing Association, the NCBTMB (massage therapists), and NATABOAC (athletic trainers).
The ICRT operates a licensing program for professional Reiki masters. This program is an advanced course of study designed to help Reiki masters grow independently under the gentle guidance of the Reiki energy, within a structured program. Because of the explosive growth in the number of people learning and teaching Reiki over the past couple of years, we placed our program on hold. We have not brought any new teachers through the program for over a year. We made this decision so that we could continue to work with the teachers who are in the program, and the student teachers who are in the process. We want each person to receive the support and mentoring they need to become confident, professional Reiki teachers. It is our goal to be able to reopen the program later in 2000, and begin working with people who have been on our waiting list.
The office at Vision Publications, our sister organization, has gone through a rebirthing process over the past year, and at this writing they are implementing new computer systems, and new policies and procedures so that the office staff can better serve our teachers and students.
A major goal we have is to continue to research information about Reiki and to develop new techniques to improve its use. We have developed a system called Karuna Reiki®, introduced courses in Japanese Reiki Techniques, and Reiki and Color Energy. We plan to continue to develop these and other programs as we move into the new millenium.
William Rand and I made a trip to Japan to research the true history of Reiki in 1997, and at that time we met Arjava Petter who later graciously visited us in the U.S. to present the Japanese Reiki Techniques. Through our experiences in Japan we have become open to a flow of constant new information that is coming out of Japan. We plan to continue to be a source for the dissemination of historical facts about Reiki as they become available. All of this allows us to help our students and the Reiki community better understand the roots of this magnificent system for healing and spiritual growth.
I envision more people, from all walks of life embracing Reiki not simply as a healing technique, but as a way to open more fully to their innate creative power, and a pathway to understanding and communicating with their personal Divinity.
Reiki has transformed millions of lives in the 1900s; as we face the challenges and the wonder of a new millenium I look forward to continue assisting people on their healing path as we participate in the growth of humanity and awaken to the age of peace.
