November 05

Letter From The Editor

As 2005 draws to a close the committee of RFI welcomes our members to join us on Sat. 19th of November for a Reiki Seasonal Gathering. It is an opportunity to meet the committee and fellow members. Details of this day can be found on page 2.

Most of our committee members are completing their second year on the RFI committee. They also worked for a year before our first AGM on the constitution.

It is important for any organization to have a balance between continuity and a fresh approach. We invite our members to consider joining our committee. We are currently looking for a New Treasurer. Details can be found on page 2.

I will be taking a step back next year as editior as I will be unable to attend all RFI meetings. Until a replacement is found I am willing to continue with updating the website and producing the Newsetter. I would invite anyone who would be interested in taking over from me to join the committee after our 2006 AGM. The job specifications for the RFI Editor will be given closer to the day.

A progress report on the regulation of complementary therapies can be found on page 2. The RFI committee have played a very active role in this process.

The critics of Reiki have been very vocal of late in the media, both on TV and in newspaper publications. It again highlights the need for the Reiki community to know the basic scientific underlying principles of energy. The Tao of Physics by Fritjof Capra, by Flamingo, an imprint of Harper Collins publishers is an easy read. The Field, by Lynne Mc Taggart is another book worth reading.

We hope to see you at our Reiki Gathering! editor@reikifederationireland.com

Angela Gorman

Send articles & correspondence to:
editor@reikifederationireland.com

Progress Report on the Regulation of Complementary Therapies

There are currently no statutory registration requirements for practitioners of complementary medicine in Ireland. Practitioners of this care are now generally referred to as "complementary therapists". However, as a preliminary step in the process of developing a system of registration of complementary health practitioners, the Minister for Health and Children convened a forum in June 2001 to examine and explore the practical issues involved.

Arising from the work of the forum, the Minister requested the Institute of Public Administration to prepare a report on proposals for the way forward, taking into consideration the formal views of the representative groups that participated in the forum.

As recommended in the report, a National Working Group to progress the agenda set out in the report was established. This working group held its first meeting on 28th May 2003.

Since then regular National Working Group meetings have taken place. RFI has been updated on the progress of the National Working group through our regular attendance at FICTA meetings.

On Friday 7th October our Vice Chairperson, Mary Tuohy and our Chairperson, Brigid Maher attended a meeting under the auspices of FICTA at which the 64 page draft report from the National Working Group was made available. For reasons of confidentiality we had to give back the report at the end of this meeting. Those present suggested some changes, which we hope its author Teri Garvey will take on board. When completed, at the end of this month, this report will be presented to the Minister for Health and Children, Mary Harney, T.D. The publication of this report will be at her discretion.

The focus of this report is the regulation of complementary therapists/practitioners and, as such, does not deal with the efficacy of the therapy practiced.

The public need to know where they can find a competent and qualified teacher/practitioner. They also need to know how they can check that this teacher/practitioner is currently registered with an association for that therapy and what grievance procedures are available to them should difficulties arise.

The RFI Committee is currently fine tuning "Guidelines for Teaching Reiki" and a "Practitioners' Module". These documents will be presented to members for their approval at our Annual General Meeting which will be held on Saturday 25th March 2006, . - Brigid Maher

Join us for our Reiki Seasonal Gathering - A day of Relaxation and Fun

We are delighted to let you know that RFI is facilitating a Seasonal Reiki Gathering for our members.

It is being held on Saturday 19th of November at No. 15 Heytesbury Street, Dublin 8. We start at 12 noon and finish at 6pm. The day is Free and will include Networking, Reiki discussion, Meditation and Reiki Share.

Home cooked vegetarian food will be available if you are interested in having lunch. There is a charge of € 6.00 for lunch. Coffee, Tea and Mulled Wine are on RFI.

We are also doing Kris Kindle in light of the approaching festive season. Please bring a small gift to the value of €5.00.

If you are planning on attending, please contact our PRO before the 12th of Nov. She will need to have numbers for the day and for those interested in lunch. Free Parking between Clanbrassil and Heytsburry street.

Contact details:

- Patricia Sheehan: 086-3576142 - publicrelations@reikifederationireland.com

Reiki, Autism and ABA

Phil O'Kelly, Reiki Teacher recently wrote a small article in the Irish Autism Alliance Newsletter. In it she says the following, 'Recently, I gave given several Reiki sessions to a child with Autism who is also undertaking an ABA programme.

Results have shown that Reiki compliments ABA by enabling the recipient to become more receptive to their daily ABA programme. The parents of the child that I work with say that there is noticeable progress in overall development.

The child's mother added, ' We have noticed a considerable improvement in Cillian's overall demeanour. He is calmer, more receptive and also sleeps better when he is receiving Reiki. We have undergone three courses of Reiki consisting of ten sessions each and the differences are definitely significant."

Marine Matter-Anti Cancer properties

Scientists believe that marine corals and sponges could inspire new anti cancer drugs.

"Natural products really are the best starting point for new drugs, " according to Professor John Mann, a Medicinal Chemist at Queens University, Belfast.

Professor Mann is investigating the potential anti-cancer agent Eutherobin from a rare Australian soft coral found off the coast of Perth. Elutherobin is promising because it acts in similar ways to the existing drug Taxol but seems to be 100 times as potent.

As Eluteutherobin is produced in very small amounts from the coral, he is currently working to build a synthetic version that could form the basis of a new drug.

Other anti cancer drugs with marine origins are being investigated. Bryostatin originates from a marine organism found off the coast of California and Discodermolide from a species of sponge. Both are currently undergoing early, phase 1 clinical trials.

I am a mother of a Heart child and a member of Heart Children Ireland. I recently had the privilege of speaking at the Heart Children Ireland Annual Conference and AGM held in Jury's Inn, Custom House Quay. I was billed to speak about, "Taking care of ourselves as parents - the Reiki Approach." I spoke alongside other parents, Cardiothoracic surgeon, Mr. Lars Nolke and Clinical Psychologist, Catherine Matthews.

I must disclose that I felt slightly beleaguered in the wake of the impassioned debate about complementary therapies that had occurred on the Late Late Show on the previous night.

None the less I took to the stage and spoke from the heart, articulating my own personal initial sceptism, my Reiki experiences, and how Reiki helps my family and I cope with the stress of day to day life.

I received a very positive response from the assembly. I had to respond to a diverse and substantial number of questions. Many people took note of the RFI website to contact practitioners and teachers alike.

I would urge other RFI members to speak at similar venues . I know this talk was just the beginning. I have been invited to do some workshops with both children and parents. My primary objective had been to connect with and help at least one parent in that room. I left knowing it would change many....

Very special thanks to my mentor and friend Patricia for all her Reiki encouragement and beaming light. Cathriona Duffy

Shamanism  - A Brief Outline

In Ancient cultures to the present day the Shaman is the person who deals with the spiritual aspects of illness. The Shaman is the healer of the soul, therefore Shamanism is a form of soul healing. The Shamans have always been the healers and psychologists of their community.

Shamanism is an earth based spirituality. As Carol Jung would say it is a journey into the unconscious or the higher self. People learn to go from an ordinary reality into a higher reality. They connect to a part of their soul that can offer guidance and healing. It can really help a person to access what is going on in the deepest part of oneself.

People who work with Shamanism learn to journey in a similar way to going on a guided meditation. People are taken into a state of altered consciousness to the sound of a drum. The sound of the heartbeat is the first sound that we hear in the womb. The drum is the heartbeat that connects us to mother earth.

I work with Shamanism and Reiki on a daily basis. I find working with the two different vibrations brings balance to me as a practitioner. Having first come to Reiki and holding Reiki as one of the most precious gifts in my heart, I found that Shamanism really helped to ground and earth me.

I do not combine Reiki and Shamanism as a therapy but combine their teaching and vibration deep within myself. I find that they complement each other like male and female, earth and heaven in perfect balance.

People from all walks of life have experienced the benefits of Shamanism. Majella Fagan

Upcoming Events of Interest

Amma Visits Ireland in November:

Dates: Sunday 13th and Monday 14th November Times: Sun: 10am to 9pm, Mon: 10am to 8.30pm Venue: National Basketball Arena, Tallaght, Dublin 24 Details: www.ammaireland.org An Evening with Deepak Chopra : Date: Tuesday 4th April 2006, 7.30pm to 10pm Venue: National Concert Hall - Ph: 01 4170000 Tickets: €50/ €75 on sale at the National Concert Hall

Honey - used in the fight against  MRSA

It emerged at the world bee congress held in Dublin on the 22nd of August, that Health professionals and victims of MRSA, the hospital "superbug" are buying up Irish honey to combat and protect themselves from its effects.

Philip McCabe, president of the event, stated that Irish beekeepers have reported a huge surge in demand for honey to treat MRSA. Mr McCabe added that "honey can be used to heal wounds . Research papers were delivered on the subject at the congress by the scientists."

Honey is a very pure product and does not have to through the digestive system. If you take honey into your mouth and you hold it there, it will dissolve and go directly into the bloodstream. The bee conference was attended by 4000 delegates from 100 countries.