REIKI FEDERATION IRELAND CONSTITUTION
2016
Adopted at at RFI AGM - 23rd April 2016
1. Name:
The name of the Federation shall be Reiki Federation Ireland
(hereinafter referred to as "RFI") and it shall be comprised of its members.
2. Mission Statement
RFI aims to foster and nurture the understanding and the practice of
Reiki as a healing art.
3. Purpose
The purpose of RFI is to support and promote the practice of Reiki in
Ireland.
4. Objectives:
The objectives of RFI shall include, but not be limited to:-
-
Support the practice of Reiki
-
Promote the Profession of Reiki.
-
Recognising Reiki as a non-diagnostic tool for healing and
empowerment of mind, body and spirit
-
Developing and providing a Code of Ethics, Code of Practice,
Complaints Procedure Format, Teaching Guidelines and information to
Practitioners, Masters and Teachers on professional standards and good practice
in Reiki.
-
Maintain a high standard of Reiki practice
-
Maintain a database of all members and maintain a register of
Practitioners and Teachers for referral purposes.
-
Disseminate information on Reiki to the public and other interested
parties.
-
Liaise with Dept of Health and other Professional Bodies, to raise
the profile of Reiki in Mainstream Health and to promote the purpose and
objectives of RFI.
-
Raising such funds as shall be required for the efficient
administration of RFI by levying subscription on its members and by any other
means that are conducive to the purpose and objectives of RFI.
-
Form links with National and International Professional Bodies, to
keep abreast of new developments in Complementary Medicine.
-
Provide a social networking platform for our members
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Carrying out all such other lawful actions as may be incidental or
conductive to the promotion or implementation of the foregoing objects of any of
them.
5. Disclaimer
- RFI is not a regulatory body and
does not accredit Reiki Practitioners or Masters/Teachers. Reiki Federation
Ireland is not an accrediting body. Membership of RFI does not entitle you to use
the letters RFI or MRFI after your name, as this may imply accreditation. You may
of course put member of "RFI" on your business cards, headed notepaper or website.
You may use the RFI logo on your website.
- RFI provides a Constitution, Code
of Ethics, Code of Practice, Complaints Procedure Format and Teaching Guidelines
that members agree to adhere to. However RFI assumes no responsibility or
liability for regulating the practice of Reiki.
- RFI assumes no responsibility or
liability for any claims resulting directly or indirectly from the
practitioner/client or teacher/student relationship including, but not limited to,
malpractice claims.
- To the extent permitted by law,
members acknowledge and agree that RFI (which is a voluntary organisation and not
for profit) does not accept liability whatsoever for any losses, costs and/or
expenses of any kind. In the event of RFI being joined in any legal action taken
against any of its members, the member against whom the legal action is initiated
undertakes to indemnify and hold RFI harmless in respect of any such claim(s)
arising.
6. Membership of RFI
- Application for membership of RFI
shall be open to any person who is attuned to or initiated into Reiki in the
presence of a Reiki Master/Teacher and is over the age of eighteen (18) years.
- Such member shall agree to abide
by the Constitution of RFI,
including its appendix, Code of Ethics, Code of Practice, Complaints Procedure
Format and Teaching Guidelines by signing the declaration on the application form
for membership or on the membership renewal form and by paying his or her
subscription to RFI.
- All applications for membership
shall be submitted to the Committee for its approval.
- Membership of RFI shall be deemed
to commence on the date the application is processed and be due for renewal on
31st March, of each year.
- The membership categories are:
- Professional Member
- Associate Member
- Student Member
- Friend of Reiki
- By my application for
membership/renewal I consent to Reiki Federation Ireland obtaining, recording and
holding my personal data solely for RFI purposes, either electronically and/or in
an organised manual system, for a period of 7 years
7. Termination of membership
A member shall cease to be a member of RFI:
- By resignation.
- By non-payment of the annual
subscription of RFI.
- By complaints procedure as
provided for in Article 16 of this Constitution.
8. Annual subscription
- The amount of the annual
subscription to RFI shall be that which is agreed from year to year at the Annual
General Meeting (AGM) of RFI.
9. Committee
- RFI's affairs shall be under the
control of the Committee, which shall be elected at an AGM for a minimum period of
two years, and whose term of office shall commence at the close of that AGM and
shall cease at the close of the AGM two years hence.
- Committee members shall be
eligible to serve a maximum of four years and after a two year absence from the
Committee shall be eligible for further re-election. Except in exceptional cases
where the committee member cannot be replaced. They can continue in their role.
That will be ratified and clarified at the next AGM. Committee members cannot
serve on a Committee of another Reiki organisation in Ireland during tenure.
- Committee members who miss three
consecutive Committee meetings are deemed to have automatically resigned unless a
satisfactory explanation is submitted to the Committee.
- The Committee shall be comprised
of, but not limited to seven (7) members, and shall include a Chairperson,
Vice-Chairperson, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, Membership Secretary,
Education & Development Officer, Public Relations Officer (PRO), Editor, FICTA
Delegate and Regional Development Co-Ordinator. The Committee may also include a
Sub-Editor, Assistant Honorary Secretary, Assistant Membership Secretary and
non-designated Committee member(s). Retiring Committee members may become
Ex-officio Committee members until the next alternate AGM. Such members shall have
no voting rights at Committee meetings, his or her role being advisory only.
Ex-officio Committee members are not obliged to attend Committee meetings and
shall not be included in the quorum requirement for Committee meetings
- In the event that any vacancy
should occur on the Committee during the period between election and the next
alternate AGM the Committee shall have the power to co-opt a successor pro term.
- In the event of a majority of the
Committee resigning the Chairperson must convene an EGM in accordance with 12(i)
of the Constitution.
- The Committee shall meet from time
to time, at the discretion of the Chairperson and in consultation with the
Honorary Secretary, in order to administer the affairs of RFI, but not less than 4
times in any one period from AGM to AGM. At least seven (7) days notice,
with an Agenda for such meetings, shall be sent to each
Committee member.
- At a Committee meeting a majority
of the Committee members shall be present to comprise a quorum. In the event
that a quorum is not present within a reasonable time, the Committee meeting shall
stand adjourned to an agreed date.
- At Committee meetings the Honorary
Secretary (or any temporary secretary appointed by the Committee) shall maintain a
proper record of that meeting which shall be entered in a Minute Book or in an
electronic storage system which shall be maintained by the Honorary Secretary.
- At Committee meetings a statement
of RFI's financial position shall be provided by the Honorary Treasurer.
- The Committee shall be in sole
control of RFI's administrative and financial affairs except when certain
responsibilities shall be delegated to individual members of the Committee from
time to time in order that the day to day business of RFI may be efficiently
conducted.
- One position per person on the
committee except in special circumstances which will be reviewed and agreed by
committee.
10. Functions and powers of the Committee
- The functions of the
Committee shall be:
- To administer the affairs of
RFI.
- To delegate any of its powers
or functions, subject to such conditions and functions, as it may from time to
time think fit to individual members of the Committee.
- To formulate strategies for
the implementation of policies approved by the members present at Annual
General Meetings (AGMs) and Extraordinary General Meetings (EGMs).
- To formulate and determine the
policies of RFI having due regard to previous policies as determined by the
members at AGMs or EGMs and to propose motions to AGMs and EGMs.
- To monitor the implementation
of all motions passed at AGMs and EGMs.
- To take such lawful action as
shall be necessary for the internal administration of RFI, for the governance
and regulation of the relationship between the members of RFI and for the
governance and regulation of its relationship with other bodies and
individuals.
- To propose at AGMs and EGMs
constitutional changes prepared by the Committee.
- To appoint Sub-committees when
necessary to examine any matter. Such Sub-committees shall submit their report
to the Committee.
- To consider and act on reports
from RFI Sub-committees.
- Powers of the Committee
-
- The Committee may, at its
discretion and without stating a reason, reject or defer an application for
membership or offer membership in a different category.
- The signatories to all RFI
bank accounts and contracts shall be those of the Chairperson,
Vice-Chairperson, the Honorary Treasurer, the Honorary Secretary and the
Membership Secretary. The signatures of any two of the aforementioned shall
suffice. The payee of an RFI cheque shall not be a signatory to that cheque.
- Neither the Committee as a
whole nor any of its members shall have the power to borrow or lend monies on
behalf of RFI.
- The Committee or its members
shall be indemnified out of RFI property and assets against all liabilities
and expenses properly incurred as a result of their bona fide actions on
behalf of RFI. Such expenses shall have committee approval.
- No proxy votes shall be
allowed at a Committee meeting.
- The Committee shall not alter
the Code of Ethics, Code of Practice, Complaints Procedure Format and Teaching
Guidelines without the prior consent of the members.
- The Committee shall have the
power to receive a complaint in writing against a member.
11. Annual General Meetings (AGMs)
- RFI shall convene an AGM to be
held not less than eleven (11) months nor greater than fifteen (15) months after
the last AGM.
- The Honorary Secretary shall
notify all members of the date, time and place of AGMs at least two (2) months
prior to the meeting. The Notice shall include an Agenda for the meeting with a
copy of the financial report for the previous financial year and, every alternate
year, a nomination paper.
- Nominations for Committee
positions shall be received by the Honorary Secretary in writing at least seven
(7) days prior to the meeting, and shall have the consent of the nominees.
Nominations, unless the nominee withdraws his or her name, shall be proposed,
seconded and voted upon at the meeting. Said nominees shall be attuned to or
initiated into Reiki. Nominees for all positions on the Committee, together with
their nominators, must be members of RFI.
- Nomination of Chairperson should
be of a past or current committee member that was or is part of the committee for
2 years.
- The system of voting for elections
shall be the straight vote system. If a majority of members present, call for any
question under discussion to be put to a vote by secret ballot that shall be done.
Otherwise the matter shall be decided by a show of hands.
- RFI's financial year end shall be
31st December. At each AGM the Honorary Treasurer shall submit a financial
report, consisting of an Income & Expenditure Account and a list of RFI
Assets, which shall be reviewed by an independent accountant appointed at AGM.
- A copy of the financial report
shall be provided to members present at the AGM (if not previously sent with the
Notice and Agenda for the AGM as per Article 11(ii)) and shall be available after
the AGM to all members on request.
- Motions submitted for discussion
at AGM shall be received by the Honorary Secretary in writing at least six (6)
weeks prior to the meeting. Such motions will be notified to the members at least
14 days before the AGM.
- No proxy votes shall be allowed at
any AGM.
- At any AGM a resolution shall be
decided on a show of hands unless a secret ballot is (before or at the declaration
of the result of the show of hands) demanded: (1) by the Chairperson; (2) by
twelve (12) or a majority of members present, whichever is the lesser, (and every
member present shall be entitled to one vote). In the case of an equality of
votes, whether on a show of hands or on a secret ballot, the Chairperson at the
meeting shall be entitled to a second or casting vote.
- Votes shall be counted by persons
appointed by the Chairperson for that purpose. No objection shall be made to the
validity of any vote except at the meeting at which the vote was cast.
- If a vote is called for it shall
be taken in such time and in such manner as the Chairperson shall direct and the
result of the vote shall be deemed to be the resolution of the matter.
- The Chairperson, or in his or her
absence, the Vice-Chairperson, or in his or her absence, the Honorary Secretary,
or in the absence of all three, the Honorary Treasurer shall be Chairperson at
AGMs. In the event of the absence of all the aforementioned officers of the
Committee, a Chairperson shall be elected by the members present.
- No business shall be transacted at
an AGM (other than the adjournment thereof) unless a quorum of members is present
at the time when the meeting proceeds to business. Ten (10) members shall
constitute a quorum except when a meeting is required to be adjourned by reason of
the absence of a quorum, in which case the members present at the adjourned
meeting shall constitute a quorum.
- In the event that a member submits
constitutional amendments/addenda and/or motions for discussion and cannot attend
the AGM he or she may appoint a member to speak on his or her behalf.
12. Extraordinary General Meetings
- An Extraordinary General Meeting
(EGM) of RFI shall be convened by the Committee if, in its opinion, circumstances
warrant such action.
- An EGM shall be called by the
Honorary Secretary on receipt of a request, signed by no less than 10% of
membership eligible to vote at such EGM.
- All signatories to the calling of
an EGM must be paid up members.
- An EGM shall be convened within
two (2) months of receipt of such request and members shall be notified at least
twenty one (21) days prior to the meeting.
- The notice to members shall
specify the place, time and purpose of such meeting and no other business shall be
transacted at that meeting.
- No business shall be transacted at
the EGM (other than the adjournment thereof) unless a quorum of members is present
at the time when the meeting proceeds to business. Ten (10) members present shall
constitute a quorum except when a meeting is required to be adjourned by reason of
the absence of a quorum, in which case the members present at the adjourned
meeting shall be a quorum.
- In the event that a member submits
constitutional amendments /addenda or motions for discussion and cannot attend the
EGM he or she may appoint a member to speak on their behalf.
13. Amendments to the Constitution.
- This Constitution may be amended
by a majority of members at AGM or EGM.
- Proposals for constitutional
amendments or addenda or motions for discussion shall be put in writing to the
Honorary Secretary and notice of such motions shall be sent to members two (2)
months prior to the meeting.
14. Dissolution
In the event of RFI's affairs being wound up all monies and assets of
RFI shall be disposed of in accordance with a members' resolution at a general
meeting. A final Statement of Account shall be prepared in accordance with
that decision and such Statement shall be distributed to all members.
15. Miscellaneous Provisions
- All assets owned by RFI shall
remain in RFI ownership and shall be reserved for the exclusive benefit of RFI.
- At all meetings the Chairperson
shall have the power to exercise a second or casting vote in the event of an
equality of votes.
- No Committee member shall receive
any monies from the funds of RFI except as agreed by a majority of the Committee.
- To the extent permitted by law,
members acknowledge and agree that RFI (which is a voluntary organisation and not
for profit) does not accept liability for claims, losses, costs and/or expenses of
any kind whatsoever. In the event of RFI being joined in any legal action taken
against a member, such member undertakes to indemnify and hold RFI harmless in
respect of any such claims(s) arising.
16. Complaints Procedures
- The Committee shall have the right
to suspend or expel a member where it is satisfied that the member has conducted
himself or herself in a manner that is detrimental to the honour or interests of
RFI or who has failed to abide by the Constitution, Code of Ethics, Code of
Practice, Complaints Procedure Format and Teaching Guidelines.
- In the event of a member being in
dispute with another member or a member of the general public, the matter will be
investigated by the Standards and Ethics Sub-committee in accordance with the
Complaints Procedures Format document.
- The Committee shall have the power
to receive a complaint in writing against a member.
- The Standards and Ethics
Sub-committee shall comprise of three (3) members, one (1) from the Committee and
two (2) non Committee members.
- The Committee shall maintain a
bank of between five (5) and ten (10) non Committee members who volunteer at every
alternate AGM to serve on the Standards and Ethics Sub-committee.
- When required two (2) non
Committee members will be drawn from this bank.
- The selection shall take place by
random draw to avoid any suggestion of unfair treatment or bias.
- The Committee member shall be
appointed by the Committee.
- The Committee shall also appoint a
Sub-committee Secretary on each occasion from the aforementioned bank. Such person
shall take no part in any discussions and is expressly forbidden to offer any
opinion to any of the parties mentioned.
- The Standard and Ethics
Sub-committee shall furnish the substance of the complaint and its report in
writing to the Committee and the Committee shall call the party complained of to a
hearing of which not less than fourteen (14) days notice shall be given. The party
complained of shall have the right to be heard in his or her defence at the
hearing. The party complained of has a right to be accompanied by a person of his
or her choosing to the hearing.
- The Committee, on hearing the
Standard and Ethics Sub-committee's report and recommendations shall have the
power to expel the member from RFI or impose any lesser obligation or condition on
him or her. In such circumstances no monies shall be refunded to the member. The
Committee may decide to meet with the party complained of and the complainant
before making its decision.
- A majority decision of the
Committee meeting shall be required for the purpose of exercising the powers set
out in the preceding paragraph.
- The Committee's decision shall be
final.
APPENDIX (1)
DEFINITIONS
In this Constitution the following words and expressions shall have
the meanings set opposite them:-
"Committee" has the meaning given to it in
paragraphs 9 and 10 A and 10 B.
"Definition of Reiki" Reiki is an ancient
non-intrusive complementary therapy. A hands on healing energy technique,
Reiki enhances the body's own innate natural ability to heal itself on all levels.
Reiki complements conventional medicine.
RFI does not recognise any other therapy (e.g. Angel therapy, Crystal
therapy) as part of the Reiki system of healing. While these therapies are
sometimes used in conjunction with Reiki, it is imperative that the client and
Reiki students are informed of the clear distinction between Reiki and other
healing modalities. Reiki is an individual healing art in its own right.
"Masters" means the names of members who are
recorded on the list referred to in the Code of Ethics, Code of Practice,
Complaints Procedure Format and Teaching Guidelines.
"Members" has the meaning given to it under
paragraph 6 herein.
"Practitioner" means the names of members who are
recorded on the Practitioners' list referred to in the Code of Ethics, Code of
Practice, Complaints Procedure Format and Teaching Guidelines.
"Teachers" means the names of members who are
recorded on the Teachers' list referred to in the Code of Ethics, Code of
Practice, Complaints Procedure Format and Teaching Guidelines.
"Reiki Principles" means:-
For today only:
Do not anger
Do not worry
Be humble.
Be honest in your work
Be compassionate to yourself and others.
(From the Mikao Usui Memorial Stone)
In this Constitution the singular shall
include the plural and vice versa.
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