I am a former nurse, and have had the privilege of working in hospitals in Ireland, Canada, Australia, and the USA.

Complementary therapies and energy healing were popular in all of the countries I nursed in.
I personally witnessed holistic therapies being used on patients in the USA and Australia.

Reiki in Ireland has become very popular in recent years. I have taught many health care professionals at my Reiki courses in Dublin. Some hospitals, hospices, nursing homes and cancer support centres are now offering Reiki treatments.

Reiki energy is Gentle and Safe to use

The beauty of Reiki is that it is non invasive and is administered in a very gentle manner.
The Reiki practitioner can give Reiki without touching the body in cases where patients have burns or major injuries.

Reiki is a wonderful compliment to conventional medicine and helps relax patients on the levels of the mind and physical body. When a patient is relaxed the healing process is accelerated. Nurses comment that patients sleep much better and are calmer following Reiki treatments.

Reiki does not interfere with medical treatments or interventions. What can happen is that it helps improve your condition or medical challenge. In such cases, your medical team may review or reduce your medication.

Much has progressed since I started teaching Reiki in Ireland in 1996

There are some holistic healers and Reiki practitioners in Ireland who work as part of a team within the HSE. This team includes doctors, social workers and occupational therapists. In such situations the Reiki practitioners are also qualified nurses.

There are some volunteer programmes where holistic therapies can be used by non medical professionals. In such cases the volunteers usually go through in house training asides from the qualification they hold.

You can have Reiki if you have an ongoing medical challenge

Reiki is safe to use if you have medical conditions such as epilepsy, diabetes or heart conditions. You may receive Reiki treatments if you are undergoing chemotherapy or radium treatment.

Pregnant woman can have Reiki treatments, although they may prefer to have a Reiki chair treatment rather than lying down on a massage table.

The only time Reiki practitioners might refrain from giving Reiki treatments is if a patient is having a psychotic episode.

To find out more about Reiki in Ireland, Reiki courses or Reiki treatments visit www.thehealingpages.com

Tips for Reiki Practitioners working with the elderly

The elderly are often challenged with loneliness as well as physical illnesses.
To be able to share Reiki with an elderly friend or relative is both rewarding and beneficial.
Reiki is being used in Nursing homes and in respite care units worldwide.

The reported benefits include better sleeping routines, a calming effect and noticeable mood improvements.
Some nursing homes have in house nurses giving Reiki treatments, while others have structured volunteer Reiki programmes.

It is amazing how even a few minutes of Reiki can improve a person’s day.
In my nursing career I observed that old people love having their hands gently held.
They also find a gentle rotating motion on the central back comforting. This may be because it reminds them of a soothing feeling they got when their mothers rubbed their backs as babies.

I suggest that if you are sharing Reiki with an elderly friend that you start by gently holding one of their hands. Place one of your hands under theirs and the other one gently on top. If the person has arthritis or sensitive hands you could beam in the energy instead. When finished with one hand, move to the other one. You can even be chatting to the person while doing this, as conversation is welcomed by people who do not have much social interaction.

Other Reiki hand positions you could use are to gently cradle the head ( 3rd position you learnt at your Reiki 1 courses). You could then move gently to the shoulders as stiffness can be common in old age.

The elderly often have stomach challenges and if you can comfortably apply Reiki to this area, it is usually appreciated. As the solar plexus area also holds on to anxiety and fear, the Reiki energy when applied here can have a calming effect.

To conclude you could gently rub the persons back in two or three clockwise motions before resting your hand to give Reiki here.
It is wonderful to get feedback from staff members about any benefits noticed
following Reiki treatments.http://www.thehealingpages.com/

If you wish to become part of a Reiki volunteer programme, you will need to have completed your Reiki Practitioner level of Reiki training. There may also be some supervised Reiki training involved in the relevant organisation or hospital involved.
You will be required to have relevant malpractice insurance, and you may also be required to have a basic course in Anatomy and Physiology.

The rewards of sharing Reiki with our elderly friends are many. This natural healing energy therapy means so much to those who are so often marginalised.

For more information on Reiki healing and Reiki training in Ireland visit:
www.thehealingpages.com