Dr. Oschman is a scientist with a conventional background who became interested in the practice of energy medicine. Through research, he discovered a number of important scientific studies that point to a scientific basis for energy medicine based on the laws of physics and biology. These findings are discussed in an interview, “Science and the Human Energy Field,” published in the Winter 2002 issue of Reiki News Magazine.

The electrical currents that run through every part of the human body provide the basis for Dr. Oschman’s hypothesis. These currents are present in the nervous system, organs, and cells of the body. For instance, the electrical signals that trigger the heartbeat travel throughout all the tissues of the body and can be detected anywhere on the body.

Ampere’s law indicates that when an electrical current flows through a conductor, an electromagnetic field is produced that reflects the nature of the current that created it. Tests with scientific instruments indicate that electromagnetic fields exist around the body and around each of the organs of the body, including the brain, heart, kidneys, liver, stomach, etc. The heart has the strongest field, which has been measured at a distance of 15 feet from the body.

The fields around each of the organs pulse at different frequencies and stay within a specific frequency range when they are healthy, but move out of this range when they are unhealthy. The hands of healers produce pulsing electromagnetic fields when they are in the process of healing, whereas the hands of non-healer do not produce these fields. When a healer places his or her hands on or near a person in need of healing, the electromagnetic field of the healer’s hands sweeps through a range of frequencies based on the needs of the part of the body being treated. Faraday’s law indicates that one electromagnetic field can induce currents into a nearby conductor and through this process, induce a similar field around it. In this way, a healer induces a healthy electromagnetic field around an unhealthy organ, thus inducing a healthy state in the organ. A detailed explanation of this hypothesis, including descriptions of the scientific studies, diagrams, and references is presented in the interview mentioned above.

Acceptance by the Medical Community
Although Reiki is not universally accepted within the medical community, many medical professionals, hospitals, and healthcare facilities recognize its benefits and accept it as an adjunct therapy. In Holistic Nursing, A Handbook for Practice, Chapter 2 “Scope and Standards of Practice,” the American Holistic Nursing Association (AHNA) lists Reiki as an accepted form of treatment.3 In addition, according to the American Hospital Association, in 2007 Reiki was offered as a standard part of patient care in 15% or over 800 hospitals across the US.4 Doctors have recommended Reiki to their patients for amelioration of various health-related conditions. Surgeons make use of Reiki practitioners prior to, during, and following surgery. As an example, Dr. Mehmet Oz, one of the most respected cardiovascular surgeons in the US, uses Reiki during open-heart surgeries and heart transplants. According to Dr. Oz, “Reiki has become a sought-after healing art among patients and mainstream medical professionals.”5

Ethical Implications
To refuse Reiki treatment to patients that request it creates an ethical issue. According to the AHNA statement in response to the bishops’ statement, the practice of holistic nursing is not subject to regulation by the Catholic church and it would be an ethical violation for a member of the AHNA to withhold Reiki treatment from a patient who requests it; this includes those working in Catholic hospitals.

Scientific Studies
There are a number of reputable scientific studies that provide evidence that Reiki is therapeutic. These studies can be found by using one of the professional medical databases such as PubMed or Cochrane Collection.6Studies meeting medical and scientific standards are usually published in peer-reviewed journals. There are over 20 such studies on the therapeutic value of Reiki. A review of some of these studies, “An Integrative Review of Reiki Touch Therapy Research” by Anne Vitale, Ph. D., can be found athttp://www.nursingcenter.com/pdf.asp?AID=732068. While the Reiki studies conducted to date are preliminary in nature, they do provide support for additional studies.

One well-designed Reiki study is “Autonomic Nervous-System-Changes During Reiki Treatment: A Preliminary Study.”7 Forty-five subjects were assigned randomly to three groups. One group received no treatment, another received Reiki treatment by experienced Reiki practitioners, and the third group received sham treatment by a person with no Reiki training who used the same hand positions as those receiving real Reiki.

Measurements were made of heart rate, cardiac vagal tone, blood pressure, cardiac sensitivity to baroreflex, and breathing. Heart rate and diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly for those receiving Reiki, but not for those receiving sham Reiki, or no treatment. This study indicates that the body does respond to Reiki energy and that this response isn’t purely psychological. It also indicates a potential therapeutic effect for Reiki.

“Reiki Improves Heart Rate Homeostasis in Laboratory Rats”8 is another valuable study. The value of using animals in this type of study is that they are not affected by belief or skepticism regarding Reiki. In addition, highly accurate telemetric implants were used to transmit the biometric data. White noise was used to increase the heart rate of three implanted laboratory rats. The rats were treated by a Reiki practitioner and by a sham Reiki practitioner prior to being exposed to white noise and after exposure. The procedure involved the practitioner directing their hands toward the caged rat at a distance of four feet. The rats that received Reiki experienced a significant reduction in heart rate, both before having their heart rates elevated by white noise and after, whereas those treated with sham Reiki did not. This is one of the most rigorous Reiki studies to date and demonstrates that Reiki reduces the heart rate in both stressed and unstressed animals and promotes homeostasis, both of which promote healthy heart function.

Reiki is practiced by followers of many religious traditions. Although some practitioners integrate Reiki into their existing religious beliefs, Reiki is not a religion, doctrine, or dogma. Reiki is grounded in the principle of compassionate action, which is common to all religious traditions. While each religion has the right to create its own rules, it’s within the nature of human dignity and free will for each person to decide which path to follow and what activities are appropriate for them.

Our e-mail address will also be changing.  Please make sure you add us to your preferred senders list so you receive future messages.  The new address will be renewyou@massageforeverybody.com.  The next newsletter will come from this address. With the recent addition of Reiki classes by Mike you can not only receive Reiki, but you can learn this healing art for treatment of yourself and others.   Here is some information provided by Mike.

What is Reiki? ( pronounced Ray-Key )

Reiki is a Japanese method of connecting you to holistic healing energy through light, energetic touch. Our modern lives disconnect us from the pure balanced flow of energy in and around us – Reiki helps re-establish that flow.  Through a series of hand placements on yourself or another person, the energy will go to the areas in most need.  Typical effects are enhanced personal healing and development on physical, mental and spiritual levels.  Students find Reiki to be a gentle, comforting method of self-exploration and healing.

What you will Learn in Level 1:

• What is Reiki
• The history of Reiki
• The Reiki principles
• The standard Reiki hand positions
• How to scan a person’s energy field
• How to perform a Reiki Self Treatment
• How to perform a full Reiki Treatment on another person
• Gassho Meditation
• Clearing and Grounding
• Treatment Ethics
• Body chakras and the body’s energetic field

You will be presented with a certificate of achievement at completion of the Class.

To schedule a class, inquire about rates or to ask questions contact: Michael A Guymon – Reiki Master/Teacher 309-647-5910 (Renew You) or Yhvh83@gmail.com
]]> http://renewyounews.wordpress.com/2009/05/18/renew-you-news-change-reminder-new-website-and-reiki-class-now-offered/feed/ 0 renewyounews http://renewyounews.wordpress.com/2009/04/22/renew-you-news-changes-that-may-affect-you/ http://renewyounews.wordpress.com/2009/04/22/renew-you-news-changes-that-may-affect-you/#comments Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:06:14 +0000 renewyounews http://renewyounews.wordpress.com/?p=4 ]]> The last six months have seen many changes here at Renew You, some of them planned, and some not.  At the beginning of this month, our staff gathered to re-evaluate our needs and to closely examine our business methods.  A major part of this meeting was the disclosure of my decision to transition from business owner to equal partner with my fellow therapists here at Renew You.  During our discussion, we all agreed that our top priority is providing massage and reiki services in a way that is simple, reliable and efficient.

Over the next 5 weeks, some things will change here at Renew You.  Many people will not be affected at all by these changes, while some of you may experience some minor inconveniences.  We apologize in advance for this and ask for you patience and continued support.  Our intention is to make these changes as seamless and gradual as possible.  But, most importantly, there is one thing that will never change: our commitment to providing first-class services specifically catered to you.

The following changes will go into effect on June 1, 2009:

-          Instead of a receptionist, we will have a voicemail system that will allow you to leave a message for a specific therapist or for whoever has the soonest opening.

-          We will return to one building and our “front door” will again be at 25 White Court

-          Gift Certificates will be available through the therapist of your choice, but no longer through the reception desk.  You may arrange to pick them up whenever is convenient to you by speaking with your therapist ahead of time.

-          Gift Certificates that have been purchased prior to June 1, 2009 through Renew You must be redeemed by December 31, 2009.

-          We will no longer accept Credit Cards.  Our regular clients who use credit cards may be able to set up a monthly payment plan that is more convenient for you.  Please speak to your therapist.

Our intention is to simplify our business structure without sacrificing quality or generating unnecessary confusion.  We are happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have about these changes.  Lucy, Mike, Aleesha and I are all deeply and sincerely grateful for the business and support that has brought us this far.  We ask that you join us on this journey to a simpler, more reliable and more efficient Renew You.