The Reiki Cafe 

Hi,

Does anyone know of Reiki being used to help school children who have learning difficulties such as: autism, dyslexia, ADHD, etc.

I'm especially interested in accounts of a teacher or para professional using Reiki with children in the classroom.

Pam Myers

Namaste!

I teach kids with special needs and a few years back I was not aware of all this hoopla about getting permission, best intention and all that (for the records, I really don't worry about it too much one way or the other- just try my best every day) Anyway, at that time, I had a very tough class of kids with multiple intense needs including autism. Just to get through the day, I would send reiki to the whole group and I saw a major difference between the days I sent reiki to the days I had not sent. It was interesting :)

Mal

Mornin' Pam,
I am a Para in a regular classroom doing one-on-one with special needs. I am very big on the permission thing. I do not send reiki except in an emergency situation such as seizures and when a child has lost control and become violent. I do use my skills more for protection against feeling there disability as if I remain open I have the ability to take on their feelings of seizures, CP, disorientation, etc. I have also used it to blow back very negative emotions. The school that I work in has a niumber of very negative personalities. I will either blow theie energy back to them or put a bubble around myself. I also use reiki to clear the classrooms I work in.

As for using reiki as a healing modality for special needs, I remain firm on the permission. Reiki effects many levels and what would the parents say if their child came home very different than when they left? This in and of itself could causee many problems. Some special needs parents can be a funny lot.

Hope this helps, great question for the board!
Tracey

Hi Pam,

I work with special needs kids on a one to one basis in the classroom, but I too am very aware of permission and ethical issues.

The only time I have used Reiki is to cleanse the room of negativity and for protection, I do tend to come home feeling very drained of energy. Other than that I do not feel it is appropriate because of the permission issues. I would love to see the time come when it might be introduced into schools with the pastoral care and offered alongside anger management and counselling. However unfortunately I feel that is probably a long way off ever happening. Most autistic kids would benefit from a sensory room, but we cannot even offer that to our kids because of budgets etc.

Intuitively I do believe that Reiki would help these kids alongside a much healthier diet etc. I strongly believe that in the cases of ADHD that diet is a factor too.

Gentle Blessings
Helen

Namaste.

I just wanted to add that I do agree that I would be very uncomfirtable to give direct reiki to a child without the parent knowing about it. I can imagine the parent's reaction if the teacher asked if it would be ok to give reiki! Reiki is not, unfortunately that mainstream yet. In my earlier post what I meant was I had great success when I gave reiki to the whole day and the whole group dynamics which was, actually a gift to myslef more than anything. I do remember a physical therapist that was doing individual energy healing (not reiki) to these kids with great success. The people at school knew about it, but the parents, I suspect did not.

Mal

you all do wonderful loving work, butttt 'permission' is a big issue & IMO should be treated with respect....
if I am going to the doctor or hospital, I will send Reiki ahead for my day, with the intention of all being well...it has never let me down yet...the doctors etc. seem to pick up on it!!! also I see no reason why, & indeed I think you should, cleanse the class room when you leave, ready for the next day, get all the negativity out of the way, that would help the kids a lot......keep up the great work!!
love Wendy Ann xxx

Pam it has helped me and I have ADD. Also working on being mindful seems to help shut off a few of the extra channels.

But aggression wise it has helped immensely.

Hi all,

Thanks to everyone for the great responses. It seems that Reiki for the individual student would best take place in a one-on-one counselling/therapy session where parental consent has been given.

However, Reiki, would be very helpful for a teacher or para to use for his/herself for stress and as a classroom management tool (pehaps someone else could think of a better phrase.)

There is always, though the passive use of Reiki. Reiki flows if the situation needs it without any intention of giving Reiki. Reiki is held by objects. Giving Reiki to a desk of a child that is anxious would probably make some difference.

Thanks again for all the great comments!

Pam

Pam,

/*\ Namaste :-}}

- I am not sure I see the difference between sending Reiki to a child without permission and exposing a child to an object the child or parent does not know has been 'charged' with Reiki, so to speak.

>:-}}

Reiki All Around,

All Blessings,

Firekeeper

Namaste all!

Yes, I do see a lot of gray areas where things are wide open for interpretation anyway we wish. In the same vein, when I charge myself with energy with the intention that I do the best for guiding my students or my own kids- how does that work out? I have seen these type scenarios had great results ven though the kids themselves were not given reiki. The care givers were happy and so were the kids and the parents: atleast for the day and I have a hard time understanding what is ethically wrong. How is reiki different from prayers or blessings where the recipient has not given permission? I think there is no black and white answers to every situation.

Mal

Mal,

/*\ Namaste :-}}

- you said, in part: "In the same vein, when I charge myself with energy with the intention that I do the best for guiding my students or my own kids- how does that work out?""

- here it sounds as if you use the energy for your well being as a Teacher, etc. But it is not Reiki you send to anyone. So, no worries.

- an object charged with Reiki with the Intention that the child benefit (the child would potentially only benefit if some of the energy was taken in by the child) is a different matter

- the responsibility in the chair scenario still falls upon the practitioner who did the energy work and Permission should be obtained

>:-}}

- the ethical issue is that you are, presumeably, doing something to the children without their parents' knowledge - perhaps something to which they would object if they knew - and they have the right to know

- the same is true for the 'caregivers' - how many would agree to Reiki if they knew what you were doing?

- I do not agree with "don't ask, don't tell" - the matter of informed consent is a touchy one in the research community - and rightly so - it is a significant ethical issue

- subjects must be told what is being done to them whether they ask the right questions or not

- it is up to the Principle Investigator and all his Cohorts to be sure human subjects know what is what

- I do not see much difference when it comes to children in the classroom except that parental permissin is needed as children are not legally competent to give permission in most States

- hope this helps

Reiki All Around,

All Blessings,

Firekeeper

I really appreciate everyone's input to this topic! It has been most helpful.

Pam