Note from Kathleen:
Bronwen and Frans' new book, Your Reiki Treatment, is a wonderful and thorough exploration of the Reiki experience, which not only is a great introduction to the benefits of Reiki for "newbies", but also a
resource that I recommend to all professional Reiki practitioners. It
discusses all aspects of treatments, including things to consider
before, during, and after giving and/or receiving Reiki. In the
following excerpt, the Stienes explore the secret world of animals used in "healing" research. It is a difficult subject, but one I hope we all keep in mind--as we strive to see Reiki become an "accepted" healing method in the scientific community, this is truly an unacceptable means by which to attain such acceptance!

Unacceptable Research
Excerpt From Your Reiki Treatment by Bronwen and Frans Stiene

To enable the system of Reiki to enter this new era of integrative
medicine, research is required. With more funds available, serious
scientific research is occurring­but at what cost?

Since 1961 studies dedicated to uncovering the efficacy of biofield
therapies have been using live animals in their trials.[i] Using
animals to scientifically research the system of Reiki means far more
than some animals receiving Reiki while others do not. The truth is
that “animal models” are either injected with life threatening
illnesses or subjected to suffering that humans would find unacceptable for themselves. The results from the inhumane studies mentioned in this chapter will not be included in Your Reiki Treatment due to the methods used to achieve them.

What happens to these animals once the studies are finished? According to The Humane Society: A majority of the animals used in experiments are euthanized (killed) during or after the experiment. In some cases, animals are not euthanized, but die as a result of the research for which they were used.

Using animals to test if Reiki treatments (or the lack thereof) will
cause animals pain, illness or eventual cruel death is against every
principle of Reiki. That such acts are performed in the name of Reiki
is abhorrent. Does testing the efficacy of Reiki warrant taking the
life of, or causing suffering to, an animal?

[Research] One Study into Reiki funded by NCCAM described itself thus:
A group of four rats simultaneously received daily noise and Reiki,
while two other groups received “sham” Reiki or noise alone. A fourth
group did not receive noise or additional treatment. The experiment was performed three times to test for reproducibility. The result for the rats would be measured thus: In the rat, stress from noise damages the mesenteric microvasculature, leading to leakage of plasma into the surrounding tissue.[ii]

Another research study injected mice with mammary cancers. Some were treated with hands-on-healing while others were simply left to see what would happen to them. This study devastatingly concluded that: Future work should involve testing on various diseases and conventional immunological studies of treatment effects on experimental animals.[iii]

These actions are an example of the lack of connectedness, of Oneness with life, which our world is experiencing. Candace B. Pert, a scientist who could not stomach dissecting a frog at school, admitted to finding herself so swept along with the “raw ambition” that
permeated her work environment in scientific research that she tried to assuage her guilty conscience with this statement:

"Mistreating Animals
These white rats had been bred for research, and scientists use them
in ways I consider appropriate. In my career, I have never seen animals mistreated or killed in ways that promoted suffering.”
Molecules of Emotion
Candace B. Pert Ph.D.

The words “mistreated” and “suffering” must be relative to one’s
personal definition but surely deliberately hurting or killing an
animal in anyway is a form of mistreatment. That one animal, according to scientists, has less right to a life of love and care without pain or disease than another is illogical. That these actions could ever
take place in the name of Reiki is unthinkable.

Is the Reiki community willing to forgo its founding spiritual
principles to find easier acceptance within conventional western
medicine? This in effect would destroy the system of Reiki by pulling
its foundation out from underneath it. Perhaps the Reiki community can help create change by shining a bright light on medical research and not only teaching the important principles of compassion and equal respect for all living things.

There must be an immediate stop to the maiming and killing of animals simply to prove that Reiki works.

Footnotes:
[i] The Influence of an Unorthodox Method of Treatment on Wound Healing in Mice. International Journal of Parapsychology. 1961. 3, p. 5-24. B.
Grad, R.J. Cadoret, G.I. Paul.
[ii] Personal Interaction with a Reiki Practitioner Decreases
Noise-Induced Microvascular Damage in an Animal Model. Journal of
Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2006, January. Vol. 12. No. 1:
15-22. Ann L. Baldwin Ph.D., Gary E. Schwartz.
[iii] The Effect of the "Laying On of Hands" on Transplanted Breast
Cancer in Mice. Journal of Scientific Exploration. 2000, Volume 14:
Number 3: Article 2. William F. Bengston and David Krinsley.

About the Authors: Reiki Masters Frans and Bronwen Stiene (pronounced stee-nuh) are authors of the internationally acclaimed The Reiki Sourcebook, The Japanese Art of Reiki, and the A-Z of Reiki Pocketbook. They are also the founders of the International House of Reiki and its educative website www.reiki.net.au and the creators of the only Reiki dedicated podcasts on the internet www.thereikishow.com.

With over 18 years of combined experience as practitioners, teachers
and speakers in healing and spirituality they have worked with, taught
and researched healing in the USA, Europe, Asia, Australia and Japan.They are teachers whose passion is truth, education, support and spiritual development for all. Contact Frans and Bronwen at
info@reiki.net.au.