As responsible Reiki and Reiki Drum practitioners we want what is the best for our clients. The majority of people I have met who are on the Reiki path are altruistic, sensitive, loving and kind individuals whose reason to share Reiki with others is to be part of a process which allows the other person to start a healing journey either through receiving Reiki treatments or through Reiki attunements. The principle “primum non nocere” (First do no harm) which is included in the Hippocratic Oath goes without saying in all that we do when we interact with students (if you are a Master Teacher) and clients, friends and family if you practise on others. As a Reiki practitioner with almost two decades of experience, I have seen lots of different supposed contraindications to receiving Reiki treatments or attunements listed over the years. A lot of them are fear based, whereas some are more valid than others. As a teacher it is my responsibility to educate those who train with me regarding anything that could possibly be contraindicated in any of the trainings I deliver and ordinarily I explain that each person should be reviewed on their own individual merit, but there are some instances when it would be better to exercise caution. We have to ensure that fear doesn’t take over in being over cautious. In effect we don’t want to Reiki just to be for healthy people and contraindicate anyone who actually is in need of it! This article isn’t going to be a list of contraindications. One should follow a Reiki training to find out the realities of this, but is written in response to certain things that have come to my attention regarding Diabetes and Reiki on the internet.
Although I do not personally have Diabetes, our family have lived with Diabetes for over 26 years as my husband, Jon, was diagnosed as a Type I Insulin Dependent Diabetic in his mid-twenties. He embarked on his own Reiki journey at the same time as myself in 2001 where synchronistically the wonderful teacher we found to guide us in this amazing journey was also a recently diagnosed Type I Diabetic. Jon uses Reiki in his life on a daily basis, often more so than myself, and has studied up to Master Level. He has never found Reiki to be anything but supportive in all that he does, and it has enhanced his life as it does with everyone who is attuned or receives Reiki.
In 2007 Jon and I travelled to Sedona, Arizona to study Reiki Drumming. We came back to the UK and under personal spiritual guidance I embarked on a mission to make Reiki Drumming widely accepted and practised throughout the UK. Eleven years later this has happened through my own efforts and the efforts of many other dedicated Reiki Drum teachers and there are hundreds of Reiki Drum practitioners, some of whom are now third or fourth generation who are sharing this beautiful healing modality with many others. It is thanks to Jon receiving lots of different Reiki Drum treatments with positive effect that I was confident enough to put together the training and share it with other Reiki practitioners.
In 2017 I was surfing the net and became aware that Diabetes was listed as a contraindication for Reiki Drumming with a lady who had not trained with myself. She was a very experienced and reputable teacher and I asked where she had received this information. It apparently was passed to her from her teacher and I realised that like many other things, Diabetes had been added to a long list of contraindications for Reiki. Because I knew this not to be the case I wrote to everyone who had trained with me to explain my reasoning for Diabetes not to be listed under contraindications with either Reiki or Reiki Drumming. In fact the originator of Reiki Drumming in the States has listed no contraindications at all, but because I was introducing a new modality into the UK I spent some time liaising with an esteemed and highly experienced colleague who had spent the past few decades leading therapeutic drumming programmes with a wide variety of client groups. It was through his guidance that I came up with a list of Cautions, as opposed to contraindications and from a Sound Healing perspective rather than a Reiki one. I always advise students that each recipient of Reiki Drumming or Reiki should be assessed on an individual basis and in my time I have treated many of these people on the Cautions list because it was OK to do so.
Earlier this year I came across the same misconception about treating Diabetes with Reiki on a social media Reiki forum I am a member of. Some of the Reiki practitioners had been told by their teachers that in no circumstances should they treat someone who had been diagnosed with Diabetes. Reasons given were that Reiki could result in their blood sugar levels dropping to dangerous levels so that they went hypoglycaemic. A lowering of blood sugars can certainly result after a Reiki treatment as well as if a diabetic had taken too much insulin or not eaten enough long acting carbohydrate to balance his sugar levels and could happen whilst asleep, sunbathing, socialising with friends, sitting in meditation, doing yoga, at the gym, watching television, driving a car or any other daily activity. Most diabetics are sensitive to what is taking place with their blood sugar levels and all should test their levels pre-treatment and post treatment to ensure they are within safe parameters, but most would do that anyway with many of the things they actively took part in.
I do need to underline here that this article is not to advise people that Reiki is a cure for Diabetes, in no way would I state such a thing. But it is to reiterate that anyone with Diabetes is not contraindicated from receiving Reiki which can in effect help their general health and wellbeing in so many ways as it does any other person. Having seen that Diabetes was flagged up as a contraindication and really disliking the thought that thousands of people may not seek out a Reiki practitioner because of this information freely available on the internet, or be turned away because they are diabetic and not benefit from the myriad of positive benefits of receiving Reiki treatments or being attuned to Reiki, I felt I should like to write this article to put the record straight.
All Reiki practitioners are required by law if dealing with the public to be First Aid trained and as such should have a basic awareness about Diabetes and the symptoms of hypo/hyperglycaemia. If they are aware their client is a diabetic, then it’s wise to have some sort of fast acting sugar (Dextrose/Lucozade/Honey) and slow acting carbohydrate (biscuit) to give them should they go into a hypoglycaemic state, but as I have said it is something most diabetics would be aware of and make provisions themselves for especially as they were having a Reiki treatment. When newly diagnosed, some diabetics take a little while to get their blood sugars under control. There are others who never manage to maintain stable blood sugar levels, and there are some who do not follow the health regime necessary for a diabetic and do things which are not recommended for their health and wellbeing. In these instances, then of course caution should be exercised and individuals treated on an individual basis. I personally ask not only my clients but all Level One Reiki students to fill out a medical form informing me of anything I need to be aware of such as Diabetes, Epilepsy etc.
I have the pleasure of attaching several testimonials from both Type I and Type 2 insulin dependent diabetics to share with you all of whom are active Reiki practitioners and receive Reiki on a regular basis. My gratitude to these dear souls for giving their permission to publish their stories in connection with their journey, Diabetes and Reiki. The first three testimonials are from Type I diabetics, the last two from Type 2. Please read through their testimonials. Should you be in a position where you are unsure whether to treat a diabetic when they have approached you for treatment, it is always wise to consult with their general practitioner. But in the main, if you are a Reiki teacher or Reiki practitioner please don’t exclude this client group from the benefits of Reiki or Reiki Drumming.
Testimonial from David David M Godfrey, MA.Ed, BA, DMS, FICHT, FIFL, MBS, C.Biol, PGCE, Reiki Master/Teacher
“Since 1992 I have had the pleasure of facilitating both the Theoretical and Practical aspects of a range of Complementary Therapies, including the required Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology. In 1998 I qualified as a Reiki Master Teacher which I added to my repertoire.
In 2000 I was diagnosed as an Insulin Dependent Diabetic (Type 1) requiring SEVEN injections each day. In 2011 I was placed on an Insulin Pump, which I still use today.
Question ‘Why am I telling you this?’ The reason is that on several Reiki Forum sites there appears to be a great debate going on about Type 1 Diabetes being contraindicated to both Reiki treatments and Reiki Attunements. As a practising Reiki Master Teacher, giving and receiving treatments and passing attunements, I would like to know WHY Type 1 Diabetes should be contraindicated?!
It is true that there are two categories of contraindications to Complementary Therapies. The first being Total Contraindications including contagious and infectious disease; but thanks to the ‘Reiki Box/Surrogate Methods’ we do not need to be in the presence of the recipient, so this is irrelevant. The second category under which Diabetes appears, requires adaptation to the treatment and relates to:
- The presence of Neuropathy in the client,
- The possibility of Bruising,
- Slow Wound ‘Healing’
- Reduction of the Blood Glucose levels during treatment causing hypoglycaemia
In the first two instances as Reiki is:
- A non-invasive therapy, unlike Acupuncture, therefore eradicating injury due to neuropathy or bruising and
- Requires no application of pressure unlike Shiatsu, adaptation is not required so the contraindication is irrelevant.
In the third instant, Reiki assists the body in what it is required to do, and the Practitioner is NOT a ‘Healer’ but a facilitator; the recipient takes from the treatment what it is they require, the contra-indication is again irrelevant.
Regarding point number four, There is a CAUTION though that needs to be recognised and that is that a Reiki Treatment/Attunement can lower a diabetics blood glucose levels so therefore as the Practitioner we need to ask the recipient to take a blood glucose reading before and after the Treatment/Attunement. It is the recipient’s choice whether to do so or not, so to be on the safe side the Practitioner may wish to have on hand some high glucose item such as: dextrose tablets, carbonated soft drink, honey, agave or chocolate bar just in case!
A further potential contraindication may arise when people question how Reiki may affect an Insulin Pump. The truth is this is the client’s responsibility, BUT all Insulin Pumps can be placed in suspended mode during a treatment/attunement and everyone may react differently, in the same way when and how clients inject their insulin!
From being a Facilitator, Receiver and Practitioner for over 18 years, I know from experience that Reiki, Crystal Reiki and Reiki Drum all have a very positive effect on Type 1 Diabetes, by making it a contraindication, you deprive those who are Insulin Dependent Diabetics from the benefits that Reiki brings.”
Testimonial from Jon Gregg – Reiki Master Practitioner
“I have been a Type I insulin dependent diabetic for 26 years and Reiki attuned to Master level since the year 2001. As someone with diabetes I know how important it is to monitor my blood sugar levels on a regular basis and I lead a healthy, active life, work, exercise, travel and basically live! If I am going to do anything which could affect my blood sugar levels I monitor first and take any appropriate action such as having quick and slow acting sugar/carbohydrate foods with me should the activity make me go hypoglycaemic and spare insulin should for some reason (less common) I go hyperglycaemic. The responsibility is with myself to do that, not others and I would do prior to and after a Reiki treatment or any other complementary therapy of which I am a regular recipient. I travelled to the States with Sarah in 2007 and trained in Reiki Drumming there and when we returned to the UK received lots of Reiki Drum sessions over a short period of time, all of which were hugely beneficial. Before and after that time I have also received Usui, Karuna and latterly Angelic Reiki treatments with no adverse effects whatsoever. In terms of comparing receiving Reiki to any other activity, as far as I’m concerned, besides it being a wonderful healing experience every time which I benefit from hugely, it is no different to anything else I do in life in connection to being a Diabetic Type I.”
Testimonial from Lynn Daniel – Reiki II Practitioner
“I’ve been Type 1 for 45 years and l get frustrated with people saying you can’t do or receive something because of it. Diabetes control is about good self-management and learning how to live with your condition is key for everyone. I would check my blood glucose before treatment and after treatment as l know relaxation could potentially make my blood glucose go up or down as it can with acupuncture, massage, hypnotherapy and other therapies which l receive on a regular basis and use to help me live a healthy life. I use Reiki most evenings on myself to help me sleep well and feel good so why would l not use something that works? As a practitioner you can choose who you see as a client and it is fine if you are low in confidence and would prefer not to have someone with Type 1 as a client but it is misinformation that people with Type 1 can’t receive treatment and actually goes against the Disability Discrimination Act. It is up to the individual with Type 1 to make a judgement call on managing their condition and l would recommend checking with their client beforehand how they manage their condition and if they have unexpected hypos and if they could check their blood glucose before and after to see if there is an impact … this is just good practice. As a practitioner whatever treatment l deliver l always check my blood glucose before and after l see a client which is good self-management. I have worked for the last 42 years in many different work environments and know they can affect your control and it’s learning how to manage that.”
Testimonial from Catherine Stredwick – UKRF Reiki Master Practitioner & Teacher
“I was diagnosed as a type 2 diabetic in 2007 which was initially diet controlled and eventually progressed to medication in 2016. During that time and after I have regularly received Reiki and as a Reiki practitioner have regularly given it with no detrimental affects to my sugar levels. In fact I feel Reiki helped me to alleviate the stress in my life and as all diabetics know stress can cause sugar levels to rise or spike.”
Testimonial from Mandy Hobbs – Reiki Master Practitioner
“I am a Reiki Master but I am also a Type 2 Diabetic. As you probably know, with Diabetes comes a multitude of other symptoms; high blood pressure, high cholesterol to name a few.
I have been using Reiki to help control these systems for over 2 years. In those 2 years my blood pressure has dropped (without modern allopathic medicine). Also my blood sugar levels have evened out. I’m sure this is down to using Reiki as I don’t use any other treatment. It definitely can’t do any harm.”
