Melinda H. Connor1,2,3, D.D., Ph.D., AMP, FAM, EHP-C
Caitlin A. Connor2,4,5, DAOM, PGDip (pending), AMP, EHP-C
Gail M. Jett5,6, Th.D., NP, MSN, WHNP-BC, AHN-BC, LMT, EHP-C
Brian D. Dailey5,7,8, MD FACEP, FACFE, EHP-C
Jill Gavin-Gannon3,9, MSN, PMHRN-BC, BHSP
1. Research Professor, Akamai University, Hilo Hawaii, USA
2. Earth Songs Holistic Consulting, Tucson AZ, USA
3. Board of Directors, National Alliance of Energy Practitioners, Marana, AZ, USA
4. Health Sciences Research, Rewley House, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
5. Board of Directors, National Certification Center of Energy Practitioners, Marana, AZ, USA
6. Founder, Advanced Healing Energetics, Bend, OR, USA,
7. Assistant Professor Emeritas, Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester College of Medicine, Rochester, NY, USA
8. Founder, Urgent Care Now, Rochester, NY, USA
9. Clinical Associate Professor of Nursing, Garman School of Nursing, Buffalo, NY, USA
ABSTRACT
Purpose:
To improve methodological design and research reporting standards in clinical studies including those from Reiki practitioners.
Materials & Method:
Bibliographic lists of research papers focused on Reiki were pulled from PubMed, and Google Scholar. Searches were conducted between November 30 and Dec 2, 2021. The search of the National Library of Science database “PubMed” using the search parameter “Reiki” returned 3251 articles. The first 100 of the returned articles were reviewed and available papers downloaded. Searches of Google Scholar were conducted in the same period and the search parameters “Reiki” and “Reiki scientific articles” were used which returned 12,500 results. A sub-group of the authors, who are all Reiki practitioners, each with over 20 years of experience doing energy practices, reviewed the articles for missing information. Suggestions were made on what information could have an impact on the actual outcome of the studies. Meetings were held to confirm a list of additional information. Participants discussed “why is this parameter important study data”? Rationale for inclusion in this list was then determined. The final list includes the options selected as being most relevant and having the greatest impact.
A table of all the current active listings of styles of Reiki across the world was developed by Reiki division members of the National Certification Center of Energy Practitioners (NCCOEP) and was used as a reference for the development of reporting standards (See Part 1).
Results:
The following information was often missing from the research papers:
1. What was the exact type of Reiki used?
2. Was the practitioner attuned to Reiki locally or at a distance?
3. What types of symbols were used and what was the number of symbols used to attune practitioners?
4. What is the lineage of each practitioner in the study?
5. How many different types of Reiki is the practitioner trained in?
6. How many other styles of energy practices is the practitioner trained in?
7. Did the practitioner receive any ethics training?
8. Was there any empirical confirmation that the practitioner had the actual skills to do the healing required and do it on demand?
9. Did the practitioner do any type of preparation prior to the healings such as meditation or prayer?
10. What were the protocol/sequence of hand placements and/or movements used by practitioners?
11. Did the protocol include attunements symbols on the client? If yes, which ones?
12. Was it made clear to the practitioners that they were not allowed to do healings on staff or family members of the Reiki study participant or study team members?
13. How many years has the practitioner been in clinical practice?
14. How many times a week and how many weeks per year does the practitioner see clients?
Discussion:
The Touchstone review process for Reiki is focused on normal scientific measures. These measures are very valuable but lack the additional information necessary to accurately reproduce a Reiki study, information which is specific to the discipline. Adding this information would increase accuracy and reproducibility.
Conclusion:
Including the information pertinent to the fourteen listed measures has the potential to increase accuracy and reproducibility in future Reiki studies.