U.S. Catholic Bishops Declare Reiki as Unsuitable Treatment

On March 25, 2009, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops drafted a document addressing the "alternative health" practice known as Reiki.

Reiki is an ancient Japanese treatment for stress reduction and healing using life force energy through the process of laying on hands. Used alone and with other treatments, Reiki has been revered as a positive and effective treatment by natural and alternative health professionals throughout the United States.

Reiki's techniques are unique from other forms of alternative treatment because the process is primarily spiritually based. A Reiki class involves more than a chalkboard, series of notes, and a final exam. Reiki is not taught in a traditional sense. A student will be transferred access to a limitless supply of life force energy by the Reiki Master, so that the life force energy can help others improve their lives mentally, physically and spiritually. Although Reiki is primarily spiritually based, it is not a self-imposed religion. There are no firm sets of beliefs or dogma that must be believed for one to practice or receive Reiki treatment.

Over one million adults in the United States of America receive Reiki treatments alone or in addition to other treatments each year. Organizations like Reiki in Hospitals offer instruction in Reiki to hospitals in the United States. At present time, there are over fifty hospitals listed as participating Reiki practitioners of Reiki in Hospitals.

In Guidelines for Evaluating Reiki as an Alternative Therapy, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops [USCCB], Committee on Doctrine established that Reiki's use of life force energy was a direct contradiction to a previous document released in September 2000 from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, titled Instructions on Prayers for Healing, which states:

"Obviously, recourse to prayer does not exclude, but rather encourages the use of effective natural means for preserving and restoring health, as well as leading the Church's sons and daughters to care for the sick, to assist them in body and spirit, and to seek to cure disease."

The USCCB's interpretation of this section from Instructions of Prayers for Healing concludes that Reiki conflicts with allowing healing by natural and medical treatments and, instead, encourages a substitution of Reiki's version of "prayer", the transfer of life force energy, as a means for healing. By concluding that Reiki's use of life force energy to promote healing forbids additional treatments, Reiki is found to be in conflict with Roman Catholic documents instructing on the proper use of spiritual care in healing.

The Guidelines for Evaluating Reiki as an Alternative Therapy also identify that Reiki's use of life force energy is viewed as heretical to the Christian belief that God fosters healing. The transfer of any life force energy would not be at an individual human's disposal or command in Christian dogma. Divine healing is regarded as a selective and special event which cannot be pre-determined and can only be requested through prayer.

The final issue that the Guidelines for Evaluating Reiki as an Alternative Therapy raises an analysis Reiki's credibility as a scientific practice. Since Reiki is self-identified as a primarily spiritual practice, there is no scientific evidence to lend credibility to Reiki as a scientific Alternative Therapy. The USCCB concludes that Reiki is scientifically unsound.

The conclusions of the United Stated Conference of Catholic Bishops, Committee on Doctrine restrict Catholic health care facilities and retreat centers, and Catholic chaplains to administer or condone the use of Reiki treatment on any person.

Sources:
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Committee on Doctrine: Guidelines for Evaluating Reiki as an Alternative Therapy;
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith: Instructions on Prayers for Healing;
Reiki.org;
Reiki In Hospitals