The Online Publication of the Reiki University

Urgent - Deregulate Florida Reiki NOW!!!
by Ellen Louise Kahne, Reiki Master

       A meeting of the Florida Massage Board will be held on July 27-28, 2000 in Orlando, Florida. Now is the time to act, to protect Reiki spiritual laying on of hands healing from monopolistic regulations which do not conform to the definition of massage under Florida State law and are in violation of the first amendment guarantees of the U.S. Constitution.

    There must be a massive letter writing/petitioning campaign from the entire Reiki community to the Florida Massage Board urging them to reverse their decision to require massage licensing for all Reiki practitioners and Masters in Florida. 

    All Floridians who value their Reiki practices, those who have received healing through the hands of Reiki practitioners, clergy and healers of faith, along with massage therapists and health professionals who disagree with the mandatory licensing and monopolistic trade policies of the Florida massage lobby regarding spiritual laying on of hands healing must come together at the July 27-28, Massage Board meeting in Orlando.

    If you value your Reiki practice, your right to teach and to heal, if you have received and valued Reiki and other forms of spiritual laying on of hands healing, you must write to keep Reiki and all spiritual laying on of hands healing free of regulation and monopolistic trade practices everywhere.

    Numbers count. The more letters the Florida Massage Board receives, the greater the impact. There are board members who are leaning toward deregulation NOW. Let's support them massively.

    Please write your strongly worded objections (including the points detailed in the letter below) to the following and send copies of your letters to the Governor of Florida, Jeb Bush, and to Florida State legislators:

Department of Health
Medical Quality Assurance
BIN C #06
Board of Massage Therapy
4052 Bald Cypress Way
Tallahassee, FL 32399

Attention: Florida Massage Board Members

Dear Florida Massage Board Members,

    I am given to understand that, the Florida Massage Board requires that all Reiki practitioners and Masters must hold a massage license to practice Reiki in the state of Florida. Under these circumstances, the practice of Reiki without a massage license is considered illegal and (unlicensed practitioners/Masters) may be subject to both civil and criminal penalties as well as professional disciplinary committee actions and recommendations. 

    The definition of massage under Florida State law does not pertain to or include Reiki or any spiritual laying on of hands healing. The definition clearly states that massage is "...manipulation of the superficial tissues of the human body..." Reiki does not manipulate tissues. Hands are placed lightly (with no pressure or manipulation) on the head and over clothing, or Reiki is done in the aura (energetic field) above the body or as distant healing, massage is not. Hand positions are maintained in place for 5 to 15 minutes, hands do not slide or manipulate, they are stationary. Reiki healing is spiritual in nature it does no harm. Reiki is not massage, which uses oils, physical tissue manipulation and pressure and is practiced as unclothed body work. Many Reiki practitioners refuse massage training as a matter of personal conscience, as we are spiritual healers and object to being forced to obtain training or to practice unclothed body work. 

    Reiki is a spiritual practice and a spiritual discipline available to people of all faiths. Spiritual healing is exempted from regulation by the first amendment of the United States Constitution.

    Ministers, priests, nuns, and lay religious healers must not be subjected to disciplinary action and arrest for practicing spiritual laying on of hands healing. The specter of dragging off our clergy to jail for doing laying on of hands healing at the behest of the Florida Massage Board is unacceptable and reprehensible to all people of faith, to all healers, to all recipients of healing, to all citizens of the state of Florida and elsewhere, whether they are licensed medical professionals or not.

    The New York Massage Board faced a similar situation and they reversed their untenable position and stated that Reiki was not massage and did not fit the definition or classification of massage as specified in New York State law on February 23, 1999. Reiki spiritual laying on of hands healing is practiced free of regulation and licensing requirements in most U.S. states and localities. The international Reiki community has joined together and committed to see to it that Reiki remains free to all people everywhere who wish to receive, practice and/or teach spiritual laying on of hands healing may do so, as an article of faith and healing.

    Reiki has been defined as massage by the Florida Board arbitrarily and at the behest of individuals and a small pressure group (several years ago) which wanted an exclusive monopoly in distributing continuing education credits (CEs) for teaching Reiki. This exclusivity and requirement for massage licensing regarding Reiki was granted to providers who are licensed massage therapists only by the Florida Board. This constitutes a monopoly in restraint of trade.

    In light of the above, I ask you to reconsider the position of your Florida Massage Board and to reverse any requirement for massage or other professional licensing for Reiki in the state of Florida.

Sincerely,

Ellen Louise Kahne, founder and President
Reiki Peace Network and Reiki University
P.O. Box 754217
Forest Hills, New York 11375

http://www.ReikiPeaceNetwork
HealNet@aol.com

Copyright Ellen Louise Kahne
The author grants permission for distribution and use of this letter and accompanying article for the benefit of the International Reiki community (and for all in need of spiritual healing everywhere in its entirety). Please distribute (this article) as widely as possible.

 

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