Reiki works well along with modern medicine because it seems to help people with their energy levels and to minimize side-effects of harsh treatments such as chemotherapy. It is never meant to be a substitute for modern medicine. The only clients I can ethically work with who have serious medical conditions and are not using modern medicine are those who are on hospice and are seeking comfort even though they cannot be cured.

Anyone who is worthy of their clients' trust knows that doing no harm sometimes means urging clients who are in denial to seek medical treatment. If you are interested in a lengthy rant from me regarding the unethical behaviors I have witnessed in the healing arts, please check out the blog.

The reality is, if you break a bone, you need to go to the hospital and get it set properly. Then if you want to have a little reiki to help it heal faster, do that.

If your doctor says you need surgery for stenosis in your vertebrae, you really do need surgery. If you ignore it long enough, you could end up with permanent drop-foot, paralysis, or even death, depending upon the location of the stenosis. You can get a reiki session to energetically prepare for surgery, and you can get reiki after surgery to help you heal, but reiki is never going to unclog the clogged foramen in your bone. It is simply not going to happen.

Let me be clear. I can offer reiki to people who are receiving proper medical attention or who are on hospice. I cannot ethically offer reiki to anyone who is hoping to avoid medical treatment by using reiki, even if they are also using other forms of natural medicine.

I understand that the medical world is daunting. Remember that you don't have to abdicate your authority to anyone else with any form of medicine. You can get second opinions and explore treatment options. That also means that you don't have to abdicate your authority when a charlatan tries to terrorize you into fearing a modern treatment that you need. There is a reason that it is a criminal act to claim to be able to cure a disease if one does not have a license to practice medicine. It is not a conspiracy. It is because there have always been and there will always be people selling snake oil to get rich off people who are afraid of doctors.

What is important is that you don't set up a false choice between modern medicine and natural medicine. They both have their place, and it is up to you to use them both wisely.