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We\u2019re in a nip-it-in-the-bud moment. It\u2019s time to protect New Jersey Reiki! Your help is needed whether or not you live in NJ.<\/p>\n
The NJ legislator from Middlesex proposed establishing a \u201cNatural Health and Vitality Task Force<\/a>.\u201d The purpose of the task force \u201cshall be to develop wellness programs and public policy.\u201d<\/p>\n Can you imagine how many ways can this could go sideways?<\/p>\n The NJ task force will be made of \u201cNaturopathic practitioners, chiropractors, psychologists, or nutritionists who have been appointed to the task force shall have actively engaged in their respective practice for at least five years.\u201d<\/p>\n Five years hardly seems like enough experience to support impacting public policy. And notice there are no Reiki professionals included. Yet Reiki masters are singled out later in the bill. By the way, we\u2019re the only spiritually-based practitioners listed.<\/p>\n That\u2019s not necessarily something we can know. There\u2019s widespread ignorance and misinformation<\/a> about Reiki practice, and to be frank, some depictions of the practice are a little concerning.<\/p>\n I suspected the Massachusetts Attorney General was making a political move when she pushed for the fifth attempt to license Reiki and other integrative practices in her state in 2022. Guess what? She\u2019s now the governor.<\/p>\n Some years back, an attempt to regulate Reiki practice in Maryland was started by an alliance of chiropractors and acupuncturists. Fortunately I got wind of it early on and collaborated with others to mobilize our diverse Reiki community. The bill was withdrawn the next day.<\/p>\n The Maryland attempt is an example of the regulatory danger Reiki practice is in when you identify Reiki as energy medicine rather than spiritual practice<\/a>. The government doesn\u2019t regulate spiritual practices. Remember the separation of church and state? Reiki isn\u2019t technically a church, but as people increasingly identify as \u201cspiritual, not religious,\u201d <\/span>we could argue for expanding the definition of church.<\/span><\/p>\n Other attempts are being made by people who purport to be Reiki practitioners.<\/p>\n The issue is really a regulatory boundary. Licensing is to protect the public from harm, but given that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) asserts \u201c<\/span>Reiki hasn\u2019t been shown to have any harmful effects<\/a>,\u201d it would seem licensing is unwarranted. (Learn more about licensing, such as how it differs from certification, in this article<\/a>. Please note the MA threat has been neutralized, at least for the moment.)<\/span><\/p>\n We want to be the ones deciding what Reiki practice is and is not. You can\u2019t expect your elected official so be knowledgeable in this area, so you need to respectfully bring them up to speed. The time to protect New Jersey Reiki is now.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re unfamiliar with how state regulation works, the call to protect New Jersey Reiki now might seem a tad hysterical. Please keep reading.<\/p>\n While \u201cpublic policy\u201d might seem like a benign phrase, this is no time to be complacent. Developing public policy is an action step. Public policy slides into regulation in the legislative equivalent of a bat of an eye.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re a NJ resident and you don\u2019t want the state to tell you how you can and cannot practice Reiki, please keep reading and take action, if not immediately, then at least this week. That\u2019s the most important action you can take to protect New Jersey Reiki.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re not a NJ resident, please share this post with any NJ resident you know, especially if your friend is interested in integrative\u00a0 practices. The faster we mobilize, the more likely we are to avoid Reiki regulation.<\/p>\n If you live in New Jersey, please look at your calendar and set aside a time \u2014 preferably this week \u2014 to follow the suggestions below, customizing your communication as reflects your perspective.<\/p>\n For a while now, I\u2019ve been collaborating with Susan Mitchell, Rita Glassman and other Reiki masters to maintain your freedom to practice Reiki as you choose, not as your state government says you have to. You can read my prior articles here<\/a>.<\/p>\n With Rita\u2019s permission, I\u2019m sharing below a lightly edited information piece she wrote for you to work from. You can also download the original to print<\/a>.<\/p>\n NJ Assembly bill 2451 establishes a Natural Health and Vitality Task Force to Develop Recommendations for Legislative Action Regarding the Education, Qualifications, Training, and Licensing of Reiki Practitioners. Please protect New Jersey Reiki by opposing this bill.<\/strong><\/p>\n The bill was introduced in February 2022 and is currently in the Assembly Health Committee and remains very much alive.\u00a0 This legislative session extends through December 2023. That\u2019s why the time to protect New Jersey Reiki is now.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re a New Jersey resident, please contact members of the Health Committee to voice your objection to this bill, even if they\u2019re not your elected official.\u00a0 Here\u2019s the web page listing its members with their contact information<\/a> (or copy\/paste this link https:\/\/www.njleg.state.nj.us\/committees\/assembly-committees).<\/p>\n First, identify the people you want to contact using the following links: (Month) (Day) (Year)<\/p>\n The Honorable (First name) (Last name)<\/p>\n Room ( Room #)<\/p>\n Street<\/p>\n City, State\u00a0 Zip<\/p>\n RE:\u00a0 Opposition to Assembly Bill 2461<\/strong><\/p>\n Dear (Legislator\/Senator) (Last name):<\/p>\n My name is (your first and last name) and I am a (type of practitioner) who resides in your district (or a resident of New Jersey).<\/p>\n (State why you oppose the bill or other issue here.<\/strong> Choose up to three of the strongest points that support your position and state them clearly.) (Example: I want to voice my strong opposition to Assembly Bill 2461<\/strong> as it affects over 100 different types of Reiki practice that will not be fairly represented with the proposed Health and Vitality Task Force.\u00a0 There is no risk of harm to the public from Reiki practice, and it would be impossible for the Task Force to establish recommendations for education, qualifications and trainings, as Reiki is a spiritual practice and the only thing the 100 or more styles may have in common is the name Reiki.<\/p>\n (Include a personal story<\/strong>. Tell your representative why the issue is important to you and how it affects you, your family member and your community.)<\/p>\n Please vote no on Assembly Bill 2461.\u00a0 I would greatly appreciate a response.\u00a0 Thank you for your time and consideration of this issue. Be sure to include your name and address on both your letter and envelope.)<\/p>\n Sincerely,<\/p>\n SIGN YOUR NAME<\/p>\n Print your name<\/p>\n Street address<\/p>\n City, State, Zip code<\/p>\n While you might have strong feelings about the need to protect New Jersey Reiki, expressing strong feelings can be off-putting to the people you want to understand your concerns. Once you\u2019re branded \u201cemotional,\u201d people stop listening, even those whose job it is to listen.<\/p>\n So the best place to start to protect New Jersey Reiki is to take a moment to compose yourself with self Reiki practice.<\/p>\n Use the proper salutation, for example:<\/p>\n The Honorable (first name) (last name) Dear (Assembly Member \/ Senator) (last name)<\/p>\n NOTE: The same guidelines apply to email as to written letters.<\/strong><\/p>\n Organize your thoughts and points to be made before calling, which will help keep your call brief and on point. Once you call, you will likely speak to staff who are trained to receive your message. BE SURE TO:<\/p>\n We\u2019re in a nip-it-in-the-bud moment. It\u2019s time to protect New Jersey Reiki! Your help is needed whether or not you live in NJ. The NJ legislator from Middlesex proposed establishing a \u201cNatural Health and Vitality Task Force.\u201d The purpose of the task force \u201cshall be to develop wellness programs and public policy.\u201d Can you imagine […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":361993,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11764],"tags":[549,9441,1409,15500],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-7027770","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alternative-medicine","tag-jersey","tag-practice","tag-protect","tag-reiki"],"yoast_head":"\nWhere\u2019s this coming from?<\/h2>\n
Developing public policy is a move toward regulation<\/h2>\n
Protect New Jersey Reiki<\/h2>\n
READ HIGHLIGHTS OF NEW JERSEY ASSEMBLY BILL 2461
<\/strong><\/h2>\nPlease oppose NJ Assembly Bill 2461 because:<\/h3>\n
\n
*\u00a0 The improper definition of the scope of practice per each style of Reiki
*\u00a0 Lack of understanding of the differences in application for the scope of practice for different styles of Reiki when similar to another\u2019s scope (such as Asian v Western)<\/li>\nHERE IS A SAMPLE LETTER TO USE WHEN WRITING TO YOUR LEGISLATOR AND <\/strong>NEW JERSEY HEALTH COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO PROTECT REIKI<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
Find your <\/span>NJ Elected Official here.<\/a>
Find the <\/span>Health Committee members here<\/a>.
<\/span>If you prefer to speak to someone, you can phone the Clerk\u2019s Office at 609-847-3115.<\/span><\/p>\nTIPS FOR COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR LEGISLATOR TO PROTECT NEW JERSEY REIKI<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Writing a letter to a legislator<\/h3>\n
Address
City, State, Zip code<\/p>\n\n
Emailing your legislator<\/h3>\n
\n
Calling your legislator by phone<\/h3>\n
\n
Please take action to oppose NJ Assembly Bill 2461 NOW<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"