by Rev. Arla M. Ruggles
Reiki Master/Sensei
Copyright 1997

We've heard much about Reiki entitlement, recently. Probably the most visible situation on this venue was Phyllis Furomoto's announcement of her intention to seek a trademark on our familiar "Usui Reiki".

• Does anyone have the right to decide who may teach Reiki, and who may not?
• Does anyone have the right to say how anyone else teaches Reiki?
• Who has the authority to determine another person's qualifications?

The answer to the esoteric question is, of course, that no human is entitled to sovereignty over the universal life force.

• Certification:
  Most Reiki certificates are not recognized as legal documents. For the most part, a certificate is nothing more than a formalized statement issued by a Reiki Master, indicating that the recipient has received Reiki training, and/or empowerment(s). The exceptions are those certificates that are issued by government accredited agencies, or organizations which have trademark authority on a specifically named type of practice (eg. Alchemia Reiki).

• Trademark:
  Trademark is a form of ownership which applies to the formal names of products, goods, and services, including company names. Karuna Reiki is one example of a trademarked form of Reiki. Trademarks are intended to protect the name and reputation of goods, products, and services. For instance, it might be deemed harmful to the success of a product if an inferior product is marketed using the name of another product.

• Patent:
  Protects technology, inventions, and processes. To date, no one has attempted to patent any Reiki attunement process. Since it is impossible to explain exactly how the process works, it is highly unlikely that this will ever be done.
  

• Copyright:
  Pertains to ownership of literary works in the form of spoken or written words, music, and various art forms. Copyright does not protect information, ideas, or knowledge; only to the specific way in which ideas are expressed. Ideas, concepts, and processes are not covered by copyright law. These are under the auspices of trademark, or patent.