According to "The Reiki Sourcebook" that Connie Vrenios and Rick Vrenios recommended to me as an Inspired Living member and massage therapy student, Reiki Precepts are "guidelines to aid students in their journey toward spiritual development." Though there are slightly differing translations, the book they recommend presents the Reiki Precepts as follows:
"For today only: Do not anger, Do not worry, Be humble, Be honest in your work, Be compassionate to yourself and others"
It is a common assumption among Reiki practitioners that Reiki Precepts are not casually considered. Reiki Masters are expected to exemplify the Reiki Precepts. Despite an excellent front on other counts, Rick Vrenios and Connie Vrenios have demonstrated substantial dishonesty and blatant arrogance toward me since June. They cannot possibly be Reiki Masters due to the following:
1) Rick Vrenios interrupted a class stating xxxxx xxx was having a suicidal episode. Connie Vrenios said not to worry because xxxxx xxx was a close friend and this had gone on for years. Such a betrayal of confidence represents they felt free to disclose sensitive personal information about anyone to anyone.
2) When asked several times, neither Connie Vrenios nor Rick Vrenios would specify which classes were part of The Sanctuary School or Reiki Council. It seems they also added free workshop time (included with the separate Inspired Living platinum membership) with the Reiki Council to the transcript for classes with The Sanctuary School. Even more time that cant be proven. Maybe they were also charging me for helping them clean, vacuum and move things.
3) Connie Vrenios tried to make me write in books before I could confirm those books were paid for (by what I thought was a loan), knowing The Sanctuary School would close and knowing the signed TFC contract for the full massage program would not be submitted. Considering what has transpired, if not dishonest it was at least duplicitous to provide no receipt for materials when I asked. Rick Vrenios and Connie Vrenios were dishonest for insisting I owed money for books returned in the same unused condition as given to me as well as charging me for a free student massage. I can only suppose they did that based on the fact there was no signed enrollment agreement. Though they told me the student massage was given to every student, they must have decided I could be charged months later because I had not technically been a student though there are communications by them referring to me as a student.
4) Rick Vrenios and Connie Vrenios made numerous dishonest communications in their response to the BBB complaint for The Sanctuary School and Reiki Council. One claim was that a chronic injury was resolved for me though there is concrete proof that did not occur. First, that injury had not prevented me from doing massage for 4 years as they stated. Second, if they remembered the chronic injury in question it's doubtful they would have made such an easily disproved claim. Third, no one has treated that chronic injury for a few years, including anyone from the Reiki Council or The Sanctuary School.
5) During two Reiki-ssage attunements, Connie Vrenios did not finish the attunement as she said she would. Both times when it was obvious she wasn't going to and I mentioned it aloud, Rick Vrenios took over.
6) During Reiki-ssage classes Rick Vrenios spent a good 30 minutes of class time venting his opinions and frustrations with the AMTA. Later he blamed the slow coverage of material that day on us for asking off-topic questions though we only missed about 30 minutes of material.
7) Before, during and after Reiki-ssage classes, Connie Vrenios repeatedly stated it was ok to practice Reiki-ssage without a massage license and had to be pinned down with discussion about regulations before clarifying Reiki-ssage could only be done without a license if only performed on hands and feet below a certain point on extremities. Connie Vrenios then proceed to rant about the AMTA and how massage therapy and Reiki should not be regulated at all because it keeps people who don't test well from practicing.
8) Two supposedly long-time friends of Rick Vrenios and Connie Vrenios stated worse happened has to other people but nothing was done. It wasn't elaborated on, but later in their response to the BBB complaint, Connie Vrenios and Rick Vrenios state their friends were helping them by communicating with me in an effort to prove I was trying to defame them.By definition defamation must consist of false accusations or statements. For posterity, documentation clearly supporting my statements remains available in the BBB complaint URL above and more is at the blogs below. Despite the personal humiliation, I refuse to hide from how Rick Vrenios and Connie Vrenios took advantage of me as a student:
Http://cscolvin. Blogspot.com
http://www.reikicouncil. Blogspot.com
http://thesanctuaryschool. Blogspot.com
9) Reiki-ssage was discussed by practicing massage therapists in class as if it were pointless except to obtain a Reiki-ssage certificate for clients attracted to new buzzwords or trends. It seems to be just regular massage with some stretches and pulls while applying Reiki. I never did get the hang of it and told Connie Vrenios so. That's one of the reasons she said I would be better off in the next program, even when she knew The Sanctuary School was closing and there wouldn't be a "next program". I thought I didn't get Reiki-ssage because I hadn't grasped Reiki concepts, and because I was put in an advanced class before the beginner class. I can't conscientiously practice Reiki-ssage because I know I don't have the basic massage or Reiki experience to use it with and a certificate alone can't fix that. Reiki-ssage might also be considered a ripoff by clients who would be concerned that a mere certificate allow me to practice Reiki-ssage.
According to an August 3 email from Rick Vrenios, which is present on the blogs above, Connie Vrenios and Rick Vrenios are very aware I was uncomfortable continuing without a better foundation of Reiki and massage, yet they maintain I could obtain a massage license based on their classes and a past massage course where I was trained mostly on sponge dummies. I could not disagree more and anyone who was being honest would probably feel the same if I were to work on them. I wouldn't even want to work on myself. It was no secret I lacked confidence when I came to the Reiki Council and The Sanctuary School. This ordeal with Rick Vrenios and Connie Vrenios further cemented that lack of confidence and created a new source of distrust in others and doubt in myself to recognize frauds in time to prevent being taken advantage of by them.
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