Bye-
Laws H
SPIRITUAL
HEALING
February 2008
ARRANGEMENT OF PARAGRAPHS
PART I. PRELIMINARY
1. General
2. Definitions
3. Healing Code of Conduct
PART II. REGISTERED HEALERS
4. Registered Healers
5. Classes of Registration
6. Qualifications for Registration
7. Registration of Healers
8. Renewal of Registration
9. Church Healers Annual Return
10. Upgrading of Trainee Healers
11. Re-Registration of Healers
12. Cessation of Registration
PART III. HEALING COMMITTEE
13. Healing Committee
PART IV. DISTRICT COUNCIL HEALING COMMITTEE
14. District Council Healing Representative and
Committee
PART V. GENERAL
15. Complaints
16. Banking and Investment of Funds
17. Interpretation
Schedule 1.
A Guide to Organising Trance Healing Demonstrations
Schedule 2.
Procedures of the Healing Committee
PART I. PRELIMINARY
1. General
The provisions of these Bye-laws apply to all spiritual healing carried
out under the auspices of the Union.
2. Definitions
(a) 'Spiritual Healing' and 'healing' mean a
form of healing by the use of forces and energies from the world of
spirit channelled through the healer by the laying on of hands on or
near the body, or prayer or the direction of thought from a distance.
(b) 'Spiritualist Healer' means a person who
practises spiritual healing.
(c) 'Trance healing' means spiritual healing
practised by a Spiritualist healer in a deep state of altered
consciousness.
(d) 'Trance healer' means a person who practises
trance healing.
(e) 'Registered Healer' means a Spiritualist
healer who is for the time being entered by the Healing Committee on the
Union's Register of Approved, Trainee and Trance Healers.
(f) 'UK Healers' means the regulatory body
known by that name, of which the Union is for the time being a member
organisation.
(g) 'Prescribed minimum training' means not less
than one hundred practical weekly training sessions completed in a
continuous period of not less than two years.
(h) 'Supervision' means the monitoring of a
healer by at least one Registered Approved Healer who is not at the same
time administering healing himself.
3. Healing Code of Conduct
(1) The National Executive Committee shall
publish from time to time the Healing Code of Conduct governing the
practice of spiritual healing within the Union.
(2) All Registered Healers shall practise
spiritual healing in accordance with the philosophy and teachings of the
Union and its Healing Code of Conduct.
PART II. REGISTERED HEALERS
4. Registered Healers
(1) No member of a Church or Kindred Body
Healing Group and no Class B member shall be permitted to practise
healing under the auspices of the Union or of any of its affiliated
bodies unless he is a Registered Approved Healer or a Registered Trainee
Healer working under the personal supervision of a Registered Approved
Healer.
(2) No member of a Church or Kindred Body
Healing Group and no Class B member shall be permitted to practise
trance healing under the auspices of the Union or of any of its
affiliated bodies unless he is a Registered Trance Healer.
5. Classes of Registration
Registration shall be in three categories:-
(a) Registered Approved Healer;
(b) Registered Trainee Healer; and
(c) Registered Trance Healer.
6. Qualifications for Registration
(1) (a) Registration as
an Approved Healer shall be open only to a person who is not a legal
minor and is:-
(i) a fully paid-up Class B member who
holds the Union's Diploma or Certificate of Recognition in Spiritual
Healing; or
(ii) a fully paid-up Class B member who does not
fall within sub-paragraph (a) above; or
(iii) a full member of an affiliated body who is a
member of its Healing Group.
(b) Except as provided in (c) to (f) below, no
person shall be registered as an Approved Healer unless he has, within a
period of five years from the date of his registration as a Trainee
Healer:-
(i) satisfactorily completed the
prescribed minimum training; and
(ii) passed H1 of the Union's education courses;
and
(iii) if resident in the United Kingdom, passed a
practical assessment conducted by an Assessment Board appointed by the
District Council Healing Committee; or
(iv) if resident outside the United Kingdom, satisfied
the Healing Committee of his fitness to be a Registered Approved Healer.
(c) The provisions of (i) and (ii) above shall
not apply to persons who were Approved Healers of the Healing Group of
an affiliated body prior to 1st April 1992 and have been such
continuously since. The provisions of (iii) above shall not apply
to persons who were Approved Healers of the Healing Group of an
affiliated body prior to 1st April 1994 and have been such continuously
since.
(d) A six months' extension of the time-limit
for registration as an Approved Healer shall be allowed to a Trainee
Healer whose first application for upgrading to Approved Healer has been
refused.
(e) The provisions of (b) above shall not apply
to a Trainee Healer who, at 1st February 2004, had been registered as
such for a period of more than five years. Such healer shall not
be registered as an Approved Healer unless he has, by 1st August 2005,
complied with the requirements of (i) to (iv) of (b) above.
(f) An extension of the time-limit for
registration as an Approved Healer may be granted by the Healing
Committee upon the written submission of extenuating circumstances
before the expiry of the time-limit.
(2) Registration as a Trainee Healer shall be
open only to a person who is not a legal minor and is:-
(a) a fully paid-up full or provisional Class B
member who has been accepted by the Healing Committee as a Trainee
Healer; and
(b) a full or associate member of an affiliated
body who has been appointed by its Committee as a Trainee Healer of the
Healing Group.
(3) Registration as a Trance Healer shall be
open only to a Registered Approved Healer who has been such for not less
than three years immediately prior to the date of application for
registration as a Trance Healer.
7. Registration of Healers
(1) Except as provided under paragraph 11 of
these Bye-laws, application for the registration of a Trainee Healer
shall be submitted by him on the prescribed form, sponsored as follows:-
(a) for a member of the Healing Group of an
affiliated body, by its Healing Group Leader and Secretary;
(b) in other cases:-
(i) for a resident in the United Kingdom,
by two Registered Approved Healers declaring a personal knowledge of the
applicant, one of whom shall accept responsibility for the supervision
of the training of the applicant;
(ii) for a resident outside the United Kingdom,
by two persons acceptable to the Healing Committee.
(2) Except as provided under paragraph 11 of
these Bye-laws, application for the registration of a Trance Healer
shall be submitted by him on the prescribed form, sponsored as follows:-
(a) for a member of the Healing Group of an
affiliated body, by its Healing Group Leader and Secretary;
(b) in other cases:-
(i) for a resident in the United Kingdom,
by two Registered Approved Healers declaring a personal knowledge of the
applicant;
(ii) for a resident outside the United Kingdom,
by two persons acceptable to the Healing Committee.
(3) All applications for registration shall be
accompanied by the prescribed fee.
(4) The Healing Committee may accept, defer or
refuse applications at its discretion and without being required to
state its reasons.
8. Renewal of Registration
(1) An annual registration renewal fee shall be
paid by every Registered Healer. The fees in respect of Registered
Healers who are members of the Healing Group of an affiliated body may
accompany the Healers Annual Return.
(2) Except as provided in sub-paragraph (1)
above, renewal of registration shall be submitted on the prescribed
form, accompanied by the prescribed fee.
(3) Except as provided under sub-paragraph 11(4)
of these Bye-laws, the annual registration renewal fee shall be due on
the anniversary of initial registration.
(4) The Healing Committee may accept, defer or
refuse renewals at its discretion and without being required to state
its reasons.
9. Church Healers Annual Return
(1) A Healers Annual Return shall be submitted
on the prescribed form to the Healing Committee by every affiliated body
having a Healing Group. Such form shall list all members of the Healing
Group and such other information as may be required.
(2) The Healers Annual Return form shall be
signed by the Healing Group Leader and the Secretary.
10. Upgrading of Trainee Healers
(1) An application for the upgrading of a
Registered Trainee Healer to Registered Approved Healer shall be made on
the prescribed form by the healer himself.
(2) The prescribed form shall be signed as
follows:-
(a) for a member of the Healing Group of an
affiliated body, by the Healing Group Leader and one other Registered
Approved Healer of the Healing Group, declaring a personal knowledge of
the applicant such that they can vouch for his ability as a Spiritualist
healer;
(b) in other cases:-
(i) for a resident in the United Kingdom,
by two Registered Approved Healers declaring a personal knowledge of the
applicant such that they can vouch for his ability as a Spiritualist
healer;
(ii) for a resident outside the United Kingdom,
by two persons acceptable to the Healing Committee.
(3) All applications shall be accompanied by the
prescribed fee.
(4) The Healing Committee may accept, defer or
refuse applications at its discretion and without being required to
state its reasons.
11. Re-Registration of Healers
(1) A Registered Healer who ceases to be such
otherwise than through misconduct shall be eligible for re-registration
either as a member of the Healing Group of an affiliated body or as a
full or provisional Class B member.
(2) Except as provided in sub-paragraph (3)
below:-
(a) A former Registered Healer who is submitted
for re-registration within twelve months of the date of cessation of the
previous registration shall not be required to undergo additional
training or practical assessment.
(b) A former Registered Healer who is submitted
for re-registration after twelve months but within three years of the
date of cessation of the previous registration shall be required to work
under the supervision of a Registered Approved Healer for a period to be
prescribed by the Healing Committee, such period to be not less than
three months.
(c) A former Registered Healer who is submitted
for re-registration after three years from the date of cessation of the
previous registration shall be required to have satisfactorily completed
the prescribed minimum training and pass a practical assessment.
(d) A former Registered Healer resident outside
the United Kingdom who is submitted for re-registration after twelve
months from the date of cessation of the previous registration shall be
re-registered on terms acceptable to the Healing Committee.
(3) A former Registered Trance Healer who is
submitted for re-registration shall be re-registered on terms acceptable
to the Healing Committee.
(4) All applications for re-registration shall
be made on the prescribed form and accompanied by the prescribed fee.
(5) The annual registration fee of a Registered
Healer re-registered under the provisions of this paragraph shall be due
on the anniversary of the initial re-registration or of any subsequent
upgrading, as appropriate.
(6) The Healing Committee may accept, defer or
refuse applications for re-registration at its discretion and without
being required to state its reasons.
12. Cessation of Registration
(1) Registration or re-registration shall be
terminated in any of the following events, namely:-
(a) death;
(b) receipt by the Healing Committee of written
resignation;
(c) non-payment of registration fees within
three months of the date of renewal indicated in sub-paragraph 8(3) or
11(5) of these Bye-laws, as appropriate;
(d) loss of any of the qualifications which
enabled registration;
(e) rejection of the application of a Registered
Trainee Healer for full Class B membership;
(f) failure to be upgraded to Approved Healer
within the time-limit prescribed by (b) to (f) of paragraph 6 above;
(g) a resolution of the Healing Committee,
National Executive Committee or the Arbitration Committee pursuant to
paragraph 15 of these Bye-laws.
(2) The cessation of registration from any cause
shall not affect the right of the Healing Committee to enforce payment
of debts and the fulfilment of other obligations incurred before the
date of such cessation.
PART III. HEALING COMMITTEE
13. Healing Committee
There shall be a Healing Committee appointed annually under Bye-laws A
to carry out the duties and functions assigned to it, subject to any
directions given from time to time by the National Executive Committee.
The procedures of the Healing Committee shall be as provided in Schedule
2 of these Bye-laws.
PART IV. DISTRICT COUNCIL HEALING COMMITTEE
14. District Council Healing Representative and
Committee
(1) District Council Healing Representative
Each District Council shall have a Healing Representative elected
annually under Bye-laws B, who shall be the Chairman of the District
Council Healing Committee.
(2) District Council Healing Committee
Each District Council shall have a Healing Committee appointed annually
under Bye-laws B to carry out the duties and functions assigned to it
under the Bye-laws, subject to any directions given from time to time by
the District Council Executive Committee.
(3) Notification to District Councils
The Healing Committee shall send to each District Council Healing
Committee each quarter a list of Registered Healers within its district.
PART V. GENERAL
15. Complaints
Any complaint relating to healing shall be dealt with in accordance with
Bye-laws F. Pending the outcome the registration of any healer who
is the subject of the complaint may be suspended by resolution of the
Healing Committee and for the period of suspension such healer shall not
be permitted to practise healing under the auspices of the Union or any
of its affiliated bodies.
16. Banking and Investment of Funds
(1) The Healing Committee shall have a current
bank account designated 'SNU Healing Account', in which all funds
received shall be banked. The name of the bank shall be notified
to the Union.
(2) Funds not likely to be required at short
notice shall be banked as directed by the National Executive Committee.
17. Interpretation
In these Bye-laws:-
(1) The term 'restricted body' means any
religious organisation within the United Kingdom which:-
(a) incorporates within its title, principles or
statement of beliefs any reference to the principles, beliefs, religious
leader, symbols, trappings or practices of any other religion or
religious denomination; or
(b) introduces, includes, utilises or otherwise
promulgates any symbols, trappings or practices of any other religion or
religious denomination; or
(c) permits a body which falls within (a) or (b)
above to be accepted into affiliation with, or membership of, such
organisation.
(2) The term 'member' in relation to a
restricted body shall include a person who regularly attends its
services for the purpose of pursuing its beliefs.
(3) The term 'Class A Member' means a Church
delegate, being an accredited representative of a Church.
(4) The term 'Class B Member' means a
subscribing member, being an individual Spiritualist. Except where
the context indicates otherwise the term shall refer to a person
accepted into full membership.
(5) The term 'Class C Member' means a Kindred
Body delegate, being an accredited representative of a Kindred Body.
SCHEDULE 1
A Guide to Organising Trance Healing Demonstrations
The following is intended as a guide for affiliated Churches and
Associated SNU Healing Centres which wish to hold demonstrations of
trance healing.
It should be noted that it is not permitted to hold such demonstrations
at regular intervals and that they should be isolated events.
Attendance should be by previously purchased, or issued, tickets only.
Trance healing is not recognised by law, nor can such healing or the
medium working in this way be covered by the SNU Public Liability
insurance. However, trance healing is, and has been, recognised as
an integral part of Spiritualism and spiritual healing for many years.
It is recognised by the SNU that some mediums work in a state of altered
consciousness referred to as ‘trance’, these mediums are registered with
the SNU Healing Committee but this is purely for record purposes and is
not a sign of recognition or recommendation.
WHAT IS TRANCE?
Trance is a form of altered consciousness; however, it is accepted that
many levels of trance exist. In light trance, or overshadowing,
the medium is fully aware of what he is doing and what is said and done
and he can easily influence the things that happen. It can take
only seconds for the medium to slip into this state of light trance and
it could be said that this is the most common form of mediumship.
In semi-trance the medium is aware of what is going on and what is said
and done. However, the medium experiences a feeling of
daydreaming, as though he is viewing what is happening through a haze, a
feeling of detachment. In this semi-trance the medium is easily
able to influence what takes place and is able to return to a normal
state of consciousness easily and quickly.
When most people refer to trance, they usually mean a deep trance state
where the medium is totally unaware of what is happening, being said or
done. During this time the medium experiences a state described as
being ‘sleeplike’. He is unable to influence any part of the
proceedings and, therefore, the spirit working through him has total
control of the movements his body makes and the words that are spoken.
This is a special state or partnership between the medium and the spirit
working with him where a strong bond of mutual trust and respect has
developed, usually over many years.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW IN RESPECT OF PUBLIC DEMONSTRATIONS OF TRANCE
HEALING?
- Mediums who are
not registered with the SNU Healing Committee or other organisation
recognised by the SNU are not permitted to give demonstrations of trance
healing within an affiliated Church or Associated SNU Healing Centre.
- Trance healing
is not recognised by law, nor is it covered by the SNU Public Liability
Insurance; therefore, in respect of public trance healing
demonstrations, the organising body must carry total responsibility for
that event. This means that the Church Committee, and ultimately
the Church President, are totally responsible for all that takes place
and there is no responsibility on the part of the Spiritualists’
National Union.
- The organising
body, in this case the Church Committee and ultimately the Church
President, are responsible for the safety of the public attending the
event.
Trance healing demonstrations involve huge responsibilities and should
not be undertaken lightly.
How can I minimise the risks involved?
Prior to booking:
- Obtain a
recommendation from a respected source as to a suitable trance healer.
- Consult the SNU
Healing Committee for advice and guidance as to the suitability of the
person you have in mind.
- Obtain a copy of
the medium’s current Certificate of Public Liability Insurance, if he
has private insurance cover.
If there is no Public Liability Insurance cover then the responsibility
for all that takes place falls on the organising body.
If you still want to go ahead:
- Ask the trance
healer to produce a valid certificate of membership of a recognised
healing organisation or body.
- Demonstrations
of Trance healing must be by prior appointment; therefore, it is
necessary to produce and sell or distribute tickets well in advance of
the event.
- Only those with
tickets are to be allowed into the trance healing demonstration.
- It is
recommended that tickets carry a disclaimer on the back. This
disclaimer should state that the person purchasing or using the ticket
has been warned in advance that he is to attend a demonstration of
trance healing.
- It is also
recommended that it be made clear that the ticket-holder may not be able
to participate in the healing demonstration and that there is no
guarantee that he will receive healing.
- It is essential
that it be clearly displayed that all forms of mediumship are
experiments and that should a person be asked to take part in the
demonstration of trance healing there is no guarantee of a cure.
At the event:
- Ensure that only
ticket holders who obtained tickets prior to the event are allowed
entry.
- Ensure that
Committee members are stewarding the event.
- Ensure that
there is First Aid equipment available and, if possible, someone with a
qualification in First Aid.
- Ensure that all
necessary health and safety precautions have been taken and emergency
exits are kept clear.
Prior to the Demonstration:
- Give a short
explanation of what could take place during the demonstration, stating
that all demonstrations of trance healing are experiments and that there
can be no guarantee that healing will take place.
- Make any other
announcement the trance healer requests you to make.
- Announce that
this is the appropriate moment for anyone to leave, if he wishes, as it
will not be possible to leave during the demonstration.
SCHEDULE 2
PROCEDURES OF THE HEALING COMMITTEE
1. Meetings of the Healing Committee
(1) The Healing Committee (the Committee) shall
meet not less than three times in each year on such dates as may be
decided by the Chairman. Not less than fourteen days' written
notice shall be given of the time, date and place of each meeting.
(2) The Chairman and the Secretary of the
Committee may at any time summon a meeting of the Committee.
2. Procedures
(1) The Chairman shall be responsible to the
National Executive Committee for the supervision of the work of the
Committee and for the despatch of business between meetings of the
Committee and shall make such decisions in an emergency in co-operation
with the Officers of the Union as he deems necessary subject to report
at the following meeting.
(2) The Committee may exercise its functions
either by majority decisions of meetings of which all members have been
notified and at which a quorum is present, or by agreement in
correspondence of all the members of the Committee. For this
purpose any proposal may be submitted to the Committee in correspondence
by the Secretary and if no reply is received within fourteen days from
any member dissenting from the proposal it may be assumed that that
member has assented.
(3) The quorum for a meeting of the Committee
shall be the smallest number constituting a majority of its members.
(4) The Committee may act notwithstanding any
vacancy or vacancies in its membership, provided that a quorum is
obtainable.
(5) The Secretary shall cause minutes of the
proceedings of the Committee, whether transacted at meetings or
intermediately, to be produced and a copy submitted to the General
Secretary of the Union for consideration by the National Executive
Committee. The Secretary shall conduct correspondence on behalf of
the Committee, cause registers to be kept in regard to Spiritualist
healers and undertake such other duties as may be allocated to him.
(6) It shall be the duty of the Secretary on
behalf of the Committee to submit periodical reports to the General
Secretary of the Union as follows:-
(a) not later than 30th April in each year a
report on the work of the Committee for inclusion in the Annual Report
of the Union for the preceding year;
(b) not later than three weeks prior to the
Annual General Meeting of the Union an interim report on the work of the
Committee for the current year;
(c) such other reports as may be called for by
the National Executive Committee from time to time.
3. Conflict of Interest
In the conduct of his office it is the duty of each member of the
Committee to consider the interests of the Union as a whole and not the
special interests of any other body of which he may also be a member.
4. Cessation of Membership of the Committee
The position of a member of the Committee other than the Chairman shall
be vacated:-
(a) if for any reason he loses the qualification
which entitled him to be appointed; or
(b) if by notice in writing to the Committee he
resigns; or
(c) if he becomes of unsound mind; or
(d) if the position is declared vacant in
pursuance of Bye-laws F; or
(e) by resolution of the National Executive
Committee.