reiki a state of being
TRANSCRIPT
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President’s Message:
Reiki – a state of being
First of all I wish you a wonderful year 2017, full of
new discoveries and learnings! May health and
happiness be the cornerstones of your life for the
year ahead.
With all the unrest
going on in the
world I find that
providing Jikiden
Reiki treatments is
very helpful. 20
years ago as a
beginner I struggled
with finding the
right mental place to
practice when I
offered Reiki. My intent was definitely to help other
people to get better. I thought that I had to actually
do something in order to make it happen. Now I am
at the point where I enjoy immensely the state of
being I enter when offering to be a channel for this
divine healing energy. I had to learn that the more I
can let go of my ego the better the healing takes
place, no matter on which level.
Our great teacher, Mr. Tadao Yamaguchi always points
out: “Put your hands on the client and let the energy
flow. Then relax (body and mind).” Sometimes he
points out that Westerners tend to think too much.
From my point of view right now I try to stay out of
the process while being a channel. Of course I am still
aware of the
feedback from the
client’s body,
checking in once in a
while. Other than
that it’s the most
relaxing and blissful
state of being I
experience for
myself. I feel that
this helps the
healing process of the client as well, who picks up on
this easily.
I am very grateful to be part of this wonderful healing
system. And I love what I do from the bottom of my
heart. Aren’t we lucky to have such a wonderful ‘job’?
With love from Nova Scotia
Gabrielle Gietzen, Dai Shihan Chair JRAC
Halifax, NS
Newsletter #10 of the Jikiden Reiki Association of Canada
Spring 2017
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The Second Jikiden Reiki World Congress was completed with success!!
More than 220 people from 25 countries attended this grand Reiki event.
We were able to meet old friends, we also made new friends.
The Jikiden Reiki family is growing steadily worldwide.
See you at the next Congress!!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Posted on the website of the Jikiden Reiki kenkyukai (Kyoto) http://www.jikiden-reiki.com
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Financial Assistance Grants from JRAC
Part of the mandate of the Jikiden Reiki Association of
Canada (JRAC) is the promotion and development of
Jikiden Reiki in Canada. To support this mandate, the
Association has established two grant programs.
In 2015 a grant was established in the amount of
$1,200 to assist in the promotion of Jikiden Reiki.
The amount is allocated at $100 per person for 12
people on a first-come, first-served basis. It is
expected that this money will be used for rental fees
and other costs at Trade Shows, Health Fairs, etc. at
which the grant recipient promotes awareness of
Jikiden Reiki. Persons receiving the grant submit
receipts to the Association and are reimbursed.
In 2015 three people received $100 each for Trade
Shows/Health Fairs in Nova Scotia, British Columbia
and Quebec.
The program was renewed in 2016 and in that year
four members received $100 each for Trade
Shows/Health Fairs in Nova Scotia, British Columbia
and Quebec.
The program is being renewed again for 2017 and all
members are encouraged to take advantage of this
assistance.
A second grant program was
proposed and approved at the
Annual General Meeting (AGM)
on January 28, 2017:
The purpose of the JRAC
Seminar Grant is to provide
financial support to Jikiden Reiki
students wishing to attend
scheduled seminars with Tadao
Yamaguchi in either Vancouver,
BC or Halifax, NS during 2017.
To be eligible for the grant,
applicants must be members in
good standing of the Jikiden
Reiki Association of Canada and must not have
attended a seminar with Tadao Yamaguchi on any
previous occasion.
Two grants of up to $500 each have been established
to cover seminar fees. The grant monies will be paid
directly to the organizers of the events with Mr.
Yamaguchi. If no applications are received for the first
of the seminars, both grants will be awarded for the
remaining seminar.
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Only one application is accepted per person,
submitted via email to [email protected] under
the subject “JRAC Seminar Grant 2017” and stating
which seminar the applicant wishes to attend.
Applications are drawn at random in the presence of
3 JRAC members, 1 month before the seminar dates.
Note: Since the Vancouver seminar was held in
February, shortly after our AGM at which the grant
was created, an exception was made and applications
were drawn on February 8. As the successful
applicant (out of three) was repeating Shoden and
Okuden at the Vancouver seminar only $300 was
needed to cover the fees.
The application deadline for the remaining seminar in
Halifax is September 1, 2017. All applicants will be
informed by email of the results.
For further information please email:
Cathy Oliver
JRAC Secretary
Hawaii Hochi Update: Many of you will remember an article written by our
Jikiden Reiki friend from Pennsylvania, Paula Michal-
Johnson. In it she expressed her excitement in
meeting with Justin Stein and his research into the
history of Reiki, particularly some of the Hawaii Hochi
articles reporting on Hayashi-sensei’s 1937-38 visit to
Hawaii. Sadly, Paula passed away in October 2016 and
is surely missed by everyone.
I feel that her dedication to understanding the history
of Reiki deserves to continue. Now, I am pleased to
offer information on the entire series of articles
covering Hayashi-sensei’s visit to Hawaii as featured in
Hawaii Hochi, a newspaper for Japanese residents in
Hawaii.
Masaki Nishina (Dai Shihan of Jikiden Reiki, Western
Reiki Master and author of several books on Reiki) is
grateful for Mr. Stein’s discoveries and he continues to
deepen the research into the Hawaii Hochi articles.
What sets his research apart from Justin’s work is that
his findings are written from the Japanese point of
view, relying on his knowledge of Japanese history
and culture, while also understanding the Western
perspective, as he has also lived in the USA.
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Some parts of the Hawaii Hochi articles have been
taught in Jikiden Reiki seminars since late 2014 but it
has been difficult to understand the whole picture
without access to all the written material. However,
Masaki has been spending an enormous amount of
time in order to share his research, which he
released on his website (Japanese only) in January
2017. I was amazed with his thorough research and
wished my English speaking Jikiden Reiki friends
could read his work, too. I pondered for a while if I
should ask Masaki if I could translate his research
into English. I felt I would need someone to edit for
proper grammar after my translation; that’s a lot of
work… however, I thought, “This is important to
share with my friends”, and I started to translate.
During the time that I was translating I thought of
Mike McCarty (JR Shihankaku and JRAC board
member) as someone who might edit my English,
especially since he was at the meeting with Justin
Stein along with Gabrielle, Francine and Paula. He
generously donated his time to offer editing advice
for the entire article. Thank you so much, Mike!
I can’t imagine how long it took for Masaki to put
together his document with all the actual articles
attached. It was tricky for me to translate the older
material from the 1930s and also to explain Masaki’s
comments without losing the subtle nuances within
his expressions. Also it must have been painful for
Mike to go through the broken English! However, this
team work has now made it accessible for everyone
to read!
I believe that team work is part of the beauty found
within the Jikiden Reiki community. Out of all Reiki
schools in the world that continue to evolve,
transform and make adjustments, I think it is nice to
have one school that doesn’t. Let’s remember that
Jikiden Reiki is not
about being better
than other Reiki
schools. Rather, we
are simply trying to
preserve the way
that Chiyoko-sensei
was taught by
Hayashi-sensei. We
need teamwork to
preserve the old
teachings.
We might not need
detailed knowledge
of history, however that knowledge helps us to have
confidence that Jikiden Reiki is a well-grounded
teaching. So, the teaching doesn’t need to evolve,
rather what’s important is that each of us evolve by
practicing Reiki and working together.
With gratitude,
Mari Okazaki Dai Shihan; JRAC Vice-Chair
Chilliwack, BC
I was very pleased to assist Mari with this important work.
The English language version of Masaki Nishina’s research
can be found at:
http://jikiden-reiki-nishina.com/hawaii/
Enjoy! - Mike McCarty
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This Japanese prayer and English
translation were brought to us
from the main temple on Mt.
Kurama by Danièle Bernier
(Shihan)
Many thanks, Danièle!
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EXPLORATIONS and CHANGES in PERSPECTIVES
As a nurse and as a long time Reiki practitioner, I have often witnessed events that taught me about the needs of others that were both surprising and worth knowing.
While I firmly believe that the Reiki energy is self-regulating, I was always curious about sensations I would experience while giving a treatment. Many times it would seem as if tremendous amounts of Reiki energy was pulled through me and rapidly absorbed by the receiver. On rare occasions, there appeared to be a block or shield of some kind preventing the energy from being absorbed. In treatments to terminal patients, the energy seemed to be redirected from the physical body to regions surrounding the receiver.
Here are some stories that helped me understand to just trust the Reiki and to let go of my need to know and understand what lays beneath the sensations I sometimes experience. I would like to add that one of the most immediately effective Reiki treatments I ever had was from a new Jikiden student who felt absolutely no sensations. She trusted the Reiki energy and is proof of the simplicity of Reiki.
MRS. B Mrs. B. had malignant Multiple Sclerosis, was bedridden and had difficulty swallowing. Her very large family was boisterous and quarrelsome. I never looked forward to going into that environment, but Mrs. B. insisted that the Reiki treatments made swallowing much easier. As she became weaker over a few months, she still drew tremendous amounts of the Reiki energy. As a newer practitioner, I thought this would make her stronger and better able to cope with her decline. I could see
that she was struggling and feeling miserable. Her best friend asked me to let Mrs. B. know that it was alright to let go, rather than to continue to suffer. Foolishly, I followed this advice and Mrs. B. was furious. She let me know that
her illness was the only thing that had ever brought all of her family together; that this was her last chance to help them overcome their many issues with one another and to be a real family. A few weeks later, her family were all holding hands at her funeral, hugging and promising to visit one another. It seems as though this final gift that Mrs. B. wanted to give was finally realized. She needed the extra energy to hold on for as long as possible.
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MISS H Miss H. was a relatively young woman, undergoing treatments for a blood cancer to prepare her for a bone marrow transplant. Her sister, J., wanted her to have Reiki treatments. J. asked a friend to find someone and I was that someone. Miss H. was terribly nauseated from the chemo and begrudgingly agreed to the Reiki treatments that her sister had organized. I felt the energy was blocked and this was a very uncomfortable sensation. I kept the sessions very short and the third time I arrived, J. was visiting. Miss H., while agreeing to a Reiki treatment, began to berate her sister about anything that came to mind and seemed more aggravated than usual.
She complained that my hands made her hot, although I felt the energy was blocked. I quickly ended the session and called the woman who had asked me to provide treatments to tell her I couldn't be effective. She offered this explanation: Miss H. resented her sister and partially used her illness to punish J. for perceived lack of support throughout her life. In this light, it might make sense that Miss H. would unconsciously block a reception of helpful energy from a treatment instigated from her sister. Family dynamics are complicated. Now, whenever I sense the Reiki is blocked, I just engage the person in a conversation and LISTEN. A very valuable lesson in being there for a person in the way that is most comfortable for them.
MRS V Mrs. V. was a 93 year old woman, in care for general decline. Her room was beautifully furnished with items from her own home and I loved going there. She was in a Catholic 'rest home' and some of the very catholic staff were opposed to the idea of energy treatments; however, the head nurse always
welcomed me. The Reiki energy received by Mrs. V. seemed thin somehow and over time I sensed that the Reiki was surrounding her, rather than dispersing throughout her physical body. She had two pictures hanging on the wall next to her bed. I asked Mrs. V. who these women were. She said one was of her beloved sister and the other was Our Lady of Lourdes and that they were waiting for her. The last time I saw Mrs. V. she said that she had no pain because she could no longer feel her body. She appeared to be completely peaceful and this made me so very happy. She died a few days later and I was able to tell the head nurse what Mrs. V. had said about the faces in the pictures. The nurse said that this information was a great comfort to her as she was so fond of Mrs. V. She told me who the 'Lady of Lourdes' was when she realized I didn't know. Despite not being a Christian, this is still one of my most precious and sacred memories.
I had wanted to explore what the energy sensations might mean so that I could be a more effective practitioner. Experience has taught me that this was, and is, unnecessary. What is needed in that moment, just happens. I no longer strive so much to understand, I relax and enjoy.
I envy the newer Jikiden Reiki practitioners who already know what it took me many years to find out; just be present, be kind, be humble and trust the Reiki totally. Chiyoko and Tadao Yamaguchi have brought forth a legacy within Reiki that benefits me beyond what my tiny mind can understand. I will always be grateful.
In Appreciation, Sheila Porter
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Blogging it up!
I have started a blog for the Jikiden Reiki Association
of Canada. You can access it at:
https://jikidenreikicanada.wordpress.com
There is also a direct link on our JRAC website.
I thought this would be a great place for us to share
with each other as well as a resource for people who
are interested in learning more about Jikiden
Reiki. Please contact me at:
[email protected] with any suggestions, news,
content or events you would like to see on the blog.
- Stefanie Dempster
Seminars with Tadao Yamaguchi President of Jikiden Reiki Kenkyukai (Kyoto)
Vancouver, Canada: Feb 16-19, 2017 (Shoden & Okuden)
Feb 20, 2017 (Shihankaku)
Shihan course : upon request
Location : Vancouver, BC, Canada
Contact Mari Okazaki at [email protected]
Halifax, Canada: Oct 12-15, 2017 (Shoden & Okuden)
Oct 16, 2017 (Shihankaku)
Shihan course: upon request
Location : Halifax, NS, Canada
Contact Gabrielle Gietzen at gabrielle@jikiden-
reiki.ca
JRAC Board of Directors 2017
Gabrielle Gietzen, President
Mari Okazaki, Vice President
Chris Binns, Past President
Cathy Oliver, Secretary
Candace Gietzen, Treasurer/Membership
Mike McCarty, Newsletter
Francine Mineault, French translation
Joyce Thomson
Natasha Palikuca
JR at the Lodge That Gives
We are pleased to welcome Stefanie Dempster into
our all-Jikiden Reiki volunteer group offering 30
minute JR treatments to cancer patients and their
caregivers at the Canadian Cancer Society center in
Halifax, NS. Other members of the team are Gabrielle
Gietzen, Mike McCarty, Sheila Porter and Winnie
Cheng-Squires.
http://www.cancer.ca/en/support-and-services/support-services/travel-and-accommodations-ns/?region=ns
www.jikiden-reiki.com
Webpage for the JR Institute Kyoto
www.jikidenreikiassociation.ca
Webpage for the Jikiden Reiki Association of Canada If you have any Jikiden Reiki events, news or an article you would like to contribute to our 2018 newsletter, please send to: [email protected] We welcome your comments and suggestions on any aspect of our newsletter.