Dear all!
As I write this newsletter, I feel I am holding contrasting impulses inside me. They seem to point in different directions.
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One impulse is to connect, to go towards the outside, to build new relationships and to share about myself, and my processes over the last months. The other impulse is to go inside, to go into silence, to be alone, and to integrate what I am experiencing. Both impulses are equally strong. It seems important to mention that since I´ve accepted them as they are, they are no longer fighting with each other. I can see their potential, they are both equally important and valuable.
There are also two different processes I am going through. One is the grief and pain of Phyllis’ death, my beloved master. The other one is the process of recognition. Both are very powerful and important to be felt and held. I want to give them all the space they need and my full attention.
The third pull or tension is the value of oral tradition as we hold it in our form of practise and teaching and the advantages of written online-communication.
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While I write this newsletter, I would like to build bridges between these impulses and different approaches.
Maybe you have been searching online and in social media about me because you had questions like: Who is he? What does he do? Where does he live? I assume you did not find anything that fulfilled your wish to know more about me.
I have not met many of you so we meet as strangers, and still we are connected in our passion and commitment to Reiki. I would love to sit in a big circle with you and share my story and listen to yours. Because this desire to meet with you requires more time, organization, and preparation, I will take this first step in the written form, knowing it can never replace the gift of story-telling, of listening to each other in a person to person meeting.
My name is Johannes Reindl, I am 41 years old and I live in Austria. I learned Reiki in 1995; a year later I continued with second degree. In 1998, I was introduced to the wider Reiki community when I attended a “Way to Harmony” Ki-Aikido Workshop offered by Paul in Germany. In summer of 2001, I met Phyllis in Wettenbostel, Germany at Michael Hartley’s retreat house. It was a beautiful summer with lots of joy and personal development. Looking back, I know that this was the summer I met my master. I wanted to be her student and become a Reiki Master myself. It took me many years to step forward and ask Phyllis if she would accept me as her student. I was very happy when she did. And I still am. From 2013 to 2017, I prepared for my mastery with Phyllis, along with my lovely colleagues from all over the world. She initiated us in October 2017 in Kyoto, Japan.
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On February 16
th
this year, I received a call from Joyce, Phyllis, and Paul, asking me if I could come to Arizona in the beginning of March to interpret for the Usui II workshop for French speaking participants. I said yes. After a day or so, I got very nervous because I had not often interpreted French to English and vice versa. Because I am a professional interpreter for sign language, I have high expectations on the quality of the job I am meant to do. A day or two before I was flying to Arizona, I saw on the list of participants that Laurence Fontaine would be there (a French-interpreter and French native speaker), and I wondered: What am I doing there if she is also going? They don’t need me at all! I felt I would be totally embarrassed as a French interpreter. I talked to Joyce again and she explained that Laurence wanted to be a participant and did not want to interpret because this Usui II would be the last one offered by Phyllis and Paul. As I was flying to Arizona I had mixed feelings, but also a deep wish in my heart: I want to see Phyllis one more time.
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To cut a long story short, my job as an interpreter at the Usui II was a huge challenge (as expected) and it went quite okay. After this workshop, there was the Resource Development workshop at Phyllis and Joyce’s house in Green Valley. When I booked my flight, I thought, well if I am flying so far from home, why not stay for the Resource Development workshop as well.
It was a beautiful event. We shared time together at Phyllis and Joyce’s home with all the lovely supporters and caregivers who had come to be with them. The whole place was radiant with Reiki, and it was a deep honour to be there.
On the last day of our workshop, Phyllis joined us around lunchtime. At first, she wanted to know how our work together was going, and how we were proceeding in our task. Later Phyllis shared about her processes and what was going on inside of her. As usual when Phyllis was talking, I felt that my whole body was taking in every word she was saying. After a while, it became clear that Phyllis would announce her successor. Out of the excitement and intensity of the moment, I must say, I felt a bit spaced out. When I heard her saying: “So Johannes, in my deliberations and in the deliberations of some of the Succession Core Team, you’re it.“ ….my world stood still and left me speechless. As much as I was without words, I felt my body expanding and responding: “Yes Phyllis, it is me.” When Phyllis stood up from her wheelchair, it felt like she was the one holding and preventing me from falling.
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I
knew I had to fly home two days later. I spent every minute I could with Phyllis. Often I was just listening when she was talking and organizing things with others. Many times, I answered as best I could the questions she had for me. Other times we shared the deepest silence, and in this sacred silence it felt like Phyllis was teaching me what I needed to know. On Sunday, March 17, I had to say good-bye and fly home.
Phyllis’ recognition came unexpectedly for me. A lot of people asked me if I had known this before it happened. I did not. If there were “signs,” I was not able or willing to see them.
I am very thankful for all the support I have received from the community. I´ve listened to questions such as what are my visions for the future of our community and for the future of Reiki. I´ve often said that I don’t know because everything is new. I often wish for time and space to explore and be with the great gift I received. However, one vision is very clear for me now: I would love to meet you and share my story of Reiki with you and listen to yours and practise Reiki together.
Perhaps you and I could explore the questions of moving outward and being inward in silence; explore the subtleties of our relationship with our master and the recognition of a Lineage Bearer and Grandmaster; and look at ways to hold our oral tradition and human connection as we embrace a world of virtual communication.
With Love,
Johannes
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In 1992, Phyllis and I formally began working together with the call from the community to describe and define the practice of Usui Shiki Ryoho. Soon after, the Office of the Grandmaster was formed. It has been my honor to partner with Phyllis all these years carrying on the work of the Grandmaster.
With her death, and her final gift of acknowledging her successor, it was clear to me that the work of the Office of the Grandmaster and my place in it would only continue if her successor, Johannes Reindl, wanted me to remain in this position. When I asked him what he wanted, he was clear in his wish that I continue in my role. Again, it is my honor to serve him and our practice.
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Already at The Reiki Alliance conference in May we began responding to requests for events the OGM would offer. I see that Johannes now begins to develop a new skill, scheduling his life of travel in response to the call of the Reiki community to know and learn from him.
Here are a few events that the OGM will be happy to schedule if you would like to sponsor the event in your community:
·
Master Intensive:Usui I
Facilitated by Johannes and Paul
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Student Weekend Gathering
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A Weekend with the Takata Archives
Presented by Joyce Winough
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An Introduction to the Nine Elements
Presented by Joyce Winough
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Celebrating Phyllis's Birthday
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All Around the World Reiki People Will be Celebrating on 22nd August
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Joyce Winough, Phyllis's wife, suggested that a good way for the Reiki Community to celebrate Phyllis's life would be to celebrate her birthday on 22nd August. People all over the world have taken up this suggestion. Collene Delaney has organised a video that includes a welcome to the various events in our own languages together with pictures of where the celebrations will be taking place.
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2019
September 28-29
The Future with Reiki: Seeing Beyond What We Can See
Moscow, Russia, with Johannes and Paul
October
1-7
Way to Harmony
Moscow, Russia, with Paul and Johannes
October
11-13
German Reiki Gathering
Gersfeld, Germany, with Paul
October 13
Reiki Festival
Amsterdam, with Johannes, Paul and Joyce
Oct. 22-28, 2019 &
Oct. 31-Nov. 6, 2019
The Way to Harmony
Heerde, The Netherlands
Forthcoming Events in 2020:
Sept. 7-12, 2020
OGM Retreat: Convento, Madrid, Spain
Student Gatherings
in Moscow, Kazakhstan, Ukraine
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