Canadian Reiki Association · Reiki and the M.S. Pilot Project was successfully performed in Vancouver with members giving under 400 sessions focusing on the patient’s general wellbeing,

FALL 2018 ISSUECanadian Reiki Association

In This Issue .....................................................................................................................CRA Info ...........................................................................................................................Message From The President...............................................................................Benefits of a Membership......................................................................................Products in Web Store............................................................................................AGM...............................................................................................................................22nd Annual General Meeting......................................................................................Member in Focus......................................................................................................Indonisioan Earthquakes......................................................................................Reiki in Prison............................................................................................................Reiki here in Bali........................................................................................................Of Fudo, Anger, Reiki, Mars, and More.............................................................Work Shop- Inviting Happiness...............................................................................Beeing Reiki................................................................................................................

PAGE 2 CANADIAN REIKI ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER

IN THIS ISSUE

Mailing Address: 24-2350 New Street - Burlington, ON L7R 4P8

P: 1.800.835.7525

E: [email protected] | W: www.reiki.ca

We welcome your comments and feedbacks.

The Editors reserve the right to select and edit submissions suitable for the newsletter.

Board of Directors:Bonnie Smith Alice Creighton Louyse Vigneault Daxa Chauhan Teresa Canoza Executive AssistantJodie Whitley

Editorial Committee:Editor: Bonnie Smith

[email protected] - Alice Creighton

Print/ Design: Roadrunner [email protected]

www.roadrunnerprinters.com

Canadian Reiki Association Mission StatementThe Canadian Reiki Association is an autonomous and private

body and will not involve itself with the workings of other agencies within Canada. The Corporation reserves the right to

investigate, at its discretion, other similar bodies and/or agencies and apprise members on such issues if such studies

may contain relevant information. The Corporation may employ outside resources such as legal counsel for definition and

clarification as required.

PresidentVice- PresidentDirectorDirectorDirector

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CANADIAN REIKI ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER PAGE 3

FOLLOW THE CRA UPDATES AND NEWS

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THE CRA ONLINE COMMUNITY CALENDARReiki Exchanges, Shares and Events

The ongoing events will now be posted and updated by members ofthe CRA in the calendar. Please go to https://reiki.ca/practitioners-teachers/exchanges/ to find an event in your area.If you wish to know of an upcoming event near you and you do nothave access to the Internet you may call our toll free number at1.800.834.7525 and we will provide you with the information.

CRA Website:www.reiki.ca

$10 $20

1/4 2.25”x3.75” $20 $40

1/2 4.5”x3.75” $40 $80

Full 4.5”x7.5” $70 $140

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ADVERTISING INFORMATION

Advertising your business, sell merchandise or place job ads in the

newsletter. On review of the content, non-members can

also advertise in our newsletter. Contact: Bonnie

[email protected]

NEWSLETTER DEADLINES

We are always looking for fresh articles that would be of interest to our

members. If you wish to publish your article or advertise in our newsletter,

below are the deadlines for each issue.

ISSUE

Winter December 21 November 1

Fall September 21 August 1

Summer June 21 May 1

Spring March 21 February 1

Date ofIssue

Deadlinefor ads &Articles

PAGe 4 CANADIAN ReIKI ASSOCIATION NeWSLeTTeR

Message from the President

As our summer winds down from the hot and humiddays I welcome the crisp and colourful days of the fallseason. This has always been my favourite time of theyear where the farmer markets are busy selling theirbounty of the locally grown fruits and vegetables. andthe fall fairs and antique markets are in full swing. Notto forget to the quiet walks along Lake Ontario and watching the seasonslowly change its colours.

Our family faced many challenges over the summer and happy to say itis all behind us now. We express our deep gratitude to the members ofour CRA Facebook group who sent prayers and Reiki during a very difficult time. The past summer has been a challenge as well for the citizens of Northern Ontario and B.C. with the devastating forest fires,and we must not forget the east coast with the flooding they experienced. We send our love and prayers to all family and friends whohave been affected by the wrath of Mother Nature.

If you are not already a member of our CRA Facebook group, we askrequest to join us. https://www.facebook.com/groups/6813158154/

I asked the membership at the last AGM if they have a questionnaire formhandy when a call comes in asking about their Reiki classes or for a session. Do you evaluate the caller’s true interest in taking a class or asession? What questions are most important for you to know aboutthem. I would like to create an intake form so that our new teachers andpractitioners can better protect and prepare themselves before they accept a student or client. I am asking practitioners and our teachers regardless if you are a registered teacher to send in some of your mostimportant questions to me at [email protected]. We will draft an intakeform and put it on the website for the membership to use if they need alittle extra help in vetting clients or students.

Plans for the 22nd Annual General Meeting are now in place. The meeting will be held on May 25th, 2019. The location will be the HolidayInn, 2525 Wyecroft Road, Oakville, On. We are pleased to announcePamela Miles will be our guest

Reiki Blessings,Bonnie SmithPresident


The CRA, a federally chartered and governed non-profit association, wasfounded in 1997 to register and represent all professional Canadian practitioners and or teachers of all styles of Reiki. We aim to ensure allregistered members work within the Reiki Scope of Practice and performto the highest standards of professionalism for clients and the public andto disseminate relevant information to all its Members in Good Standing.

Benefits of Membership with the CRAOur Mission Statement and Commitment

The CRA provides a common voice were practitioners may be heardwhen appropriate. We publish quarterly newsletters on interestingtopics and other issues in various areas of the country.

Our Registered Teachers follow a common baseline of teaching students. There are varying styles of Reiki, but the same content fromthe Criteria/Educational guideline is taught, allowing for an easy transition from teacher to teacher across Canada.

As an Association we provide our membership with a certificate ofregistration and a designation of CRA-RP, CRA- RT, or CRA-SM. We nowinclude Animal Reiki Practitioners in the Association and their designation is CRA-RAP. The letters CRA after you name establishesyour reputation in the community as a highly qualified and competentReiki practitioner.” All classifications have a registration number whichour Registered Teachers use on the student’s certificates.

Our websites are in both English and French. We provide all the documentation required for new applicants and renewals. On thewebsite we post the newsletters, and members post events, and reikishares. We also offer a Directory listing for all Practitioners and Teachers which allows members to introduce themselves to potentialclients, share their contact information and link people to their socialmedia accounts. Members are able to maintain their own profile anddirectory listings and changes are made in real time.

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We offer low-cost professional liability insurance for our practitionersand teachers in good standing. Reiki practitioners who are registeredwith other modalities have found it to be beneficial to become CRAmembers to obtain insurance for their practice.

There are municipalities across Canada that require Reiki Practitionersto be a member in good standing with the Canadian Reiki Associationbefore they are granted a business license to practice Reiki.

We offer our members access to social media with Facebook, Twitter,Pinterest and our quarterly newsletters. Members have special ratesfor advertising in the newsletter.

The CRA offers a variety of items that can be purchased in our webstore.

Directly and indirectly the CRA members give back to the Communityby bringing awareness of Reiki into the Community. Members haveattended Wellness Fairs, Trade Shows, Hospitals, Universities, Rec Centres, Woman shelters, Animal Shelters.

Reiki and the M.S. Pilot Project was successfully performed in Vancouver with members giving under 400 sessions focusing on thepatient’s general wellbeing, pain, energy and stress.

CRA Registered Teachers are eligible to participate in the Federal,Provincial and Territory program for the “Targeted Initiative for OlderWorkers” Program (T.I.O.W.). The Government will pay for classes onbehalf of eligible student applicants

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Products In The Web Store

This handy little flashlight is made from aluminium and a shiny lacquer finish with elegant silver accents. We have laser engravedthe flashlight/keychain with the Canadian ReikiAssociation's logo on the barrel. A brilliantwhite LED light is button activated, and it includes batteries.

Our beautiful CRA logo lapel pins have been updated to reflect the newversion of our logo. The pins are an ideal gift for yourself or as a gift foryour Reiki students when they complete a class. The pins are a 1.5" diameter


AGM22nd Canadian Reiki Association’s Annual General Meeting

We, the Executive Officers and Board of Directors of the Canadian ReikiAssociation , invite you to join us for our 22nd AGM which will be heldon May 25, 2019, at the Holiday Inn, 2525 Wyecroft Road, Oakville,Ontario.

Once again we look forward to meeting our Reiki Family who has attended our AGM’s in the past as well as taking the opportunity to meetour new members of the CRA.

Don’t come alone!! Bring a friend, and to our Teachers, we ask you tobring your students who will be joining the CRA after they have completed their training with you.

Upon arrival, there will be a meet and greet over a continental from 8:30to 10:00 am. This is an excellent opportunity to connect with your boardmembers and other Reiki Practitioners to further build a sense of community and within the CRA. After our meeting, the Holiday will servea beautiful buffet luncheon.

At 1:30 the CRA is pleased to announce that Pamela Miles has graciouslyaccepted our invitation to be our guest speaker. She has spoken togroups around the world and on social media. We look forward to having her join our meeting.

We look forward to our Mini Market in the Royal Ballroom. If you havea product, you would like to present to our members, please let me knowand reserve your table now.


The Canadian Reiki Association 22nd Annual GeneralMeeting Presents!!!

Pamela Miles is an international Reiki Master, integrative healthcare consultant, and spiritual mentor working in natural health for 45 years, practicing Reiki since 1986, and with a lifelongyoga and meditation practice. She wrote theaward-winning book, REIKI: A ComprehensiveGuide, and writes the award-winning ReikiCentralblog.

Since the 1990s, Pamela has been a pioneer bringing Reiki practice toconventional medicine, creating programs in New York City hospitals, in-cluding New York-Presbyterian; teaching at leading academic medical centers, including Harvard and Yale medical schoolsand the National Institutes of Health (NIH); publishing in peer-reviewedmedical journals, including the prestigious Journal of the American College of Cardiology; and collaborating on medical research.

Pamela teaches Reiki practitioners communication strategies to bringReiki practice to the mainstream public; and the skills, knowledge andperspective to collaborate successfully in healthcare, whether your own,or professionally.

Pamela is a media spokesperson (NBC, CBS, FOX, CNN, The Dr. Oz Show,New York Magazine, US News & World Report, Allure, Self, Yoga Journal)and has presented Reiki at Unilever and Google. Based in New York City,she teaches internationally and offers Reiki continuing education programs online.

Mail ChimpI received an update from Mail Chimp with a notice that they are not ableto send emails to anyone with an “info@” email address. You will not beable to receive any important messages such as renewals reminders andspecial updates from the CRA with the “info@” email address. Would youplease go to your Profile and change your emails address if you are usingthis type of address. Another reminder: Please do not unsubscribe fromMail Chimp! By doing so you will not receive the latest information sentto members by the CRA. We want to ensure that everyone gets noticesin a timely fashion.


Member in Focus

All my life I felt disconnected from everyone andeverything around me (This is key, keep it in mindfor later on in the story) except for nature. BeforeReiki, the natural world was my home, the onlyplace I felt I belonged. I later called Nature my spirituality.

The day after my marriage ended, what I called theworst day of my life. I awoke with so much physical pain I could not get out of bed.

I knew this was not due to something physical but rather emotional. I called some friends who had experienced Reiki and had told me aboutit. Though I really did not know what Reiki was, I just knew that it waswhat I needed to deal with the pain and move forward. They referredme to the person who would later become my Reiki Master.

As I lay there in the first few minutes of my first Reiki session, my eyesclosed, I asked Carole if she was gently brushing my hair. She said, “openyour eyes”. I saw that she was not and that in fact, her hands were a good6 inches from my forehead. It was my mother, who had crossed overabout 5 years earlier, who I felt brushing my hair. I just knew it was heras this was something she had done when I was ill as a child. Soon, I fellinto a deep state of relaxation, and when I “came to”, two hours had goneby. I sat up and said “home” with tears in my eyes. It was the first time inmy life that I felt I belonged; that I was part of everything, that I was connected. I also later realized that all my physical pain had gone away.

I was so excited to have discovered Reiki. I asked Carole if this was something I could do too. She said yes and that anyone can study Reiki.My Reiki 1 class took place soon after and I cried (good tears) all day. I felt “full”, and the energy was so beautiful. Just over three weeks later I did my level 2, and again, the day was powerful. I was completely devoted to Reiki from my first experience with it. I felt so good. It resonated with me so strongly. It was agonizing to have to wait 7months before I could do my Master training, when ‘out of the blue’ funds showed up, allowing me to pay for the course.


My Reiki Master was amazing. She always let me just be with it; she nevertold me what to expect, so I was wide open to all possibilities, and thingsjust happened. It was something that I completely followed my heartwith, never asking what the classes would involve or, what I would learn.At the Master level, I wanted to understand with my head what my heartalready knew, so I read every book I could get my hands on and createdmanuals as a way of putting everything together in my mind. I did notlike to call myself a Master, as I did not feel like one. So, on my manuals,I wrote Reiki Master/Teacher. The last day of class, I showed my Masterthese manuals and told her how I felt, and she pointed out what I hadcalled myself. Master/Teacher. Even though my number one fear in lifewas public speaking, I was proceeding as if I were already a teacher.

I became a Reiki Master in 2002 and a Registered Teacher with the Canadian Reiki Association in 2003. In 2015 I also became a RegisteredAnimal Reiki practitioner and teacher. I have been blessed with beingable to do what I love which is teach and do various forms of healingmodalities, since 2001. I have been traveling throughout Canada for thelast 15 years offering classes in Indian Head Massage and other forms ofrelaxation, as well as Reiki, Animal Reiki, and Axiatonal Alignment.

I very much believe in commitment and professionalism in the Holisticfield, and being a member of the Canadian Reiki Association greatlyhelps me uphold these values. I have always advised students to become members of associations, especially the Canadian Reiki Association, to show their commitment and their professionalism as well.

My wise Reiki Master once told me something that I will never forget,“life does not have to be a struggle”. Hearing this had a profound impacton me, as I had not realized that the impression that life has to be hard,had been programmed into me, as it is for most of us. Living by the 5Reiki ideals and by “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz havehelped to change my approach to life. I have had my challenges but life is no longer a struggle. I feel more and more like I am in the flow of life; the flow of Nature.

Debbie Boehlen Reiki Master /CRA-RT/[email protected]


Indonesian Earthquakes

With the reoccurring earthquakes in August that rocked the islands ofIndonesia, I reached out to our CRA Registered Teacher, Cat Wheeler tocheck on her wellbeing. Many years ago she built her home and Reikipractice on the outskirts of the jungle in Ubud, Bali. I was not sure howfar away Ubud was from the epicentre of the earthquake, but have nowbeen informed she is safe. Cat responded:

“The epicentre was about 200 km away, and indeed the earth movedhere! It was the biggest shake I’ve experienced but no damage to mytown of Ubud. We also have a restless volcano 33 km’s away, so in constant awareness, that we are just ants on the skin of this planet….”Helps to put things in perspective!

INDIAN HEAD MASSAGE COURSE

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Bodhisattvas Behind Bars? Reiki in PrisonBy Laurelle Shanti Gaia and Micheal Arthur Baird

In July of 2002 we met thirteen remarkablemen behind the walls of the federal Administrative Maximum Security Penitentiary south of Florence, Colorado.These men are now Reiki practitioners awaiting Reiki Master Teacher training.

Two years prior to this meeting an inmatewrote a letter requesting that we come to theprison to teach Reiki to a group of inmates. Ittook nearly two years for the paperwork to be processed and our back-grounds to be investigated before we finally drove through the guardedgates of one of the most secure prisons in the United States. Our firstview of the facilities revealed high concrete walls and double fencescrowned with coils of gleaming razor wire.

During the months leading up to the Reiki I & II class we began to sendReiki to the energy of the class, to the inmates, and to ourselves to alleviate the fears that were surfacing from time to time.

During those months preceding the class we also did some research andlearned that this particular prison, which opened in 1989, consists of fourseparate correctional facilities including the one we would teach in. It isa maximum-security prison on the same grounds as the “Super Max,”which was designed to take the place of the federal penitentiary at Marion, Illinois, which in turn replaced the prison located on Alcatraz Island.

Notable prisoners who have been transported to Super Max wereUnabomber Theodore Kaczynski; Ramzi Yousef, mastermind of the firstWorld Trade Center bombing; and Oklahoma City bomber TimothyMcVeigh. Due to confidentiality rules, we are not able to mention the details of the inmates we met while we were teaching inside the prison.

When we walked through the front door of the prison we were greetedby a staff member who had been instrumental in bringing this class tofruition. He impressed us as a kind, gentle man who has a genuine interest in helping the inmates.


Visitors to the Florence penitentiary pass through a series of securitycheckpoints. We walked through metal detectors and received identification stamps on our hands. Our driver’s licenses, cell phone, andcar keys were taken by a guard. Next a massive steel vault door openedand we entered a long tunnel that passes under an area called the “deadzone.” As we walked through this passageway, our escort explained theprocedures that would take place in the event of a riot. He was attempting to help us feel safe, but we each felt our solar plexus flip-flopand found ourselves spontaneously channeling Reiki to strengthen ourlight and alleviate the fear level that was rising within us.

As a familiar sense of calm generated by Reiki surrounded us, we felt atease as we exited the tunnel through yet another massive steel vaultdoor into the prison. We were then escorted down a series of hallwaysto what would be the Reiki classroom. Among the first things we noticedwas how modern and light the facility was but also that the air was sostale it was a challenge to breathe. With only a few moments prior toclass, we focused on energetically clearing the space and infusing it withReiki as well as strengthening our own etheric fields with the full light ofDivine Love, which we know to be Reiki.

Soon thirteen men quickly filed into the room, shook our hands, andtook their seats in the circle we had prepared. We began the class by introducing ourselves and then asking the men, “How many of you arehere because you have a genuine interest in Reiki?” And then, “How manyof you are here because you don’t want to be doing whatever else youwould have to do today?”

Most of the men were present because of an interest in Reiki, and threeor four raised their hands to the latter question. We found it interestingthat many great questions were asked by the men who didn’t think theyhad a genuine interest in Reiki.

We asked the men to introduce themselves by name. Some offered information about how much time they had left to serve. We learnedthat only a few of the men would ever leave this prison. This realizationwas hard for us to imagine, and as we grew to know more of the spirit ofthese men, we were increasingly disturbed to know this.

When we officially opened this class, we offered a prayer of invocation,as we do in all of our classes.


We invited God, the angels, archangels, masters, and all of our highestspiritual guides to join us, and we gave thanks that each person’s personality and ego would step aside so we would each be a clear andopen channel for the Reiki energy.

The energy we felt during and after this prayer was profound. First therewas a sense that we discerned as heaviness, but then we realized that itwas a spiritual strength so intense that it was felt as energetic pressurein the room. In a few moments that sense of pressure transformed intothe awareness that many, many masters had joined us spiritually andthat many masters were physically present in this room.We have been practicing Reiki for nearly sixteen years and teaching forthirteen. We have facilitated retreats for hundreds of people, and still theenergy we felt on that day with those thirteen men was the most profound sense of Divine Light and Love we have ever experienced.

As we began the teachings, we were more aware than usual that WEwere not teaching the class. Reiki itself was speaking through us andsharing with these men in a very unique way. They were being honoredfor their contribution to the Divine Plan, which was something we wouldgrow to understand later. The inmate who had written the original letterin 2000, asking us to come to the prison and teach, stated an intentionfor the group. He explained that, at that time, there were 1.2 million people in the U.S. prison system. He said that inmates are regularly transferred to different facilities around the country. It was their goal tolearn how to practice Reiki, and ultimately to learn to teach Reiki to otherinmates. As they were relocated to different facilities through the yearsthey would be able to begin to infuse the entire prison system with thelight of Reiki energy. They also stated that they would like to offer distantReiki sessions as a service to the world.

We proceeded to teach the class and channel the attunements. With themen seated in chairs in a circle, we each were giving the attunements.The energy was feeling very powerful, yet peaceful. And then we simultaneously touched into the energy field of a man whom Laurellewas about to attune. We were both momentarily overcome with intensefear and a sense of very violent actions. We immediately reminded ourselves that Reiki never causes harm, that we were standing strong inthe light of Reiki, and that we were in this place, in this man’s energy field,because God had sent us there.


Michael held the energy for Laurelle while she centered herself with asoul breath and proceeded with the attunement. The sense of fear andthe feelings of violence completely dissolved.

When the attunements were complete many of the men were visibly,emotionally moved. One man asked, “Can this energy be used to healkarma?” This led to a discussion of how they could use distant Reiki tobegin healing energy surrounding their past actions and to help peoplewhom they may have harmed. One young man in the group mentionedthat one of the things he misses is the feeling of air passing through hisfingers, when he would put his hand out a car window while driving. Thisled to some reflective statements by others regarding things that theymiss. We then discussed how to use Reiki to connect with the energeticessence of these experiences that they enjoyed and bring this essenceinto the present moment.

One of our greatest joys while teaching this class was watching the menbegin to practice on one another. We weren’t allowed to bring healingtables into the prison, so they practiced in groups of two or three working on the floor. They had the enthusiasm of children as they explored the energy. When one young man was having difficulty feelingthe energy, a very strong-looking, tattooed man crawled over to him andbegan to help by guiding his fellow inmate. Watching the caring interaction they had with one another was beautiful to experience.

Another unforgettable experience happened on the beginning of thesecond day. A Native American man, who on the first day was quite reserved and seemed somewhat skeptical, was the first to speak duringour morning check-in. He told us that his original hesitation came fromnot knowing if he could trust us. He wasn’t sure that he believed thatReiki could never cause harm, and he didn’t want to participate if therewas a possibility of harming someone. He explained that, when he wasa very young boy, his great grandfather summoned him from school tohis bedside as he was dying. This great grandfather shared a memorableexperience with the boy about spiritual healing and energy. This man,now an adult, was “visited” in his dreamtime by this great grandfather allthese years later. He was given the message that we could be trustedand he could believe us when we told him that Reiki would never causeharm. This particular student had a new enthusiasm for the energy aswell as a broader understanding and perspective of the many ways thatReiki can heal.


When the days of training were completed and we said goodbye to thesemen, we had been profoundly affected by the experiences we sharedwith them. We think of them daily, we send them Reiki, they are a partof our heart and soul. We see their faces in our minds as if they were sitting here with us now. For more than two years Laurelle has been hearing a voice that states, “remember the ‘bodhisattvas behind bars.’”We learned that in Mahayana Buddhism the bodhisattva postpones attainment of nirvana in order to alleviate the suffering of others. Thenumber of bodhisattvas is theoretically limitless, and the title has beenapplied to great scholars, teachers, and Buddhist kings. Bodhisattvas areconsidered key figures in universal salvation. Compassion, the chiefvirtue of the bodhisattva, is valued as highly as wisdom.

It has occurred to us that although these men have been found guilty ofcrimes worthy of imprisonment in a maximum security prison, their actions too are a part of the Divine Plan. Knowing their commitment toinfusing the prison system with Reiki, we wonder whether their soulsand the souls of those affected by their crimes were guided to the situations they are in so that these inmates could be of service in thisway. Are bodhisattvas only great scholars, teachers, and kings?

We returned to the prison in July 2003 and again in July 2004 to complete their training. Both times events within the prison preventedthe classes from taking place. The first time there wasa lock down for a week, and the second time they were too short staffedto have the required staff member in the classroom with us. We recognize that Reiki has its own timing, yet our hearts are with these menwho are still waiting for their Master training. This penitentiary is onlyone of the many prisons that together are housing more than 1.2 millionpeople. These thirteen men are a nucleus of transformational powerwithin the system. If you have an interest in assisting with creating anexplosion of Divine Love within the prison system, below are facts andinformation that you may find helpful.

The prison system It isn’t necessary to start by trying to introduce Reikiinto a maximum-security prison. You may find it less challenging to bringReiki into a local or state prison, or a minimum-security federalprison. The following statistics from the Web site www.bop.gov may helpyou understand more about the prison population:


Prison Population by Offense

Drug Offenses-.57.3%Immigration-10.8%Robbery-6.4%Burglary, Larceny, Property Offenses-4.4%Extortion, Fraud, Bribery-4.4%Homicide, Aggravated Assault, Kidnapping Offenses-.3.2%Miscellaneous-1.9%Weapons, Explosives, Arson-1.9%Sex Offenses-1.0%Banking and Insurance, Counterfeit, Embezzlement-.0.7%Obstructing Justice-0.5%Continuing Criminal Enterprise -0.4%National Security -0.1%Average Inmate Age -38

Sentence Imposed (calculated for those with sentencing information available)

5–10 years-.28.9%10–15 years -.17.4%3–5 years -16.1%1–3 years -14.8%More than 20 years -.8.9%15–20 years-8.3%Life-.3.2%Less than 1 year -.2.3%

Inmates by GenderMale-93.2%Female-.6.8%

Inmates by Security Level (BOP facilities only)Low-.39.1%Medium -.25.0%Minimum-19.3%High-10.6%

6.0% of inmates have not been assigned a security levelNumber of BOP Institutions-104Total BOP Inmate Population-177,518


How to present Reiki to the prison administrators

Prisons have missions, as do most institutions. Presenting Reiki trainingso that it assists in the fulfillment of their mission statement will help inreceiving approval to provide Reiki training. An example of an actual mission statement:“It is the mission of the Federal Bureau of Prisons toprotect society by confining offenders in the controlled environmentsof prisons and community-based facilities that are safe, humane, cost-efficient, and appropriately secure, and that provide work and otherself improvement opportunities to assist offenders in becoming lawabiding citizens.”

Reiki training is an educational program that teaches stress-reductiontechniques. Reiki techniques can be used to assist in anger managementas well as for relief of physical pain and to expedite healing of illness andwounds. Reiki technique can assist in preparing inmates for reentry intosociety. Reiki techniques can be used to assist in healing addictive behaviors. Reiki techniques can be used to enhance spiritual growth.

We suggest that you make contact with a staff member who will becomean internal advocate for Reiki training. Suggested contacts are the chaplain, staff nurse, activities coordinator, or head of the inmate education department. We have yet to approach the prison to train theirstaff, but that is something we plan for the future.

What about financial compensation?

We offered this training on a volunteer basis and have not requested anypayment for our service. If you wish to be compensated, be sure to include your fees and payment terms in the proposal that you submit. Ifyou wish to be paid, be sure to consider your expenses, including anytravel, supplies, and time lost from your work. Each time we return to theprison it involves a minimum of two full days of travel, plus the actualclass time, travel expense, overnight lodging, and meals. When we returnto our office we then must work to make up the time by catching up onthe workload.

Although receiving financial compensation is extremely helpful, thegreatest reward for this type of work is seeing the transformation thattakes place in the hearts and minds of the inmates.We still have visions of some of the men the first moment we met them.


There were a few in particular whose eyes appeared almost lifeless as wefirst shook their hands. At the end of the class the light of their souls wasradiantly shining from their eyes. Just for today we give thanks for theblessing of sharing Reiki with men who may truly be bodhisattvas behind bars.

Note: If you feel so inclined to assist us in completing the training program for the inmates at the Florence penitentiary please send Reikito this program’s completion for the highest good of all. Michael ArthurBaird and Laurelle Shanti Gaia are Licensed Reiki Master Teachers andKaruna Reiki® Master Teachers. They have each been practicing Reiki for16 years. Michael and Laurelle operate the Infinite Light Healing StudiesCenter of Sedona, AZ. Laurelle has authored “The Book On Karuna Reiki”and “Be Peace Now”. Michael is the originator of the Reiki Drumming Program. Together they facilitate classes, conferences and retreats forReiki practitioners and teachers.

It's a Joy to Teach Reiki here in Bali! When I built my little house in Ubud, I designed it to face the jungle and the river.I teach only 2 students at a time, and wework outside on the big open verandahwith lush tropical gardens all around. Balihas intense ambient energy which deepensthe practice and makes for a memorable experience. Students are easily able to detect energy fields and to channel in thisnatural environment. I feel very blessed to

have been able to create such a lovely, quiet and supportive place to dothe work.

My three rescue dogs are an integral part of the class, deeply mellowedby the energies generated over years of workshops and sessions. Students inevitably start cuddling and interacting with them during theday. Hamish, the old white dog, was in very poor condition when he wasrescued and has spent hundreds of hours under the Reiki table. Now heoften lies down near my students and places his paws on them, givingReiki in his own way.

Blessed be,Cat Bastedo CRA-RTwww.catwheelerbali.com


Of Fudo, Anger, Reiki, Mars, and More

Thinking about anger the other day, I remembered that during his firstvisit to Toronto, when I invited him to speak to a group of Reiki practitioners about Reiki and Buddhism, Hyakuten-sensei asked the audience, “Which of the Five Principles is most relevant for you?” Somepeople said, “Be kind”, some “Be grateful”, others “Do your work”... etc.

Then he turned to me, “What about you, Elyssa?” I said, “Do not anger....”. He said, “For me, too. So my Five Principles are 'Do not anger, do notanger, do not anger, do not anger, do not anger...'” We all laughed.

With Hyakuten-sensei, I am in good company – we both get angry - butwait, it gets better:) In a recent interview, the Dalai Lama revealed thathe, too, gets angry sometimes. “You never stop getting angry about smallthings. In my case, it's when my staff do something carelessly, then myvoice goes high. But after a few minutes it passes.” (*)

Daniel Goleman says that the Dalai Lama can be pretty scary when he'sangry.

But then again, the anger passes.

Hyakuten-sensei too, by his own admission, can be as terrifying as Fudo- a Buddhist deity who has the most furious glaring face - although youwouldn't guess it from his customary Jizo-like bonhomie. (Jizo is thesweetest-looking Boddhisattva.)

But soon, Hyakuten-sensei's anger passes, too. Fudo is skilled at converting anger into salvation.

And you really don't want to see me angry. Those who know me mayfind it hard to believe, but there's a Goddess of War somewhere in thereand she does come out, occasionally. Once in Mexico City, when my wallet was stolen from my purse, She helped me run after the thief, catchhim, pin him against a wall, and intimidate him into returning my wallet.That little man (not that he was really little; it's more like, in my outrage,I was feeling really big) had no choice – that's how scary the Goddess ofWar can be.

But then, one time, in class, a very observant fifteen-year old studentsaid to me, “Miss, you're different from other teachers.” “Oh yeah?


How so?” “You're never angry.” “Of course, I am. I just got angry a fewminutes ago with the kids who didn't bring their books or didn't dotheir homework.” “Yes, you did. But you didn't stay angry. You neverstay angry.”

Out of the mouth of babes. Anger comes. But then it passes.

Following his talk back in 2005, Hyakuten-sensei and I spoke somemore about anger and about the meaning of the “Do not anger” principle. The suggestion here is not that we should never feel angryor that when anger arises, we should repress it or disguise it. It's notthat we should condemn it and vilify it as being “negative” or try hardto always be calm and peaceful, New Age-style. Instead, what the simple “Do not anger” phrase implies is “Do not become attached toanger”. When anger comes up, feel it fully, then let it pass through you.

Feel it fully. Then let it pass through you. It bears repeating.

As we practice Reiki, this becomes easier to do. Anger doesn't stoparising, but the way we relate to our anger begins to spontaneouslychange. It becomes more natural and effortless to simply be awareof what arises moment by moment and to allow anger or any otheremotion to pass through, without putting a story around it and getting all caught up in the details of the mental narrative.

Reiki is a practice of awareness.

It is also a practice of radical friendliness and acceptance.

Healing is a function of both attentive, open awareness and warm-hardheartedness. We embrace what is. We allow it to be. Whenit comes to difficult emotions, we turn towards them, not away. Weallow them to be. They flow through and at some point, spontaneously self-liberate. With practice, we are released from theirsticky fingers and we begin to take their suggestions under advisement.

With practice, our reality becomes one of no attachment, no resistance, no denial. We call it “surrender”.


When we make space for anger, we discover that anger is not all bad.Rather than calling it negative and pushing it away, or judging ourselvesfor feeling the way we do, we begin to see that anger can be a teacher.It can teach us something about the general landscape of our minds andthe deeper sources of our immediate reactions. As the Dalai Lama says,“Feelings of anger and hatred arise from a mind that is troubled by dissatisfaction and discontent.” (*) So when a situation arises that makesyou angry, “you should directly confront your anger and analyze it. Investigate what factors have given rise to that particular instance ofanger or hatred. Then, analyze further, seeing whether it is an appropriate response and especially, whether it is constructive or destructive.” (*)

The same applies to pushing away other people's anger or judging themfor it. Upon investigation, we may discover what has given rise to thatparticular judgment - we may learn something about our own deeperstate of dissatisfaction, our own anger and how we tend to deny it or express it, our inclination to project our own states on others or to takea sanctimonious stance...

Keeping all this in mind, we could expand the “Do not anger” principlethus: “Observe throughout the day, the arising of anger, then lookdeeper for its true cause.”

Constructive anger can be an ally, as it was for me in Mexico City, or as itis for Fudo who frightens people into accepting the teachings of DainichiBuddha, or for the Dalai Lama who alerts his staff to their carelessness,or for Hyakuten-sensei when responding to improper behaviour.

On the other hand, when, upon investigation, we realize that our response is destructive, our anger can give way to the motivation for self-cultivation. In fact, the very same energy that fuels anger can beused to fuel a certain inner discipline in cultivating thoughts of patienceand tolerance. As the Dalai Lama says, “since we cannot overcome angersimply by suppressing it, we need patience and tolerance to counteractit.” (*)

Ultimately, as we turn our attention inwards and observe, we might realize that anger is just a particular expression of a particular kind of energy.


We are bundles of energies.

One of them is known to astrologers as Mars energy which we experience as vitality, sexuality, drive, desire, assertiveness, aggression,anger... What makes us tick? What gets us all fired up? What makes usangry, and how do we express that anger? What do we really desire, andhow do we go about getting it? How do we set boundaries? Can we sayno? The answers all come bundled in the same Mars package.

Is there anything inherently wrong with Mars energy?

If you answer yes or no, you lose your Buddha-nature. Your non-dualfoundation.

Should we give free and absolute rein to Mars energy when present?Should we give in to our anger? If we do, we might self-combust and incinerate everybody around us.

Should we then suppress our anger or condemn it? If we do, we mightsucceed in diminishing our vitality (depression is said to be just angerwithout enthusiasm).

The answer to any question might just need to be “maybe” or “neitherthis nor that”, or “both this and that”... And moment by moment non-judgmental awareness, tolerance and patience, curiosity and openness, friendliness and acceptance might be our best guides in eachand every circumstance.

And in each and every circumstance, our investigation may reveal something different.

We might even make the very startling discovery that our aversion toanger, our need to speak of emotions as either good or bad, our blackand white mental categories are informed by Martian energy, too, foryou know Mars – the God of War is strong and big, but he lacks subtlety.

And as I write, I practice.

It so happens, that I have a Mars transit to my natal Pluto - try giving plutonium to the God of War and then watch and see what happens.And with Mercury, the communicator, also involved in this dynamic, thepotential for annihilating verbal aggression becomes as real as a red-hotbutton.


On the other hand, with Pluto, one may be driven to dig deep and investigate, with Mars, one may do so with zest and enthusiasm, andwith Mercury present, one may write an article.

And when all this is done, one may look for an action movie on Netflix – which is what I felt like doing the day Mars got significantly closeto Pluto - but then Mercury is wondering about the new “Suits” seasonin which lawyers cleverly (and sometimes aggressively) argue with eachother (after some deep-digging) so chances are that that's what I'll watchjust so that Mars, Pluto, and Mercury may be happy together and have anice day. Just for today.

(*) http://thepowerofideas.ideapod.com/dalai-lama-reveals-ultimate-strategy-dealing-anger/

*** Big Reiki blessings, Elyssa Matthews

INVITING HAPPINESS: Engaging the Reiki Precepts

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BEEING” REIKI

If anyone had ever told me that I would sitwith a bee in my hand for even a few seconds,let alone an hour I would not have believed it.But here I am relating my experience of sittingand offering Reiki to a bumblebee for over anhour!

The other night my neighbour and I were enjoying our gardens along with the buzzingand flitting about of many bees when we noticed one was tucked insidea hibiscus flower and had been there for some time. We kept checkingin with her and when I noticed that her antennae were slowly moving, Ioffered reiki and then thought she might just need to rest so we left herand bid each other goodnight.

The next morning, however, she was still there. Her antennae were stillmoving so I knew she was still alive. I decided to cut the flower and holdit with her on it, in my hands. I was in no particular hurry so I decidedthat I would get comfortable and sit with her, offer Reiki and enjoy thebeautiful sunny morning on my front porch.

So I just held her as I sat, grounded and connected to Reiki Source and Iinvited her to join me in this loving energy. At first, other than a fewtwinges of her antennae, there was no movement. Then after about 5min. she began to move just a little. She began with rubbing one of herlegs over her body and I noticed that the pollen was coming off. Thenover time she did a full rotation of the stamen. I thought she would bethirsty so I put one drop of water on the flower petal near her. Shemoved closer to the drop and sucked it up.

She then moved off the flower and onto my hand so I put another dropof water on my hand and sure enough she crawled to the drop. It wasan awesome experience to watch her proboscis come in and out againstmy skin and drink up the droplet.

When I felt it time, I decided to take her back near the flowers in the gar-den. I placed my hand right in the flowerbed and she crawled off myhand on her own. In just a few seconds she puffed up, spread her wingsand flew off!


I have to admit, at first I thought thatI was helping her to die, but lettingthat thought go and any other attachment to mind or outcome, Iwas able to offer Reiki and just observe. What an honouring experience! I am truly grateful to theReiki Energy and to the Source fromwhich it comes.

Virginia Smith CRA-RTUsui Reiki Master Teacherwww.reikiandselfcare.com

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Documents

Canadian Reiki Association · Reiki and the M.S. Pilot Project was successfully performed in Vancouver with members giving under 400 sessions focusing on the patient’s general wellbeing,