Revisiting the Kalapana vent after 20 years

The 6th in a series of my 20th Anniversary: Fire and the Goddess Pele.


I had been initiated 20 years ago when the Kalapana vent had opened up and the lava was over taking the housing areas and eventually the town of Kalapana. I remember going to the edge of the flow each night and watching the lava flow destroy everything in sight; trees, housing and the road. Helen, Johanna, Joyce and I would return in the morning and where we had stood the night before was gone and no longer accessible. The night before my Initiation, we visited the flow. The Hawaiians were chanting and dancing. There was so  much energy in the air. I stood mesmerized as I gazed into the fire. I, then saw a shimmering in the fire, a scintillating energy appearing as a form of a woman. She spoke, and said, "are you ready to walk into the fire with me." I saw my bodies leave my physical form and walk into the fire of purification. I knew I would never be the same. My outward initiation came the next morning with Helen. My life was never the same.


In April 2010, as I was preparing for the events, I was surprised to hear that the Kalapana vent had opened again for the first time in 20 years. The energy of fire was going to be again flowing on my revisit. By the time we had arrived in Hawaii, the flow had again crossed the road, was overtaking houses and was marching towards the ocean. We had limited access to close proximity, but you could walk about a mile out onto the old lava fields and get to the see the fire at night. There were hundreds of people from all over the world viewing this spectacular sighting. It is such an experience to feel the energy of life's creative forces, in its destructive, sustaining and creative nature. I felt the fire of purification burning through my legs as I walked. I felt Reiki meeting me in my experience and merging into this ancient primal energy. 

I have been so blessed in my life on this path of Reiki Mastery, filling me and calling me to explore this System of Natural Healing. It has embraced me with all of its Aspects and Elements. I thank all of my students and the students of Helen Haberly, who have been in my life since their initiation. They have brought forth a united remembrance of our desire to be whole and a dedication of embracing this simple practice. Their presence has gifted me community and the sharing of our practice.

 


Since my return home, from being with my sponsors and celebrating, I have settled into a very quiet and nurtured space. I feel as though I am in a cocoon, suspended and waiting for the next segment of my journey to reveal itself. Join me along the way!

A full day at my Initiation site.

The 5th sharing in the series of events of my celebration.

Kathleen, Chris, Rosemary ready for the day!

Jean and Hira

Each day of our event activities, early in the morning before breakfast, Hira Reid was busily making sure that there was plenty of water, drinks, snacks and lunch, and ice in all of the coolers and the cars packed up. Chris Piper saw to the details of our dinner being prepared by the kitchen and that it was also packed up. This was our longest day with many far away places to visit. Thank you,
Hira and Chris so much for making it easy for all of us to have what was needed on our outings. Thank you Johanna and Kim for hauling so much in your trucks.

Sitting in my initiation seat of lava

This was the day I had planned for long ago.... my 20th anniversary of being a Reiki Master. Had 20 years already passed. Was I really going to get to show all these people my secluded place where I sat for my Initiation? I had only shown it to a few people over all these years. Was I really going to sit in the same place and wait for wisdom to fill me once again and set out on another unknown journey? Every cell of my body was buzzing. I am so ready for this experience!

Joyce Winough

I had sifted through all the known details of my life, as a Reiki student and Master; my initiations of 1st, 2nd and Master degrees; living and teaching in the Hawaiian Islands: Maui; Hawi, Kamuela, Keaau, Kohala Ranch, Volcano, Big Island; and Honolulu. Remembering the specialness of my first class, which was a 2nd degree class, taught with

Helen following my Master initiation and my first student, Joyce Winough. My Reiki practice in Honolulu, was of 5 years standing, at the time of my master initiation. It was easy to make the shift of a full time commitment of treatments and teaching Reiki. Completing a full circle, I took Reiki into the traditional medical setting and treated all the children with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.


I remembering feeling the excitement of meeting the Grandmaster, Phyllis Furumoto in Spain and traveling to the Reiki Masters meetings throughout the world, meeting other Masters through the Reiki Alliance all became parts of the fabric being woven into a tapestry. The presence of continued support of Helen Haberly during those years as I was expanding my Reiki wings and then, dealing with the incredible loss of Helen, as my Master and the loss to the Reiki Master community.

Painting of Helen by Rose Brown

Teaching at Kalaupapa, Molokai

Expanding my teachings to far away locations to Cusco and Lima, Peru, Mexico and in the ashram in New York and India. Going 6 years to Kalaupapa, Molokai, where the Colony for Hansons disease patients reside and the incredible teachings that Reiki revealed in working with the spirit realm. The tapestry enlarges as other Reiki experiences lead me along the way. My classes expanded to Huntington Beach, Jamul and San Diego, Ca; New York; Denver Co, El Paso, Pecos and San Antonio, Tx; Las Cruces and Taos, NM; Gig Harbor, Puyallup, Vashon Island and Seattle, Wa; and Anapra Mexico. As this explosion of being in so many places occurred, it opened the door for my developing relationships with students who stepped forward to be my class sponsors. They have filled this space to touch others seeking support in their lives and directing them to the Usui System of Natural Healing. They have become the stepping stones for me to do my life work and to move into completion of my life. How can I ever thank them! This is our celebration together, those present and for those who couldn't join us.

Rosemary Goto sponsor Honolulu

Sponsors, Ca, Hawaii, Wa, Denver, NY

Creating community in my locations have been important over the years. I saw that I eventually needed to narrow the places I taught in, so I could sustain and support the more long standing communities. 1st and 2nd degree reviews were created and have given these communities continued support for the last 15 years. I can always say, "I have never missed a review yet." I donate this time for our gatherings to support my communities. It is very special to me to experience the many years of dedicated Reiki   students seeking Reiki as their healing practice.

Poster for the workshop

The guidance to follow through and create The Healing your Bodies Workshops 1, then 2 and now the newly debut of 3, for my sponsors at this celebration leaves my footprint of healing onto this path. It is a mark of surrender to this simple practice, Reiki. This journey of 20 years of Mastery has filled me with wisdom and compassion. It created space for thousands of people to come forth and be in my life, to walk the path of healing, and to experience Reiki as our teacher. Doubt has never been an experience for me on this path!


Having been a health practitioner, as a physical therapist and a Reiki practitioner over the past 45 years, the wisdom has revealed untold secrets that have led to wellness, wholeness and balance. I sit at treatments tables with a full time practice in many locations, in constant witness of Reiki

A very Happy Day for me!

Receiving

Honoring Helen

The time is now, we are at the initiation site. So much has been planned and yet there is the energy that is always in command. It is felt but not seen and it is honored! The details of the astrological reading for the  latitude and longitude of where we are, is given. I always plan ahead to have this information  available to prepare what this time frame is about and its

impact on us. It opens our awareness to the great energetic surroundings.  There is an astrological alignment which will allow us to release all emotional pain and trauma. This will bring forth the galactic grid and change our DNA. We did Reiki, including a mental emotional treatment on ourselves. There are sharings that validated a long history of support from when I turned 40, which marked a major development on my spiritual path.

We backtracked to the ponds, which are heated from the lava flows underneath going to the ocean. We stayed for a couple hours swimming, floating and sharing of the days activities. It was wonderful to be in the ocean water. It was so cleansing and relaxing. We are no where near finished with our days excursion. We still have to go to the Kalapana vent that has opened and is flowing to the ocean. Viewing has to be done after night fall. Check the next posting for those details. For now, I think I will hang out in the pond for a while longer.

A visit into the past of Hawayo Takata living in Hilo.

The 4th sharing of my celebration in Hawaii!

What a great day we all had together sharing points of interest of Hawayo Takata's past in Hilo, Hawaii. I have a long time history in visiting Takatas home, the Buddhist temple where she worshiped and where her ashes were kept for years. It was very special for me to share this history with my long time students.

We arrived in Hilo in the morning and went to where Takata had lived and had her clinic for years. It is a lovely old home and for the longest time it has remained a chiropractic clinic.

In Helen J. Haberly's book, Reiki Hawayo Takata's Story, Takata tells how she purchased this house. "In 1939 at the invitation of 2 teachers, Takata traveled by boat to Hilo for a short vacation. She was picked up by one of the teachers and drove into town to do an errand. When they entered the property, she noticed a sign that the property and land was for sale. When the owner, an old man was introduced to Takata, he heard she was from Honolulu and thought she had come to buy his house. He threw the cards he was playing into the air, rejoiced that she was buying his home. The teacher was embarrassed and did not know what to say. Mrs.Takata said she did not bring a down payment as she was not planning on buying property. He said,"who is talking about a down payment?" All he wanted was a monthly sum to provide him income."

"The 1 acre property was beautiful and had a well built 4 bedroom house with half basement separate maids quarters and a garage. As she looked around, with repairs and remodeling it would be large enough for a Reiki Center. She could bring her parents and other family members from Kauai. With her 2 daughters, she moved from Honolulu to Hilo. She remained there for a decade of treatments and teaching."

We were allowed to enter and go upstairs where there is a reiki clinic today. There is memorabilia in the corner with ads that Takata had placed and an old sign about her clinic.

We had an appointment to go to the Buddhist Temple where Mrs. Takata attended services.
It is a landmark building in Hilo. We meet with the priests and they join us in explaining the different parts of the temple. They guide us with instructions of offering incense. We each take our turns to offer the incense. Some are moved to tears in seeing our honoring of the practice. We sit in quiet and send distant treatments to several people.


I had asked Phyllis Furumoto to send me a reflection and sharing of the time when Mrs. Takata's Masters gathered in Hilo in 1982.

Phyllis shares: "The Hongwanji Temple in Hilo is a marking place for me as the Masters who gathered on the Big Island in 1982 went there to attend a memorial service for Hawayo Takata. They wished to honor and to remember her and her gift. The minister at that time spoke some words about her and her life. He said that she lead people through a dark forest with the light of Reiki. The light illuminated the path so people could find their way. Her life was dedicated to this purpose.

As you know Japanese people often speak poetically, it is the nature of the language, and there are deeper meanings that keep emerging. These words the minister spoke touch me deeply and I have been inspired and reassured by this image all these years. Especially during the last months of treatment when it seemed more could be happening. But there was always the illumination of the path as long as I looked forward. This was a great lesson for me. The past is our foundation and our future, our dreams. The present is our expression of living."

We finish the day at the Hilo open market and have a wonderful lunch in downtown Hilo. My twin, Hira Reid hooks up with a cute old lady selling ukuleles. They serenade me with a song, "You are my sunshine. "

A gift in honor of my Anniversary

The 3rd in a series of sharing for my celebration.

Reiki working through a Ceramic Artist, Alan Goto in Honolulu, Hawaii

Rosemary and Alan Goto host me in their home in Honolulu for Reiki gatherings, trainings and giving Reiki treatments. Their house is a flurry of activities when I am there. I am most grateful for all their love, support and generosity to the Reiki community and to me. This generosity of support to Reiki is understandable, as his parents were trained in Reiki by Hawayo Takata and he was raised with Reiki. He travels often to Japan and other countries to study the old ways of making pottery. He and Rosemary are going this fall to Taos and Santa Fe, New Mexico to see the Indian arts of pottery.

Alan is a ceramist and creates a huge variety of beautiful bowls, Japanese plateware, small and large pots and the front yard is full of these colorful balls. In late 2009, when I was staying with them, I asked Alan to make me a special request for my 20th Anniversary. Would he make me a special ball with the Reiki Kanji writing on it? His deadline would be my gathering on the Big Island, July 2010. I thought I was asking a simple request, "could you make me this ball with Reiki written on it". It would remind me of the transparent bubbles that came before Dr. Usui and gifted him Reiki.

The request is handed to the artisan, then I quickly see how detailed this simple project becomes for him. Do I want the kanji raised, or carved in, or will it be inlaid? Over many visits, I get to see the variety of prototypes that are being worked on. He works in his open garage, looking down Pauoa Valley to Punchbowl. The tradewinds blow through and the gentle morning rains cool the valley and his workspace. I get to see the progress over time and see the artisan at work.


Some are broken in the drying or firing process and some disappear in the kiln. I see the time, effort and honoring that is given to this special gift and request. I wonder which one will actually be my gift. Alan gifts the final Reiki ball to me the morning of the Healing your Bodies Workshop. It is so beautiful, the kanji raised in rough texture and the ball having a shiny finish of rust colors that drip down the sides.

Thank you Alan for you, your gifts of creativity and Reiki working through your art. My reiki ball now sits on my coffee table for all my El Paso students to see.

Continuation of my 20th Anniversary Celebrations.

The 2nd in a series of sharings of my celebrations.

In 20 years of teaching Reiki, 1st and 2nd degree classes, I have been asked thousands of questions. Many of these questions are similar and asked all the time, some have been asked several times and some have been asked only once. I have noticed the patterns of questions and even down to similar questions from different body types. It has always been fascinating. Looking at a person, I usually know what kind of questions are going to be asked. The most fascinating thing I have noticed: there is one question that has never been asked.

Let us go back to the history and story of Dr. Usui sitting on Mt. Kurama, hoping to receive the teachings of how to use the symbols that he had found in the Yoga Sutras. On the 21st morning, before dawn, he sees a bright light that is coming towards him. He knows it is going to hit him and he sits still and the light hits him in his forehead. There is a bright white light that fills his head, the colors of the rainbow pass through him. Then a transparent bubble with one of the symbols of healing appears and is suspended before him. It remains and the teachings of that symbol were given to him. After putting it all to memory, another bubble with another symbol appears and the teachings are given. One by one, orally he receives the teachings of all the symbols. These gifts are known as the Usui System of Natural Healing.

In thousands of my students, no one has ever questioned that part of the story, no one has ever asked what is a transparent bubble, where did it come from and what does it mean? The story is told over and over. Is it that no one ever hears that part, do they hear it and it is far beyond their understanding and can't wrap a question around it or is it just accepted without question, as truth? The answer is, all of the above.

Today, all over the world, people are seeing transparent bubbles in their photos. They are called Orbs. They are seen now by the naked eye. They appear everywhere. Their appearance is a validation of how the teachings where given to Dr. Usui. There is wisdom in the Orbs. They are energetic teachers. It was not a surprise when we gathered the 1st night and there were 2 orbs that were revealed near Rosemary and around her hand.

The mysterious sightings of Orbs continued to appear throughout the week of our activities. We were hiking through the Lava Tube and there was 1 in a photo on the wall of the tube. We all went to edge of Halemaumau crater and gazed into the total darkness deep into the pit, then we started seeing orbs in our photos with varying numbers depending on where we were shooting into the darkness.

When these photos are blown up you can see faces, holes, designs and some move through space and you can follow their paths. We are at the site of a major volcanic creative force. What is it we are looking at? We are looking into consciouness, it is in us and all around us. We are seeing the earth in its development. It feels so ancient and I am pulled into it like merging into a vital life force. It's like the familiarity of Reiki, it is known and not known! We are being lifted into the realms and seeing beyond the known. What will be revealed during the next days?

My 20th Anniversary of Reiki Mastery Volcano, Hawaii July 27, 2010

This is a first in a series of sharings from our week of celebrations July 23-27, 2010 Volcano, Hawaii in honor of my 20 years of Mastery.

A visit from the Night Rainbow!

I sit in witness of 20 years of experiences since I sat on a seat of lava with my feet on a lava shelf that overhung a drop off into the Pacific Ocean. My hands were by my heart, my eyes closed and Helen invoked the Sacred Symbols of Master Initiation. I was propelled on a journey and a life commitment of sharing this Gift of Reiki with others and experiencing it's impact on my life. My destiny was unknown to me in that moment but only known to the light that was instilled in me. 20 years have passed and I again sit in the same place! What else will be revealed to me? I return to celebrate over the week of July 23-29, 2010. I am joined with my invited guests. They are long time Reiki students and sponsors of mine, who have continued to support Reiki and me, as a Master. We gather in celebration, in honoring our teachers, this system of healing, of my journey as a Reiki Master and our life with Reiki.

We have come to Kilauea Military Camp in the Volcano National Park, Volcano, Hawaii to remember and share. Many are being at an active volcano for the first time. Driving into the park, passing the steam vents, fumes and fauna leads everyone to a place of unknowing. We gather together before dinner for everyone to meet and get oriented. Dinner is a Hawaiian Luau with wonderful music and a Halau of dancers and chanters.


We are greeted in the early morning by the Night Rainbow, as the full moon is setting. It graces the beginning of the newly prepared Healing your Bodies 3 Workshop that will be presented to the group for the first time.




 


There is legend about the Night Rainbow. I share the writing about it from old Hawaiian history that was included in our booklet from years ago of our first time at clearing the Spirits with Reiki at Kalaupapa, Molokai.

Kalaupapa Reflections
The night rainbow is calling the Reiki circle
together again.
“Lest we forget,” it says.
“Remember the stormy moonlit night
that illuminated our walk into the unknown.
We laid down our fears and opened our hearts and hands
and the Reiki healing journey began...
with energy flowing to the land, to the people
and to the spirits
that make Kalaupapa Moloka´i home.”
The rainbow is calling us to gather and tell our stories.
It is a time to share the experiences of this Reiki circle...
Stories that have been held in our hearts for over 6 years
and need to be recorded for other hearts to hear.
We sit in humility as we gather.
You are invited to come sit in our circle with us
and listen to our stories.
Listen from a deep place, a place beyond hearing,
as we begin to tell the ancient Hawaiian story of the
Tale of the Night Rainbow.
It is calling us once again to remember!

This is an oral history as told by
Kaili´ohe Kame´ekua 1861 -1931
on Kamalo Moloka´i
written in a book, Tales of the Night Rainbow.

“There are many kinds of rainbows - the night too has rainbows. One, the encircling ring around the moon, is only a weather sign. The other night rainbow, Na Po Mokole,
is seen only by a few.
It is the Spirit Rainbow. It holds our ancestors.
When it is seen it is a great blessing
from our family who has gone out of flesh.
Many healings take place at this time,
for our spirit family knows our needs and tries to help.

There is no greater blessing on earth
than the Blessing of the Night Rainbow.”

The Night Rainbow blessed us the first morning and again the morning of leaving the Volcano. The Night Rainbow has appeared several times during my life. The energy of Reiki is present with it's sightings. It always points to my remembering how blessed I am. It takes me to a place of gratitude that my ancestors are always with me and I am loved and supported. I feel embraced by the Reiki Spiritual Precept, Honor your Parents, Teachers and Elders. My awareness is brought beyond my seeing and it fills my heart. This experience and photo of hundreds of Orbs were seen looking into the darkness, at the rim of Halemaumau Crater, the night of Gurupurnima. The wisdom of this system and the mystery of Reiki revealed what usually can't be seen.

Aloha!


My Reiki Master Initiation occurred at
Kalapana, Hawaii by
Helen J. Haberly July 27, 1990. Refer back to my posting ( July 28, 2008) for details.