Trinidad Conference: A Sharing
~January 12, 2018
Creative Director of Reiki Home, Elaine Andres, opened the first world conference Building Peace, Healing Ourselves, Healing the Earth on January 12. She welcomed Reiki Home’s partner organizations: the Creators of Peace, Initiatives of Change, the Indigenous People of Trinidad and Tobago and the International Institute for Peace through Tourism.
She said, “In Reiki we have five principles – all of which lead us to building peace. As we begin our time together, I’d like to focus upon the fifth principle: “Give Gratitude to every living thing.” When we are in the energy of Gratitude, we are in a state of peace.” Gratitude was then expressed to the many people who so generously gave, time, skills and gifts to make the conference happen.
She reminded the audience that Margaret Mead said, Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” she stated, “It is from this small group of people who are gathered here in Trinidad that change will happen. Our gathering is about our combined commitment to dedicate ourselves to building peace in our own lives, in the lives of our families and local communities and in the world.
We have come together to share, to know and to experience each others passions, dedication and willingness to persevere. We are powerful beyond our ability to understand.”
Dear friends of Reiki Home and Creators of Peace,
Incredible in Bogota, a cold city, which is 2600 meters above sea level, after two months of waiting, with deep joy in my heart, I can tell you that from the leaf of the Wonder of the World sprouted two plants!!!
The beautiful Rastafarian woman who lives for more than 25 years in Trinidad and Tobago, who is also guardian of the ancestral knowledge of plants, healer and environmental care educator gave me a leaf with special powers on the day of my flight to Colombia. She told me that by placing that leaf anywhere on the body where there is pain, it absorbs it immediately. Hence its great name: the Wonder Of the World …
I took care of it and put it inside a book that same day; but there was an inconvenience: when I reached home I forgot about it. Just two days later I remembered where I placed it. Of course, I felt bad for such a mistake but took care of it and followed to the letter each of the instructions received. So I left the leaf on the soil in a pot in our terrace. The days passed and the leaf seemed to be drying up … When I had lost any hope, by the time spring began it showed two small leafs … Hallelujah!
The Wonder of the World has filled me with joy and deep gratitude … I see how it intertwines with the birth and the fabric of a dream until it reaches reality. This was my experience at the Trinidad and Tobago Conference: Building Peace, Healing Ourselves and Healing the Earth. I met wonderful people from Reiki Home, Initiatives of Change (IofC) and Creators of Peace (CoP) and the chief of Santa Rosa First Peoples.
At the conference, diversity was present. The miracle of seeing how the different ways of celebrating the Unity became visible: the values of IofC, CoP, and the Reiki Home principles, the sharing of the spiritual visions of the Catholic Bishop and the Chief, the Water Ceremony led by the Chief on the river, the sacred of the elements. Hearing the representatives of the United Nations, environmental and social fabric organizations, healers, writers and others inspired us to personal change.
The Wonder of the World also offers the possibility of believing and creating from the difference of a more inclusive world. We saw the Wonder of the World happen when the Bishop asked forgiveness from the Chief for the 500 hundred years of abuse of the native people. There is no better way to be, the inspiration to believe that we are capable of putting our light, abilities and gifts to work together and strengthen the hope, the confidence and the faith to manifest the Wonder of the World.
I wanted to share that it is possible to sprout from the seeds more inspiration and beauty in the world. When we seek contact with the beauty of diversity, our hearts connect!!!
God bless you!!
Much love, Luz Stella
Reiki Is Love in Action: An Interview with Rosina Wiltshire
In a recent interview about the Trinidad Conference, Rosina shared, “This gathering was a lovely reflection of Reiki Home manifesting joy, welcoming without judgment, and sharing with respect and understanding.
It became clear as the conference unfolded that Reiki Home is a space of embracing others in partnership, creating a welcoming circle, listening to one another with respect and kindness and building peace, beginning with ourselves. When at peace with ourselves and others, Reiki Home is present.”
Reiki Home sponsored the conference with key partners: Creators of Peace, Initiatives of Change, the Indigenous People of Trinidad and Tobago, International Institute for Peace through Tourism and the United Nations.
All the partners shone, beginning with the opening of the conference. Friday evening, the United Nations Resident Coordinator outlined the Sustainable Development Goals to which all countries agreed as a framework which calls us to action as individuals, citizens of our various countries, and a global community.
The focus of the conference was to build on what is working, personally and professionally, rather than what is broken. Civic organizations, Church, government, Indigenous peoples, and individuals came together to share how their work is making a positive difference in the world.
With our array of presenters, we showcased the good models existing all over the world, whether in the Caribbean, the Netherlands, Europe, or South America; we were inspired by their accomplishments. Each presenter brought a different insight and aspect of transformation, and each session brought a deeper sense of gratitude and awe.
The water ceremony at the river, led by the Chief of the Indigenous Peoples, Ricardo Hernandez, was “awe inspiring”. Rosina said, “I remember sensing sacred silence, reverence, wonder, the mystery of our being, our practice, and this gift of veneration with understanding, during those special moments.”
The government Mediation Program sponsored by the Ministry of Cultural Development and the Arts, reaching over 51,000 people in the schools and communities in Trinidad, gave hope. In addition, the meditation programs in schools and prisons and Stephen Edwards’ powerful work with youth using technology and the arts are making life-changing differences. Rosina stated, “It was wonderful being a part of the enthusiasm of the young presenters including Usha Lakhan, who spoke about the work done in the helping community – connecting with the community to find what was needed, rather than assuming they knew.”
Akilah Jaramoji from Trinidad shared her experience of keeping the spirit of living in harmony with the land, working with the land and the community; her influence is felt locally as well as in other countries.
The session on Spirituality and Peace with the Indigenous Chief and Bishop Clyde Harvey was enlightening and profound. We were privileged to witness healing from past actions between the church and the Indigenous people. The honesty and respect they offered each other were examples for us all.
Keynotes and panel discussions were held on the Feminine and Masculine, Gender and Peace, Reiki Home: an Unfolding Vision, and Reiki and Healing for Peace by Phyllis Lei Furumoto. Workshops featured Creating Peace, the Magic of Rapport, and Rattle Making. Reiki workshops were: Healing the Ancestral Line, Spiritual Discipline and Emotional Healing and Peace.
The energy of Reiki created a vessel that provided participants with a unique experience of a conference. Reiki was shared daily with some participants receiving Reiki for the very first time.
The people who came reflected this vision of Reiki bringing different people of the world together, including the government, the private sector, those caring for the earth, those working with the arts and with the marginalized, those taking care of refugees, and the United Nations which was amazing and beautiful!
This gathering strengthened the importance of honoring the earth, and the need to see each of us as a reflection of the creative spirit. “We truly are one human community,” Rosina remarked.
The sixty participants experienced the beauty, abundance, love and power from taking action that resulted in the building up of one another. It became apparent that we are the agents of something much bigger than ourselves.
Rosina ended this interview by saying, “This conference exceeded my expectations; I was awed and inspired by the power of Reiki. There was a welcome space for every partner, and manifestation of a vision of transformation in our time through individual and collective action. I experienced this vision of Reiki Home being expressed in a spirit of love and togetherness, sharing, kindness and creativity. I end with deep gratitude and awe knowing that Reiki is definitely love in action.”
Quest
A Trinidad Conference Reflection
Like hummingbirds to flowers
We were drawn to the nectar
Of connecting in our humanity.
With Reiki filling the air
We flew to this distant island
Trusting we would be fed
The juice our hearts and souls longed for.
Slowly our numbers increased
Until the nest of Alicia’s Palace was full
Then we began our sharing
Of how we work to create peace,
Heal ourselves, and heal the earth
We walked the land to the river
Though the bamboo lined path
Filled with enchanting tropical plants
Undisturbed by humans
We entered into the natural world
It embraced us as we embraced it
Some freed themselves of shoes
Allowing the silky smooth coolness of the water
To gently massage feet and give relief
From the wet warmth of the day
Once at the sacred spot
The conch shell called to the four directions
The Chief guided us through a sacred ceremony
At the water’s edge
Honoring and blessing the land
And all those present
In silence with reverence
We cleansed our faces and hands
Then offered sage and flowers to the fire and the water
Letting Mother know of our love
For all she offers
Our gratitude ran deep as we
Drank from shared cups
Made from coconut shells
Ate pieces of white host casaba bread
The Chief, in his gentle powerful way
Concluded this ceremony
As it began
Cleansing our hands and face with the pure clear water from the river
With the magnetic draw of this consecrated land
We left more slowly and silently
Than when we came
Each of us touched, moved
In our own indescribable way
The path widened
And led us to the man
With his truck full of coconuts
Deftly removing the top of
This magical fruit with his machete
Allowing us to drink the nectar
Drawn up from the land
We were full.
Fran Freeman
January 22, 2018
Healing Ourselves: A Personal Sharing
by Shari John, local participant
Reiki has its’ ways and has had its way with me since I was first attuned in November 2016 by Winthrop Wiltshire. It was no surprise then that the Trinidad Conference brought more healing to me, during and in the days after.
I found the conference to be a huge success, energizing and inspiring. I have no doubt that it has found a home in Trinidad & Tobago and will continue to grow exponentially. In reflecting on the event itself and my own experience, I believe it all comes down to one thing – healing ourselves. Sometimes it’s important to keep things simple and often as healers and the ‘healed’, we forget this basic fact – heal ourselves and everything around us will heal itself.
When we find peace within, there will be peace on the outside and peace on the earth. When we heal ourselves, we heal the earth. As someone new to all of this (I am a baby to most), the idea of a few people doing a small thing to change the world has never resonated with me. But I see now the relevance in this. I see how a relatively small conference could do so much to make a huge difference.
I think it’s always important to start somewhere, and we have done that here. From my own experience, lots of healing took place. Where so much positive energy is gathered, positivity is bound to come. I have benefited tremendously from the Conference.
Though I actually missed most of it, the energy did not miss me. And though some of it came after for me, thanks to Luz and Rebecca, the presence and influence of these powerful women. Their powerful gifts will continue to have a lasting effect on me, and for that I am grateful.
I wish everyone could experience this and I am inspired to ensure that more people do. Because, coming out of my own experience, I now understand that this was less of an earth healing event and more of an individual healing event. If more people heal themselves, the earth will heal quite easily.