The International Reiki Retreat

by Colleen Benelli

September 7, 2012

I just returned from the International Reiki Retreat in Lake George, New York. It was an amazing weekend full of fun, information, relaxation, healing, gratitude, empowerment, song, and lots of Reiki! It is always a special event in my year. Reiki Master Kathy Lipinski gave a presentation on PTSD and Reiki. It was full of information about PTSD and how Reiki tools can benefit people with who suffer because of this condition. Patricia Williams from Florida gave a presentation about the Reiki Ideals, their deeper meaning and she taught us how to say them in Japanese. Pamela and Don McMahon sang their wonderful songs with such power and grace, they filled our hearts! I acted as the emcee for a very fun “silly to serious” talent show. People sang, danced the salsa, played flaminco guitar, did comedy routines, some were very silly, (Jerry being a Wannabe Barbara) and others were deeply moving. One guy, Richy, recited poetry and sang a love song to a woman in the audience, and we found out he just happened to be staying at the retreat grounds and wasn’t part of the Reiki retreat! It was alot of fun with lots of laughter.

The next day, Sunday, William Rand talked about how peace is growing on the planet. He sited statistics verifying this, that showed that there are fewer wars and less death from war, less crime, and an increase in the general IQ’s of all people. This is leading to more conscious awareness and more peace. Laurelle Gaia chanted with her beautiful crystal singing bowls which brought such a sense of peace. She talks about us entering the “age of peace,” and I can completely believe it when she is filling me with her sound healing. Michael Baird taught us how to do drum extractions with Reiki drumming, which a very powerful healing technique. We also had a surprise guest speaker who spoke of teaching Reiki in her country where it is now illegal. (I can’t say much more about that for her protection) I presented the Reiki Gratitude Ceremony and Pam and Don carried the songs for it. 180 people spent 2 hours praying and singing in the power of gratitude. It was so beautiful. Pam and Don brought in beautiful songs that touched our souls. We healed the places where we are not grateful, and strengthened our thanksgiving in our daily lives. Then we sent the power of the gratitude ceremony to the World Peace Grids, placed at the North and South Pole, Jerusalem, Michigan and Hawaii by William Rand. We were filled with grace and gratitude for a whole weekend!

I am deeply grateful for my Reiki community. It is such a great experience to spend this time with like minded people. It is normal there to talk about our spiritual helpers and the what the trees have to say and we aren’t thought of as weird or nutty. It is very easy to talk about the expanded reality we live in. We hug each alot, and smile, and say really nice things about each other and our lives. It is like a great big love fest!

The International Reiki Retreat in Lake George is an annual event. I encourage Reiki people to consider going next year. I am still basking in the energy of it. The beauty I feel there lasts for a long time after the retreat.

Colleen Benelli can be reached by email at colleen@reikilifestyle.com, by phone at 503.912.0664, on her website at www.reikilifestyle.wpengine.com, or on her Facebook page, Reiki Lifestyle-Colleen Benelli.

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