The 21 Day Usui Virtual Retreat Starts Today

We are honored and delighted that you have chosen to be with us as we commemorate the 144th birthday of Mikao Usui, the founder of our practice, the very first Reiki practitioner.

Usui was a brave and compassionate man whose spiritual longing and effort literally gave birth to this practice, he lives on today in our own practice, even though the form of our practice may be quite different than how Usui himself practiced and taught.

We are a diverse group of Reiki practitioners from around the world. We come from different lineages, different practice styles, different countries, cultures and lifestyles.

Our intention for this retreat is to deepen our relationship with Reiki, and to strengthen our sense of being connected to a global community. So we hope you will reach out and invite others to join us.

This is a very special opportunity for all of us. We have offered you enough structure so that this can be a meaningful adventure into practice for you. We are also counting on each of you to participate in the retreat in the way that works best for you.

You know yourself and you know what your life is like. Please find the balance of commitment and comfort that fits your lifestyle. Look at what invites you to practice, and doesn’t feel burdensome. Don’t make it big, make it steady, and practice every day. Find an amount of daily practice that you can comfortably commit to, and a time when you can place your hands and be with your self-treatment every day. When we want to create change, steadiness and consistency matters.

We hope you will find a way to practice Reiki everyday for the next three weeks, in whatever way you can, and know that we are all practicing with you. But if you miss a day, come back to your practice, and your community, the next day.

It is suggested that you keep a paper and pen near where you practice, so that you can jot down your observations and contemplations after each session, and even between sessions, as an insight blossoms in your awareness.

Follow this link: USUI VIRTUAL RETREAT WEEK ONE look down towards the bottom of the page and you will see the link to Part One which sets the stage and gives you some context and suggestions.

Directly under that link is the link to Part Two which is the actual practice meditation, you may want to listen to more than once that's why it was recorded separately

There is also a link should you choose to forward this to friends you think will be interested in joining us.

Thank you for being with us for this retreat. We look forward to practicing together

Love and Blessings

Mari and Pamela

Make a Smilebox greeting

Connecting and seeing

Good Morning. I am sharing the result of letting go of how my morning "should" unfold and have played like a child with a new toy. I hope you enjoy this as much as I have making it.

Love, Mari

Make a Smilebox postcard

Virtual Usui Reiki Retreat Starts August 15th

It is my plesure to introduce your facilatator for this year's 21 Day Virtual Usui Retreat Pamela Miles RMT

Greetings! I am pleased that Pamela will lead this year's 21 day Virtual Usui Retreat. I have asked her to write a few words for you. From Pamela: When I first came upon Reiki in 1986, I was already a professional healer and had been studying yoga and meditation for 25 years. This experience gave me a more profound context in which to understand Reiki practice than is common for Westerners. Years of spiritual practice also taught me the skills needed to dive deeply into my Reiki practice, distill the essence and the opportunity this practice offers, and communicate it in mainstream language...and to help other Reiki practitioners to do so as well. Let us honor ourselves and Mikao Usui, the incomparable founder of our practice, by participating in this 3 week virtual retreat. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned practitioner, participating in the retreat will expand your connection to Reiki and open new depth in your practice. For more information follow link to Usui Retreat pages on Wisechoices. To receive the weekly meditations sign up to receive the newsletter at the bottom of the page. Love and Blessings, Mari

Mark your Calendars....August 15, 2009

Summer Is here in Houston

Summer is here in Houston, Texas. Our thermostat has not registered under 100 in almost two weeks and no rain in site. After the flood of April I thought I would never wish for the gentle cooling effects of rain again. Bring it on, besides I have flood insurance now, not that I wishing for one, it would be nice for a good soaking rain the garden is in need.

We are back in the house and mostly settled in from having to redo it due to the inches of water that had collected there over April 28th. I am most grateful to my adopted kids Dawn and Donnie Bell who came with a crew from Dallas and fixed the house and added some new improvements as well.

Once they left then Gary fell and broke his hip in four places…it seems once it rained it started to pour! He is on the mend, walking with a walker and in a much better mood since he is not in so much pain.

I feel like I finally have some space to be creative and have started writing to get caught up on all fronts.

We have a pair of cardinals that have taken up residence in the patio tree in front of our living room window. We have watched them build the nest and now she is sitting on the nest. Right there in front of us nature has provided us the best show.

Here are some excerpts from the newsletter I have just sent out…enjoy!

World peace is not an abstract concept removed from our everyday lives. It starts with trust between one individual and another-each of us opening our hearts and speaking with sincerity, communicating and touching the other on the deepest level.
President Daisaku Ikeda

Truly Feeling like Authentic Individuals
We begin to understand that the only acknowledgement that truly matters is the acknowledgement you give yourself. We can only reach a mental and emotional place in which we truly feel like authentic individuals when we choose to do what we do because it fulfills us rather than to attract the attention of those in a position to offer validation. While recognition can be both sweet and satisfying, we address the needs of our souls only when our motives come from within the very depths of our being. For this reason, we must feel a strong connection to the choices we make if we want to fulfill our purpose. Some paths will prove more rewarding than others, but there is no substitute for the pride we feel upon knowing that we are following a destiny that is uniquely our own. We will no longer feel ignored when we remind ourselves that our desires are not related to outer-world glory but are a product of our wish for fulfillment.

The Divine Hand- Rabbi Elisha ben Abuyah
"Those who are open to life's lessons and who nurture no prejudices are like a blank sheet of paper on which God writes his words with divine ink

"Those who are always looking on the world with cynicism and prejudice are like a sheet of paper already written upon and on which there is no room for new words.

"Don't bother about what you already know, or what you don't know. Don't think about the past or the future, just let the divine hands write down each day the surprises of the present".

Sage Words for Summer and Always

Remember to Care for Yourself

When we accept that caring for ourselves is no more selfish or self-centered than caring for the important people in our lives, we come to realize that our willingness to see to our own needs facilitates our ability to ensure the well-being of others. If we are tired or worn out because we have spent all our available time or expended the whole of our energy stores helping others thrive and achieve contentment, we have nothing left with which to refuel. When we save a portion of ourselves, however, so that we may use that to satisfy our own wants and needs, we ensure that we always have plenty of resources to devote to those whom we wish to see fulfilled. As you nurture your loved ones today, you will be a better caregiver if you remember to care for yourself.

You honor your goals by embodying them

We tend to derive far more satisfaction from the pursuits we engage in when we dedicate our minds and our souls to the task at hand. However inconsequential these duties may seem, they are likely in some way related to our larger purpose in life. When we recognize and acknowledge this, we begin to see that a lack of commitment in just one area of our existence can interfere with our ability to make the most of our aptitudes on multiple levels. We need only regard each and every one of our objectives as being worthy of our attention to ensure that we never overlook the importance of any one of them. The more dedicated we are to our purpose, the smoother our larger life paths will be. You will feel competent and purposeful when you honor your goals by embodying your devotion to them in your choices.

Reiki is as easy as touch

Upcoming Reiki Courses
Reiki Two- San Antonio, September 19-20
Reiki One and Two - Houston, September 26 and 27th, 2009
Reiki One and Two - Houston, November 21st and 22nd, 2009

To register

It is my pleasure to invite you to attend any of the courses offered this Fall.
The Reiki Two class scheduled for the 19-20 of September in San Antonio includes Saturday afternoon in the surrounding countryside The Reiki One and Reiki Two courses in Houston in September on 26th and 27th and on November 21st and 22nd will be taught at my home.

All the classes combine lecture, discussion, attunements, meditations and experiential practice in a well organized, but relaxed program A detailed class manual is included, and upon successful completion a certificate from the International Association of Reiki is awarded

Read about Mari's integrated approach to healing. Energy work sessions with Mari

Home office sessions and Distance Energy Work by Appointment Make an Appointment

I look forward to seeing you soon!

Love and Blessings, Mari

Waking up to See Life as it Really Is

So life you see is only waking us up...and it is up to us how we SEE what is true in the LIGHT of day

We all have pain in our lives. It is hard-wired in. It is not based on or grounded in, but is surely linked to, our external circumstances, both past and present. It is, in the end, a gift through which we find our way to true "joy, peace, and freedom." When we pretend we don't have any pain, either because we perceive that it is not allowed or appreciated or helpful, or because we are striving to look superior or unaffected by life, or because we feel we have some "need to" appear "just fine," we often make fools of ourselves, because it is certainly not the human condition to be "just fine," unless, of course, it is referring to the old acronym, F###ed-up, Insecure, Neurotic, and Emotional. Yes, we are all, under varying levels of masks and costumes, that kind of "just fine."

And when we think we have "more than our fair share" of pain, we eventually find out that that is also not true. We all have our equal human share, regardless of circumstances, and equally regardless of circumstances we tend to be either in agony (whether consciously or not) or transcendent (which only happens consciously) - one or the other. Why would we ever try to hide something so natural and so perfectly our own? Well, this is probably because we "learned to" in a society that is so thoroughly pain-averse, pain-avoiding, pain-condemning, pain-covering-up, pain-escaping, pain-killing, pain-managing, pain-medicating, etc., etc., etc..

But pain is not our enemy; our own resistance to it is. By resisting it, it persists, and it feels like such a PAIN!!!!, instead of what it usually is, a signal to our senses that something different than what is is now being called for or invited. We sure have a tendency to blow things just a little out of proportion, turning minor inconvenience or nuisance into WORST NIGHTMARE!!!!, until it really becomes that. We have learned this art after decades of practice as children and young adults.

I retook a training last weekend that I have considered pivotal in my growth. In 1982 the course was called Life Training. From that experience I literally started living fully. I learned tools in the training to help me tell the truth and see from a clearer perspective. To live life unencumbered by my conditioned mind. What I also discovered was that if one does not use the tools it is like going back to sleep again. Not the way I was before the "Life Training" but certainly dozing in areas of my life.

The training is now called "More To Life" and believe me it was worth the investment in time and money to be able to once more see that it is not the tiger in the night to be feared but the kitten on the bed to be loved in the light of day (clear mind) It is all a matter of perspective and choice. I am choosing to use those precious tools daily. For More information follow this link to More to Life.

Happy New Year

I realized that I have not added anything to this space in quite a while. I have been sending out newsletters to people who have indicated they wanted to hear from me and failed to post here as well. Here are a few things to start the New Year off with.

I understand that often during the holidays people will get depressed. Perhaps things did not go as well as planed, or they felt alone and unloved. We all go through times like that. But this New Year I want you to know that you are loved beyond measure…

I am sharing with you two videos worth watching:
Discover the 5 secrets of Living,

And…

"The Law of Attraction Explained"

This movie clearly explains how to use the Law of Attraction to get more of the things you want and how being clear on what you want, which puts you in a proper state of being, is important so you can take the best inspired action to get you to your goal.

Here is a story about being very wise

In the animal kingdom: The centipede decided to ask the wise man of the forest, who happened to be a monkey, the best remedy for the pain in his legs. "That’s rheumatism,” said the monkey. “You have too many legs.”
"And what do I have to do to have just two legs?"



"Don’t bother me with details," answered the monkey. "A wise man just gives the best advice; you have to solve the problem."






And finally;
The mark of your understanding is the depth of your belief in injustice and tragedy.

What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly.
- Richard Bach


Here is to a New Year filled with promise, hope, peace and love

Blessings,
Mari

Important Information on Upcoming 21 day Virtual Usui Retreats

This is the 13th year of the 21day virtual Usui Retreat.

I realized in August of this year that my mail list server had not been functioning for at least 6 months. I had not known this when I sent out the Retreat notice and three week meditation E-mails through the defunct server for the past two retreats; December 21, 2007 and June 21, 2008. What was amazing to me was that during this six months I had not heard from a soul about not getting the mail or asking me where the meditations were and I thought that perhaps there was no longer any interest in continuing the Retreat.

Fortunately I now have heard from many of you when I sent out the E-mail from the new mail server in August and was asked to continue the retreat with a reduction in how many times the retreat was done per year. Many of you found that in December with the holidays there was just too much going on.

It is my commitment to continue to have the Usui Retreat as a focus meditation for the Reiki community. The difference is that the 21 day virtual Usui retreat will be held on the anniversary of Mikao Usui's birth on August 15th. The next Retreat will be on August 15, 2009.

You may access the past two Usui retreat focus meditations on the Wisechoices weblog

The first two meditations of the December 2007 Usui Retreat are linked here

The last meditation of the December 2007 Usui Retreat is linked here


The first two meditations of the June 2008 Usui Retreat are linked here

The last meditation of the June 2008 Usui Retreat is linked here

Please help me fan the flames of possibility by sharing news of the Usui Retreat with all the people you feel will be interested. I would love to see this focus grow, be renewed. I will also open the retreat to others who would like to write the focus meditations. It is not my Retreat, it is our Retreat. The 21 day virtual Usui Retreat is our place to come together, focus and give thanks to Usui, Mother Earth and all of those who are using Reiki to help bring peace and harmony to our world.

Here are links about the Usui Retreat:

The Usui Retreat Invitation
How did the Usui Retreat Start
Retreat Options
Mikao Usui’s original course booklet

Love and Blessings,