The integration of the principles of Regenerative Development was stunning during the OGM Retreat this year.  From the design of the daily program to the way that the Docents worked with the group was not the usual process where people arrived and waited to be spoken to. The participants of the OGM Retreat came to work for the system and for greater clarity of all students.  

The Docent group was a mix of 8 Russian and English Speaking Masters....and after a day of working together to plan the Retreat, they became a strong second line group, meaning that they knew they would be personally challenged and would develop a part of themselves that before had been hidden.  They knew they were there to serve the system and the OGM even though they did not know how this would happen.  And they were committed to serve each other by respecting the others' opinions and wishes.  Everyone's opinion and ideas were heard and carried out if the direction was to serve the system and the OGM.  

The topics that were brought to the Retreat from the Docents as well as from the OGM were as follows:  How does local culture affect Reiki practice?  In light of devaluation of the US dollar in many countries, including Kazakhstan, what would be a supportive posture from the OGM?  Should these countries set a local currency amount based on the US dollar but not permanently attached to the US dollar?  What are the functions of the energetic being of the Student Body?  

We started with the question of Culture which then flowed through the days as a foundation of the conversations.  As well, there were many cultures represented in the group of 135 members of the OGM that weekend.  It was a rich and stimulating time.  

Working most of the time in smaller groups of 14-20 people, the OGM Retreat participants grew accustomed to speaking for themselves and not being too polite or afraid to have a different opinion.  Others in the group were interested and used differences to find a spark of insight or understanding.  All understood that this was the way to serve the system. 

And serve they did!  Deep understandings that will inform the way all of the participants hold Reiki practice were spoken.  Wisdom along with sharp sometimes painful memories/experiences was shared about the experience of money as the local currency slipped to 50% of the value against the US dollar.  Despite the usual concerns of economic inequality, the group wished to preserve the tradition and integrity of the system by keeping the US dollar amounts for First and Second Degree.  They also spoke about cultural integrity and dignity.  As the group then went to discussing the functions of the Spiritual Lineage and Master Body which flowed directly from the discussions of money as a part of the system, they pondered the functions of the Student Body.  As they did this, they grappled with the understanding of what was a Spiritual Lineage, what was the Master Body, and what was the Student Body?  These energetic being bodies that form the substance of the system.  The form has a life of its own.  When joined with the living systems of these being bodies, there is a synergy that occurs.  

We bathed in this synergy.  

Without the continual exploration of Regenerative Development and principles that have been woven through all the events in the last years of the OGM, this amazing work could not have emerged.  What came forth was the accumulated wisdom of hundreds of years of experience that was represented in the group, the willingness to stay conscious and move into second line community work even though it was scary, and the profound connection of everyone there through the practice of Reiki.  

The OGM Retreat for 2017 has not been scheduled yet.  Please keep an eye on our schedule at the beginning of the year for this date and place!

Phyllis Lei Furumoto