靈氣宗師稱號的起源與正統性

這裡的資料是為了方便學生可以對西方靈氣教學結構的發展歷史有所了解。雖然這封信被張貼在許多網站上，但我也將它張貼在網站上，因為它是關於靈氣進入西方社會後的歷史性聲明文件。

前陣子我們有分享過，菲利斯·古本 (Phyllis Furomoto) 在 1990 年代後期曾嘗試在全球範圍內為靈氣註冊商標。如果獲得商標批准，則有必要支付昂貴的許可費來學習並練習靈氣。而當時在英國、美國、台灣、與日本的商標申請均未獲批准。
而這封信是卡瑞爾·安·法默 (Carell Ann Farmer) 在當時的時空背景下所寫，其實也是對於這種註冊的行為不認同所導致。

她是菲利斯·古本 (Phyllis Furumoto) 親自點化教授的第四位大師，並出席了 1982 年的第一次靈氣大師會議與 1983 年組建靈氣聯盟（Reiki Alliance）的會議。
她已允許任何人復制這封信與他人分享。

806 - 6th St. E.
Saskatoon, Sask
S7H 1C7
December 31, 1997

親愛的靈氣大師們：
我寫這封信是為了分享當前我所知道的真相做出回應，有關於靈氣的練習方式，特別是宗師辦公室的規劃（Office of the Grand Master）、唯一合法繼承人的概念、傳承持有者、商標的許可...等。

我寫這篇文章是為了讓臼井靈氣系統的發展更全面。 我將這些寫出來是因為我現在有勇氣並理解應該這樣做。 也是為了鼓勵其他人說出他們知道的真相。 是為了尊重活在我體內的生命能量。

我在 1981 年 1 月接受了 Phyllis Furumoto 的靈氣前兩個級別的培訓。 在我的第一級靈氣課程期間，我收到了三份禮物：知道我曾是這種自然治療技術的老師（當時稱為靈氣 - 日本自然治療技術），知道這是一條內在的個人道路，以及我內心的智慧會一直引導我，當我接觸到治療時就會發生。 在接下來的幾年裡，隨著我面臨的挑戰，這種智慧的實踐得到了加強。

我於 1982 年 4 月 1 日被授予靈氣大師資格。我是菲利斯點化的第四位靈氣大師。我付給菲利斯 10,000 美元。菲利斯要求我做出兩項承諾：將靈氣作為一種口傳心授的傳統並給予尊重，並將其作為我唯一的收入來源。我答應了。我也承諾在我內在裡面培養大師。我堅持著對於口傳的承諾。在做出那個承諾的時候，我並沒有真正理解承諾這個口傳的傳統意味著什麼。我是一個有兩個孩子的單親父母，沒有其他收入來源。相信宇宙會完全提供我養育和養家所需的一切，這是信念上的巨大躍進。我作為自然療法老師的工作和我的生活都得到了這種實踐的支持。我被邀請到四處旅行，以舉辦研討會和治療。這是一種對於支持和愛的深刻體驗。它教會了我靈氣的精髓。我一直堅持將其作為我唯一收入來源的承諾。 1996年4月1日，我把自己的治愈工作帶入了企業界，在那裡讓我學會了在政治與個人底線前站穩腳跟，並賺取所得。我安靜地生活在修行中，並深化遵循我對於內在智慧的理解，並將生命奉獻給導師生涯。

我想分享的一些回憶是 Phyllis 在靈氣的前兩個級別的研討會中與我進行的對話的一部分，在我作為靈氣大師的後續培訓以及我與她長達數年的友誼。基於個人道德，我讓這些對話保密了多年。當與菲利斯的互動關係不再存在，這是我的選擇。多年來，我一直覺得我無法同意她在這個角色中的控制慾。菲利斯和我是彼此的強大催化劑。我們每個人都有自己的命運要完成。與所有的關係一樣，我們有權同意和不同意。我想明確的聲明，我對於讓 Phyllis 因她的選擇而顯得“錯誤”沒有興趣。我只想說出我的心聲，我要說的有些話是不同意她的選擇的。這對我來說是一條艱難的道路，因為她是我的老師和朋友。而我被教導靈氣戒律之一是要尊敬老師。

在她的祖母高田女士過世後不久，我遇到了菲利斯。 在幾年的時間裡（1981 - 1984），我們保持著密切的聯繫。 菲利斯向我傾訴。 她向我詳細地講述了她對祖母去世的困惑、她祖母沒有明確告知 Phyllis 未來的角色、讓她在自己的生活中缺乏方向，而她害怕在她面前這個讓她進入她祖母所擔任職位的機會。

我記得她到我家並宣布她已經做出決定的那一天。 她的決定很明確。 她說："為了錢我會去做的。" 她決定繼續她祖母的工作－教課與點化大師。這是為了獲得收入。 1981 年 2 月至 1982 年 4 月期間，她點化了四位大師。她開始計劃在夏威夷舉行的第一次靈氣大師聚會（1982 年 4 月）和祖母的追悼會。 在許多方面，她已經表現得好像她已經繼承了祖母的步伐。

她那句“我會為錢而去”的說法深深地影響了我。 鑑於我自己對靈氣的體驗，我覺得這是錯誤的。 雖然我是新手，但我已經感受到靈氣的內在深度。 我感受到了靈性上的衝擊。 她的決定是一個唯物主義的決定。 根據我的經驗，沒有與之相關的靈性意識，我感到了這一點的相悖。於是我對“尊師重道”的困惑加深了。

1982 年在夏威夷舉行的第一次靈氣大師聚會上，我坐在圓圈裡。我已經當了 10 天的入門大師。我聽了關於高田如何以不同方式教授每位大師的故事。我們一起畫了符號。當小組發現他們都不相同，在某些方面相似而在其他方面不同時，他們感到非常震驚。這是什麼意思？圍繞這個問題的討論達成了一致意見，即我們都將使用相同的符號。我不再記得我們是如何確定正確符號的。它代表著嘗試標準化的開始。高田獨特的教學方法實際上引起了極大的不滿。我們不理解這種獨特性，而是帶著我們西方的統一性和標準化概念得出了這個結果。從討論中沒有明顯看出，小組中有任何人將這些符號的真正關係理解為內在覺醒和與能量連接的催化劑。如果當時理解了這一點，我們就不會從事需要讓每個人的符號統一化的過程。這下明白了嗎？我們是否理解高田的教學方式讓每個大師都可以自由地發現自己的獨特性？我們是否了解每位大師都是獨一無二的？

我也聽到了困惑的聲音。因為沒有指定繼任者。芭芭拉·韋伯（Barbara Weber）將自己認定為下一任的領導人。這是一個令人擔憂的問題，因為她已經採取了行動，並就與高田達成的一些協議提出了主張。而且，她被邀請參加聚會，但被她拒絕了。菲利斯被問及高田臨死前對她說的話。菲利斯說，她的祖母曾希望她能步她的後塵，但她並沒有明確表態。菲利斯被問及高田是否給她的任何額外知識或符號。她表示沒有。但在群裡，她是唯一一個開始封神的人。她在很多方面都在領導著這次聚會。她說她願意被選為追隨高田腳步的人，最終這發生了。除了菲利斯，似乎沒有人想要這個角色的責任，也沒有人真正理解會發生什麼。我認為我們對靈氣如何在沒有“領導者”的情況下向前發展一無所知。

在那次聚會上，我又收到了一份意義深遠的禮物。 我對大師的概念有很深的體會。 我從內心深處知道我有成為大師的潛力。 我剛剛被點化為大師。 我是這個群裡的"小寶寶"。 你可以想像如果當時自己展現出大師的概念或說出我擁有深刻的內在知識的想法的可能性是可笑與可怕的。 所以我選擇不說。

我希望我當時內心有勇氣和信任來說話。它可能會對靈氣的未來產生很大的影響。我很清楚，如果我說出來，就會引發關於“宗師(Grand master)”概念的討論。臼井靈氣系統的未來可能看起來非常不同。考慮一下那些靈氣大師之間關於“宗師”概念的討論。"宗師"，這不是一個頭銜或一個職位，而是我們每個人都可以嚮往的一種可能性。我相信在那次聚會中的每個人在某種程度上都有這種能量體驗，即成為宗師的資格(grand mastery)。我知道作為參與者之一，我感受到了通過我的身體的能量，我感受到了這種意識的全部力量和潛力。我知道我們都有機會將我們的生活成為宗師一般。我們可能生活在“什麼是宗師的資格(grand mastery)”的問題中？這是一個強大的靈性聚焦，也是我們與生俱來的權利。在生命中"活成宗師"和"表現"得好像我們就是“宗師”是完全不同的。如果有這樣的一個稱號或榮譽稱號，我相信它必須通過過著模範的生活來獲得。

在我看來，每個人都忘記了會議參與者的天真。 一群靈氣大師在美國坐在一起，還是第一次。 在我們的靈氣練習中，我們基本上都是“小嬰兒”。 我們正在處理的問題需要靈氣練習裡的智慧和成熟度。 我不覺得我們當時甚至開始理解這一點。 缺乏對繼承的理解、對高田教學方法的困惑、符號的變化、芭芭拉·韋伯將填補高田去世所帶來的空白的威脅，都在集團內部表達了恐懼。 那裡沒有人知道 Phyllis 做出的“為了錢而去做”的決定，除了我和我沒有分享這些信息。 在場的人，沒有一個人認為高田沒有指定繼承人就等於沒有繼承人。 這可能是事實。

1983 年在不列顛哥倫比亞省 Barbara Brown 的家中舉行的下一次靈氣大師聚會上發生了進一步的發展。靈氣聯盟(The Reiki Alliance)成立了。我不再記得確切的細節。我記得菲利斯擔任領導者，那裡的大多數人都隨著局勢的能量而行動。我記得花了幾天時間研究靈氣聯盟的目的聲明。這是靈氣進一步西化的開始。作為在西方出生和長大的人，我們有一套特定的價值觀和定義。當這些定義和價值觀應用於來自另一種文化的一組價值觀和定義時，它們就會改變原始的含義。就靈氣而言，我認為我們已經大大偏離了最初的教導和意圖。了解不同的文化需要深入研究和思考。我們理解的唯一方法是通過我們的西方思維方式。這種西方的思維方式加上菲莉絲自己的動機，導致她被稱為宗師，後來，她宣布成為一名傳承人，現在，她是臼井靈氣系統的唯一合法繼承人。我不認為發生的事情是系統本身的能量，而是西方的做事方式和菲利斯野心的結果。

在靈氣聯盟的下一次聚會上，其中有一位大師讓菲利斯談談高田去世時發生的事情以及她如何自稱繼承人的過程。 她開始講一個虛構的故事。 我呼籲需要真相。 菲利斯收回了她的陳述，但問題仍未得到解答。 在那次聚會之後，我離開了靈氣聯盟。 我覺得 Phyllis 圍繞著臼井靈氣系統製造了一個虛構的東西，這是為了她自己的目的。 我開始用靈氣走自己的路。 我開始了追隨我內在智慧的過程。

在過去的十七年裡，我一直在加深對我第一級研討會的前三個恩賜和1982年我在夏威夷的圈子裡的第四個恩賜的理解和整合。這些靈性體驗一直是我人生旅程的嚮導。 他們帶來了越來越多的簡單和愛，這是我生命中的一大幸事。

我不同意 Phyllis 目前表達的關於這種做法的複雜概念。 我不同意任何關於宗師角色、宗師辦公室、傳承持有者、臼井靈氣系統的唯一合法繼承人或宗師認證的概念，因為它們不是來自靈氣原來的系統本身。 這一切是為了什麼？ 誰可以從這些“東西”中受益？ 在我看來，它就像 Phyllis 做的一樣。

靈氣大師依照固有的形式、紀律和練習以呈現治療的技術。至少有一個東西是真的。 在口頭教授的傳統中，強調自我發現並體現在“讓能量引導你”的概念中。沒有必要對此進行冗長的論述。 相信靈氣大師是在生活中塑造的。 它是簡樸．而存在的。

我們都是傳承人、合法繼承人和潛在的宗師。 這不是某一個人的特有權利。 我們有一個很好的機會讓自己擺脫困惑，回到這種真實簡樸溫和的練習中。 我相信我們在這個時候已經成熟和理解，可以說話，被傾聽，並帶來這種教學的尊嚴和完整性。 我們都對發生的事情負責，我們都對未來負責。

作為一位靈氣大師，就是擁有一份神聖的信任。 這種純潔的心是我們必須分享的本質。 我祈禱我們可以一起帶來那種純潔，以澄清過去，活成我們所教的樣子，教成我們所生活的樣子。

帶著愛和祝福寄給你這封信
卡瑞爾·安·法默　Carell Ann Farmer

[email protected]
Phone: 306-652-8967

806 - 6th St. E.
Saskatoon, Sask
S7H 1C7
December 31, 1997

Dear Reiki Masters,
I am writing this letter to share my truth in response to the present events that surround the practice of Reiki, in particular, the design of Office of the Grand Master, the concept of a sole and rightful heir, lineage bearer, trademarking and licensing.

I write to provide a more complete picture of the growth of the Usui System of Reiki. I write because I have the courage and understanding now to do so. I write to encourage other people to speak their truth. I write so that I can honour the life force as it lives within me.

I was trained by Phyllis Furumoto in January, 1981 in the first two levels of Reiki. During my 1st level seminar, I received three gifts: the knowing that I was a teacher of this natural healing art (it was known then as Reiki - A Japanese Natural Healing Art), the knowing that it was an individual path and that my inner wisdom would always guide me, the knowing that when I touched healing happened. The actualization of this wisdom has strengthened over the ensuing years with the challenges presented to me.
I was initiated as a Reiki Master on April 1, 1982. I was the fourth Reiki Master that Phyllis initiated. I paid Phyllis $10,000. Phyllis asked me to make two commitments: to honour Reiki as an oral tradition and for it to be my sole source of income. I committed. I also committed to bringing forth the master in me. I have upheld my commitment to the oral tradition. At the time of making that commitment I did not really understand what it meant to commit to an oral tradition. I was a single parent with two children and no other source of income. It was a huge leap of faith to trust that the universe would totally provide all that I needed to raise and provide for my family. My work as a teacher of natural healing and my life have been supported by this practice. I have been invited to travel extensively to give seminars and treatments. It has been a profound experience of support and love. It has taught me the essence of Reiki. I have upheld the commitment to it being my sole source of income. On April 1, 1996, I took my healing work into the corporate world, where I have gained experience and strength in standing strong in the face of politics and the bottom line of making a profit. I live the practice quietly and continue to deepen my understanding of what it is to follow my inner wisdom and to dedicate my life to mastery.

Some of the memories that I want to share are parts of conversations that Phyllis had with me during my seminars in the first two levels of Reiki, my subsequent training as a Reiki Master and my friendship with her that extended over several years. I have held these conversations in confidence based on my personal ethics. The interactive relationship with Phyllis no longer exists and that is of my choosing. I have felt for many years that I cannot align with the control and power which she exerts in her role. Phyllis and I were strong catalysts for each other. We each have our own destiny to fulfil. As in all relationships, we have the right to agree and disagree. I want to state clearly that I have no interest in making Phyllis appear "wrong" for her choices. I wish only to speak from my heart and some of what I have to say is in disagreement with her choices. It was a difficult path for me because she was my teacher and friend. I was taught that one of the Reiki precepts was to honour one's teacher.

I met Phyllis shortly after her grandmother, Hawayo Takata died. Over a period of several years (1981 - 1984) we were in close association. Phyllis confided in me. She talked to me in great detail of her confusion over her grandmother's death, her grandmother's lack of clarifying Phyllis's future role, her lack of direction in her own life and her fear of the opportunity that was before her to step forward into the position that her grandmother had filled.

I remember the day that she arrived at my house and pronounced that she had made a decision. Her decision was clear. She said, "I will go for the money." She had decided to pursue her grandmother's work – teaching classes, initiating Masters - for the income potential. She initiated four Masters between Feb.1981 and April 1982. She began to plan the first gathering of Reiki Masters in Hawaii ( April 1982) and the memorial service for her grandmother. In many ways, she was already acting as though she was walking in her grandmother's shoes.

Her statement of " I will go for the money" impacted me deeply. It felt wrong to me given my own experience of Reiki. Even though I was a neophyte, I had felt the depth inherent in Reiki. I had felt the spiritual impact. Her decision was a materialistic decision. In my experience, there was no spiritual awareness associated with it and I felt the paradox of that. My confusion regarding "honouring my teacher" deepened.

I sat in the circle at the first gathering of Reiki Masters in Hawaii in 1982. I had been an initiated Master for 10 days. I listened to the stories of how Takata had taught each master differently. We drew the symbols together. It was quite shocking to the group to find out that they were different, similar in some respects and different in others. What did this mean? Discussion around this led to an agreement that we would all use the same symbols. I no longer remember exactly how we determined the correct symbols. It marked the beginning of attempted standardization. Takata's unique method of teaching was a source of great upset. We did not understand the uniqueness and came to it with our Western notion of uniformity and standardization. It was not apparent from the discussion that anyone in the group understood the real relationship of the symbols as a catalyst for inner awakening and connection to the Energy. If this had been understood at the time, we would not have engaged in the process of needing to have everyone's symbols be exactly the same. Is this understood now? Do we understand that Takata's way of teaching allowed each master freedom to discover their own uniqueness? Do we understand that each Master is unique?

I also heard the confusion. No successor had been named. Barbara Weber was representing herself as the next leader. This was a source of concern because she had taken actions and was making claims about some agreements with Takata. Also, she had been invited to participate in the gathering and had declined. Phyllis was questioned about what Takata had said to her before she died. Phyllis said that her grandmother had hoped that she would follow in her footsteps, but that she had not said anything definitive about it. Phyllis was questioned about any additional knowledge or symbols that Takata had given her. She did not have any. But she was the only person that had started to initiate masters in the group. She was in many ways leading the gathering. She said that she was open to being chosen as the person who would follow in Takata's footsteps and eventually that is what appeared to happen. It seemed that nobody wanted the responsibility of the role except Phyllis and nobody really understood what was to happen. I think that we did not have a glimmer of understanding of how Reiki could have moved forward without a "leader."
At that gathering, I received another profound gift. I had a powerful experience regarding the concept of grand master. I knew from deep within my being that I had the potential of being a grand master. I had just been initiated as a Master. I was the "baby" in the group. The possibility of envisioning myself embodying the concept of grand master or the notion of speaking that I had that profound inner knowing was ludicrous and terrifying. I chose not to speak of it.

I wish that I had had the courage and trust of my heart to speak. It could have made a great difference to the future of Reiki. It is clear to me that if I had spoken, it would have initiated a discussion about the concept of "grand master." The future of the Usui System of Reiki may have looked very different. Consider for a moment a discussion about the concept of "grand master" amongst those Reiki masters. "Grand master", not as a title or a position, but as a possibility that each and every one of us can aspire to. I believe that at some level everyone at that gathering had this energy experience of the potential of grand mastery. I know that as one of the participants, I felt that energy through my body and I felt the full force and potential of that awareness. I know that we all have the opportunity to direct our lives to grand mastery. We could be living in the question "What is grand mastery"? A powerful spiritual focus that is our birthright. To live in this question is quite different from acting as if we are "grand masters". If there is a designation or honouring with a title, I believe that it must be earned from living an exemplary life.

It seems to me that everyone has forgotten the naivity of the participants at the meeting. It was the first time that a group of Reiki Masters had sat together in America. We were all essentially "babies" in our practice of Reiki. We were dealing with issues that required wisdom and maturity in the practice of Reiki. I don't feel that we even began to understand that at the time. The lack of understanding of succession, the confusion over Takata's method of teaching, the variations in the symbols, the threat that Barbara Weber would fill the gap provided by Takata's death were expressed fears within the group. Nobody there knew the decision that Phyllis had made "to go for the money," except me and I did not share that information. None of the people present took the fact that Takata had not designated a successor to mean that there was not to be a successor. It is possible that this is the truth.

A further development happened at the next gathering of Reiki Masters, which was held at Barbara Brown's home in British Columbia in 1983. The Reiki Alliance was formed. I can no longer recall exact details. I remember that Phyllis was acting as the leader and most persons there moved with the energy of the situation. I remember spending days working on the purpose statement of the Reiki Alliance. It was the beginning of the further westernisation of Reiki. As people born and raised in the West, we have a certain set of values and definitions. When these definitions and values are applied to a set of values and definitions from another culture, they change the original meaning. In the case of Reiki, I think that we have deviated greatly from the original teaching and intent. It requires intensive study and contemplation to understand a different culture. The only way we had of understanding was through our Western mind set. This Western way of thinking coupled with Phyllis's own motivation led to her being known as Grand Master and later, her proclamation of being a lineage bearer and now, that she is the sole and rightful heir of the Usui System of Reiki. I do not think that what transpired was in the energy of the system itself, rather an outcome of the Western way and Phyllis's ambition.

At the next gathering of the Reiki Alliance, one of the Masters asked Phyllis to talk about what happened when Takata died and the process of how she came to claim to be a successor. She began to tell a story that was a fabrication. I called for truth. Phyllis retracted her statements, but the question remained unanswered. After that gathering, I left the Reiki Alliance. I felt that Phyllis had created a fabrication around the Usui System of Reiki that was a protection for her own purposes. I began to walk my own path with Reiki. I began the process of following my inner wisdom.

For the past seventeen years, I have been deepening my understanding and integrating those first three gifts from my first level seminar and the fourth gift from my sitting in the circle in Hawaii in 1982. Those spiritual experiences have been my guides in this journey. It is a blessing in my life that they have led to greater and greater simplicity and love.

I do not align with the complex notions that are currently expressed by Phyllis about this practice. I do not align with any of the notions of a role of grandmaster, office of grandmaster, lineage bearer, sole and rightful heir of the Usui System of Reiki or licensing fees for Masters because they do not come from the system itself. What is all this for? Who benefits from all this "stuff?" It looks to me like Phyllis does.

The notions of form, discipline and practice are inherent in the way that this healing art is presented by the Reiki Master. At least at one time this was true. In the oral tradition, the emphasis was on self-discovery and embodied in the concept " allow the Energy to lead you". There is no need to have lengthy treatises about it. Trust the Reiki Master to live it and model it. It is simple. It exists.

We are all lineage bearers, rightful heirs and potentially grandmasters. It is not the exclusive right of one person. We have a great opportunity to free ourselves from confusion and return to the true simplicity of this gentle practice. I believe that we have the maturity and understanding at this time to speak, to be heard and bring forth the dignity and integrity of this teaching. We are all responsible for what has happened and we are all responsible for the future.

To be a Reiki Master is to hold a sacred trust. This purity of heart is the essence of what we have to share. I pray that together we can bring that purity forth to clarify the past, live what we teach and teach what we live.
I send you this letter with love and blessings,

Carell Ann Farmer
[email protected]
Phone: 306-652-8967