Robert faced controversy with the publication of his book and with his role as researcher and archivist of the Reiki history. He has unique personal, first-hand experience with protagonists of differing backgrounds who themselves have had their share of controversy.
What to do when one is overrun by an avalanche of opposition? How to not take it personal? Can one stay ‘neutral’ in the heat of having addressed ‘fiery topics’? Is it appropriate, or even an imperative to create controversy?
Such are the questions being discussed in this issue of RTalk. In context with revealing thus far unknown information in a publication. Or in context with judgment being passed among (Reiki) tribes which lays at the core of the reconciliation process.
“controversy” as opposed to “judgement”
The regular host, René Vögtli – not a stranger to controversy himself – is joined this time by Inna Upart as co-host. She raises an interesting point that “controversy” as opposed to “judgement”, doesn’t carry any sense of superiority or rightfulness, it is rather expressing one’s opinion, which can be valuable for the other’s growth.
Robert has withdrawn from the Reiki world in 2018 for a year. Last fall he returned to it and we are glad he gave us the opportunity for this conversation on 18th November 2020.
Biography Robert N. Fueston
Robert is an internationally recognized researcher and teacher of Reiki. His journey began as a last minute selection in a book of the month club, and this intuitive relationship to learning sparked a life-long interest, expertise, and devotion to teaching and researching the history of Usui Shiki Reiki Ryoho. Robert’s desire to understand the movement of Reiki from Japan to the west set him on a path of researching Hawayo Takata and her vast role in bringing Reiki from Japan to the U.S.A. He spent decades studying with, and researching, the Takata Masters in order to understand the preservation and, at times alterations, of the Reiki system.
With a Master of Library and Information Science (M.L.I.S.) from the University of South Carolina and a post-Master’s Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Library and Information Science, Robert Fueston was uniquely positioned to participate as a team member in the organization of the Historical Archives of The Reiki Alliance and as a member of the Hawayo Takata Archive Team. The Takata archives are dedicated to preserving the historical, written, audio/video recordings, and personal effects of Hawayo K. Takata. Most of those archives now reside at the University of California at Santa Barbara.
Publication
‘Transmissions of Light, Volume 1’. ISBN 978-0-9970268-0-1, Paperback and E-book, 2016
Website
thereikipreservationsociety.org – Robert has a Master of Science in Oriental Medicine Degree from the Southwest Acupuncture College and is a nationally certified by the NCCAOM. Currently Robert Fueston’s Reiki and acupuncture practices are located in Lexington, KY.
Biography Inna Upart (Hoichman)
Born in Belarus in 1973, Inna lives in Israel since 1991. She has a Bachelor degree in English literature and Linguistics and German literature from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Her second education is in software engineering and that’s what she does today for a living.
She received her first and second Reiki degree in 2014 and has practiced Reiki since then. In 2018-2020 as a part of the RCircle group, she participated in the project of translating to Russian “66 Steps on the path to RECONCILIATION” – 66 interviews with Phyllis Lei Furumoto.
These days Inna has taken part in various projects and circles of the Reiki community, including hosting online circles and technical support for the Reiki Home website.
Along with Reiki, she has been practicing other spiritual practices and meditations.
Inna is also a sea kayaking instructor, loves nature and travelling.
Email: inna@hoichman.com
Reference
33:08 Bruce Springsteen – Spiritual Songwriting & “Letter to You” | The Daily Social Distancing Show with Trevor Noah youtu.be/QZuBEO-ilg4
