New lessons in art, music, and healing

At my age I’m not setting any long-term career goals, but I do have some short-term objectives heading into 2013.

These objectives began as seeds who knows when, and it looks like now is the time they will have grown enough to be realized. The ideas were in my mind; I just needed a little nudge from outside myself to give me enough confidence to go ahead. Or perhaps it was just a matter of timing.

I lump these objectives into one category—teaching! Art, music, and healing. And I like it.

Last year I taught my first class in Painting I and II, and I co-taught my first class in Reiki. It is a pleasure for me to share what I know how to do with students who are eager to learn. In turn, I learn from them.

This coming year my first students will continue with Landscape Painting, I hope, and then they will join me in Tuscany, Italy, near Florence, in the fall to learn from an award-winning Italian artist I met on my November 2012 trip there. Imagine that!

Others have inquired about art and painting lessons, so I’ve decided to offer another round, starting with Painting I again for adults and adding a course for children in the neighborhood. I’m told that art is no longer offered in the public schools.

New and exciting is the go-ahead from the co-directors of my high school alumni glee club for me to come to rehearsals a half hour early to show singers, who want to learn, how to sight read music. I’m looking forward to that and the “Aha!”s I know I’ll see.

What were those seeds?

Most were questions posed by others, questions that I pondered before realizing, “I can help you with that!”

Rita, a sister Pen Woman, encouraged me to teach art to children, saying there is a great need. I thought about it and put the possibility on hold.

Then my glee club sister Linda said she was experimenting with pastels, but thought first she needed to learn some basics.  So I put together a Wednesday class for adults, and she recruited two more friends.

When Rae, one of my pupils, heard that part of our family now lived in Italy, she said “Let’s all go. We can rent a villa and paint!” So when I found out the owner of the villa Ari rented in Tuscany was an award-winning  painter whose work I liked, I asked if we could return so we could learn from him. He was delighted, and now I find myself coordinating the trip.

A children’s librarian who found my blog inquired about painting lessons on Saturdays because she worked during the week, hence the new Saturday class. As long as I’m doing all this, and as some parents have asked, I thought, why not start teaching the children too?

As for the music: At choir rehearsal, some of the altos sit near me to hear the note to sing. At best that means a delay in our attack. Many learn their part by listening to the piano and repeating. One time Carol asked what the rest signs and other symbols on the staff were. She was thankful for the explanation, and I could tell it was a revelation to her. So I boldly proposed to give a sight reading workshop “for those who have no clue or who once learned but forgot”— so people could learn the music faster, find accomplishment in knowing how to read music, and benefit the group.

And finally, to become certified as a Reiki Master Teacher, I need a few more hours of co-teaching with my teacher. I know she is looking to put those classes on her calendar, now that she will no longer be involved with her family’s restaurant business that is closing after many years. So I’m happy to announce plans for another round of Reiki certification classes coming soon as well, for we all need healing every day.

Copyright 2012 Rebekah Luke

For related posts, please type “teaching” (without quotes) in the search box at the right. RL

The energy of collaboration

So, dear reader, the new energy I’m talking about has to do with the comings and goings of new friends and old friends at the studio—my healing space, my brick-and-mortar studio, and a unique gallery space.

In February I held a Reiki Level I training class in the Unlimited Reiki System of Natural Healing with Reiki Master Teacher Lori A. Wong, who attuned and certified three students. The island country setting is well suited for meditation. We plan to continue with Level II and Master Level training. What a day. Wow. When we channel Reiki, or universal life force energy, we heal, harmonize, and balance our minds, bodies, spirits and emotions! It was great!

I also started teaching adults how to oil paint, after the method my own teachers Vicky Kula and Gloria Foss taught me, and everyone is enjoying it. My students, just three ladies for now, attend class once a week for most of the day. (Although I promoted both offerings widely, three seems to be the magic number from the Universe. )

Studio painters

With the combined lecture/demo, hands-on painting assignment, homework and critique each time—starting with the basics and then having each lesson build upon the previous learned knowledge—they understand there is a lot to learning to paint.

I, myself, am enjoying the refresher from developing lesson plans and doing the assignments. I don’t have all the answers, but the students are very clever and are full of new ideas. We laugh a lot, and I learn from them too. A bonus: They bring food and recipes for lunch, and, believe me, they can cook!

I’m happy to share what I know how to do. It’s surprising that it has taken so long for me to have enough confidence to do this. I think I just wanted to be sure I could do it well.

Pi‘ikea and Vicky relax in front of “Morning Destination: Kalaeokaoio Beach” — Photo by Rebekah Luke

Yesterday’s open house event of a renovated Kailua home that is on the market was a chance to see 15 of my paintings displayed in a residential setting.

The students came and brought lots of good energy to the property. It is a different experience to see an original oil painting up close and properly framed and hanging rather than to see a reproduction.

The colors are true. One can view paint strokes and textures. It is easier to imagine what the art piece will look like in your own home or office.

Other fans of Rebekah’s Studio came to support the collaborative project efforts of Realtor Associates Ruth Sinclair and Karyn Shaunnessy who invited me to be their guest artist.

Me and members of my fan club at the special showing, left to right: Noella, Rochelle, me, Pat, Karen, and Pi‘ikea. The lei po‘o (the beautiful yellow floral wreath of native and tropical flowers on my head) is a gift from Vicky, and the sweet white ginger lei is from Nani (who came earlier and left before the photo op). — Photo by Karyn Shaunnessy

Collaborators (from left) Ruth Sinclair, Rebekah Luke, and Karyn Shaunnessy. — Photo by James H. Kim On Chong-Gossard

Copyright 2012 Rebekah Luke

Wake up call: maintaining my terrain

Now that I’ve overindulged by eating carnival food containing sugar, white carbs, and meat last Saturday, as well as caving in to pizza and a chocolate eclair on Super Sunday, it’s time to focus on my health again. The message is clear, but, unfortunately, I’m a slow learner.

I phoned my friend and classmate Piikea last night, as I had not heard from her in a while, and she missed her Punahou Carnival work shift with the Class of ’67. She called back, having just returned from Paris where she went to see her friend in the hospital who, as it turns out, has pancreatic cancer that has spread to her liver. Not good.

Piikea’s report was, after the oncologist had prescribed chemotherapy, her friend’s daughter convinced her mother to try a raw vegetable juice diet — sorry, I don’t have the name of the diet — that claims to have cured 4,000 or so people. Specific vegetables are recommended.

In a few days, the patient eliminated all sorts of nasty-looking stuff — gall stones, mucus, black substances — and started showing improvement. Her tumors have shrunk. (In sympathy, Piikea did the diet too, and feels better. She has decided to change her lifestyle. We’ll help each other.)

Of course I am oversimplifying the situation by leaving out the emotions of our conversation, but the story has reminded me of the diet advice presented in the book by Dr. David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD, Anticancer A New Way of Life that I wrote about in a previous post, the book that speaks about “maintaining your terrain” to discourage cancer cells, that we all have in our bodies, from getting a foothold.

It’s the one my glee club sister Lois encouraged me to read, and I’m glad I did. And darn, I should follow it. The advice worked for Lois in her recovery from cancer, but isn’t it better to take care of our terrains before we become ill?

The number one diet advice, backed by scientific evidence, is NO SUGAR. Cancer cells feed on sugar. It’s not just diet alone. Other factors weigh in too, though, including one’s spiritual well being.

Which brings me to let you know that besides practicing Reiki (hands-on healing technique), there will be occasions when I will offer instruction in the “Unlimited Reiki System.”

Reiki Master Teacher Lori Wong, who along with Alice Anne Parker gave me my own Reiki certification, will teach Reiki Level I, that focuses on self healing, on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012, at my healing space, and I will assist her.

The cost of the day-long training is $150 and well worth the amount for instruction, attunements, certification, and lunch!  Lori is a professional chef, and I am a good cook. Please contact me (phone 808-237-7185 on Oahu, and I will return your call) for information about joining the Reiki I class. This complementary therapy is available to all, and you can learn to do it too.

Be well, everyone. And thank you for visiting the studio. ~ Rebekah

Copyright 2012 Rebekah Luke

A balance of light and energy

For the past few days I’ve done the things I like to do. There seems to be a balance of energy around me, and I feel well! This is my 200th blog post to you!

A photo panoramic view of Lanihuli peak from Luluku on a sunshiny winter day. I've made several paintings in oil of the vicinity. I like to paint in the landscape as much as I like to blog. Access is from Ho‘omaluhia Botanical Garden. Please see the painted images below.

I had a Reiki client this morning, too. That is great for my being. Then I was glad to get some nice email from some folks I hadn’t heard from for a while.

The studio is clean, that is, clean enough that I’m not going crazy with clutter, and I’m expecting my cousin Jim this afternoon when we will continue working on a new book about our family, my grandparents’ clan.

I’m on track with writing the lesson plans for the Painting classes I’m teaching starting February.

DH and I are sleeping very well since moving our bed back to the original master bedroom that we vacated to accommodate my aging father (1914-2003) and later Miss Marvelous, while her parents worked and she was not yet in school. Anticipating the kids’ move to Italy in a month or so, we disassembled the crib and moved back in after almost 10 years.

The feng shui is better in the living area, thanks to a simple rearrangement of furniture to allow for a freer flow of energy.

I’m eating more sensibly since the holidays, though enjoying Chinese New Year food, and, at this very moment, the aches and pains of aging are non-existent. I’m listening to soothing harp music and not a ball game on TV.

Yesterday I painted with the Thursday group and got some good critique from Val and Naomi, who paint differently from the way I paint, but they have good eyes and suggestions to improve the canvas I’m working on—a morning scene of Kuilima Cove on the North Shore.

I was sorry I didn’t bring a large blank canvas, for the vog gave way in the morning to clear skies and a spectacular landscape in the top photo that I should have been painting instead. I snapped two pictures with my iPhone. After posting them on Facebook, Kelley commented the mountain scene was so beautiful to her. I agreed. Nature in the right light. Yo posted she almost mistook them for one of my paintings.

In fact, I have painted scenes from this place on other occasions, and surely will paint another now that I can see the mountain up to the top, for there were few clouds, and definite form and cast shadows from a point source—the sun!

"Banyan Shade," 16" x 20"oil on canvas

"Clouds Lifting Over Lanihuli," 16"x 20" oil on canvas

"View of the Koolau Mountains" by Rebekah Luke. Richard Guy Collection.

"Golden Retreat at Ho'omaluhia," 11" x 14" oil on canvas

Reiki blessings to you!

Copyright 2012 Rebekah Luke

Green and healing

The Transpac yacht race is nearing the finish line, and I’ll be delivering some boat lei today. But first I have to make them. One is 20 feet long! I gathered the lauae yesterday afternoon from my patch.

Lauae patch

This morning while it’s cool I’m picking the ti leaves. I’ll be putting the lei together all day long. The boats, racing from Los Angeles, finish at Diamond Head buoy and then cruise into Ala Wai Boat Harbor in Waikiki. The first boats have already finished, so I’d better get busy.

Then, tomorrow from 9 to 2 I’m giving Reiki sessions at the Kaneohe Yacht Club Green Market Day while DH, Miss Marvelous’s mom and family will be showing folks how to make a ti leaf lei. We’ll be in the longhouse.

Ti leaves. Easy to grow, and so many uses!

Ti leaves

Copyright 2011 Rebekah Luke

Weekend reflections

Got up early this morning to write a longer blog post, reflecting on a relaxing weekend.

FRIDAY. How honored I was by a lovely visit from Karen who stopped by after taking her wife Pat to Buddha-Buddha in Hauula for a weekend writing retreat with Mark Travis. Karen and Pat are authors of Courting Equality and spend part of the year in Massachusetts and part of the year in Hawaii. We’ve traveled to Kahoolawe together more than once, and a couple of years ago they stayed in the studio to take care of Alice Brown, Ula and the garden while DH and I went on vacation.

Among other things, Karen and I talked about tai chi over lunch. She left and then I cooked for seven.

I like to cook, especially for others, so I invited my hanai mom Ivalee and her son David and his wife Cherie who live in Alaska, and my friends Becky and Susan. I’d not seen them in a while.

The rain stopped, and it would be a nice drive for them from Honolulu to the windward side of the island. We all had to go to work on Saturday, so it would be an early evening, I promised.

The rain started in December—see my post “Waterfalls and the wet season”—on the day of DH’s birthday dinner, and  most of the guests didn’t make it out. The weather made driving treacherous. I had a bit of food left, plus I’d gone to Costco for that party. I haven’t had to do major shopping since. I just had to look around the freezer and pantry for inspiration to create Friday’s menu. Which was:

Hummus and pita chips / pork casserole with prunes and onion / veggie lasagna / bread /mixed field greens with housewife’s dressing / sachertorte / coffee or tea

Afterward my foodie friend Linda said the menu was “ambitious.” That is often the case with me, and it did feel like TV’s “Dinner Impossible” at times, except that it was possible and I’d planned and envisioned well, figuring out when to prepare each dish so they would all come out at 6 p.m.

I had made all the recipes before. Hummus is easy, I learned from DH’s daughter. The recipe is on the jar of tahini, one of the ingredients. Just make up a batch now and then and keep it in the fridge ready to serve.

I baked the dessert first, giving it time to cool and to free up the oven for the hot dishes.

The pork casserole is more elegant than it sounds. I first made it at Sunset magazine where I worked a long time ago, and where I met Linda—so great that we’ve remained friends. It’s in Quick and Easy Dinners. It bakes in prune juice, but to kick it up a notch I substituted umeshu, Japanese plum wine. Choya brand in the green bottle with the green plums at the bottom is my favorite. It’s from the same fruit, right? DH always says, “You can make that again.”

While most of the diners are carnivores, Becky is not, so I always like to have something especially for her. The lasagna recipe was meatless. Three kinds of cheese, red pasta sauce and roasted red peppers both from jars would have been adequate to layer between the noodles, but I had some long eggplant to cook up, so I sautéed slices and added them.

The two main dishes baked in the oven at the same time.

I purchased the greens already washed and mixed to save time. To save money, I whisked the dressing myself, using a little olive oil, a squeeze of lime juice, a smidgen of Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Minced shallots would have been great but I didn’t have any.

I learned to make sachertorte after sailing with Viking River Cruises to Vienna a couple of winters ago. It’s a classic, to be enjoyed with coffee in the ubiquitous coffeehouses there. It’s very chocolatey and meant to be slightly dry. Click on this word recipe.

What I hadn’t planned was a table setting, so I just served buffet style, and seven of us managed to gather around the coffee table to break bread together.

SATURDAY. I gave mini Reiki sessions at the Hawaii Wellness & Healing Expo in Aikahi Park. I do health fairs sometimes in addition to private sessions at my healing space. Although well advertised, the fair was tiny in terms of number of vendors and attendees. Faithful Lori, one of my Reiki teachers and now friend, stopped by with her mom.

There was a high booth vendor fee that I paid to get in, though it wasn’t an issue, really, because I wanted the opportunity to do energy work on people. Channeling Reiki helps me heal, harmonize, and balance myself as much as it helps my clients. There was no charge for folks to experience the Reiki; I worked on a freewill donation basis.

In the end, because of the low turnout, the sponsor gave me a free booth for next time! That will be at Koko Marina in the spring. Thank you so much!

DH, who helped set up and break down the Reiki tent, and I came back to the studio and crashed. In channeling Reiki, I have plenty of energy while with clients, using techniques to clear old stuff and refresh. However, it is work, and at the end of the day, as it is for everyone else, a warm shower and a good sleep are in order. Even the neighbors sipping wine across the driveway at happy hour couldn’t lure us from bed.

SUNDAY. Karen and I agreed to attend a lecture on tai chi chuan together given by Pastor Chris Eng at Waiokeola Congregational Church. The lecture was part of a “Ministry of Healing” series of eight talks. I will be presenting about Reiki at the church on February 13.

Besides being interested in tai chi, I wanted to preview the venue and audience. Karen and I practice Yang style, but we have different teachers and we thought hearing Dr. Eng’s perspective could only add to our knowledge. I said hi to my cousin Barbara who directs the church’s music and healing ministries, and I ran in to my friend Dorothy, a poet, from years past. She looks the same!

Because I don’t drive over the Koolau Mountains for just one thing, I went to Barnes & Noble across the street at Kahala Mall to spend a gift card. My bag included a book on bass playing, O The Oprah Magazine, and Your Chinese Horoscope 2011 by Neil Somerville.

The Chinese fortune reminded me that Rats such as I have a tendency to “become involved in too many schemes and chase after too many opportunities at once.” Haha! “If he [the Rat] can slow down and concentrate on one thing at time, he can become very successful.”

I am not a good multitasker. As 2011 is my year for “expansiveness” too, it looks like I’ll have to be disciplined as well and stay balanced in the upcoming Year of the Rabbit.

Copyright 2011 Rebekah Luke

Come for a Reiki experience

Would you like a Reiki experience? Come to my tent at the Hawaii Wellness & Healing Expo for a mini session. The Expo is happening Saturday, Jan. 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Aikahi Park Shopping Center in Kailua, Oahu. I am a Certified Independent Reiki Master, 10th generation from Dr. Usui through Mrs. Takata.

Reiki is a form of hands-on healing that helps to balance, harmonize, and contribute to the feeling of being whole.  We all need healing every day. If you are curious, there is more information about Reiki on my blog page; click on Reiki Healing by Oelen.

Up to 40 exhibitors and vendors are participating. You may click on the Hawaii Wellness & Healing Expo link in the first line of this post for a general description of the whole event. To find me, look for a tent decorated with a big stalk of green ti leaves! See you there!

Look for my tent with a big stalk of ti leaves