Riverbend Reiki I Training & Retreat
Registration for this retreat is closed.
Click here to join the waitlist for our upcoming retreats.
Reiki I Training & Retreat
Riverbend Sanctuary
Willow Creek, CA
Registration for this retreat is closed.
Click here to join the waitlist for our future retreat offerings.
September 8 - 10, 2023 (option to stay an additional night through September 11)
With Carrie Varela Reiki Practitioner & Teacher | E-500hr RYT
Are you looking for a nourishing, soulful and healing adventure this summer? Here it is!
Join me in September to learn the foundation course of Reiki in a blissful retreat setting at the stunning Riverbend Sanctuary in Willow Creek, CA. In additional to learning Reiki, you will have ample opportunities to enjoy the beautiful amenities of Riverbend Sanctuary (hot tub, sauna, cold plunge) and immerse yourself in healing with daily meditations and yoga practices. Each participant will become a Reiki I practitioner by the end of the weekend!
Reiki Level I (Shoden) is the entry point into learning how to heal yourself naturally with Reiki and also deepen and empower yourself if you have already been on that journey. Reiki provides both a method and a practice for self-healing and healing for others.
This training offers a traditional Japanese approach to learning and practicing Reiki. It’s great for beginners who want to how to practice Reiki and it is also suitable for those who have taken a Western Reiki course before and want to understand Reiki as it was taught by Usui Sensei prior to Western influence.
The course is a combination of lecture, discussion and experience. Practice time includes giving and receiving a full Reiki treatment and several Japanese Reiki techniques.
YOUR RETREAT INCLUDES:
Shoden (Reiki I) Certification
2 night/3 day retreat (option to stay an additional night)
Delicious, high vibe vegetarian/vegan food from Casandra Kelly Catering
All of the gorgeous amenities of Riverbend Sanctuary including a hot tub, sauna and cold plunge
Opportunities to hike, swim in the river and immerse yourself in nature
Extra time to integrate the material
Daily yoga classes & Reiki meditations
Initiation to Shoden (Reiju)
NOT INCLUDED
Flight
Transportation to Willow Creek, CA
Dinner on Sunday, September 10th if you chose to stay an extra night
OPTIONAL
Private Reiki sessions with Carrie
Additional night at Riverbend Sanctuary (Sunday, September 10th)
Retreat Schedule
Friday, September 8
4pm check-in
Dinner
Opening Circle/Intro to Reiki
Sunday, September 10
Morning yoga flow
Breakfast
Free time/Integration
Lunch
Reiki share - give and receive a full Reiki treatment
Retreat concludes at 4pm
Dinner is not provided (we will travel to Willow Creek for dinner out in town)
Option to stay through the night for more time around Riverbend + integration ($75 upcharge…look to the specific room options for more details)
Saturday, September 9
Morning yoga flow
Breakfast
Shoden Training
Lunch
Shoden Training
Dinner
Bonfire ceremony
Monday, September 11
Morning Reiki Meditation
Breakfast
Checkout by 10am
About Your Retreat Facilitator :
Hello there! My name is Carrie Varela and I am the founder of the Reiki Healing Society. In my 14 years as a Reiki practitioner, I have had the wonderful privilege to study many diverse types of Reiki, including Tibetan/Usui Reiki, Holy Fire Reiki, Jikiden Reiki and Usui Reiki Ryoho. I have provided thousands of Reiki treatments & guided over 75 Reiki courses, leading hundreds through the process of learning Reiki.
I work with Reiki enthusiasts, students & practitioners to help you gain confidence in your ability to use Reiki in your own healing process & to transmit it to others.
I believe that what the world needs now is safe community spaces to heal and transform trauma through embodiment practices such as Reiki and Yoga. My approach to practicing and teaching Reiki & Yoga is built on trauma-informed, decolonized practices which aim to provide safe(r) space for your healing journey.
I have recently discovered my home within Reiki, the Usui Reiki Ryoho, and I am honored to teach Reiki from this lineage. I am also an E-500hr yoga instructor, co-founder & co-producer of Reiki Women Podcasts, a Blissologist, mom, mystic & modern day healer.
My teaching of Reiki comes from a deep well of experience, embodiment and passion.
Training people in Reiki is a joy. Joyful to see the healing take root inside and the transformation it provides. I would be honored to guide you into the method and practice of Usui Reiki Ryoho.
I hope you can join us for this very special retreat!
Feedback from Past Retreats with Carrie
Kat
“What an incredible weekend of love, healing and growth. Carrie is a nurturing teacher with so much knowledge and guidance. I had an AMAZING weekend; it touched my heart.”
Cory
“One of the most beautiful experiences I have ever had; magical + peaceful. Many strangers coming together but leaving as friends. The yoga and all of the activities met the individual where they were at.”
Katie
“So much love! I found a community that supports love, openness and personal growth. There was much already experienced and even more to come. THANK YOU!”
About Riverbend Sanctuary
Riverbend Sanctuary is a unique sustainably built retreat home overlooking the majestic Trinity River in Humboldt County, California. Every detail of this home aims to connect you to the surrounding environment, allowing you to unplug and recharge in pure eco luxury.
Riverbend is a EcoNest. An EcoNest incorporates timber-frame, straw-clay walls, earth plasters and natural and non-toxic finishes. This combination of time-honored building traditions with modern innovations results in a home of unsurpassed health and comfort.
We created The Riverbend Sanctuaries to help bring our guests and community back into balance with nature.
Every detail has been thoughtfully curated. Our kitchen is fully stocked with everything you need to feel at home with the luxury of being on vacation. We have a Wolf range, a indoor and outdoor pizza oven and a beautiful fireplace overlooking the river.
The highlight is the group sauna that looks out at the river as well as the cold dip and hot tub that is exclusively yours to enjoy. The deck is perfect for yoga and the stone fire place is a wonderful place to gather at night falls.
Willow Creek California is the ancestral homeland to the Tsnungwe people.
Healthy, Delicious Vegetarian/Vegan Food from Casandra Kelly Catering
Casandra’s mission is to create simple yet delicious + digestible meals that make those fresh ingredients pop! Inspired by nature, they like to emphasis thoughtfully sourced, seasonal, organic and wildcrafted foods in all their cooking and choose local products whenever possible. Casandra proudly provides catering services to, and identifies as part of the lgbtqia+ community. We've grown accustomed to hearing that our meals were the highlight of the retreat!
Feedback from past retreats on Casandra’s catering:
Sarah:
“OMG…There aren’t enough words to describe how awesome Casandra and her talents are!
How would you rate the quality of food from Casandra from 1 to 5?
11!
About Reiki
Reiki is a Japanese energy healing technique and it means spiritual energy. Reiki is understood to be the energy of the universe and we can connect with this energy in many different ways. Everything has energy or “ki” in it and there is an unlimited amount of energy. Energy may seem invisible or elusive but it is, in fact, all encompassing. This is Reiki. It is the energy of everything. It is neither a religion nor is it intrusive.
Reiki can help provide healing energy for any injury or illness, improve your clarity, focus and mood, energize you when you are burnt out or feel depleted. Reiki can also be used to encourage balance, stimulate mindfulness, reduce anxiety, depression and help you find a greater sense of inner peace.
Reiki connects you deeply to your spirit; it clears, straightens and heals your subtle body so your life force energy can flow in a natural way. It always helps.
Travel/Transportation
Retreat Location:
Willow Creek, California is located about one hour east of coastal Humboldt County.
Transportation to Retreat:
Not included. We can arrange carpools for anyone interested.
Transportation within Retreat:
Not needed. We will coordinate to go out to dinner on Sunday evening if you chose to stay an extra night.
Flights
Fly to Arcata/Mckinleyville Airport (ACV)
Flying to ACV - Is the easiest, most convenient flight option.
Flying to SFO - San Francisco is the closest large airport to Willow Creek, CA. It is a beautiful, 5.5 hour drive from San Francisco to Willow Creek. You can fly to SFO and drive to Willow Creek in one day. Transportation from SFO to Willow Creek is not included in the retreat, you would need to rent a car or arrange a different mode of transportation.
Flying to SMF - Sacramento is another flight option and is equidistant to San Francisco. You can expect a 4.5 hour drive from Sacramento to Willow Creek. Transportation from SMF to Willow Creek is not included in the retreat, you would need to rent a car or arrange a different mode of transportation.
Flying to Santa Rosa (STS) - Is another option although it isn’t likely to be much less expensive than ACV and it is a 4.5 hour drive to Willow Creek from Santa Rosa. Transportation from STS to Willow Creek is not included in the retreat, you would need to rent a car or arrange a different mode of transportation.
Flying to Medford, OR (MFR) - Is another option although it isn’t likely to be much less expensive than ACV and it is a 4 hour drive to Willow Creek from Medford. Transportation from MFR to Willow Creek is not included in the retreat, you would need to rent a car or arrange a different mode of transportation.
Airport Shuttles
I am happy to pick you up and return you to the ACV airport if you are traveling on Friday, September 8th and returning on Monday, September 11th. Please contact me to discuss your travel arrangements prior to booking so we can iron out the details.
Visas
Not needed unless you are traveling to the United States from another country.
A Reiki training with the Reiki Healing Society isn’t a typical Western Reiki course.
Come to the Reiki Healing Society to study the traditional roots of Reiki in an inclusive, safe(r), trauma informed community. The Reiki Healing Society is dedicated to creating a cultural and ideological shift in Reiki which is:
Grounded in the roots of Reiki.
Conscious of Reiki's potential.
Inspired by nature.
Empowering, validating and honoring towards ALL, each of us on our own unique journey of healing, oneness and spirituality.
This retreat is for you if you are:
New to Reiki
Looking for a decolonized and trauma informed approach to learning and practicing Reiki.
Seeking to integrate Reiki into your life and/or career path in a way that feels most meaningful and aligned for you.
Interested in learning Reiki as it was taught by Usui Sensei prior to Western influence.
Trained in Reiki but were discouraged the white washing, Christianization and melding of many concepts and ideas that have nothing or little to do with Japanese spiritual traditions.
Envision Reiki as a means to get more connected to your truest essence, and feel empowered to live your life from that place.
Want to Learn More?
Schedule a discovery call with Carrie to get all of your questions answered!
