Group photo from the charter signing summit, June 2000.
My name is Ardisanne (Ardey) Turner and I want to share with you my story the day of the URI Charter signing on June 26, 2000.
I was there with my husband as part of the production crew that put on the event in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. All the delegates had been asked to bring a stone from their home to be used in a ceremony where they were placed in the foundation of the United Religions Initiative. I had no knowledge of this request before I left my home in California, so I brought one of the blue Taiwanese River rocks that the production crew had purchased to be used as table decorations.
350 delegates from 48 religions had flown in from all around the world and I was blown away by all the beautiful clothes, gowns, head wrappings, jewelry, swords, suits that they wore. I was even more humbled by the words that were spoken. A beautiful man in orange from India wanted to save millions of children in India. A beautifully-gowned and bejeweled woman wanted to save all the women of Pakistan. I remember becoming very anxious as I wondered what I would say. I knew that I did not have the contacts to do what these folks wanted to do.
When it was my turn, I held up my stone and, as I placed it in the receptacle, I said that I would be this stone. I pledged to help one person learn to make a difference and then teach that one to do the same, and then find another. My commitment to URI is to send each and every person doing this work of ending religiously-motivated violence in the entire world the healing energy of Reiki — each and every day.
As I reflect back on this day 15 years ago, my commitment is the same. That ceremony lit a spark in me to start the Circle of Healers Cooperation Circle within the URI Multiregion and our mission is to do our individual healing work each and every day. Since that monumental event, I have also traveled to Bali for a URI regional meeting and worked as a volunteer at the Global Support Office. When the decision was made to form a URI North America Leadership Team, I was in the room and was surprised to see that my was hand raised. I later became chair when we were asked, "Who wants to be chair?" and everyone else stepped back.
We are folks just like you, each of us different in all ways. Such diversity has broadened my scope of everything. I had not realized just how limited my idea of this world was. As a result of being involved with URI, I am constantly learning and growing. Whether you have been a part of the URI family for 15 days or 15 years, we are all here for a higher purpose.
I have my purpose and my commitment. And now I ask, "What is yours?" I would love to hear your stories – your purpose, your commitments. Take a few moments and please share with us in the comments section.
Just an additional note, our URI Charter signing was intentionally done on the anniversary of the United Nations signing; this year they mark 70 years. So let us celebrate together! Send your stories and any pictures you might have.
Ardisanne (Ardey) Turner
Past Chair, URI North America Leadership Team
Reiki Master, Healer and Medical Intuitive, MultiRegion Communications Team
510-932-2724
[email protected]
