"Per aspera ad astra"
This saying has been quoted many times and I have noticed that the translation can vary. I am no scholar, but to me it says: "through hardship we reach for the stars".
In other words: it is the very obstacles, difficulties and hardships that we face in life that help us to find out about our strengths and capabilities as we dig ever deeper within ourselves to overcome them. They also create a contrast to help us to recognise the good times!
We live our lives using the body, the senses, the emotions and mental abilities but, I believe, it is the soul that should be the driving force behind these. Once the mind and the body learn to listen then we start to create some balance in our lives, we start to feel calm and have a sense of purpose.
Over the years I have been lucky enough to learn from many gifted people and I use a combination of spiritual reading and spiritual healing as well as basic counselling and coaching skills to teach others how to listen to their soul. When your soul takes control, your heart sings and peace reigns throughout your life.
About Me
My philosophy
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I have come to the view that a life lived with the soul's guidance as the main driving force in our lives is the best, indeed the only way to live a life that feels fulfilling and complete - it was not where my journey began, however, so what has led me to hold this view?
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My Experiences
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The mid to late 1990's found me running a busy accounts office by day and then going home to my husband and 3 young boys at night. My days were stressful and my evenings were hectic. There was never a moment, even in my own head, where I could find some peace and restore my energies. As a consequence I felt like I was falling apart mentally, emotionally and physically.
Talking to a friend about this one day, she suggested I join her husband's meditation class in order to try and find some time to call my own.
I took to it straight away and enjoyed the way I felt energised and uplifted afterwards. Although he said a sort of a prayer to guides, guardians and gatekeepers at the beginning of each session I didn't really take much notice of that back then.
One day, he brought out a pack of Rider Waite tarot cards. He fanned out the pack, face down and got us to pick a card without looking at the image on it. This was where it got weird for me, as he told us to go into our usual meditation and once our minds were quiet and still to mentally 'ask' what was on our card. Who we were asking I did not know, nor why to be honest. When we came out of our meditation he went around the circle, as normal, asking us to tell everyone else of our experiences. I wanted the ground to swallow me up when he came to me, sure I was going to look a fool. I started to say that all I saw was the colour red and strangely, as I said it an image of a lady in a red dress, sitting in a chair holding something in her lap popped into my head, as clear as anything. When I turned the card over the image was exactly as I had seen it in my mind's eye - she was, apparently, the Queen of Pentacles.
I went to bed unable to sleep that night. Initially, I wondered if I had caught a glimpse of the card so briefly that only my unconscious mind registered it. But really I knew something beyond my understanding had happened and that I needed to find out more.
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... and so, my journey began!
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Many things in my life started to change.
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I was diagnosed with an auto-immune thyroid complaint and given a reason to hit the pause button and re-evaluate my life. I left my job and went to work part-time, alongside my Dad, delivering meals to the elderly and infirm. It not only felt more fulfilling but also gave me time. I went for Bowen, homeopathy and acupuncture sessions. I looked at my diet, I went on spiritual retreats, joined circles to practise connecting with spirit in ordinary states and trance. I completed a diploma in small animal healing that was, at the time, the first of its kind in this country and slowly I began, in a back to front way, to learn about what was going on and feeling more and more in touch with my spiritual self.
Once my health had improved enough, I went back to full-time work at a kennels and cattery. One that I had worked at as a youngster and really enjoyed. My time there was demanding but fulfilling and I met some wonderful people while there, some are still very dear friends, a lot were part of my spiritual path one way or another.
Accelerated learning...
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The funny thing is, once you get back onto the path you were meant to tread, you start to meet people and have experiences to help you on your way.
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There were many of these, but for the sake of brevity I will mention the one that took me by surprise.
The handyman at the kennels was an unassuming 'pie and a pint' man, a real gentleman. He was beyond retirement age but enjoyed getting out, loved the animals and loved being useful. He really surprised me, one day, when he came up to me and showed me a picture of my spirit guide that he had seen around me at the kennels. He then told me that he had always seen spirit but was careful who he told. He was a huge support to me and confirmed a number of things about my experiences. One day, I had to return to the kennels after a really busy day's work for the annual garden party. I was so tired and while I was getting ready, I asked my guide to join me as his company always energised me. I thought little more about it until the next time I saw the handyman. Not only did he tell me he had seen my Buddhist guide dressed up in all his finery, but that he had brought a few friends with him too - no wonder I was buzzing!
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Our work together
There is much more to tell but I hope these crucial stages to my life give you an idea of my path and philosophy.
