I am a New Zealander, living in Christchurch. Age 60.

I developed an early interest and life long love of Astrology from childhood and practiced as an astrologer intermittently over the past 30 years. I have been interested in alternative healing forms most of my life. I link this in part to early losses and trauma in childhood but also to vocation and a combination of karmic and genetic/encultured inheritance.

I encountered Iyengar Yoga at 16 and have used this throughout my life.

I arrived in the UK in 1980, aged 19 with my girlfriend at the time, and no intention of ever returning to NZ. I qualified as a homeopath in 1986. I met Sheila and Anita during this time and we established our very dear friendship. I first encountered Sheila in a study group when we were both still homeopathic students. She was self-contained and enigmatic and I  admired from a distance. Somehow, we connected more closely and it was that wonderful time when you know you’ve found another missing piece and that person is going to be vitally important to you. I visited NZ for a time and when I returned Sheila had found Anita and Douglas. When Anita and I met, I felt enveloped immediately in her open heart. I often feel awed by the love and acceptance they both pour out to me.  The ongoing reflective exchange we share in Camino provides a rich nurturing of emotional expression, intellectual honesty and real fun.

I finally returned to NZ in 1992. I practiced homeopathy until 2007. By this time I had started a double degree in Sociology and Anthropology and graduated in 2011.

Since 2012 I have worked in Community Mental Health Support. We received minimum or largely inadequate professional supervision in this role and it soon became apparent to me that there was very little understanding or unwillingness to acknowledge what this might entail and how to provide for employees in this way. Peer support was assumed and expected however.

Over the past 4 years I have had a focussed meditation and energy practice which has included Qi Gong and Oneness practice. I have also had personal counselling during this time which has served as personal supervision and supported me to move through work changes.

I now work in Emergency Housing, for about 18 months. This is increasingly demanding and stressful. With some recent confrontational moments, including verbal abuse, threats (though mainly ‘empty’) and false accusations. On the whole we have supported each other well.

Within my current Housing role which is providing for general public and may include mental health there is ‘conventional’ management structure however managers in this team are like peers and are very supportive and present. I have now been told prof supervision is available for us.

I hope I haven’t rambled too much into extraneous detail. I feel at a greater distance and therefore the need to expand on my situation.