SPIRIT OF WELLNESS

TAKING A LEAP OF FAITH

Studying Journalism and Media Studies in South Africa during the Apartheid regime was, to say the least, far from dull. We learnt to type on mechanical typewriters with ink ribbons, there was no internet, no mobile phones… it was 1984.

Most of our recommended books were banned, the restricted ones we could read in glass cubicles kindly made by the government where they made sure we wouldn’t copy the information. Despite the difficulties, we were gifted with inspiring professors who helped us think outside the box to find loopholes in the law to express what was going on without the risk of incarceration. It’s amazing how creativity blossoms under oppression. 

My first real job after university was in Madrid for Vogue magazine. I was the assistant to the sub-editor Laura, the niece of the famous Spanish poet and playwriter Federico Garcia Lorca assassinated during the Spanish Civil War for his inflammatory words and for his sexual preference. It was my job to answer the phone and keep tabs on the advertisers to ensure they were mentioned in the fashion shoots. There were days when Laura entered the office suffering from migraines, so I shut the doors, rubbed her neck and shoulders to ease the pain. This wasn’t in the job description, however in hindsight, it was clearly the beginning of my journey into the healing arts.

After various jobs in TV and teaching English, I began to feel like a misfit, something I would eventually learn to find comfort in.  Returning to wild South Africa seemed like a solution. So I approached the airlines with the idea of organising a group and get a free ride. Suddenly, I discovered I could be paid to travel the world. This was the beginning of 30 very eventful years working as a Travel Director.

Stress again rose its angry face in this profession and I've dedicated the last 25 years of my free time to cope with my own stress and explored many alternative ways to do so. It became a thing and I trained as a yoga teacher, Watsu practitioner, Ai Chi teacher, massage, anatomy and physiology, aromatherapy, breathwork, shamanism, sound therapy and plant medicine, just to name a few. I love to learn.

As far from journalism as all of this seems, I realised that working as a travel director I was collecting information and sharing it. My focus became Iberia and learnt about the Spanish and Portuguese history, customs, facts, legends and idiosyncrasies, all to be shared with my guests as we travelled through these beautiful lands. My words made it all come alive. I would pick up the microphone to communicate my love for these countries, people enjoyed my voice and I loved the job. Much of the knowledge learnt on my journey to manage my stress I would apply not only for myself, but for my clients as well. Magical moments were shared.

Then 2020 happened.

I was triggered by the amount of censorship and police control that was becoming more visible as the year progressed. It reminded me of my days at university in South Africa. It was a tough pill to swallow, knowing I had come to Europe to have a safe and free life where I could bring up my daughter in peace.

Leaving the travel industry required taking an enormous leap of faith, as I began focusing whole heartedly on having both feet firmly on the ground and in service of integral wellness.

A cancer diagnosis led me to train as a wellness coach with the International Wellness Association (IAWP). Through our coaching programme, I realised adventure was lacking in my life, so I began discovering beautiful Andalucía through canyoning and mountain cable climbing. While our modern lives are filled with unnecessary stuff, it’s important to identify what brings us joy, integrate into our lives and allow the superfluous to gently fall in the wayside.

I was craving authentic and free expression. I missed the banter, communicating, the microphone, telling stories, and through a series of serendipitous events, I met Rob Humphries and we started a podcast called Spirit of Wellness. I’ve finally found a helpful way to share wellness in a world that is in desperate need of healing, as well as satisfying my personal need for communication.

Rob has a background in sound, radio and  DJing at weddings, and after burnout and after a couple of years of agony, hospitalisation and pharmaceutical drugs he encountered the world of wellness and is slowly going drug free in favour of wholesome wellness.

We have been joyworking together for almost a year to bring to you a series of interviews all related to wellness and how a spiritual practice is key in our overall wellbeing. We have a series of interview and coming soon will be a series of guided meditations, wellness musings and guided experiences.

We are proud to announce our podcast which you can find on Spotify, iPodcasts and other platforms.

Please share with your friends and family.

Also, if you are interested in taking that leap of faith and interested in changing your profession, there’s an amazing training at the IAWP which will prepare you to take a new direction in life, improving your personal life and contribute to help making our world a better place.

This is my intention too.

You can find the link on my website under About Us at the end of the page.

Namaste, and Thank You.