Q Would you say that you have a philosophy for life?
A Not really. I would say that I have an experience.
Q Can you tell me more?
A Well, I hear a voice in my head and I have had this experience for 30 years. It’s led me on a very exciting, amazing and sometimes scary journey.
Q And do you think the voice has an identity outside of yourself or is it your higher self?
A Well, God tells me that is Him so I tend to believe that.
Q And why do you think that God speaks to you?
A Why not I guess?
Q And what does God say to you?
A Well, a whole load of things about life, wisdom, relationship and healing.
Q And what does God say to you about these things?
A It has been like trying to work out a giant conundrum. I grew up feeling very disconnected to myself and everything around me but I did have this faith that God was looking after me. Then one day I knew that trusting God wasn’t enough – I had to trust people and myself. I went on this great long journey then to find out who I am.
Q And do you know who you are now?
A Yes, I’m a spiritual leader in the making.
Q That’s a pretty big claim.
A Yes, I know, but if you ask God things, then you get to know don’t you?
Q Does knowing scare you?
A Totally and completely – I’m petrified.
Q Do you think God would want you to be petrified?
A I think God wants me to realise my greatness and if I have to go through fear and pain to get there I will.
Q Why do you think have to go through so much angst?
A Because to be an effective leader you have to be broken. I call it being broken open.
Q How does that feel?
A It feels like you make a commitment to be an open book in the world so people can read what is written on your pages and nothing is hidden.
Q Ouch! That sounds hard. Is it?
A Strangely not, when that is what you feel born to do. All I crave is authenticity and connection. And I willingly let go of anything that is a barrier to this rich experience of life.
Q Have you needed lots of therapy?
A Loads. It has been as if certain people have held keys to a certain part of my healing. I have been as honest as I can be with everyone I have worked with. Some seemed to have not liked such honesty, some may have felt threatened by it and a few meet me in that place. When people meet me that feels really good.
Q What do you hope to achieve as a spiritual leader?
A I don’t fully know even though I ask God all the time! It obviously has something to do with authenticity, openness and healing.
Q What steps are you making to achieve your goal?
A I get up every day and say “OK God, what shall I do today”, then I follow my energy which is a bit like following a thread.
Q Does that mean you don’t feel you have a choice?
A Pretty much yes. I feel a sort of pressure to follow the thread. I’m feeling a sort of pressure to pour out this interview right now.
Q What do you think would happen if you said “No, I’m not doing it”.
A Well, I would sort of be stepping outside of my purpose. You see I know I need to write these words and I’m pretty sure I’ll feel better when I’ve finished because in doing this writing I am facing my fear of getting my voice heard.
Q So do you feel that the thread you follow is sort of entangled with other factors in your life?
A Yes, absolutely, the thread of my purpose is entangled with the thread of my healing. I can only fulfil my purpose as far as I am willing to heal.
Q Do you think anyone can live like this?
A I think we can all tune into our intuition like this but possibly our threads are different thicknesses and make different shapes throughout life. Some people may be barely aware of their threads and then others feel that “Oh there it is again, calling me to follow it.” Mine feels like a great thick mass of colours all weaving together to make a beautiful tapestry. If I fail to follow just one thread I might spoil the pattern and never see the whole picture.
Q So is this experience you talk about really about hearing a voice and following a thread?
A Sort of, but it does feel a lot deeper than that.
Q Well I suppose I see myself as a mystic.
Q Tell me more!
A I’m feeling for all the nuances of connection within me and around me all of the time. So although I may ask God what I should do in a day I may not hear an answer – I may just feel something deep within myself. For instance I sing and I keep wondering at the moment whether I should practice my songs or write a new song but I feel very distanced from that idea as if the possibility of doing it is not within my grasp. I then remember that is Autumn, a time when I feel mellow, not outward but inward, not like performing but more like cosying down and doing something in the comfort of my home. I realise at this point that I am intrinsically connected with the seasons and the rhythms and I cannot control these things any more than I can say “No” to the voice in my head.
Q Have you always felt this sort of depth to life?
A No, I didn’t used to notice the seasons change except for a feeling of disturbance and un-ease as summer turned to autumn and autumn to winter etc. I hated that time of change but I didn’t realise it could hold such power for me. It is possible that women pick these things up more acutely than men as we are such cyclical beings and every month during our menstruating years we are living this cycle moving from inward to outward, a part of ourselves dying and then re-birthing. I didn’t used to know any of this either until I found a wise woman for a mentor. Women need to know these things. I understand that not everyone hears a voice in their head but everyone can understand their rhythms and patterns and those of nature and experience greater connection with themselves and the world.
Q So this is not just for the life of a mystic?
A Well the mystic is just a person who loves mystery and anyone can open themselves to the mystery which is life itself.
Q Are you religious?
A I’m a Christian
Q What do you mean by that?
A Well, I love the wonders of relationship with God, forgiveness and grace. What more can I say?!
Q How do your beliefs impact your life?
A I don’t think about my beliefs. They are sort of written in my heart and feel comfortable there. I live my life as if God sees me as perfect and so the slate is always clean. I like that. It feels good and it means that it doesn’t matter how hard I try in life or how much I heal I can never be better in God’s eye than I am right now. That’s good news, especially for a perfectionist like me!
Q So you have a Christian faith, hear a voice, live according to the nuances of energy and connection in and around you and see yourself as a spiritual leader in the making. That’s quite a lot to admit in one interview!
A I know. It’s good to get it out there though!
Holding Hands with God 