Waitangi Festival

Back to the Bay of Islands for a couple of days and with summer in full swing my most pressing appointment was one with the Pacific Ocean! A swim across to Motu Maire Island was the perfect way to connect back with the east coast along with the festivities of Waitangi Day, as I dodged NZ navy boats ferrying passengers between the Paihia wharf and the frigate anchored in the harbour. Jim was home and we gave Mum a call to see if she would like to join us for the afternoon and evening but she declined saying she was too hot and really couldn’t be bothered driving up.


I enjoyed an afternoon walk to the treaty grounds to observe the NZ Navy ceremonial sunset and listen to Ray Wolf playing at Hobson Bay. Returning back past the yacht club I watched the men practising in their waka (Maori Canoe) in preparation for the Waka Karakia the following morning. As Jim and I were home alone I stopped back past the supermarket to purchase some fresh fish and a bottle of wine for our supper and had to laugh when I got back to his house and discovered he had done exactly the same thing. Dinner for two on the deck overlooking Paihia was an absolute delight, it was fun to share supper with my Mum’s boyfriend as he reminded me of memories he had of me as a child growing up in Paihia.


Next morning I got up a little earlier than usual to allow sufficient time for my yoga and meditation before walking down to Waitangi for the Waka Karakia. As I wandered down the hill I was delighted by another synchronistic meeting with Michael Fleck who pulled up directly in front of me with two of his friends; Yuri and Gabriela. Yuri is a NZ resident of Russian origins who had been introduced to Earthwalk via a mutual friend and Gabriela is an author and friend of Michael’s from Hawaii who travels the world making her own documentaries of the different countries, cultures and people she meets along her way. She was busy filming while she was in NZ and had plans to screen her recent documentaries of Iran and Israel, two countries I have not yet visited, in Waiheke later in the month.

It was lovely to have some like-minded friends to share the morning with and wonderful to reconnect with another soul brother from the ancient past. As a Bay of Islands resident Waitangi Day wasn’t so special for Yuri but for some reason he had felt (in his words) ‘to get his butt out of bed’ on that particular morning and join Michael. What was interesting was that within a short space of time he had concluded that the reason he had come was so that we could meet and in the spirit of the moment invited me to come to Waiheke Island and celebrate his wedding in two weeks time. Not being one to just show up at a wedding for the sake of it I asked him to give me a few days to feel out the possibility and I would let him know . . . I must have known something though as that afternoon I still went ahead and purchased a wedding gift.


Yuri, Michael & I

The Waka Karakia was brilliant and it was great to see such a large crowd gathered at Waitangi to enjoy the festival. Such a different scene from many I remember as a child, which although contained some very fond memories, many were overshadowed by angry crowds, protestors and riot police. Waitangi Day is now celebrated as Waitangi Festival, a celebration of Maori; art, craft and culture and, with sporting events and participatory performers, there really was something for everyone. Supported by a number of national celebrities it was interesting that Jim had been invited by the local MP to meet our NZ Prime Minister while Michael, Yuri and Gabriela ended up having supper at the table next to him in Kava Restaurant the night before.


I did have to smile when the only peaceful protest was being led by Kereru Ponamu, a soul sister and fellow Grandmother of Aotearoa, who just so happened to be one of the guest speakers at a gathering in Puhoi the following weekend. Kereru’s topic of choice being ‘from Protest to Peace”


I parted company with Michael and Gabriela at the Meeting House on the Treaty grounds and made my way back down toward the Waitangi Marae where I was hoping to meet up with a few of the visiting healers I had met at Karui Waihotanga in the Hokianga. I was called to enter the grounds through the main entrance and as I walked toward the area for stalls I noticed one of the Kaumatua who had spoken to Treaty of Waitangi Tribunal hearings in May last year. He was busy in conversation however the woman seated just behind him motioned me over, we introduced ourselves and I soon discovered that Whio, the Kaumatua’s sister, was one of the most incredible woman I have so far had the pleasure of meeting.

A beautiful heart-centered woman who had spent many years supporting her brother both in NZ and overseas had recently handed that responsibility over to another member of the family so that she could stay home and focus her energies on supporting young woman in her South Auckland Community. She explained her quiet way of working, taking women into the bush and reintroducing them to the old ways to help them reconnect to their spirit and the land. Such an inspiration . . .

There was no sign of my friends from Hokianga but I did manage to catch up with Valesi and Minni as I passed through the Marae grounds for the last time until next visit. Returning to Paihia I discovered Jim cooking up a huge pot of his famous seafood chowder which both he and I were disappointed that I would not be there to share as I had already made plans to meet friends for an evening picnic on Whangaumu Beach near Tutukaka. Time to pack and head south . . . I do love my life even though the continual unpacking and repacking doesn’t always entertain my sense of humour, perhaps I have to learn to travel even lighter still!


Taking the scenic route to Tutukaka provided an insight into the destruction caused by the recent cyclone. Thus dodging landslides and road cones where roads had been washed away became the order of the afternoon. I arrived at Sandy Bay in time for a lovely evening swim in the surf at the tail end of what appeared to be a National Surfing competition before moving on to Whangaumu to meet up with Chris Bone of Oceans Watch, his family and a few like-minded friends whose names I had heard over the past couple years and who I now had made acquaintance with. And what a wonderful way to end a very special week of friends and family in the Far North!


I enjoyed a few days with Mum while I sorted out what was to stay at her house, what I needed for my journey to the South Island and last couple months in NZ and what I might need for the next leg of my Earthwalk Journey, which by all accounts seemed to be heading back in the general direction of Australia, Africa and perhaps even South America before the end of 2011.

Hui in the Hokianga

Kauri Waihotanga – Indigenous Healing Gathering


Friday afternoon came and it was time to make my way northwest toward the Hokianga. On my way through Kaikohe I stopped by to check on Keith, a Kaumatua (elder) I had met a couple years previously, and deliver some home baking and new season’s apples. He was looking well and although he had an appointment at his marae on Saturday he felt, that sometime during the course of the weekend, he would most likely come and join us at Moria Marae in Whirinaki where the Indigenous Healing Gathering was being held.

Arriving in the rain I found the gathering already in progress which, due to the weather, meant everyone had made themselves comfortable in the wharenui (meeting house) and were enjoying sharing both story and song as a way introduction. It was an unexpected surprise to see Andrew, a recent acquaintance from Byron, sitting in the front row of the gathering. I realised that the dots on my web were beginning to connect and later learned that he had been in NZ for the past month attending a Universal Dance for Peace Gathering in the Coromandel. By chance people he had met there were travelling to the Hokianga for this gathering and he chose to delay his flight home by a couple days and come along for the ride.

To my delight I also arrived in time to hear Angie’s crow story and Martin’s Earthsong. Ange is a very beautiful and gifted healer that travelled all the way from Alberta, Canada to attend Kauri Waihotanga. Her gifts are many and can been viewed on her website; www.aguenus.com Angie is Metis which means Mixed Blood in French and her people are a result of the relationship built around the Europeans (French, Irish and Scottish) coming to Canada and their dependency on the Cree First Nation Women. To be considered Metis you need to trace your linage back to this time, 1700's. Angie is the 7th generation Metis in her family. Martin on the other hand was on his third visit to NZ from Czech Republic, he felt NZ to be his true home and enjoyed sharing his gift of being able to tune in with the earth and allow whatever song needed to be sung to come through him.


Angie, Margarita & Johnathan

During the late afternoon and early evening a number of other friends and colleagues began to arrive accompanied by stories of incredible mass flooding, landslides and closed roads. Northland was getting a major cleansing and plans for the gathering and those travelling to attend were changing by the moment. It certainly wasn’t a night to be sleeping under the stars but that didn’t matter as there was plenty of space on the wooden deck to roll out my swag, raise my mosquito net and enjoy being warm and dry while listening to the rain coming down on the corrugated iron roof.


The next day dawned with a clear sky, an absolutely saturated earth, clear crisp colours and fresh clean air. Unbeknown to us we had spent most of the evening on an isolated section of the north island, a sea of land and a land of water, flooded rivers and roads surrounded us yet our patch of ground remained high and relatively dry. This brought a slow start to Saturday morning but the men got on with erecting the tepees and by 10am people had started to arrive. After a short Karakia and sage ceremony with the other participating healers, sacred space was opened and we began work. Butch Campbell, of Cherokee origins who has chosen to walk the path of the Cree, took on the responsibility of Master of Ceremonies and held our healing space at the quiet end of the marae grounds while workshops, music, food stalls and Uncle Dave on his guitar with his Elvis songs kept the rest of the visitors entertained at the other end.


I enjoyed holding sacred space for a number of people from both near and far and was pleasantly surprised by the amount of information that came through me to them at the end of each session. Among my visitors for the weekend was a German woman from Findhorn which I felt was an unusual and perhaps synchronistic meeting when part of the original guidance for Earthwalk made mention that the 13th site may be activated externally and coordinated from Findhorn in Scotland. www.findhorn.org

I was also fortunate to share some time and space and experience a healing session with John Edzerza, from the Tahltan Nation of British Columbia. John is the Minister of Environment within the Yukon Territorial Government and was able to provide a first-hand and very interesting insight into the current situation of North American Indigenous Peoples and how they are held accountable to different laws than regular Canadian citizens. A very obvious example of changes required within western Government policy so that we may honour and respect each other as equals.


Taking into consideration those participating and those attending, Kauri Waihotanga Indigenous Healing Gathering really was an international affair. Although there were not as many Kuia and Kaumatua as I thought may have attended there must have been at least 15 different nationalities represented . . . living proof of an ancient tribe that is beginning to gather around the world. And I take my hat off to Katrina and Curtis Kaio for holding their vision and seeing it through under at times what seemed to have been quite difficult circumstances to create the space for this inaugural event to take place.


A few activities that made this Wananga quite unique and different than any other I had attended to date were both the workshops and the live music . . . and what a wonderful way to spend Saturday evening, dancing on the grass beneath moon and the stars. I also thanked Tattane, a participating healer from Eastern Bay of Plenty, for sharing another, and perhaps more appropriate, translation of Aotearoa - long threshold to the world. Ao – world, Tea – threshold, Roa – long. It reminded me of the plaque at Cape Reinga that had caught my attention when I was called to do earthwork there at the beginning of last year . . .


Little Aotearoa really is going to lead the world into the New Age of Light!

Our weekend passed in no-time yet Friday seemed to have been a lifetime ago. From an absolute abundance of water at the beginning, Moria Marae ended up completely without for the last 24 hours of the gathering and as we gravitated back toward the river for bathing we were reminded of the simplicity of life. The weekend also coincided with two deaths in the area and a break in the program in order for those who were called to attend the tangi (funeral) . . . it seems there was a whole lot happening throughout the dimensions this weekendwhcih brings to mind the understanding of the saying; as above, so below!

The Poroporoaki (farewell gathering) was a wonderful family affair shared by all who remained on the Marae on Sunday evening. I observed myself sitting on the ground at Katrina’s feet, a tired little light-worker I was yet I still felt a familiarity of having been there before, different time, different space but definitely the same soul group. Based on a foundation of unconditional love, without any external financial assistance, Kauri Waihotanga had been a success and would hopefully pave the way of many more Indigenous Healing Gatherings both in Aotearoa and abroad in the future. There was not one person present who had not in some way been touched by the experience of participating in such a unique gathering of Spirit.


Three tired little Lightworkers

The following day we were gifted by an unexpected visit of a local Kaumatua and as a result made the most of the opportunity to share in another circle for a couple of hours before moving on. That afternoon I accepted a few of the invitations that had been extended to visit new and old friends in the Hokianga. This included a trip up the mountain to the house of Rod and Alex Land where I enjoyed a picnic lunch with Stephen, a magnificent view over the Hokianga Harbour and an afternoon listening to Rod explain his thesis before being chased off the property by Alex on his trumpet ;-)

My visits of course would not have been complete without stopping by to say gidday to Tane Mahuta, the first tree that I was able to hear speak and Colt and Cassie, my friends of the forest in Waipoua. It was lovely catching up with Cassie who I had not seen since leaving the forest in May last year. We shared a hot cup of tea and a wedge of homemade blackberry pie before I excused myself for a much needed epsom salt bath in the spring waters of the Waipoa forest and a night at the lookout, the perfect prescription to recharge the batteries after a weekend of energy work. What I found interesting however was that I did not notice such a difference between my vibration and that of the vortex as I had 9 months previously. This made me curious; had my vibration changed or had the vortex’s vibration changed or both? Or, had the vortex and I become one that now when one changed the other did simultaneously?


I must have been tired as for the first time in a long time I allowed myself to just take it easy, there was no urgency to ‘be’ anywhere else but where I was each moment of each day. I enjoyed a day of reading, swimming and walking before sharing another more relaxed evening with Angie and Butch at Katrina and Curtis’s house. And I thought Katrina was just joking when she said that she had saved me some crayfish for supper but to my absolute delight she was serious . The following day I took my book and picnic lunch to the beach at the Hokianga Harbour mouth and enjoyed more time relax and soak up some vitamin D from our magnificent sun. An ice-cream on the jetty at Opononi reminded me of my childhood before making a scenic drive back to one of my treasured homes at Peter and Maree’s in Waimate North.

House-sitting in my Hometown

On my way north from Auckland I ended up spending an afternoon with Elandra, a wonderful woman of Danish origins who having been brought up in NZ had spent most of her life in California and Kauai (Hawaii) with Antion her husband. They have recently returned to Orewa and a life that takes them on an annual migratory route between Bali and New Zealand. Michael Fleck, a networker of note that I met at Prana, had put us in touch when I mentioned that I was looking into running a joint w/shop with Toby in Kauai later in the year. As Elandra is an author, a yoga teacher and energy medicine practitioner we had a lot in common so much so that we hardly touched on Kauai, however that alone is good enough reason to meet again.

My next port of call was Elle’s house between Orewa and Waiwera which had been described to me by Vernon and April as a round house on top of the hill between the two towns, where a lady lived that I had a lot in common with. Coincidently Elandra was also a friend of Elle so we gave her a call and invited ourselves up for afternoon tea . . . an engagement that turned into an energy healing session, supper, an introduction to the work of William Henry, an Investigative Mythologist, and an overnight stop in what Elle’s friends refer to as the Lighthouse but I felt to call the House of Light. Elle holds a very special space on the north side of NZ largest city with views for 360 degrees and line of sight with a number of extinct volcanoes. It would certainly provide front row seating if and when any of them ever decided to wake-up!



I could have stayed with Elle for days, watching videos, reading books from her extensive library and sharing stories however I still had to call in on Beatrice, a friend in Puhoi and wanted to have some time with Mum in Whangarei before making my way up to the Bay. I did have to collect some money from Beatrice for an energy session she had with me at Prana however the main reason to visit was to check out her Retreat centre, “The Barn” and her home space in Puhoi as a future workshop venue. And wow, what an amazing space that is easily accessible to Auckland yet right in the country side with an absolutely beautifully finished house and barn that is ideal for anything and everything.

It was good to have a couple of night with my Mum before heading north to my house-sitting job in my hometown and what better place to take a week out to rest and catch up with myself than the Bay of Islands in mid-summer? Thanks to my mum’s boyfriend Jim, I had a house to take care of and Blanco (white), his black cat, to take care of me . Located in the heart of Paihia I enjoyed a wonderful view across the Bay to Russell, Tapeka Point, the Treaty Grounds, Kerikeri Inlet and the Black Rocks . . . there was a sailing regatta on and the Bay was full of sails for most of the week and when it wasn’t we were hosts to three different cruise ships passing though.


Arriving at the tail end of cyclone Wilma reminded me of my last visit to Paihia for the Treaty of Waitangi Tribunal Hearing in May last year when the sky gods certainly made their presence felt! Coincidently it was from that story that friends from Switzerland, Christine and Christian Pellegrini, supporters of SIDECOLE, a former donor of Conservation Lower Zambezi from the days of my NGO work in Zambia, were inspired to visit. Little did either of us know however that they would be visiting the Bay of Islands at exactly the same time I was, and not only that but they had chosen to stay in Opua at the B & B of my former High School Principal and his wife.

Synchronicity or coincidence, hmmm, me thinks there were just too many coincidences for our meeting to be anything but synchronicity! What amused me even more was the itinerary that Christine had created for both her and Christian during their month in NZ. They had chosen many of the areas that I had been taken to during my journeys both last summer and this summer which to me was a perfect example how even when we are not walking completely consciously of our multi-dimensional reality or the purpose of our journey we still end up being exactly where we are meant to be when we need to be there. Perhaps this emphasizes the importance of following our feelings everyday and not only when we are planning our vacations.

I enjoyed my days catching up with my blog, taking a daily swim across to Motu Maire Island and evening walks along the beach. Shopping at the farmers market on the village green was a pleasure and provided a perfect opportunity to meet a few of the many Europeans who now call Paihia home. I also enjoyed some very interesting conversations with a Jewish man who having been brought up on a Kubutz in Israel has lived in Paihia almost as long as I have been away. I was overwhelmed by his strong belief system and his concern for me that I am being led astray by the devil. Interesting that he asked me how I would feel if at the end of my life I discovered that I had been living a lie? All I could respond was that at least I would have enjoyed my journey  . . . I feel he was concerned that I wasn’t taking life seriously enough but the truth be known is that I took life far too seriously for far too long . . . it’s time to have fun! After all are we not here on earth to appreciate the simplicity of life, the beauty of living in the moment, and this physical body that enables us to explore the world through our senses!


My idea of catching up on my blog didn’t manifest quite how I imagined it would due to getting busy with private clients and social engagements . . . yes, learning to live in the moment and enjoy what each day brings! Peter, Maree, Christine and Christian came for supper on Saturday night and then on Sunday after a night of torrential rain and much flooding Peter and Maree took me over to Russell to visit a few friends of theirs. Our first port of call was with a well known Kiwi artist by the name of Lawrence who had just returned from a journey to Antarctica, and his wife Gretta who had the most incredible garden I have seen all summer. They invited us to share lunch and their amazing space in Russell where Peter gave me the guided tour of the house, a tribute to a number of great New Zealand artists and their work.




After lunch we took a walk a few doors down the road to the house and studio of Helen Pick, another inspiring artist and the mother of Rua Pick who coincidently had shared the same 6th form art class with me. The synchronicity came when on my most recent return to New Zealand Rua had found me on facebook and I had learned that he was responsible for bringing through a number of the ancient paintings that were woven through the book, Song of Waitaha. Extraordinary listening to Helen describe Rua’s journey and amazing how we were becoming reacquainted through our work with Waitaha. All in all we enjoyed a lovely afternoon together sipping bubbly and exploring Helen’s studio and garden while Peter and Helen’s husband Andrew visited the boat and talked sailing . . .

Monday morning came with an invitation to join Christine, Christian, Frank and Vanessa and a few of their friends for supper at their home in Opua. An invitation which I graciously accepted wondering what it would be like to share supper with my former Principal. In between work and play that day I couldn’t help reflecting on the most extraordinary journey my life had been in the last 25 yrs since I left high school. And observing myself at supper I began to realise just how much my world has evolved and expanded through my experiences of the last 20 yrs as a nomad. It helped me appreciate how fortunate I am for each and every experience that has shaped me into who I am and the many more that will continue to shape me into the person I am becoming!

Maree had a work supper on Tuesday night so Pete and I made a date to collect a few bins of seaweed for their garden. An exercise that took no time at all thanks to the recent storm which left us plenty of time to take walk along the beach to Waitangi. We decided to go as far as the yacht club and then on our way back were wooed on to the foredeck of the Sugarboat, formerly Kelly Tarlton’s shipwreck museum, with live music and a happy hour. Conversation ranged from Africa, art, sailing, love and life through to the journey of awakening . . . it really was lovely to share an impromptu and relaxing evening out with a good friend. Oh how I used to take those evenings out in Addis for granted . . . well not really but as we went out for supper most evenings when we were in town on business it wasn’t the novelty it now is, or maybe I am just looking at my experience through different eyes.

I enjoyed a couple quiet days before it was time to clean up and pack up for the next leg of my journey. There were a number of people travelling up from further south for the Kauri Waihotanga, Indigenous Healing Gathering in the Hokianga and I had arranged to meet everyone at Pete and Maree’s space in Waimate North for a Pot Luck dinner the night before. As usual some that were coming didn’t make it and others that weren’t showed up and as it happened everyone who was meant to be there was.


I arrived in time to help Peter and Maree do a quick tidy up and then for Maree and I to take Buddha for a walk and us for a swim down in the river, a perfect way to clear a day’s accumulation of esmog! And to our delight not only were Valesi and Minni there to meet us but just as they were leaving home Peter Harrison, a very special tohunga from Kaitaia and my favourite star teacher had arrived and they had brought him too. The funniest thing is that as I was baking a cake that morning, which I have to admit crumbled as I tipped it out of the cake tin, I had thought of Peter and his visit with me in the very same space the year before and how he had explained that ‘gravity is the glue that holds everything together’ and as I put the pieces of cake back together I couldn’t help but laugh that I had forgotten to put the gravity in! And little did I know he would be partaking in the very same cake with us that evening.

We shared a lovely supper and before we even managed dessert Peter was in the kitchen cooking up some local herbal preparation in order to dispel the mosquitoes, Lots of wonderful connections made and Maree and Peter H are already making plans for the Traditional Medicine Workshops that they are going to prepare in their magical space in Waimate North.

Coromandel, a dance of discovery through uncharted dimensions, dragons included!

After a couple hours in my cocoon day dreaming of dragons I surfaced and prepared a space for Tejas and I to share supper. The interesting thing was that when I took a short cut through the neighbour’s camp to the nearest long-drop I noticed a book about dragons sitting on their table. And, if that was enough to get my attention, I came back to discover a wasp devouring a dragonfly on our picnic blanket . . . it made me realise something was up and that we might just be in for a bit of an adventure on our little walkabout!

We shared a yummy smoked salmon salad and stimulating conversation until the call to be horizontal became greater than the desire for any more mind stuff and I enjoyed a peaceful night floating along the waterways of the dreamtime. That was until a forest full of tui (native NZ songbirds) woke me from my slumber with their dawn chorus, a gift befitting of the occasion coming in loud and clear from the branches above. It was rather lovely not to have to be anywhere in a hurry, just to be able to lay in bed and listen to the river and the forest as it woke to another day dawning . . . how relaxing it is to go with the flow of the natural rhythms of our earth.

Physically I was still a little delicate and had no desire to go rushing off in search of any mountains to climb however it was a beautiful day and after a morning meditation, a bowl of muesli and a conversation that picked up where we left off last night, it was time to take a bath in the nearest silver and gold infused stream of the Coromandel after which I happily certified myself fit to travel albeit ‘gently’ onward. As Tejas had also spent a little time on Todd’s table the previous morning, we shared a mutual understanding that it was very important to be extra kind to ourselves for the next few days.

Onward and upward. . . we headed north along the coast soaking up some spectacular scenery accompanied by stories from Tejas about the people and places he had been associated with at different moments in time. Then it was time to turn inland and traverse the mountains and Kauri forests of the central peninsula en route to west coast and the tiny township of Coromandel. Tejas turned out to be a very compatible travelling companion, not only is he a wizard of note, but he also knows much of the history of the land and people of the Coromandel and enjoys sharing his knowledge and wisdom.


After lunch in an idyllic natural swimming hole we stopped to pay our respects to the local Kauri population taking an extra few moments in time to introduce a German couple who were on their honeymoon to our giants of the forest. Making music and meditating was the flavour for the forest, words were not needed when surrounded by such natural beauty. Although saying that a stop in town to stock up on a few days of fresh supplies and work out where we might spend our next evening soon reconnected us with 3D reality. As you may have guessed we did our best to do what we needed to in the shortest amount of time so as not to dwell in the static any longer than needed. Coincidently this included a last minute stop at the info centre to pick-up a map of the DOC (Dept of Conservation) campsites and just as we were about to depart in drove Michael, a beautiful young man overflowing with love and light energy who I had met and enjoyed some interesting conversations with at Prana.


During 2010 Michael had been called to Peru and Bolivia for earthwork and it had been interesting comparing notes of what we were conscious was taking place with regard to activations and earth changes. More recently he had been called to give up his flat and make himself available and prepared to travel for the summer holidays. At Prana he had already connected with Fernanda and Donnell and they were feeling out the possibility of taking a journey to the south island together. At this stage I didn’t feel to join their whole journey but was keen to connect in Christchurch for Te Kohanga (Castle Hill) and perhaps journey back with them through Golden Bay or vice versa.

We had a brief catch up and without hesitation I invited Michael to join us knowing, that as a fellow earthkeeper, who walked to the beat of his own drum, if he was called to share our journey he certainly would and if not we would see him when our paths next crossed. Meanwhile Tejas and I continued our journey, we had considered joining Kutse & Trudi, friends I knew from African overlanding days who had a campsite in Papa Aroha for the night, but when we called in it just didn’t feel right to stop there. I left a message with their daughter Rachel that we would be back in a few days time and we made our way further north. Our last stop was Colville and while Tejas took care of a little running repairs to his battery set up I sent a text to Michael just to let him know that we had had a change of plans and were heading north to Fantail Bay that evening. I had to laugh when I read his response that he was already on his way and expected to spend the night somewhere in the vicinity of Coleville.

Weaving our way north along the picturesque Coromandel coastline at sunset reminded me why so many visitors fall in love with our beautiful homeland. The Coromandel, as with the Far north and Eastern Bay of Plenty lie well outside the momentum tunnel of consensual reality and all carry a feeling of harmony, a little more of a balance between work and play. These are spaces where time is only taken notice of when needed otherwise the weather that decides if it is a day for the farm or a day for fishing  And at this time of year it was absolutely stunning, there was blue sky, sunlight dancing off the tips of the ocean waves and the Pohutukawa trees (NZ Christmas trees) out in full bloom painting the coastline a rainbow of colours.

We enjoyed a quiet evening and an early night and by the time the morning came Michael had caught up with us . . . and then there were three. This reminded me of the work I had done recently with Raeline opening the Southern Birthing Gate of the Starry Whale Palaces of Lemuria at the head of the Great Australian Bight where it was brought to our awareness that there were three of us required for ceremony to shift the vibration out of duality. Also another memory of channelled info from John back in UK who had informed me that I will often walk with two men to perform the work required of me. We shared coffee and Christmas cake for breaky and enjoyed a catch up before Michael and I both felt to get on our way to Port Jackson. And as soon as I came over the final ridge and saw the bay beneath us I knew that was where we were meant to be as I had been shown the very same bay in a meditation a few days previously.


We stopped in at the office of the DOC camp to check it was OK for us to park our vehicles while we went for a hike. I thought we were to go to the highest most northerly point however had to pay attention to the local Kaitiaki (custodian) who, not having any idea why we were there, insisted that we should walk around the rocks at the base. While I was having this conversation Michael asked permission to use the telescope that was on the corner of the deck and after a while motioned me over. He could see a bright light surrounding the rocky point and suggested I take a look and see what I could see. Not being one who literally ‘sees’ so much I had not expected to see anything more than rocks and water so as you can imagine I was absolutely delighted when I was shown three different colours of fluorescent light emanating from the rocks around the point . . . we had work to do and our pathway had been illuminated to show us the way 


We packed our supplies of food, water, tea, cake and sunblock and headed out in the late morning sunshine along the beach on an out-going tide. The other landmark that caught our attention and curiosity was a pyramid shaped Island out off the cape that kept appearing and disappearing in the mist. Our first stop was at dragon rock, not quite sure that that was all about but it seemed very much like preliminary gateway work to something greater. Michael however was shown a cave behind us where a red crystal was sitting and after Tejas and I had moved on he was guided to return so that he could receive this into his heart. What was interesting was that during the course of our work both men ended up grazing themselves and shedding blood on the rocks. A coincidence or not who knows but next day I came across a passage in Gerry and Richard De Welles book, Grail Haven that referred to the importance of men sharing their blood with the earth . . .

We picnicked on corn crackers, avocado, tomatoes, hummus and fresh seaweed on the beach at Cape Colville. Time to chat, swim and sunbathe and do a little beach combing where I received a piece of Paua for Tejas to give his Nubis toketoke (walking stick) that Grandfather Mackie had gifted him another eye and a complete rainbow coloured paua that went to Michael to represent his rainbow body. I then felt it the perfect time to go crab hunting for our dinner only it wasn’t long before I was called to the farthest most point on the Coromandel Peninsula by two beings Michael could see and communicate with. As Michael began to channel he explained that they were of Wai-ta-ha, the people of the white heart and the work we were assisting with this day was to open a fifth dimensional pathway that left the mainland along a rocky path which at low-tide looked like stepping stones at the tip of the Cape out toward Little Barrier Island and beyond, a pathway leading to the fifth dimension . . . there was much more shared in the moment that although seemed of much interest and importance at the time no longer resides in my conscious awareness.



Onward and upward we scaled the heights of Cape Colville enjoying an afternoon snack of bracken buds and flaxseeds while through Michael, the ancestors entertained us with stories of the land and its people. And to honour the occasion and bring closure to our day of earthwork we joined with them in ceremony at the top of the hill, a site of an Ancient Pa. The only thing I distinctly remember was the ancestors joking that I had better learn a few more suitable songs because I was otherwise going to get pretty tired of singing the only one I knew with the work that was to come ;-). It was here that I felt called to gift Tejas a piece of Ponamu shaped as a heart, another adornment for his beautiful toketoke.

What an incredible day dancing through dimensions, a day that left us energetically charged and physically exhausted . . . three little earthkeepers coming into land dreaming how wonderful it would be to have fresh fish for supper. And within 5 mins of returning to camp our simple request to the universe for a little assistance in nourishing our bodies after a day of service was answered. On my way to the loo I got chatting to a couple kids who had just come in from an afternoon fishing with their Dad and my way back was handed a kahawai (sea trout) and a lovely pan sized snapper . A walk to the office to pay our fees revealed a free fire pit and 20m further on a stack of dry driftwood and fresh water shower . . . so reassuring to have landed back in heaven for another special evening sharing supper and stories with fellow earth-keepers .

Sunrise, yoga, meditation, a swim in the sea and a shared breaky . . . what better way to start a day? The boys were keen to explore Fraser Bay and I was keen to return to a grove of very old Pohutukawa trees that had called me on my way up the coast so that I could rest and explore my book; Grail Haven, Journey to a Sacred Well. And all worked perfectly . . . I enjoyed my morning swimming and reading and the boys returned from their explorations in time to share lunch and more stories of pyramids and dragons.


Tuning in we learned that the special space on that particular point of the Peninsula where the sweet waters met the salt where I had been called was a place of conception. A place where couples could come to conceive light children, babies of higher vibration, that are waiting to come on to the earth plane. It was of little surprise when Michael went down to the ocean to clean another snapper that Tejas had been given that he was encouraged by the spiritual guardians to move a little further down the beach as this was a place to be kept to honour life.


Our next stop was at Coleville, a tidal beach where a load of whales had been stranded almost a year to the day. I thought we might go for a walk but on the drive down the coast I had developed a severe pain in my sternum so instead I asked the guys if they could help me clear it. Tejas gave me one of his magic massages and although it helped I still felt uncomfortable. Michael’s turn and with a little etheric help not only did he shift whatever was causing the discomfort but he also helped clear some energetic debris of my mother’s that I had been carrying in my uterus. He was also the third person to detect the spark of a light being that I understand I have been carrying since my second drumming session almost 16 months ago and may one day bring into the world. It is interesting that after so many years I now find the prospect of bringing a child into the world quite exciting even though I know it will not happen until I manage to fully activate my own light body which I am beginning to understand will take place in stages during the course of Earthwalk.

Now once the surgery was over I was rather delighted that the council responsible for directing Earthwalk chose to come through Michael . . . there was much humour but the gist of it was that I would need to make a journey to the south island, a journey that was more for my own activation, healing and preparation for work that I would have to do in Africa with regard to activating some fairly major earth crystals. The opportunity to return to my old stomping ground sounded like an adventure not to be missed so I responded that I have a passport am able and willing to travel if they don’t mind taking care of the other necessary arrangements ie; airline ticket, food, transport and accommodation which they agreed! I also asked when I would be required as I had made provisional arrangements to run a few of my own workshops and did not want to make any commitments that I could not fulfil. They responded that that this was not necessary but was up to me, they would be happy to work around me and that I will probably need to be in Africa by April/May 2011 . . .

That evening we all returned to Papa Aroha and were most grateful to Kutse, Natalie, Simon and his cousin who had spent their day on a major hunter gathering mission. We enjoyed such a feast of fresh Kaimoana (seafood); seared scallops, raw fish, smoked fish and pan fried snapper that I am glad we didn’t make too many salads as much as I love my salad there was just no space left. Such a special evening that brought back many childhood memories of summer holidays on the coast . . . those long lazy days of summer that seemed to last forever. A summer in the southern hemisphere is certainly one of life’s experiences worth showing up for!

The following morning we said our goodbyes and went our separate ways; Kutse, Trudi and family had another week at Papa Aroha before their summer music camp, Michael was heading back to Eastern Bay of Plenty to tidy up a few loose ends before heading south, Tejas had another week to visit communities on the east coast of the Coromandel and I was being called north. Tejas had gifted me a turquoise pyramid to help me navigate my way and my plan was to spend a few days with Mum in Whangarei and then a week house-sitting in my hometown before heading up to the Hokianga for the Kauri Waihotanga Indigenous Healing Gathering. I felt very fortunate to have shared such a magical journey discovering the unchartered dimensions of the Coromandel with two wonderfully knowledgeable, talented and gifted men. Thank you both until we meet again!

I chose to take the scenic route back to Auckland, one that I had never before taken, stopping for a picnic on a beach north of Miranda it also provided the perfect spot for a siesta directly across the firth of Thames to yesterday’s lunch stop. I wondered if there was any significance but was too tired to engage the thought any further, what did it matter anyway? Time to move on and I had to laugh when I saw a couple guys in a little vehicle that looked like it had just rolled out of a scene from the Flintstones. I asked if I could take their photo to send to my niece and nephew but John insisted that he take mine instead . . .

The boys invited me back home for a braai, but as I already had a date booked with Fi I had to decline their kind offer and settled for a detour to fill my water containers from their spring and my basket with organic plums from the orchard . . . nothing like good Kiwi hospitality! John’s boss sounded like someone I might know if I lived in NZ however as that wasn’t the case I didn’t but I did leave an Earthwalk Project card for him should he have time to take a look at my website and be interested in supporting a non-profit organisation focused on the healing and evolution of people and planet.


I will leave you with a note I later received from Tejas of his onward journey . . .

My journey after we parted took me for another week to cover the east side of Mount Moehau to complete the work. I started out at karuna falls community for a few days, connecting and meeting people there. Then I moved on to Moehau community at sandy bay. I met a few more people there, and needed an awful lot of sleep for days - processing and healing I guess. For a couple of days before I left, I couldn't understand why I kept thinking I was going to leave but couldn't get it to happen. As it turned out, it took a while but I was destined to meet the Dragon Queen Priestess of Moehau - a recluse living in the hills. It took her a few days to appear, and I guess I needed a few days to be energetically prepared for the meeting. She was another 'year-of-the-dragon', born only a few weeks before me, and we had a couple of days of full-on intensive exchange, included memories revealed of being of a group of 9 dragons who came to this earth long ago, and who agreed to have our wings bound and clipped in order to ground and process stuff on earth here until this time at the 'Shift of Ages' where we learn to unfold our magnificent wings and fly again. It was a fitting culmination to a mythical dragon-filled adventure.



DRAGONS . . . as ABOVE so BELOW

The Uppper World:



The Middle World:


The Lower World:

Prana ‘Gaia Galactic 2011’ Festival

Having only attended one other festival; Island Vibe with the Whale Dreamers on North Stradbroke, QLD, Australia in October 2010, I came to Prana with really no expectations. All I knew was that the festival had been a happening thing on the Coromandel for the past 19 yrs and was possibly one of the largest new age festivals in the country. For various reasons a few of the usual Prana regulars who I had recently met had chosen not to participate in the festival this year however I did not allow this to cloud my vision or dampen my enthusiasm and proceeded to answer my calling and show up so that I may discover for myself what the festival was all about . . . and I am very pleased I did!

Day 1 involved a short drive from Te Moata back through the misty rain to Tairua, time to stock up on a few essential supplies before continuing on to Prana Eco Retreat located on the east coast of the Coromandel just north of Whangamata. Donnell arrived the night before and had already set up our gazebo in the front row of the healers zone where we could easily be seen however as much as I appreciated her intention the space just didn’t feel right. I explained to Donnell that I trusted in vibrational attraction and after a bit of a wander through and around the boundaries of our zone we found a space just a little further back that we both felt would be way more conducive for our purpose. A space where not only could we not be crowded, we simply were not.

It was fun consciously creating space for ‘Healers of the One Heart Race’. Relying on vibration is one step toward living in the world we are creating however what is important is that we are consciously sending out the vibration for what we wish to attract. So as we made our space and assembled our altar all was done with prayer and conscious intent. This however did not stop the drizzle which I was assured would last that afternoon and most of the first day of the festival as according to Prana’s long standing history the days of arrival for stall holders and participants were reputed to also be the days of cleansing.

With our sacred space and meeting place prepared beneath the pine tree where I would roll out my swag each night, we shared a scrumptious supper of falafel and avocado before taking an evening wander to explore the Buddha field and the Global Village. Only we didn’t get very far beyond the Buddha field before being waved into Jyoti’s chai tent to hold space for a brother who was in a little bit of bother.

Moving with the ebb and flow of the festival energy felt like the most natural way to be, our little corner of Jyoti’s chai tent soon became a healing zone and as we began our work some moved on while others came to hold space and observe the happenings. Energetic surgery took a little longer than I imagined it would but as no one was watching time that too was unimportant . . . once our work was complete Jyoti prepared us a lovely cup of chai and let us know that we were welcome to refill our cup at any time.

We then moved on to the global village, Donnell kindly introduced me to all she knew and I her to all I knew . . . strangers were simply friends we hadn’t met and the atmosphere was one of family, community, warmth, peace, joy and love . . . wow I can’t believe it has taken me 42 yrs to discover my ideal feeling of what community life could and can be like. There was clearly an international community of festival going friends and families that had somehow managed to escape my awareness until now. And I soon began to realise Prana was the perfect space in which to network with like-minded local and international artists, practitioners, project coordinators and scientists who are bringing their gifts to a national stage and making an effort to raise awareness and human conscious on a global scale.

And as we made our way into the main tepee to join the drumming circle and warm ourselves at the fire I was delighted to discover Tor Webster, of the Rainbow Serpent Project, sitting at none other than centre circle. A brother from Avalon last seen on the streets of Glastonbury in November 2009, a wonderful surprise and a great opportunity to catch up with each other as we shared stories of our last 12 months of adventure and discovery. We departed with a promise to connect for tea and cake next day which on festival time equated to about 3 days later after one of Gary Cooke’s inspiring talks on Sacred Sites and Ancient Mysteries . . .


Day 2 for us which was effectively day 1 of the festival was declared by Donnell and I as our day off. After a beautiful star filled night beneath the milky way the day dawned red and the clouds returned to complete the cleansing they had begun. A process that continued right through until the end of the opening ceremony that evening and as most participants were still arriving and setting up camp we decided to make the most of the opportunity to attend a whole bunch of interesting workshops.


Opening Ceremony

Workshops ran all day each day throughout five different venues, a multi-media tent for films, slide shows and presentations and multiple music venues for both local and foreign performers. Children had their own program of activities including nature walks and movie making playshops and there was a day care facility for when Mum and Dad both had places to be at the same time. There was something for everyone from meditation to martial arts, laughter yoga, music making, workshops channelled by the Arcturians, practical permaculture, sacred geometry, sacred sites, sacred journeys and the sacredness of our water with none other than my favourite waterkeeper!


An amazing mulit-colour mulit-facted Orb!

So many interesting and colourful characters . . . one who particularly caught my attention was Chris, the director of Oceans Watch. The passion, dedication and integrity with which he conducted himself and presented the story of his charity reminded me so much of Ian and I and our adventure into Conservation in Africa that I wanted to get to know him. And as one does, once his talk was over I asked him if he had ever experienced an energy healing session and when he responded no, I asked him if he would like to the following morning. The privilege to hold space for Chris was entirely mine and afterward we made the most of the opportunity to have a good chat. I also wanted to share my understanding of Earthwalk and its connection with the coming earth changes as I was now aware that Chris worked with a number of communities that lived at sea level, communities that may quite possibly need to relocate in the near future.


Making music with our Maori flutes!

I now understood why someone had suggested that I should not be too concerned about working on my first visit to Prana however I did have to earn my ticket so after being very busy but only having one paying client in the first two days I began the morning of day 3 with a word in the ears of the universe and set my intention to manifest sufficient paying clients to cover the costs of my healers ticket, camping, meals and the fuel and food for my journey through the Coromandel that I knew would follow soon after Prana . . . and so it was! And not only did I get to meet some extremely gifted individuals who found their way to our healing/meeting space but I also shared some interesting exchanges experiencing different modalities with a number of other neighbouring practitioners.

Every session came with its own unique gifts tailored to suit each individual and I continue to do less and hold space for healing to happen so that I may learn more. One of the most interesting was realising that someone had a disruption within their nervous system, a good time to get out of the way and hold space for the etheric surgeons to come in. And, as I held space at my client’s head I could feel what I can only describe as neurosurgery taking place, it truly was an extra-ordinary experience.


I also found it very difficult containing my excitement as I held space for Donnell to receive a transmission that contained the story of her role in the greater Earthwalk Project  I was so excited that one of my team members had shown up that I had to keep reminding myself what it was like for me directly after and for the month that followed my transmission. The complete disorientation caused by a high frequency energy overload, not knowing to laugh or cry, not being able to think, being very content just to ‘be’ yet having to continually move my body to help integrate an energetic shift that I knew had just transformed my life in a very short space of time.

It is interesting looking back at the similarities of our journeys to date as we had both had to bring closure to our lives as we knew it, make a conscious effort to heal ourselves and step into the unknown, to show up for what we had come here for without knowing in advance where we were headed. And now there are two of us to assure you that those choices have so far been well worth the effort . . . and who knows what adventures await us???

The food at Prana was absolutely amazing, lots of organic living foods, raw foods and vegetarian delights all made consciously with an abundance of love and care that you could taste in every mouthful! It was also the first time I was introduced to the Wise Cicada, Gift Economy Cafe where there were no fixed or published prices and the customer decides how much to pay for their meal, an incredible concept that really asks people to make conscious choices based on personal values. And I must say the wheatgrass at Prana was the sweetest I have ever tasted and the stall holders did not hesitate to share their secrets of cultivation, of keeping their seedlings well hydrated and in the dark until it was time to introduce them to the sun.



Prana ‘Gaia Galactic 2011’ New Year’s party was brilliant . . . more like a gypsy carnival than a festival and with so much sound, light and colour! And the time and effort some people had gone to with their costumes was really quite incredible. Donnelle, Ro and I were very grateful to my sister and her extensive wardrobe of angel/fairy cocktail dresses but that was nothing compared to what other people and their imagination had created.


I loved the way that there was no separation between event organisers, stall holders, workshop presenters, artists, healers and participants. Everyone shared the same space and a common interest and outlook on life. Fernanda summed it up quite well when she said wherever you go and whoever you meet at Prana there is always a meaningful conversation to be had. I remember on the last evening of Prana lying on cushions at the edge of the chai tent listening to some of Russell Walder’s wonderful music when a young boy by the name of Blake just came right up and sat down next to me and we shared his apple pie and my chai along with stories about our lives . . . hmmm, community life where the whole community is responsible for the upbringing and welfare of the children.

It was one of those long weekends that could have carried on forever which I guess in some ways it did just that . . . the morning everyone was packing up and leaving I had a couple more clients and it was mid-afternoon by the time we packed everything up and headed down the beach for a swim. For whatever reason we still didn’t feel like leaving so instead joined in and shared our last evening with the crew and stall holders that had remained and I am glad that we did.

I finally got a chance to chat with Michael Fleck, an American/NZ Resident from Waiheke Island who is a networker of note and suggested a number of further contacts that I should make on my NZ travels. And as we shared our last cup of chai in Jyoti’s space along came Tejas, the engineer behind 19 yrs of Prana festivals and an absolute wizard on free energy devices who just so happened to be heading north into the Coromandel also. We shared the next couple hours completely absorbed in conversations that ranged from free energy and earth changes to crystals, Merkabah fields, DNA and light body activations! Tejas had also been seriously ill a few weeks previously, an illness that had been a final cosmic slap to remind him to get back on track as he had work to do! I invited him over next morning for an energy session before I left then rolled out my swag for my last night beneath my trusty pine tree.

Only when next morning came my calling to head north was getting stronger along with the feeling that there was some earthwork to be done and as we were both heading in the same general direction I suggested to Tejas that it would probably be best if I escort him to his next destination so as that way he could rest after his session while I carried on. At this time he said that he didn’t really have a fixed destination if I didn’t mind he would be interested in joining me for whatever earthwork I was doing even though, as was becoming the usual, I had no idea yet what had to be done where only that I was to head north . . . and then there was two of us!

I enjoyed a lovely relaxed cup of tea with Fernanda, Donnell and Michael Fleck during which I discovered that there had been a whale stranding here at Prana a couple years ago and it just so happened that Todd, who was at that moment giving Tejas a healing session, knew exactly where the whales had been buried. Tea and healing session completed, the girls had decided that they would not be joining us for our walkabout through the Coromandel so we said our goodbyes until our next meeting and while Tejas set about preparing himself for our joint venture Todd offered to take me for a walk to the whale burial site . . . only little did I know I was taking my own little journey to bury all of my old stories with the whales.

When we got to the site Todd took me completely by surprise by offering to hold space for me to which I agreed without question and simply surrendered to the process . . . a process I am hoping to one day have the opportunity to experience again and learn more about. It wasn’t until we began and Todd asked if I was ready to let go of the whole Earthwalk story I had just spent the last 30 mins telling him about that I suddenly realised that it too was just another story that I would have to release in order for it to manifest as it was meant to which probably wasn’t much at all to do with what I thought was going to happen anyway.

SO in that moment I simply said yes and as we worked our way through every other place of tension in my physical body, letting go of all the stories that they carried my mind became silent . . . so silent that by the end I couldn’t even hold a thought and at that moment the tears began to flow . . . I didn’t even know what they were for and it didn’t matter and for once I didn’t need to know, quite simply my tears needed to flow . . . time to surrender again . . . a never ending journey of surrender and I was so grateful for Todd’s gift and the integrity of the space he held for me . . .

Once he left I took a long walk and swim . . . I didn’t know what I wanted in that moment except to be still and by myself. Not an ideal situation when I had just agreed to begin a walkabout with Tejas so I made my way back to camp, took a shower to wash my hair and prepare for our departure. Todd gave me a hug goodbye and as I burst into tears again I realised that I very much needed to find a space where I could allow myself time to process and integrate. Looking back now I should have chosen to stay another night however I let me head decide and chose to fulfil my commitment to Tejas only in doing so we really didn’t make it very far. When we stopped in Tairua to purchase something for supper and I couldn’t decide what I wanted to eat I knew then I needed a quite space to roll our my swag so that I could crawl into my cave for the evening.

Tejas to the rescue knew just the spot . . . a little DOC (Department of Conservation) campsite up in the hills behind Pauanui where everyone used to gravitate toward after Prana Festivals of old. a quiet space where we could camp deep in the heartland of the crystal Coromandel next to a river . . . a perfect place for my next period of incubation!


For NZ Herald Concert Review on Prana copy and paste this link to your browser;
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/concerts/news/article.cfm?c_id=161&objectid=10698180