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: