I remember when I was living in London as a photographer and jumping between different jobs from piercer at a tattoo shop, window cleaner at a local company and even a very brief time at a pet food store.
This was an exciting time in my life, living in a new place and experimenting with different work, going to metal shows with friends, being creative with modeling and photography and even forming a band for a hot minute.
But what I loved most about this city was the abundance of forests.
London Ontario is known as " The Forest City" and with good reason. With a plethora of hidden gems throughout the area, I spent much of my time exploring the local Woodlands.
Scrolling back to when I was 14. I got my first horse, Simon. From the day I brought him home, he was unwell with a quarter crack in his hoof. This brought on many infections and periods where he was so lame, he couldn't be ridden, or even want to get up to walk. During a visit to the barn where I kept him with my aunt, she taught me how to use Reiki energy on Simon to help him heal. Little did I know that this was a huge highlight point of my life in forming where I would be today.
Being only 14 when I found my best friend, the following years would be an on/off again of dipping into spirituality and then forgetting about it again. When I was in my early 20s I felt a pull to move north east. With London being an hour and a half NE of where I grew up and many of my friends there, this is where I ended up for the next six years with my partner at the time.
With photography not feeling like the path I wanted to continue down, I started to explore other career options. My heart settling each time I entered the forest, I wondered how I could get a job being in nature.
Work as a landscaper cutting grass and tending to flowers in the local cemetery where the wild deer reside? A favourite place I frequented almost daily. But not an easy gig to get into.
Maybe a local greenhouse, or flower shop? I didn't have much of a green thumb, however.
What is a career that I can spend time with the trees?
An arborist! For a short while I believed this would be the only practical option for a career in nature. I began to research schooling and took this route as a likely step.
However, my heart wasn't lighting up with the idea of trimming and cutting down trees because someone wants a tree gone. This isn't protecting the forests like I wanted to do. I then abandoned this idea and felt stranded on a rock in a pond, not knowing which direction the next stepping stone would be.
I cannot recall what year it was, but during my search on finding a career revolving around Nature, I asked a local nature enthusiast and president of the Sydenham Field Naturalists, Larry Cornelis, to meet with me on my parent's 8 acre protected Carolinian forest to learn about what was in our forest and also pick his brain a bit. Larry is the sister of my once hair dresser, Diana, I attended a day camp with his daughter, Becky and visited his parent's Belgian horse farm a couple times for school field trips. Needless to say, I am familiar with the Cornelis family.
I asked Larry, "What options are there for a career in nature?"
"You gotta make up your own career." Larry answered.
His reply was not one I expected, but it blew my mind with realizing I didn't have to pick from a list of options, I could create my own career involving nature.
With that valued piece of advice, I opened up to what may come my way in creating a job where I could be among the trees.
In 2017 a friend sent me information on an Intuitive Plant Medicine course. This intrigued me and therefore, I signed up, excited to see what this journey may hold and what I would learn.
Moving through these teachings by Asia Suler, I felt a call back to the natural world and to start Reiki once again. From there I experimented creating crystal jewellery and flower essences. I began to get my levels in 2019 and in 2020 became a Reiki Master. Moving back to my home town in 2019, along with offering Reiki session, I started hosting day events and retreats on my family's protected property. Everything was falling into place.
Guiding Humanity Back To Nature,
Calling Souls To Awaken.
My career consists of bringing forth my gifts to humanity, connecting to nature, opening intuition and healing on a spiritual level. Helping myself and others remember who we are, where we came from and why we are here. Offering bonding with equines, yoga, reiki, forest bathing and other spiritual and nature immersion modalities.
And so here I am today. After being a friend of the Sydenham Field Naturalists for many years, I finally signed myself and my family up as official members. We went on our first excursion to a private nature trail along the Sydenham river yesterday, followed by helping with planting native spieces in our local protected Carolinian forest.
Everything has aligned in perfect timing, not just for me, but for my little as well. I am beyond excited to share these experiences with my family and learn even more from the forests with my daughter.
We are Nature, born of Star Dust and risen from Mother Earth. I found my calling, thanks to many teachers, lessons and guides, but that one piece of advice that is pin pointed in my mind came from my friend, Larry. And for that one line that changed my course, I am forever grateful.
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