I grew up in Cambridge in post war Britain. Life as a child with undiagnosed ADHD was not always easy and nature became my safe refuge, often with a sense of mystery and awe. I cannot recall a time when I did not feel connected to some sense of the Divine and the inner world has always been important to me. I have an MA in fine arts and for the past 40 years have been working as a psychotherapist and relationship therapist.
It's a lifetimes's work, a long slow, exhilarating, at times infuriating, challenging journey towards being who I really am. Seeing personality structure as my earthly operating system and opening to it gradually being absorbed into my true nature through diligent practice. Learning to tease apart the minutiae of experience through the process of inquiry to reveal the truth of inner and outer experience as it happens, in the moment. Seeing how the super-ego, the inner critic, the heavy arm of the ego, will do anything within its power to prevent me from fulfilling this task. Learning to see it for what it is, to defend against it, and in the whole arena of raising awareness of everything, becoming senstive and aware to when and where it attempts to asert itself. Learning to discern what is real, what is true. Learning that my maturing soul is of benefit to the planet. Learning that the energy of love is the most important aspect of my life, becasue it is the truth of the heart.
Whatever comes up for you, I am right by your side, as my teachers have been, and continue to be, for me. We are all in the process of continuous exploration and unfolding however long we have been in the school. The process of inquiry, which is what we will practice, will support you in getting to know the truth of your being, and become more intimate with yourself.
I had struggled for a long time with how Christianity presents a dualistic approach: God and us. The Almighty versus miserable sinner. It seemed to me that being children of God hadn't done the planet a whole lot of good, and for many years I had felt that to be an adult of God was more useful and desirable. This, of course, meant taking responsibility rather than handing it over in blind faith. I was first attracted to the Diamond Approach by the quality and presence of two people who were part of the school. I could feel their open, generous quality in their relationship with each other. I decided to find out more. To my delight, I discovered that the Diamond Approach is about becoming adults of God, about taking responsibility, about working diligently at becoming the human of being that is my, and everyone else's birthright. That was almost 20 years ago and it has changed my life.
It is not a dogma or a religion. Should you have a religious practice, it will enrich and deepen it. It will raise awareness of the essential qualities of your nature - and support you in actualising them. It will support you to become deeper, more aware, more compassionate, more tolerant. Your committment and growth towards spiritual maturity will affect you, those around you and the planet. It is a transformative path.