I had spirit encounters on numerous occasions during my youth, the earliest at just 9 years old. None of it made sense till now. I know that I was always deeply drawn to the elements. As a die-hard surfer and skateboarder, I felt the greatest peace when in nature or near water. I see now that it was already within me.

Drugs, Booze & Debauchery

During my early twenties, I unknowingly raised my kundalini and soon after started seeing and having spirit experiences. I then experienced a period of depression where I all but lost my identity. Family deaths came in thick and fast, and I didn't seem to fit into society. I lost my way and turned to drugs, alcohol, cocaine, and ecstasy in an attempt to 'fit in'.

(You don't tend to arrive on this path unless you've already been to hell and back.)

At one stage, I was working 16-hour days, partying hard 5-6 nights a week, and barely sleeping. It was a heart attack waiting to happen. Yup.... that happened, but I'm lucky to tell the tale. 

I was so consumed with blotting it all out, I lost everything dear to me. The drugs and becoming involved with toxic people (gangsters included) nearly landed me in prison.

Even in this negative and self-destructive mindset, I now see that spirit tried to get my attention on many occasions. Three small children used to watch me at night, and my work tools used to playfully move from one absurd spot to another. 

I eventually quit my job, realising I was working myself into the ground and for someone else's gain.

Choosing Life

I knew I had to break away from it all, and it had to be dramatic. I sold my car, bought a camper van, and went on the road every weekend. It was just me, my best friend, Snoop (my pet Doberman), my surfboard, and skateboard. We did this for four years, just the four of us.

Now and again, the drink and drug people still found me, or maybe I sought them out. It's never far when you live in Western society, 

Things took a dramatic turn when my beautiful Mom passed away. She had been suffering from PKD (Polycystic kidney disease, which I inherited), and it all happened pretty quickly.

It broke me.

She had begged me to stop all the nonsense for years, so from that day, I vowed never to touch anything harmful again. From that day forward, I became a new man. For Mom.

The Spiritual Path

I immersed myself in everything spiritual. I learnt to meditate, ‘breathe,’ and silence my mind. I went on to train with well-respected Reiki and SekHem Masters. My Sekhem/ Heka course alone was 380 hours+ over 4-5 months.

A few years later, PKD took hold. I'd had it for several years and always imagined that there might be a cure by the time it worsened. There wasn’t. I was in constant pain, even morphine had no effect.

My kidneys were removed; I was placed on dialysis until I found a donor. I felt deathly.

I got lucky. My brother was a match, and he gave me his kidney. I had a second chance at life.

During the kidney removal op, the biggest operation they do at UHB hospital, Birmingham, I had a ‘moment’ on the operating table, seemingly. It was touch and go for a minute or two, and I briefly crossed to the other side. I survived it. That’s what counts.

Meeting Spirit

I was placed in the critical ward with people dying on either side of me. I had visions, lucid dreams, like I could suddenly see different dimensions or timelines whilst awake. Sounds crazy, and it was. I could hear everyone’s thoughts, and not even my Spotify could drown them out.

When the dialysis started, meditation and shamanic journeying got me through. And despite being desperately ill, I realised that I was being called to shamanism. I studied and did long online courses, learned, and soaked up the knowledge with more passion than I could ever imagine.

I remember going for a drive during my recovery. I asked Spotify to play a shamanic playlist. A track came on that I’d never heard before. Within seconds, I felt a rush, and was chanting and singing along to this native Indian song. I pulled over shaking and burst into tears.

That was the first time a spirit came into me and confirmed that shamanism was my calling. I spent weeks researching the song, which was a Navajo (Diné) chant to stop the rain.

More synchronicities followed, too many to mention, and I signed up for a year-long shamanic course. The rest of the story unfolds throughout my website, but suffice to say, I’m a new man. And a much happier one, too.