Little did I know when I first decided to embark on a journey to a simpler life in the country all those years ago in Western Australia, that I would learn how to heal my body, heart, soul and spirit. At the time urban living represented everything that was wrong about the world. It represented the loss of our spirit, the loss of our wholeness. I felt that there was something fundamentally wrong with my life at the time and I could not put a finger on what it was. Beyond the fact that I wanted more room to grow vegetables and the ability to capture my own rain water and provide for myself, my heart was breaking and crying out for freedom. It seemed that I was boxed in on all sides, not just by houses but by the weight of societal expectations to conform. There seemed no room for creativity, life, nature or love in the harshness of the urban landscape.
And so without even really articulating this all to myself, I followed my heart and moved from the city to the country, meeting my now husband on the way. I found a home on a beautiful small farm in the country, where my husband and I practiced self sufficiency and life should have been good. However life is not always simple and the simple life was a lot more difficult that I expected. My health broke down, I was in a strange town where I knew very few people, I knew nothing of living on a farm, was newly married and local politics were rife. I was quickly discovering that my idea of a peaceful rural town had no basis in reality. Self-sufficiency it seemed was not something that was welcomed and appreciated by all. The simple act of growing your own vegetables had grown into a huge political agenda with various forces at work against us, just us two, both of who were unwell. We both wanted nothing more than to live the good life. Growing our own food and providing for ourselves.
And so the journey took an unexpected and difficult turn. Friends, community members, neighbors, government and big business all turned against us. I struggled with this onslaught of divisiveness, greed, envy and hate. I was brought up in a Christian household, where my kind parents would often do volunteer work to help people in different capacities. To me it was an extension of their being, a sign of their goodness and their desire to share their love with the world. I could not comprehend the experiences that where happening to us. I became more and more unwell. We moved for a while, but then when I miscarried we returned to the farm, sick, broke and with our heads barely above water. I became sicker with every piece of hate and jealousy that was sent our way.
Finally I decided that I had had enough of all of it and that I needed to heal. And that I would need to heal myself. My body, mind heart and soul turned to this. I read books, prayed, meditated and spent time in nature. I learnt about herbs, nutrition and healing. Nature taught me patiently as she is wont to do with those that will be her student. I finally became a human being not a human doing and discovered the heart of life.
Self sufficiency I realised, was not so important for the acts of growing, building and cooking, etc that we did, but for the love that was put into them. I found that actions done with love create purpose and happiness. My life slowly became infused with love, joy and peace. In 2012 we moved to a new farm in Tasmania, calling it Good Heart Farm. Here in a place that supports our well-being we are creating a testament to the love of the heart, created with human hands.
Living in the country has become a part of who I am. It has allowed me the time to build up a relationship with nature, with plants and trees and animals. It has enabled me to be me. I have cast off the expectations of others and society and am free. But with freedom comes responsibility, because when you fulfill your destiny you are required to truly be who you are and stand up in the world. I am a healer, a herbalist, a teacher, a community outreach worker, a wife, a sister, a daughter and a friend. My life is to be who I am. To serve the world. To channel the love of the divine into creating heaven on earth.
My journey was not peaceful, nor has it ended. But I don't regret one day of it. My journey to the country to find the good life became something much more. It has been a journey of discovery and healing.
May you walk the path to love and healing.
