I remember this day like it was yesterday. I was wearing my brand new New Balance shoes that I had just splurged on, and we were going to a crystal shop because we had promised my daughter we would go. We were in Australia visiting family at the time, and it was February 2024.

I opened the glass door into this crystal shop, and we all piled in. The chimes above the door announced our arrival with a sweet clanging noise. It felt very bright, airy, clean. Everything was white and glass display cabinets and shelving that held countless crystals and items, jewellery and statues of Archangels and Buddhas. The room was anchored by a sea of teal coloured carpet that seemed to soak up the echoes and excess noise; it felt like padding beneath my feet, somehow comforting. Or maybe it was the cushiony new shoes I was so happy with.

The lady working there, who I later found out also happened to be the owner of the store, was standing behind the counter. She had long blond hair, pale skin and was naturally beautiful with piercing blue eyes and a thin welcoming smile. She was dressed in a loose fitting flowy top and wore wristfuls of beaded bracelets in every color imaginable. As we entered the shop, she moved out from behind her counter and started to come towards me, hesitated, then stopped herself, tilted her head and looked at me from about 20 feet away. Then she retreated, went back to behind the counter and just let us wander through the store and browse the collections of crystals and rocks on display.

After a bit of light, comfortable chit chat, she approached me and said “You’re a healer too, you have the energy in your hands, let’s check them” and I literally laughed out loud and thought, who the hell is this woman, and what is this ‘energy’ she’s referring to? I’m no fricken’ healer, I thought.

“I’m the farthest thing from a nurse, believe me!” I replied. Before I could even protest, she had me rubbing my hands together and lo and behold, the energy between them was palpable, with what felt like a thick, dense substance but there was nothing there - just air. But it was not just air. It was intensely charged up energy, a very strong intense energy. I looked down at my palms and it was unmistakable – I saw a sheet-white circle in the center of each of my hands. I immediately felt dizzy and a strange feeling washed over me, or more accurately, through me. I had the strangest knowing inside, that something was happening right here and right now, with this lady. I didn’t know what that even meant at the time, but it felt like things were going to be different for me from now on. It was as though there was no going back, and I was suddenly afraid.

We bought a few things, and ended up leaving the store shortly after but I felt drawn to connect with her again. So that afternoon after we got home, I found her website and I sent her a short email explaining that I was in her store earlier, and had some questions, asking if she would she call me when she had time to discuss some things further. My curiosity had been piqued and I could not get the feeling of the energy between my hands out of my head. It had felt strangely euphoric.

And she did. She called me and we talked at length about energy healing, reiki, and all sorts of things I knew nothing about. She was an amazing source of information, and was a Reiki Master in addition to many other healing modalities including sound bowls, crystal healing, mediumship and intuitive healing. I decided to take some time to digest this information and see where it takes me.

It took me to the park the very next morning. I went for a walk to test out my runners in the extreme heat of a typical Australian summer morning, and I found the old park I remember taking my niece to when she was a little girl. It had become obscure from the street and was overgrown now, nearly fully enclosed with a flowering hedge about 8 feet tall. I quickly checked over my shoulder, looking up and down the street to see if anyone was heading for the park, but the coast was clear. I didn’t want any company, I wanted to try something on my own, and I needed to be alone. I fiddled with the rusty old latch and opened the gate to the park, making my way through to a picnic table where I sat down and started rubbing my hands together just like she showed me. It happened again. The energy was there! I stood up planted my feet firmly into the grass, and kept repeating this gesture, rubbing my hands together, and the energy grew and grew, until it was the size of about 7 feet across and 7 feet high, forming a circle, or what felt like a bubble, all around me, as I stood there in the park, completely bathed in sunlight. I wasn’t dizzy this time, or afraid - I was excited! I could move the energy! It swirled and swooshed with my hand and arm movements and I felt encapsulated in it, completely surrounded by it. I felt safe, peaceful and whole. I felt closer to God.

I remember thinking, “if anyone walks past and sees me from the entrance to the park, they’ll probably just keep walking anyways” because I was sure I must have looked like a crazy person, swaying my arms in all directions, and appearing to be moving something imaginary around me.

I walked home that day - in my new shoes - feeling lighter and more in tune, more confident, happy and balanced than ever before, and it was that day that started me on the path to actively discovering the rest of my abilities on this journey, and what a journey it’s been.

Now here’s the clincher. I just went back into my photos in my phone, searching to find the picture of my shoes for this post, and I realized that what I just explained here happened EXACTLY one year ago today. Is it a coincidence that I felt like writing THIS story today? Out of all the things I could’ve chosen to write about today, I think not.

There is no such thing as coincidence.

That, my friends, is a cosmic wink;)