I was born of a Scottish father and a Greek Cypriot mother in Glasgow, Scotland and spent much of my childhood in the Scottish countryside. I had a brief spell as a tomboy, proud that I could climb trees higher than anyone else without falling off, but soon returned to my two favourite things, reading and art, which continue to fill my life. I disliked school, finding it stifling to my creativity and was outraged when I was forbidden to pursue art classes and go on to art school because I was ‘too intelligent’. . . Humph. . . .
I vented my frustration on the sports field, with hockey, netball and athletics and became Sports Captain. I was forced to bide my time until I discovered ways to develop and express myself. I did, however, enjoy the walk to and from school which was a walk in the park! In those days Kelvingrove park was a quiet and beautiful place, full of trees and flowers and a duck pond in the shape of Cyprus. This was special to our family as my mother was born in Cyprus. The park was my own special nature garden, brimming with beautiful trees and flowers and a park keeper, ‘the Parkie’, who was not slow to blow his whistle and tell off misbehaving children. How times have changed.
I spent a lot of my childhood in solitary contentment in the park and libraries, looking at books on subjects such Astrology, Alchemy, Magic and Art. We lived across the road from the park, overlooking the beautiful Glasgow University and the Art Galleries, where I often went after school to feast my eyes and draw random things that I liked; a statue, a dinosaur, a Chinese teapot. Reading, art and nature confirmed my suspicions that there were other ways of seeing and being and more aspects to knowledge than any school was teaching. This led to insights into the need to evolve ourselves and the importance of goodwill in humanity. Working on this seemed much more important than going to university and following an academic career. Sadly I disappointed my parents who found it hard to understand me.
For the purposes of attempting to expand my consciousness, I explored many aspects of my being through the years, dipping in and out of many 'isms' and 'ologies', and learning lots of things, refusing to be stereotyped and channeled through a narrow experience of self. There was meditation, the paranormal, Spiritualism, medium ship, DIY, interior design, dressmaking, crochet, reading Tarot Cards, Healing, several forms of dance including Egyptian, teaching, public speaking, singing in folk clubs, often performing my own songs, a diploma in Feminist Theology, a juggling act with a friend, acting, painting, print making, writing, poetry and website design.
Meeting Richard Gardner was the most important event of my life and we spent twenty-seven dynamic years together, developing our knowledge about human consciousness. I wrote and directed a play about the various archetypes, 'The Wheel of Life' , which had three successful runs and I performed both of my One-Woman-Shows in the Brighton festival and in London. I also raised my daughter and looked after our much loved pets. I have been a committed vegetarian, ecologist and Feminist for most of my life, believing in equal opportunities for all, regardless of sex, gender, beliefs, age, colour or species. With a mix of the practical and the spiritual, I might define myself as a realistic idealist and an idealistic realist.