Focus On : Jacqui from EmPowerMe Interventions

It is truly wonderful to meet a member of 'the tribe' .. someone looking in the same direction, walking a similar path, sharing wisdoms and experiences, helping others to be the best they can be. A girlfriend suggested that I meet up with Jacqui and check out her EmPowerMe Interventions clinic which has a number of treatment rooms and lovely upstairs workshop space in Black Rock. Jacqui is committed and passionate in helping others find the best way to support and honour their mind body spirit. When I found out that Jacqui is also a meditator, I knew I had to ask her to share a little of her meditation journey with us ... thank you Jacqui and please check out EmPowerMe Interventions.

Meet : Jacqui Christie whose special interest is 'empowering people'
Email: empowerme58@gmail.com
Website : www.empower-me.com.au

EmPowerMe Interventions is a clinic that offers psychological and complementary therapies. It is a place that individuals, families and children can come to be taken care of in a wholistic way tending to your mind body and spirit. We offer reiki, hypnotherapy for weight loss smoking, naturopathy, homeopathy, traditional chinese medicine, life coaching, psychotherapy, psycho-legal information and support, counselling and assessment. All of our practitioners and psychologists are highly trained and skilled in their particular fields and all have their own specializations.

Tell us about your special interest : My main interest is and always has been people. People and how they behave are fascinating to me in that we are so complex and multi layered. An interest that is dear to my heart is empowering people to do whatever it is they want to do, or feel they need to do in their life. I do this through a variety of different methods. For many years I have worked in the field of family violence assisting men and women to live fear free lives. Initially I worked with men individually and in facilitating groups around their behaviour change and assisting them to understand about the man they want to become. I then moved into working with women around assertiveness whilst also enabling them to begin to live the life they want to live. One of the areas I tend to focus on with people is how to be free from fear.

How long have you been practicing, or working in this area? Approximately 15 years

How did you ‘find’ meditation, and how long have you been practicing meditation? I found meditation at a time when I needed it desperately. In fact it was my teenage son who encouraged me to join a guided meditation group. I have to admit I was highly resistant to this idea partly because of my profession ( not scientific enough!!! ) and I believed I did not need anything like meditation I mean what was it anyway ...... and how would it help me. Ye of little faith I hear you say........ so glad my son was sooooo insistent....... yes that’s right I went along and met some beautiful women who were running the group and that was the beginning.... I have to say it took me a while to go, and then to go back......again and again.... I needed a bit of a rework I think, physically as well as mentally which is of course is what happened........

After many meditations including bizarre experiences, releasing pain during and after meditation with energy balance massages (wonderful thing they are too). I think I was fairly well reworked and re-energized and well and truly “into” meditation.. Our little group has long since disbanded but I am eternally grateful to Mary and Angela the two women who ran the group for introducing me to meditation and its healing powers as well as introducing me back to my heritage that there are many different paths to healing.

Do you have a regular practice? My practice is regular of what I would call mini meditations and it is every evening before sleep

Why meditate? I meditate to calm my mind calm my body and reconnect the two.

Do you have a particular technique(s) that you have found most suitable for you? The most suitable technique for me as well as the simplest is to use diaphragmatic breathing combined with a mantra I have used for a few years now to” invoke the light”

AM or PM? .. Chair, cushion, stool? Generally every evening lying down before sleep however lately it has been whenever I feel the need to meditate which has been am and pm and in the middle too.

Have you attended a meditation retreat? Yes I have attended a weekend womens retreat at Brahma Kumaris in Baxter.

Any favourite books/CDs/Resources that you might share with others? One of my all time favourite books is “The little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exuperys. This book was suggested to me when i was in my 20’s.... dont be fooled by its title or appearance as I was and nearly didnt read it.... It is an amazing, moving and beautiful experience to read. A fantastic CD and resource is Meditation with Angels by Martine Salerno. No 4 the violet flame was an inspiration and incredibly healing meditation for me when I was in dire need of something more powerful and spiritual than what was around me at the time.

Any thoughts you might share with those who are new to meditation? I would say to anyone who is new to meditation..... if after you have tried meditation and you believed “it didnt work” try, try, try again. .. as with everything worthwhile it takes time and practice. Remember there is no perfect way to meditate only your way to meditate. Oh yes dont worry if aches and pains seem to come out of knowhere.....this is the body attempting to release some of the emotional content that you have been carrying and you need to release it

Something random about you? Hmmm random let me think i like spiders and bugs and all things nature.....