A Return to the Sea, the Self, and the Soul.
In May 2026, I permanently moved to a small Greek island off the coast of Athens. I left my home in Adelaide to return to my ancient roots, to place myself once again in the bosom of the mountains and the sea.
I resigned from my academic position at the university, sold my belongings, shipped my books, my cats, and the few small things I could not leave behind—28 boxes in total.
Three months in, the universe brought changes into my life that I could never have anticipated, but which I have learned to trust as part of the new course of my life.
In the midst of postgraduate study, soul-searching, and renovating a very tiny cottage by the sea—all with extremely limited expense—I found myself in the company of a beautiful hound: a Greek Shepherd dog named Nala.
Nala came to me through a friend just before the Lion’s Gate, and somehow, she gave me the strength to step into this new energy with the power of a lioness.
Decisions to clear energies that no longer served a purpose were made like a hot blade. Not without pain, nor without tears, but with the understanding that they were necessary if I was to find the warrior within.
The clarity came in seconds, more powerfully than ever before.
Mistakes made in the past, patterns repeated, and boundaries that had never been put in place suddenly became apparent. I could finally see why certain things continued to repeat and why the pain continued with them.
For a time, I lost myself.
And then, before me, I found my image again.
A stronger woman.
A woman stripped of the emotional addictions I had once carried. Rebellious. Regal. Unapologetic.
I had no more space for pain.
No more space for the bad behaviour of others. No more space for dismissing abuse as simply someone else’s wounding.
That was their journey, not mine.
And so I opened the door to the gate in a kind of flamed silence.
Anything that could not be said became a message from the universe. Perhaps it was never meant to be said, because it would not have been heard or understood. The futility of meanings gone wrong, of misunderstandings between misaligned souls, no longer needed to occupy my space.
After the much-needed pause of simply being, I made a decision.
I looked at my cats, my dog, and the island before me. Venus was bright in the sky, watching over everything, and I finally silenced the needs of a past life.
The conveniences I once had were no longer within reach. Even the smallest patterns of everyday life had disappeared.
I cook less.
I walk more.
I bathe in the ocean every day.
There is no coffee machine filling the house with its familiar aroma. No toaster. No pot sitting ready to boil. Only a small contraption with which to prepare simple, light meals.
And yet, I have everything I need.
I have water to wash in and an endless view to soak in while I write, draw and read.
Sewing by hand to decorate my little cottage has reminded me of another time, when I made dolls. Now my chairs have been given a new lease on life, transformed into something resembling French provincial pieces. I stripped away the dark wood and leather and replaced them with pale chalk paint and silk bows.
Every tiny corner of the house carries light and memory.
Illustrations sit within frames. Candles flicker beside crystal bottles filled with decanted oils. Little pieces of beauty have found their place.
The change has been one of growth.
What was once important has become part of memories I no longer need to carry.
The energy shifted.
Authentic living took its place.
Here, people who are salt of the earth have entered this new existence, while the superficial has quietly taken its leave.
Everything feels preordained.
Everything seems to form part of a blueprint for the life I am meant to live. Every change is one I cannot alter, because somehow, if I resist it, it simply returns in another form.
Every nudge feels like a small dent in my skin.
A whisper in the wild.
A calling from the magpies with their long tails.
A response waiting to be given.
All of it belongs to the new becoming of life.
Magical.
Celestial.
True.
SANCTUM 