CHARLIE STOBERT
After a decade of steadily worsening health in my twenties,
culminating in a hospitilisation for congestive heart failure at the age of twenty-nine,
I turned to complementary medicine in my thirties as an adjunct to conventional treatment
and medication which I felt did not fully address my underlying issues.
This led me to develop an interest in becoming a complementary health practitioner, the result of which was training in homeopathy and body energetics, Reiki, and Flower Essence treatment.
Reiki
My interest in Reiki began early in life when I was spontaneously attuned to Reiki and
began to do intuitive healing with my hands, without any guidance or instruction.
I followed this by seeking training with a Reiki Master,
which has, over the years, resulted in my attunement to Reiki Master Teacher.
My master, Christine Hepples, is my mother's sister,
was a participant in my spontaneous attunement
and obviously went on to be attuned herself and to work extensively with Reiki energy. Perhaps she was
also attuned spontaneously on the same evening, since we were holding hands when it occurred!
Homeopathy
A chance encounter on a meditation workshop and retreat led me to meet a woman who
introduced me to homeopathy; first as a patient, and then later suggesting that I
might enjoy learning about homeopathy and becoming a homopathic practitioner.
I enrolled at the Lakeland College, which has unfortunately now closed, in 2006,
for a three-year part time course covering all aspects of homeopathy, basic
anatomy and physiology, and endocrinology, as well
as more esoteric aspects of energy medicine, the chakra system, and relationships
to other systems of healing.
The college was based in Ambleside, Cumbria, and it
also had a campus in Regent's College in Regent's Park in London.
I graduated as a Licentiate of the College in 2008, and followed this up with a post-graduate diploma in 2010.
Alaskan Essences and Other Essence Families
While I was studying to become a homeopath at the Lakeland College, I was very lucky to
meet a true master healer, Steve Johnson, creator of the Alaskan Essences
and a man who channelled much knowledge of the Alaskan plants and places.
Steve's images of Alaskan plants and places, and his gentle, powerful teaching spoke to me profoundly and I knew immediately
that I needed to understand and work with these incredible healing energies.
In 2009 I travelled to Homer, Alaska to participate in a week-long workshop where
a group of us learned, under the direct guidance of Steve Johnson, to attune to the energies of the plants, minerals, and places and events of the Homer region, where
many of the essences were made and where Steve spent much of his time.
We were honoured to participate in the creation of an essence, Yellow Paintbrush.
I made many lifelong friends in that week and learned a great deal about myself and about the Alaskan Essences themselves and the energies of the plants
and the region in which they were made.
Sadly, Steve has now passed away, but I will be eternally grateful for his teaching and mentoring.
As well as the Alaskan Essences, I have studied and make use of other Flower, Animal and Locale Essences, for example:
- Bach flower
- Pacific Animal
- Australian Bush flower
- Australian 21st Century
- Indigo Essences (esp. for children)