I've always just ‘known' there was something more than me, something bigger than me. As a girl I used to listen intently to the words of the prayers, hymns and sermons in church, but felt uncomfortable saying prayers that I didn't “understand”. However, I couldn't get my head around the vision of a man called God sitting on a throne somewhere and everyone worshipping him. It just didn't feel right.
At age 13 I declined from being confirmed in the Church of England (Anglican Church), when every other girl in the class was because their parents “wanted them to”. My vicar still gave me a copy of The New Testament and marked me 0/10 for Bible Study but 10/10 for honesty! I heard recently that the church I used to go to now runs sessions for drug and alcohol users - an excellent use of a church building!
I've always been a “good” girl, except when I talked too much at school, but I never did anything deliberately to hurt or harm anyone. I occasionally hurt someone by teasing them, even now, but it's never consciously meant – I'm working on this one! We have to be so careful with our fellow human beings.
Oh, I haven't been perfect, no, but we all make mistakes because we are human, and because we wouldn't learn our lessons if we didn't. All these things happen for us to learn from. Every challenge we face gives us the opportunity to learn from and grow stronger and wiser.
When I got together with my husband-to-be we started searching and discussing what happens “when you die”. I still have a book from over 25 years ago - The Truth in the Light, an investigation of over 300 near-death experiences by Peter & Elizabeth Fenwick. I haven't read it since the late 1970s, but I've read a lot of other books since!
We got married and my children were born, and bringing up the kids somewhat took over my life. It wasn't until I met my friend, Amanda, who I worked with, that I started on my search again, in about 1995. Amanda was training to be an Aromatherapist, and she was doing lots of personal development work at that time. I was led (although I didn't know it at the time!) to the Oxfam shop in my lunch hour one day and there was a second-hand Betty Shine book on Mind Magic. I devoured her books and was hooked! I had to find out more, and from there on in, there has been no stopping me.
Other amazing and inspirational books I read were by Lama Surya Das, which introduced me to Buddhism in such an accessible way. I remember lending the first book to Russell, my son, saying “this is really good.” (Not one for over-emphasising things!) We attended retreats together in the UK by any itinerant Tibetan Buddhist that touched our shores, and had a wonderful time. We stayed at a Buddhist centre as working visitors and listened and learnt as much as we could. I still always attend talks by His Holiness the 12th Gyalwang Drukpa when he's in London (usually January each year).
Then another friend, Barbara, started working with Amanda and me and told me about a man called Benjamin Crème who taught about Maitreya. I didn't really understand about mediumship and channelling at that point, and the name was unfamiliar to me – indeed, “What is an ascended master”? So I went with Barbara to listen to Benjamin Crème in London . And I needed to know more, so when I got home I Googled ‘Maitreya' and came across www.maitreya-edu.org – Margaret McElroy neé Birkin's website.
Wow!
“Russell, you've got to look at this! It's great!”
Russell was fast over-taking me in the “searching” stakes and he soon saved up and was off to Australia to go on the Master's Beginners Course at the age of 20 - Margaret's youngest student at that point.
When he came back he said, “You've just got to do this course!” I really wanted to, and my daughter Frances was getting interested, but we were slightly wary and thought it cost a bomb! He continued to encourage us, and said, “If Jesus was teaching in Australia you'd go wouldn't you?!” That was how much importance he put on the course – knowing I thought JC was top man!
My daughter Frances, who was also now unavoidably being taught by her brother, and I saved our pennies, used our Visa cards and went on the Master's Beginners Course on the beautiful Tamborine Mountain, Queensland, in September 2003. We combined it with a three-week holiday in Australia which was a fantastic bonus! We went to Sydney and visited the Blue Mountains , Uluru in the centre of the continent and Perth in Western Australia , where Fran was born in 1983.
Russell went on to do all three of the Master's courses, plus a one-to-one with Margaret McElroy; and Frances and I did the Advanced course in June 2004, at which time I decided I wanted to teach the courses in the UK . Margaret channels Maitreya, and one day in deep trance channel, Maitreya asked me if I would open a school in England .
I started teaching in January 2004 from my home, and in other people's homes or in rented rooms, which I continue to do. I finished my studies and qualified fully in November 2004 on the Brotherhood Course in New Zealand – another excuse for a fabulous three-week holiday! One day I was sitting in a deserted spot on a river bank and quietly asked Spirit to manifest something to prove to me that they were listening to me. Suddenly a small whirlwind blew up on this very quiet still day and I was gobsmacked! They answered my request very dramatically and it was spectacular!
You may be thinking that I'm “lucky” or that I must be rich to have travelled to the Antipodes three times! But I'm not. I've been a single mother with no outside financial assistance and I've worked full-time since 1990. I have just chosen to spend my money on these courses rather than on the house, new cars, clothes, etc. We all have choices. And if something is as important to you as this has been to me, you really ought to do it.
I trained in Reiki I & II in 2000 and to Advanced Reiki level in 2002 and my other metaphysics qualifications are through Dr Brian Weiss's Past Life Therapy Professional Training Course, taking Buddhist refuge with His Holiness the 12th Gyalwang Drukpa – both in 2006. My Tibetan Buddhist name is Jigmé Pedron.
Life is for living and enjoying. If you're not happy in a job - change jobs. If you're not happy in a relationship, get out of it! Of course, you try your utmost to put things right first of all, but you can't change others, only yourself, so don't put up any longer with situations you are unhappy in. Oops, I've gone into teaching mode…. only Fear with a capital F holds us back, and that's no way to live.
So that, in summary, is Who I Am.
I believe we all have a spark of divinity within us, which we can all expand into an all encompassing love for our fellow mankind and the world in which we live.
Anything is also possible, if you put your mind to it, and want something. Positive thought and good intentions.
If you would like to learn more, I would be more than pleased to assist you on your path.
With love and energy
Jacquie Verbeek
