Reverend Rosemary Perry: I was born in Hampstead, North London, on 20th October 1950, to a musically inclined Chartered Accountant father and an artistic mother who was a textile buyer. They were both escapists and we were off to The Gambia, West Africa (then a British colony), before I was 4 years old.

On and off I spent around 17 years in all in Africa, up to the age of 30 (my astrological ‘Saturn Return’!), they were spent in The Gambia, Ghana, Zambia, and Tanzania with visits to Senegal, Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Also, I spent almost ‘a year in Provence’ when I was 9.

Schooling in England from 1959 was an uncomfortable experience – I was a fish out of water. By then, I had experienced a rich mix of ethnic cultures, exotic foods, vivid sunlight, tropical landscapes and an expatriate British society that let its hair down. Where were the different belief systems I was so familiar with? The tribal Africans with Black Magic and Christianity combined, Muslims at regular and devout prayer throughout the day, Hindus with ornate deities watching over their shops, Anglican & Roman Catholic missionaries teaching little black ‘pagans’ to sing: ‘It’s the B-I-B-L-E, that’s the book for me!’

Where were the varied nationalities I was used to? I missed the Lebanese, the Indians, the Syrians, the French, and the Scandinavians not to mention the highly exotic Mauritanians. It was back to basics in England, in terms of food and the colours around me.

When I eventually came back to England in 1980 as an adult to settle in my motherland I felt like Albert Camus’ complete Outsider. I used to look at black faces expecting a smile of recognition but there was none. Feelings of alienation are not always simply a matter of skin colour.

My inroads into career led me to become an Analytical Hypnotherapist - my first client was myself! I later trained as a Homoeopath using Radiesthesia (dowsing for crucial ‘Miasms’ on a long black calibrated box). I developed a passion for seeking out ‘Earth Energy Lines’ and ‘Sacred Power Points’ in these enigmatic British Isles. It was by creating this connection with the landscape of ancient Albion that I healed the rift between my motherland and me and simultaneously began to heal the rift between ‘me’ and my (true) self. By becoming ordained as an Interfaith Minister I further healed layers of subtle separation between me and my innate, inherent, divinity. The teachings of Sai Baba (I have followed him as my teacher since 1991) helped with this tremendously as well.

In the 1990s I was Co-ordinator for 'Fountain International' a worldwide community and global healing network that uses visualisation and meditation to put love and light into focal points round the world.

By supporting new forms of politics containing spirituality and respect for Nature and its subtle balance I managed to overcome an aversion towards politics. I stood twice as a Parliamentary Candidate for the Natural Law Party, campaigning for new systems of Government, Defence, Health, Town Planning, and Education and very much against Genetic Modification of foodstuffs.

The spiritualisation of Politics is possibly the most important undertaking for the early part of the 21st Century. It will happen, soon. It relies on the acknowledgement that we are all connected through consciousness. It will occur through several ways:
- By changing the approach of the National Health Service to early subtle diagnosis of symptoms through existing Complementary Medicine techniques (such as Ayurveda).
- By changing future generations (VITAL): Implementing values-based education (such as SSEHV or Brahma Kumaris Values educational systems) for both children and parents.
- By exploring Love, Peace, Truth, Right Conduct and Non-Violence and subtly weaving them into every aspect of life. Introducing children to systems for inner peace such as meditation/silent sitting.
- By changing ‘lifestyle’. I am a vegetarian and believe it is the way forward.
- By ceasing to trade in arms and weapons (the United Kingdom is a world leader in this).

I would love to see ‘Peace Temples’ built in the major cities of the United Kingdom, to house knowledge of the various faiths and spiritual beliefs that exist. Children could learn there and drama and concerts be performed there. When given an opportunity to present this idea to a Town Council member it was totally rebuffed. I feel that Town Councils are not commissioning exciting architecture in the form of landmark buildings. Were there any buildings commissioned to mark the 50th Anniversary of the reign of the Queen in 2002? Yet, buildings around the country, in the smallest villages, have ‘Jubilee Halls’ marking Queen Victoria’s Jubilees. Architecture is not being commissioned or used as a tool to bring beauty, joy, function and serenity to our communities.

Demonstrating the benefit of the change through my own improved behaviour/lifestyle etc. is important to me. Though I constantly fall into old patterns of behaviour!

Somehow, I knew early on that one person could make a difference albeit small. I remember storming away from the dinner table in my teens (late 1960s) after my statement that I felt I could ‘change the world by changing myself’. It was met with incredulity. How could one person make such a change? I threw myself onto my bed with negativity seeping in to me: who was I to think that by changing myself I could change the world? Actually the initial thought process within me came from thinking that possibly the ONLY thing I COULD change in the world might be myself. I still feel that by bringing my life into a balanced state I am making a big contribution to the world and changing it!

I have become quite oriented towards Past Life investigation as a therapeutic tool over the last 10 years and have been surprised at the accuracy of enquiries made via Psychometry (holding someone’s watch or jewellery to ‘read’ the vibrations in it). This method has yielded the most authentic findings and often leads to clairvoyant advice on how to utilise a particular skill developed in a past life that is actually needed for reactivation in life now. My personal astrology entirely supports this sort of career. I used to think I was a ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’, but I now love the richness and diversity of my pursuits. I now have a vast array of mixed skills such as therapeutic Past Life exploration, Homoeopathy, Hypnotherapy, official ‘Cutting the Ties That Bind’ facilitator, Clairvoyant Intuitive advice and, now, as an Interfaith Minister: Spiritual Counselling and the writing of tailor-made ceremonies for significant rites of passage (such as funerals/weddings/baby namings etc).

After 2 divorces early on in my life I am now happily living near Winchester, Hampshire and married to a wonderful soulmate of many past life liaisons! I am immensely proud of my son and daughter, Alexander b. 1975 and Victoria b. 1980. They are wonderful people who never cease to amaze me with their insights, wit and wisdom!

I can, at last, say that I am very happy and enjoying being me!