About Sahaja

Sahaja first studied Macrobiotics in the seventies while she was living in the Bay Area in California, when brown rice, tofu and wheatgrass juice was where it was at. Although loving Macrobiotic cooking, she often reverted back to old, strong habits of eating the high-fat, high-sugar American diet.

In 1992 she developed dengue fever in India while studying meditation at the Poona ashram. Although she eventually got better, her immune system took a thrashing. In 1993, she contracted a mysterious virus in Southeast Asia which, when persisted, was eventually diagnosed as CFS - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. All my intuitive knowledge of diet came back to me as well as all my Macrobiotic Cookbooks. I knew the only chance I had of returning to good health was a radical and total change in my diet and lifestyle.

As her health slowly improved, her old habits of eating the SAD (Standard Australian or American Diet) once again pulled her off course. She proceeded to go up and down for some years depending very much on how she was eating at the time. So another wake-up call came in the form of a breast tumour, and the challenge to deepen her commitment to the healing journey was faced. She proceeded to embrace macrobiotics from that point on as her personal journey and through that continues to share the treasures that she continues to find each day.

It has been a long and slow journey towards healing, and diet has played such an instrumental part. Nobody can say categorically that diet can cure any disease, however it can provide a tremendous support and nourishment to the system while the body heals itself.

I have seen & lived the connection between the foods we eat and our state of mind. So few people consider diet when they start on the journey towards change, but it is a very basic thing. If you are coming to this realization for yourself and would like to participate in one of these cooking courses, Sahaja would like to share her experience, knowledge and her best recipes with you.

Sahaja has been participating in David Briscoe's Macrobiotic Counselor Training Course (macrobioticsamerica.com) since January 2004. She is very grateful to have a mentor/teacher who has guided her on her healing journey while always emphasizing the importance of teaching & sharing.

In 2006, Sahaja had the wonderful opportunity to be trained in The Journey therapy work with Brandon Bays and her husband, Kevin Billet. She is now integrating Journey process work into her practice, and is available for Journey therapy as well as macrobiotic counselling.

Prior to Sahaja beginning her healing journey in 1992, she graduated from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design. She worked several years as a graphic designer and went on to receive her Masters of Arts degree in Expressive Art Therapy from University of Louisville, Kentucky. She worked for some time in the mental health field as an Art Therapist. She continues to draw on her creative and skillful past in her present role as teacher and counselor. Her hobbies include mosaics, leadlighting, Japanese brush painting and although her beloved labrador, Ben, has left his physical form, she continues to have an outrageous love of all animals, great and small. Her love of truth and the possibilities of freedom and wholeness motivates everything that Sahaja undertakes.

In the past, Franco has had a myriad of skills and professions ranging from electronics technician for the ABC in Perth, West Australia to professional jeweller in Maui, Hawaii, to renovator par excellent in back in WA. One thing that he has brought to each experience is his elegant sensitivity with his hands and aesthetic sense of balance.

With these innate gifts, he began his studies in Zen Shiatsu at the WA School of Shiatsu in Fremantle in 2004. He has had a natural gift for this Oriental style of massage since he began. After studying more traditional styles of massage in the past, he finds Shiatsu to be in a very different category. It is dealing with the energy meridians of the entire body, therefore it affects how all the organs function. As a support to a healthy diet and lifestyle, it is so valuable in helping to clear energy stagnations and blockages in the body as well as balancing excesses and deficiencies as well.

Franco shares Sahaja's love of truth and has had many years participating in the consciousness movement. He has also completed Brandon Bay's Practitioner Training Program and is available for Journey therapy. Prior to this, he has worked as an Avatar trainer. Franco finds the simplicity and elegance of the Journey process work to be unsurpassable. Franco follows macrobiotic principles in his lifestyle and dietary choices and enjoys living a simple life as close to nature as possible.

The pic is Franco with our new puppy, Reuben who is a groodle. He is 14 weeks in this picture. You can read about him below.

About Reuben

Reuben was discovered on the trading post in 2007 days before we made a visit to America. He was put on hold till we returned and then came over on qantas from melbourne.

I still remember holding him in my lap on the ride home from the airport - he seemed quite stunned.

He has grown into the most delightful dog - he is near his two year old birthday in May 2009, and the puppy antics have nearly subsided. Thanks to Reuben, we now have a new lounge in the back room as he managed to consume the entire arm of the previous one.

He doesn't have the love of vegetables yet, however he is still an adolescent. He does love the raw organic chicken wings and for some reason (perhaps he ís not my child?) he loves pig's ears more than anything.

I continue to marvel at how much unconditional love dogs are capable of - they are such a connection for us to the true heart, no matter what happens they are always able to let go, forgive, be in the present moment and enjoy.

By the way, Reuben is a groodle - half golden retriever and half poodle. He is certainly one of the most beautiful dogs on the planet and has a nature to match!

About Ben

Ben the Dog (as he is affectionately known) came into Sahaja's life when she was still very ill and often bed-ridden. He, on the other hand was an 18-month old boisterous puppy in a full-grown labrador's body. He had a wisdom and compassion even at such a young age and would often just sit at the foot of Sahaja's bed waiting for her to feel better. However, when a bit of life force would appear, he was adamant that now is the time for a visit to Dog Beach or a walk around the park. He never pushed her until the time was right.

He has attended nearly every cooking class that Sahaja has given since 1996 (except when Franco would take him to Fremantle's cappuccino strip to cruise for scraps of sausage and croissant.) Well, he certainly wasn't getting that at home. Benny has grown up on a natural diet of unprocessed dog biscuits supplemented with organic vegetables and organic raw chicken wings. He has a particular love for tempeh and homemade sourdough bread - especially toasted.

Ben has undergone surgery for his rear leg some years ago and cannot go for the long walks that he once did, but his love of good food hasn't lessened one bit. He remains a great healing force in many people's lives, and we know that the time he has left on this earth is a gift for all who know him.

I might add that the healing force of an animal and the love that is available between an owner and his pet is not to be dismissed as a little thing on a healing journey. And just like humans, our pets deserve to have the highest quality food available.

As of January 2007, Benny is still hanging with us. He is nearly 14 years old and has difficulty walking yet he is still content and enjoying his final chapter. He continues to attend most cooking classes although as many people who get older, he is a bit more demanding of attention and food for that matter. He has often whispered that he would make his 14th birthday which is April 22 so let's wait and see.

Benny has now left his body for his life as formless spirit. The date was February 2, 2007. Although he is deeply and dearly missed, we celebrate his transition out of an old, uncomfortable body and into his soaring spirit that was always evident.