UNTSO headquarters where my husband worked was situated on the 'Mt. of Evil Council' in the old British Parliament house, Jerusalem, deserted in 1948 when the Brits pulled out of Palestine. That was the year this explorer was born. The grounds overlooked the Old City of Jerusalem in an amphitheater-like setting. Beautiful. Pyramidal cypress, gigantic eucalyptus, and spreading magnolia trees surrounded the turn of the century grey stucco buildings. There were acres of alluring, well-manicured English country gardens and a sunken rose garden that was adorned with an Elizabethan fountain. It was surrounded by a covered patio where dancing used to take place.

The magic was still there on those hot summer days, and when I lingered, the fragrance from the lavender beds filled my essence, feeding my soul. On one visit, suddenly, everything about me shimmered. The air was filled with bouncing electrical bursts of energy. The shimmer came from the fountain in the gardens center and then jumped to the rose bed beside it. I stood mesmerized and feeling a quickening taking place in my higher chakras. A swirl of bright golden light descended on my crown chakra and I felt an awesome divine transcendence that floored me. What was it with this powerful portal I was suddenly living in? Who and what are the energies that flit in and out of here.   

We could purchase everything at our UN PX at headquarters—duty free liquor, fresh pork, and imported European and American food. This explorer would pick up essential items and gave the checker her UN White Card, her “international UN resident person of status” card. She also required it to cross borders. She would pay in US cash and voila, she would be out the door and at her trusty silver VW Rabbit she had shipped over from Canada. She had spent a week looking for it too, at the Haifa harbor shortly after she arrived in Israel.

I usually noticed assorted FSO’s, Field Service Officers, drinking American beer in the adjoining Speedy’s Bar garden at UNTSO Headquarters and wondered if they knew what Israel’s countryside looked like. I had been just about everywhere by then, my second year in Israel. This explorer had become a fearless soul and searched for new understanding in this crazy, yet wonderful land of Israel.

Hebron Road to the south of this explorer’s lovely three bedroom cottage, was always deserted on Saturday, Shabbat. Not a two-legged creature stirred. However, huge vultures could be seen swooping down around Arab villages along the route. They found rotting bovine carcasses to feed on and sewage dripping from Israel into the Arabic wadis nearby. The religious were being religious, and the non-religious were catching up on sleep or watching television. This explorer loved how everyone in Israel respected each other’s holy days. And the quiet that reigned over this entire country on Shabbat was palpable. Serenity for a whole day!

My landlady’s exuberant teenage daughter visited us occasionally. She said the best thing about Jerusalem was the road to Tel Aviv; I begged to differ! Many Israelis would head that way every Friday night for the one day weekend, but in Jerusalem I was feeling Universal Energy/Ki and a powerful masculine fiery force that intrigued me. It was Jerusalem of fire and I wanted to know and experience Jerusalem’s fire and power. No wonder there were aggression and hostility in this city and country though. Most Israelis held down three jobs and had only one day off per week. Many went to work again at 7:00 p.m. on Shabbat eve. Top off a highly stressful work week with strong coffee, lots of meat shishlik, cigarettes, and fear of back-stabbing enemies, and there was bound to be an explosion!

It was on a quiet Shabbat morning that this explorer went for a wadi walk on her own. The sun shone brightly and there was a light breeze that moved the grasses and shrubs on the magnificent hillside she found herself upon. She gazed out and saw four addax, deer-like animals grazing quietly beside a hug bent olive tree. A flock of birds fluttered out from under a prickly pear bush, making a squawking as they soared into the heavens. While all alone, it was at that moment that this explorer walked towards a grove of pines near the edge of the wadi before scrambling back up to the path to her cottage. As she stood in awe under the pines, she suddenly heard, “We love you!” Loudly and clearly coming from the cluster of pine trees! This was the first time this explorer had heard trees speak and she felt that her body was vibrating at the same rate as the Earth as this happened, and this incredible psychic opening and new clairaudience was a gift for her to continue to explore with.

Feeling discouraged one day and suddenly, for an unknown reason, weeping began. I discovered as time went on, that this happened regularly in Israel. On this occasion, jumping into my husband’s lap for comfort, like I had seen my cat do, had positive results. This Reiki Master had posted an ad in the Jerusalem Post for Reiki treatments and lessons a week ago, and created an expectation that the phone was to be ringing off the hook! The love of her life, Reiki, was needed in Israel for UN personnel and both Israelis and Palestinians. As her husband rubbed her back, she said a prayer, grateful for the use of the energy, and asked God for clients.

After a wee snuggle, a shift occurred within her. And then the phone rang. It was a Reiki client. She was elated! The inner storm had departed and sunshine overflowed in her soul. Somebody needed her! A line in a song that stunning Jewish goddess, Barbara Streisand, once sang. “People who need people are the luckiest people in the world,” came through to her. Her case was rested and she looked forward to channeling Reiki/Universal energy to the former press secretary of the Shamir government, who lived in the Old City of Jerusalem. What a thrill!