Читать книгу Finding Inner Safety - Dr Nerina Ramlakhan - Страница 16

Writing a book is a solitary experience and doing this while the whole world was in the throes of the Covid-19 pandemic and we were all in lockdown could have been a lonely experience had it not been for the friends and angels who anchored me, held me safe, and came along on the journey.

I have many to thank …

Not least Mira – my canine soulmate from the streets of Cyprus who arrived, uncannily, just at the right time. We soothed each other's nervous systems and made each other feel safe. I'm not sure who was rescuing whom. You are a joy in my life!

Beautiful friendships were made thanks to the River Thames, just at my doorstep. Thank you, my river buddies, Denise Yeats, Jessie Laute, Luisa Kuramapu, Amaresh, Rick, and Jam Cam, crazy human beings who help me to laugh and breathe deeply – the only way to self-regulate when immersing in icy waters. Strangely, the murky but steady waters of the river provided the most magical support for writing this book, especially when I was stuck for words or just plain stuck in my head.

Soul sisters and dear friendships that have deepened even throughout the isolation of the last year – Gosia Gorna, Carolyn Kolasinski, Lindsay Doy, Kirsten Samuel, Heena Thaker, and more recently the divinely special Jackie Boothe. Thank you for listening to me, and for holding space when tears flowed in the unveiling process. Your voice messages were such a welcome relief from the voice in my own head during those isolation months.

Yasmin Ibrahim for being there just at the right time and the amazing connections that have resulted from you turning up on that fateful day. Heartfelt thanks to you and the Bingham Riverhouse for helping me get my mojo back and remember that the best form of healing takes place when you're shaking it out on the dance floor.

To my wonderful support team at the Adia PR agency – notably Laura Coppock and Ruth Shearman and my lovely VA Polly Buckley. You all bent over backwards to help me protect precious writing time. Kerry-Lyn Stanton-Downes who has held space and walked with me since the inception of this book.

Deepest gratitude for my ancestors whose presence and guidance I felt throughout, not least in my dreams. Funny how the dreams have stopped since submitting the manuscript. I have written this book to honour your journey, your tenacity and courage, attributes which I feel ingrained in my deepest taproots.

For the family that I chose in this lifetime and especially Mum – I can't wait to see you again. It has been too long. Dad, you always said I should be a writer and you were right. I miss you.

To my wonderful friend, agent, and Book Angel Wendy Yorke for your unwavering support and belief in me and this book throughout the whole process. I am so grateful to you.

And finally, thank you to my daughter, Maya Nirvana, my best teacher. You continue to both inspire and test me and I love you.