In Pursuit Of Understanding: Life Healing

By Gena Alston

In Pursuit of Understanding is a true story of Gena Alston and how all the different events and escapades in her life have brought her to where she is today; a teacher, clairvoyant, healer and author. This book would appeal to those who want to change their lives and then become an inspiration to others.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gena Alston
• Release date: Oct 29, 2009
• ISBN: 9781102466932

Gena Alston

Gena was born and educated in England and spent a great deal of her early life in the theatrical world, having attended a Stage School in London. A serious accident took her out of dancing, but she then found her way into ice-skating, which enabled her to travel the world at a very early and impressionable age. This is why she states, “she was born in England, influenced by her travels around the world.Gena trained in the healing arts and has been affiliated with many different Healing Establishments The National Federation of Spiritual Healing, the National Federation of Healing and The White Eagle Lodge. Gena trained as a Massage Therapist, Aromatherapist, Shiatsu Teacher, and Reiki Master. All these qualifications were put to use during her life in England. Now at her new home in Brisbane, Australia she is involved in the metaphysical life, being a working Clairvoyant, Teacher of Awareness.

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In Pursuit Of Understanding

Gena Alston

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2009 Gena Alston

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Chapter 1

The Beginning of The Journey

Although the beginning of understanding did not start with my birth, I will actually start there. I was born on the third day of August 1947 when it was supposed to be one of the hottest days on record. That I do not know, but it wouldn’t surprise me for I love the heat; perhaps that is why many years later it was my destiny to choose to live in Queensland, Australia.

My birth was a bit special to my parents for my Mother had suffered five miscarriages between the birth of my brother Ed and myself, there are ten years between us. I remember so well during arguments with my Mother that she would say to me, ‘I had to have five injections at a guinea a time to keep you, now sometimes I wonder, why?’ Mother and I did not have a good relationship later on, more due to my own weaknesses rather than hers. Now for those of you who do not understand what a guinea is, it’s a sum of money that consisted of one English pound and one shilling—not very much now but no doubt a fair amount of money in those days.

Another strange occurrence is that for some reason, that particular year was double daylight time, which I have been given to understand by astrologists did not happen all that frequently. I was born at about two am, which could mean either it should have been one am or three am; I am not really sure, but it goes to show that I did not conform or perhaps that is why I still do not conform?

For no apparent reason, six to nine months later I developed a very large abscess just under my chin in the throat area. Apparently it was so big it pushed my head back. Now why this condition happened no one knew; it is only now that I work channelling messages that I have been informed that it was to clear the ‘negativity’ and to promote the ability to channel. There is a mark that shows from time to time on my neck when I am perhaps a little run down, but the most impressive aspect is that with an auric photo you can see that the area is where I bring the channelled messages through. Interesting that all those years ago something was being prepared . . .

My childhood was not the usual sort of childhood. I was very lonely for my brother, being all those years older than me (although kind and loving to his little sister), and I naturally did not share the same interests. Also, not long after I was born he was sent away to boarding school which neither he nor I understand the reason for, other than perhaps to receive a higher standard of education.

This is an interesting fact, mainly due to how we all perceive our own experiences. I am sure that our parents felt that they were doing the right thing for Ed, but I know that he doesn’t see it that way. When our father passed away, he had outlived Mother by about eleven years; we as a family sat together for an evening meal after the funeral and Ed said at the table, ‘When you were born I was sent packing to boarding school!’

He felt that he had been rejected but no doubt our parents wanted the best for him. Each individual sees life through his or her own emotions.

My brother grew up thinking that Dad did not show any emotions towards him other than perhaps being too strict. What was interesting is that when, after Dad’s funeral, both Ed and I cleared the house out, we found copious newspaper cuttings; letters that Ed had written to Dad; photos of Ed’s family and many other forms of communication between them that had taken place over thirty years. What Ed did not know was that Dad, who had been born in 1907, thought that it was not manly to show love for your son, but love him he did and he was so proud of all that my had brother achieved.

I grew up rather like an only child due to Ed not being at home for a lot of the time and then when he was eighteen and myself eight, he left to join the Air Force.

I was the daughter that Mother had always wanted, she wished for me to become the friend and companion that she herself had not experienced with her own parent. Grandmother did not like girls and just adored her two boys, hence, as the daughter, my mother was pushed aside; rejected and unloved, or so it felt to her.

Mother wanted us, her and I, to be together for all activities, so it was strange that eventually I went to a stage school in London, but had to board with a family during the week to attend this school.

Still, my mother’s desire to live her life through mine accepted me being on stage and television, for in a way it showed recognition . . . even if only second-hand.

My early life was lonely for I was not at home, but where I lived during the week was not a home either. Too many of us sharing bedrooms and yet not being friends either did not constitute a happy environment. Perhaps if we had all stayed there at the weekend instead of going home, we might have bonded but we didn’t. When school holidays came—once again lonely, due to the fact that there were no children that I knew, so I had no one to play with.

I spent all my holidays with my father; the family owned a mineral water business as it was called in those days, long before ‘mineral water’ became an essential for life! Our family business sold orange squash and cordial and suchlike. My Dad was the one who was ‘on the road’ to see the customers, and during the school holidays I went with him and enjoyed the ride. I was his special child. I became quite precocious! Which, when you think about it is a good thing for a budding actress.

All my younger years I believed in myself, due I am sure to the different adoration of both parents and the nurturing of being special within the stage school. As I look back now, I see that time as a time of knowing that I could be and do anything. It is something that I try to nurture in younger ones these days, but from a different emotion; I want them to believe in themselves for their own joy, not mine.

Although I was lonely I was not alone for I had my ‘invisible friends’, and my doll Mary that spoke with me! No one ever believed that I ‘saw’ people and eventually the people that I saw disappeared as I believed my parents; for don’t they know all?

Life carried on and I developed into a good dancer; nothing special but good enough as a dancer and actress to work even at the age of nine years. I worked on television, in films and theatres and also modelling for magazines.

Lonely I was, but I enjoyed my work for that is what it was to us even at those tender years—we were professional actors and enjoyed it.

My life changed dramatically when I was thirteen years old. As a result of an accident, I damaged and tore so many ligaments and muscles that I could not walk. The accident happened at the school on the stage during rehearsals and I had to be carried off on a wooden plank! My acting life was over. I was devastated.

My parents were moving from Epsom in Surrey England to a town named Bournemouth on the south coast. My father’s family business had closed due to bigger companies coming along and supplying the hotels and pubs that had been the livelihood of the family for one hundred and fifty years. Life was changing and although I was meant to continue on with the planned life, my circumstances prohibited that, so things also changed for me.

I moved with them to Bournemouth and recuperated slowly but successfully. We moved into a big house, which was to be the financial earning aspect for my parents. My dad had been his own boss all his life and although a self-taught man, he was very capable, but one of the things that he could not (or perhaps would not) do, was work for someone else.

Our house in Bournemouth was very large and we lived downstairs. My brother was still in the Air Force and no longer lived at home and was soon to be married so would have a house of his own with his wife Anita. The downstairs was really ample for us all with plenty of space and the upstairs became the business for my family with them renting out rooms to the theatricals who came to our town for the various different shows that graced it. You see, none of us could get away from the theatrical life!

I liked our home in Bournemouth mainly because of the garden which was lovely, large and with plenty of trees and places that I would go to when I wanted to dream all the things that young girls dream of.

I eventually recovered from the accident although it did leave me with a weakness, which didn’t show up until much later in my life. One of most important parts of the recovery was that I was advised to strengthen my muscles again. This was done with the ice-skating that had already been part of my life. I went to the ice-rink as often as I could, taking into account that I had also to go to school.

I loved ice-skating as it fulfilled my performing desires. I soon became part of the regular group there and it was from this that I began to find friendship. It is hard when you are thirteen to relocate and to find your place within a group, but when you all have the same interest, then it is made easier.

Those were happy days and I became stronger physically and emotionally. I had never had much opportunity to integrate with people and it was good to share the highs and lows of competing and also learning the next jump!

School was different—this I did not like, only due to the fact that I was so far behind all the others. As I mentioned, my academic studies were lacking and it was difficult for me to catch up and in fact I never did during my school years. I tried my best but it was an environment that was alien to me. I so wanted to get up on stage and perform and there was none of that there.

I was blessed that the owner of the school, Mrs Watts, whom later became a great friend and was known to us all as ‘Nimble’, saw something in me that she understood. She could accept that I was not the same as the other girls, not better, just different, and helped me a lot with coming to terms with not knowing the academic answers, helping when she could.

I’m sure that during this time my parents were concerned for me for they also understood that I had been trained from an early age to stand out, and in the everyday world that really was not accepted. I heard them from time to time discussing, ‘What are we to do for Gena?’ I thought to myself, if they don’t know how can I?

This situation was solved when one day at the ice-rink the manager of the rink and also the manager of the ice-show there, asked my mother if I would be allowed to be in the Summer Ice-Show. Obviously he, John Neal, had seen me skate, had registered that although trained in dancing I had brought my talent to the ice; I was fourteen at the time. He spoke with Mother about the month of March because the rehearsals started in May. Then, family discussions and such as I am sure the reader can imagine, I was consulted, no prizes for guessing how I reacted!

So at the tender age of fourteen going on fifteen, I became the youngest ice-show skater ever known in the UK! I did say that I was different to others . . . didn’t I?

Rehearsals were difficult mainly due to the fact that I had to go to school as well as attend the rehearsals! This only lasted until the July, so two months and then I was free, for my birthday was in August, I would turn fifteen and no more school for me!

At last I was doing something that I had been trained to do—perform. It is something that is easy for me to be at peace with. I am never fazed by an audience, be it big or small. I have always felt comfortable walking into a room full of people that I do not know; it is just like another show, another audience.

On my fifteenth birthday, I was honoured and presented with a bouquet of flowers just before the show ended. It was wonderful to be applauded by my colleagues and also the audience. Life was good, I knew where I was going—onwards and upwards—I was happy.

What did I learn from this stage of my life? It is okay to be different; there is nothing wrong with that.

When events happen and your life is turned upside down, eventually it will work out and always for the better, but only if you ‘pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again.’ At a young age I did this, at the time I did not know that I was being strong and determined, but as I look now I see that strength was there and like all things I just had to find it.

We are all strong if we wish; it is our choice and we should instil into the young ones of today that all they have to do is their best. Many times this is quoted, but how often do the teachers, parents or friends really believe this statement?

As a child I was lucky to have a father who told me that I could be anything. He taught me word for word the poem,