Why I stopped living in the shallows and you can too.

Are you tired of shallow conversations?

Is there part of you that simply can’t do superficial stuff anymore?

If you are, this blog is for you because I see this kind of fatigue everywhere now, especially in (wo)men who have done a great deal of inner work and still feel something essential is missing.

Some years ago, I wrote about it in a passage in Alchemy of Love.

I want to share it with you exactly as it was written.

Embodied Release (chapter 46)

‘Can I tell you a story about the Ancients who lived on earth many years ago?’ I asked my nine-year-old twin grandsons, Elijah and Cohen.

We were standing near the edge of the Forth River, where Peter and Cohen had just washed the stinky eel goop from their hands in the cold, sparkly river water.

Only minutes earlier, they had ‘wrestled’ a huge eel from a dry dam bed into another dam filled with murky water. It was a bit of a struggle, and their arms had become covered in slime.

As we started our journey back home, through our enchanted forest of deciduous trees and past the mysterious labyrinths and mazes, we talked about guardian angels, elves, gnomes and other invisible beings as if it was the most normal conversation on earth. The boys were looking rested when the ducks greeted us near the edge of the dam.

‘I dreamt of a big snake last night!’ Cohen suddenly exclaimed.

‘You must have had a premonition. It wouldn’t surprise me. Snakes and eels look very similar. When you dream about snakes, that’s a good thing, because snakes are symbolic of transformation. Do you know what that means?’

Cohen shook his head.

‘Transformation means positive change. The snake leaves his old skin behind to start a new chapter. He is a picture of renewal. If you’re struggling with something and you dream about snakes, it is often a reminder to look for the silver lining around the cloud.’

There was no sign of the eel. He had returned to the murky depths of the underworlds where he belonged. I’m sure he was feeling free and happy, probably saving up the energy to start his journey to the Coral Sea. Tasmanian eels are fascinating creatures. Once they hit maturity, their hormones kick in and they begin the return journey to where they came from, often somewhere near the top of Queensland in the Coral Sea. Eels can even traverse 100-metre-high dam walls, so strong is their instinct to return to the open seas. The enormous creature in my dam had probably seen more of the planet than I had!

I am blessed to be living in Tasmania with my tribe of grandchildren (and grown-up kids), where I have the freedom to work as a healer within our community. When I work with clients, I connect with a power that transcends religion, science and traditions. It is the power of the Universe, the power that can heal everything. You could call it life force, prana, chi, divine love, unconditional love — it’s all the same.

My mum feared her inherent psychic powers, and I don’t like to label myself psychic. I am more open than most people, that’s all. I have the ability to track invisible energies and I can see where it gets stuck in the body. I know how to release it so you feel free and at peace, giving the body a chance to get on with the healing process.

Our subconscious mind houses our darkest memories and traumas, but it is also the realm of miracles — isn’t that ironic! Miracles don’t arise from our conscious, thinking mind. You can’t think a miracle into existence, yet that is what most of us try to do. Miracles don’t happen until our conscious mind has moved aside for a bit and we start tuning into our subconscious mind and grow a healthy respect for it.

Seven years have passed since that moment.

The twins are sixteen.

And my life has changed in ways I could not have predicted then.

Around 2020, like many others, we were forced to slow down.

We brought the clinic back to 47 Wilmot Rd, where we had started in 1999.

What initially felt like a contraction became a return to home, land, and to what sustains life rather than drains it.

There are six ancient intelligences I keep encountering in my work.

The first one is the Eel.

The eel lives where most people never look.

It waits in the dark, in the silt, in the places that appear still and empty.

And then, when the time is right, something ancient switches on and it leaves.

It climbs impossible walls, travels vast distances, and returns to its origin.

The eel teaches instinct, timing, and the courage to leave shallow water when it no longer sustains life. 

The eel doesn’t hang back!

Then there is the Cormorant.

The cormorant does not skim.

It dives headfirst into cold, dark water and disappears from view.

It knows how to descend without panic and how to return without losing itself.

That which we are willing to face consciously will not need to force its way out through the body later.

Depth is not pathology.

Depth is capacity.

We have been trained to treat strong feeling, sensitivity, intensity, intuition, grief, and the need to go inward as if something is wrong, when in fact these are signs of a system that perceives more and knows there is more going on beneath the surface.

What becomes pathological is not depth itself, but depth that is unsupported, rushed, dismissed, or forced to live in a world that only values speed, brightness, and surface-level functioning.

When depth meets containment and respect it leads to clarity, integration, and healing.

What we are willing to face consciously will not need to force its way out through the body later.

There is the Tree.

The tree grows downward before it grows upward.

Its roots anchor into darkness, stone, memory, and time, drawing stability from what cannot be seen.

Because of this, it can remain still in storms that would topple something less grounded. But the tree does not stand alone.

Underground, its roots communicate through vast fungal networks, sharing nutrients, information, and warning signals with other trees.

The tree teaches the art of staying present within yourself.

True resilience is being deeply rooted in yourself while allowing yourself to be quietly supported by, and contributing to, the wider living system.

There is the River.

The river carries grief, memory, and time itself, fed not only by what flows visibly into it, but by rain that has travelled long and unseen journeys through soil, stone, and living earth.

Some rain returns quickly to the sky, but other drops descend deeply, moving slowly through layers of ground for years or decades before they re-emerge, changed by the passage.

The river does not harden around what has passed through it.

It receives both the swift and the slow, the recent and the ancient, and it keeps moving.

The river teaches us how to let life flow without collapse, how to feel deeply without becoming rigid, and how to release what was never meant to be held forever in our tissues, trusting that even the longest journeys eventually find their way back into movement.

There is the Stone.

Stone remembers pressure.

It carries ancestral weight without apology, holding the imprint of time, force, and endurance within its structure.

Stone does not negotiate with illusion, nor does it rush to explain itself.

It simply is.

Stone teaches boundaries that are not reactive and not defended, but absolute: boundaries that create safety rather than separation.

Many women are exhausted not because they are weak, but because they have been too permeable for too long, leaking energy where solidity was needed.

Stone restores the architecture of the self, giving form, strength, and integrity to what can finally stand.

And finally, there is the Void.

The Void is not empty; it is the womb of creation, the vast and intelligent field that exists before form, language, or any attempt to heal or manage life.

It is the place from which all movement arises and to which all things return.

The Void teaches listening and receiving.

Most busy people have forgotten to be still and receive.

It reminds us that not everything needs to be fixed or figured out.

Remember that the best things in life are usually gifted to us! (e.g. your children, your health, your friendships)

When you come to the Purple House clinic, we help you connect with the deepest, most intelligent layers of your body, nervous system, immune system, and soul, restoring communication among all parts of you.

Are you tired of escaping from life and feel the pull to return to yourself, your core essence that is patiently waiting for you to connect one day?

We have many different options to support you!

You are welcome to eat with us at the Purple House Kitchen, where we serve real food, prepared with care, shared simply, as nourishment was always meant to be.

Or you can order a picnic basket and wander into the mazes, labyrinths and forest, or sit next to the Forth River.

Click here to book in for a healing session with Caleb, Pete or Grada to stop skimming and begin living from depth!

You can join my Miracle Method Immersion in March and take yourself away from all the distractions of life so you can focus on the most important person you will ever meet: YOU!

You are welcome to linger at Purple House Kitchen, where we serve real food, prepared with care and integrity.

Or you can order a picnic basket and wander into the mazes, labyrinths, and forest, or sit next to the Forth River.

I am looking forward to seeing you soon,

Upcoming Workshops

Raw Cakes & Guilt Free Desserts Workshop

Date: Sunday, 22 March 2026

Time: 09:30 AM to 12:30 PM

Cost: 139.00 per person

Click here to secure your ticket as spots are limited

Click here for more information on our workshops

A friendly reminder, We welcome clients at Purple House Wellness Centre on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 9am to 5pm.

We’re also happy to assist with postal orders.

Please call 03 6428 3007 to place or secure your order.

You can also visit our website to:
• Book online appointments (including Full Health Audits with Peter or Caleb)
• Read past blogs
• Download free eBooks
• Order supplements at your convenience

If you’re feeling called toward a career shift, deeper healing, or connection with a supportive, like-minded community, you can learn more about the Miracle Method Immersion by clicking here.

To learn more about the living water we use in our home, at the Purple House Clinic, and at Purple House Kitchen, please call Peter on 0428 283 007.

For updates, seasonal menus, and a behind-the-scenes look at what we’re creating, follow Purple House Kitchen on Facebook and Instagram.

Purple House Kitchen hours
Open Wednesday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM
(Kitchen closes at 3pm)

Grada Robertson, MNM
Master of Natural Medicine
Doctoral Candidate in Natural Medicine (Psychosomatic University / Holographic Manipulation Therapy with Drs. Gabe & Tiffany Roberts)

Grada is a three-time Amazon Bestselling Author of the trilogy: You Are the Miracle, The Underbelly, and Alchemy of Love.

With deep respect for your body and its wisdom,

With love,
Grada, Pete and the Purple House Kitchen Team.

Disclaimer:
Our content is for educational purposes only, based on our personal journey and research. It is not medical advice. We are not medical professionals. Always consult your doctor or healthcare provider for any medical diagnoses or treatment. The information we share is intended for learning and discussion and should not replace professional medical guidance. Any actions you take based on this content are solely your responsibility.