Hi... my name is Liz Caine, and I'm the founder of The North West Directory of Natural Healing.

Welcome to my website!

As originator of this site, I've also been the sole webmaster for several years now, maintaining and developing it as an MBS resource for the North West region, where I've lived for most of my life.

A little bit about me...

Now in my early 50s, I've had a lifelong interest in all things esoteric and holistic, having explored a wide range of teachings and belief systems along the way, from Alchemy to Zen Buddhism - and a lot in between!
I've always favoured holistic and energy healing methods over conventional medicine, and in recent years, I've been attuned to Usui Reiki 2nd Degree, and also Magnified Healing.

I try wherever possible to lead an ethical and conscious lifestyle... I've been a strict vegetarian for 25 years, have practised Yoga & Meditation, read many self help books, and attended some powerful development workshops and healing sessions, which have resulted in much needed energy shifts. I am also a psychic artist, having the ability to see into people's past lives, and draw their portraits in detail. In my lifelong quest for spiritual knowledge and personal wisdom, I feel I have gained a reasonable understanding of life - and beyond.

However, I now feel that my purpose in life is to work quietly 'behind the scenes', helping and guiding others to connect with each other, and to find what they need for their own healing and development processes.



How the Website came into Being...

For several years, I spent most of my time managing a little bookshop in Wirral, in partnership with my husband. Our shop sold an interesting range of Mind, Body & Spirit books, as well as crystals, incense and esoteric gifts, and we also offered regular mini workshops and talks on a variety of spiritual and holistic topics, plus a regular meditation group. People would often drop in to chat as well as to browse, and we became a source of information for local residents wanting to know where they could find a complementary therapist, a yoga class, a meditation group or perhaps a course where they could learn a new therapy.

I often felt there was a real need for an easily available source of information in my local area for this sort of thing, but other than the noticeboard in our shop, on which people could advertise, there wasn't anything around at that time.

At the start of the new millennium, we felt it was time for a change of direction and made plans to close the shop. Not wanting to waste the skills and experience we had gained, I put out a 'request' to the Universe for a new workable idea that my husband and I could develop together.

I didn't have to wait long... suddenly one morning, I awoke with a clear vision of what we should do...
With the ideas I'd had about helping people find what they were looking for, and my husband's training in computer programming and website design, I realised we could create a new website - a much needed resource for my local holistic community and surrounding areas.

So, the original North West Directory of Natural Healing was launched!

You may be wondering why just cover the North West?

Well, having looked at some of the national holistic websites and MBS magazines around at the time, the majority of their advertising seemed to be promoting everything in South and South East of the country. As I was well aware that the North West people around me also had a lot to offer, I decided to focus on promoting businesses and organisations that were practising 'in my own back yard' - somewhere I was familiar with, and felt a part of. I also wanted to offer a more personal approach - I knew many people felt they should advertise online, but lacked the confidence to do so, so I wanted to make it as easy as possible. Covering a smaller area would allow me to offer more individual assistance than other larger websites could.

As I too had very limited computer skills at that time, I had to rely on my husband's technical expertise to set up and run the website as I wanted it, whilst I concentrated on marketing, correspondence, and planning the features I wanted to include.
However, following his death in tragic circumstances 3 years later, I unfortunately found myself in the position of having to look after a growing online directory by myself - and a decision to make about whether or not I could continue with it alone...

Although it was a struggle, I'm not one to give up on a challenge... so I enlisted the support of my computer savvy teenage son, searched the internet for webmaster tutorials, and kept it all going... editing, maintaining, redesigning the pages, all the time learning as I went along - a very steep learning curve I have to say!
However, after a lot of hard work, I'm proud to admit that I eventually learned enough to completely upgrade the original site, into what you see now.



Although I did most of it single handedly, there came a point in 2007 when I needed to ask for some outside assistance. I was having problems with the scripts that make the forms work on the site, as they all badly needed updating, something I wasn't confident enough to do. So, after searching for a suitably like-minded soul who could help, I eventually contacted a friendly looking computer programmer and geomancer from Worcester, called Barry Hoon, who had previously set up and run the original Isle of Avalon website, and written the program for the popular online Glastonbury Tarot.
Barry not only sorted out all my forms for me, but was able to offer several suggestions and ideas, which could make the site easier to run.

Whatever it was that made me choose Barry as the person to ask for help... well, something was going on...!

From initial emails with technical queries to long phone conversations about quantum physics and magical happenings... our relationship soon developed into something very special, and we both realised that we were a perfect match. Now, even though we live 120 miles apart, we are always 'together' in heart, mind and soul.

Barry is a magician, in the real sense, who can travel between dimensions, and is always creating something new. He has written several online divination programs, including his own Glastonbury t'Oracle, and the quirky and challenging Labyrinth. He also offers talks and workshops on Geopathic Stress and Labyrinths, and produces unique, intuitive, hand drawn art called 'Quantum Mind Mirrors' - which can be used as a powerful tool to find inner answers and develop self awareness. To try a free reading, or for more information Click Here

So... that's the human side behind this website.

My site has been lovingly developed and infused with positive energy along the way,
and I always aim to offer the best service I'm capable of.

Yes, the website could probably be a lot more commercial and automated, which would be easier for me to manage, but I like to connect with the site daily, and personally prepare all the listings before they go on display. If you take out a paid listing on the website, for example, in the popular Therapists Directory, know that it's greatly appreciated - your contribution enables me to continue what I'm doing, and earn a living whilst developing my ideas for the new features I have planned... watch this space!

Thank you for visiting...

I hope you will see this site as a comfortable place to either find what you're looking for,
or to let people know about what you have to offer... or both.

Love & Blessings,

Liz


© 2010