First of all let me clear, I am not an academic, though I have read a few academic books in recent years, and neither did I set out in life to become anything as odd as an alchemist, even if I had known what it was. In fact coming from a severely impoverished background, my main aim in life was to be a famous fashion designer and have lots of frocks and lots of fun, and being very romantically inclined, to marry my very own Prince Charming. All of which I duly did I’m happy to say… However with each new success, I was aware of a growing schism inside me between my natural mystical nature (I was a gamekeeper’s daughter) and the more corrupt side of the fashion world. I yearned for a deeper meaning and more profound experience of life. But such is the unpredictable hand of fate, or should I say destiny, that I was suddenly thrown in at the spiritual deep-end when I was forced to take to my bed with a mysterious virus from which I have never fully recovered, and which was later diagnosed as M.E. Consequently within a matter of a year, Prince and Palace, frocks and balls had all just vanished as though in a dream. So you could even call me the reluctant alchemist, tripped over by own ego, but one things for sure, I found all the profundity and meaning I could possibly wish for as I set about healing myself: a journey that eventually led to the magical meeting I had with famous alchemist, dissident and publisher Vlasislav Zadrobilec in Prague. Sadly he is no longer with us, which makes if even more important that I speak my truth and try to unveil this most ancient and mysterious of arts, just as he had dedicated his whole life to trying to do.