A call from the mountains and the lake brought her to the area to help with healing.
For this week’s edition of People of Collingwood we sat down with Denise MacLeod, 55, spiritual healer who is new to the Collingwood area.
Q: Where did you grow up?
A: I grew up in Mississauga. I was there until about 1988, when I moved to Toronto for a while. In 1992 we moved to Tottenham. I was there for about 25 years.
I just recently moved up here. I’m starting over again.
I recently separated from my husband. I wanted a clean slate, coming here and starting over.
Q: You do energy work. Can you tell me what drew you to that field?
A: I was bedridden for about five years. I was very sick. I was diagnosed with MS (multiple sclerosis). I was just getting sicker and sicker.
I started just getting little internal promptings to look at alternative healing. I tried to switch my perspective on what was going on in my life to get a better understanding of why I was in that position.
I didn’t know what was happening at the time, but my guides were talking to me.
As I was healing my physical body, I was tapping into Spirit, not realizing what was happening at the time.
It eventually evolved. I started realizing I could see things in other people. I could look at people’s pictures and read their aura. All these psychic abilities started coming online.
I also had a near-death experience. I died in my sleep.
I woke up and I couldn’t breathe. I knew that my heart had stopped, just briefly. It took me about four hours to be able to breathe normally again. It was like my soul had left my body.
I realized later that that’s when everything changed for me mentally to be able to tap in.
Once you have that experience when you tap into another world, you’re changed.
When you come back, you bring that with you.
Over the years after ward, I started taking different courses. It’s all been a process.
Q: What made you decide to move up to the Collingwood/Blue Mountain area?
A: The lake and the mountain called me.
I needed to be by the water. The water always drew me. Since I was a little girl, the mountain was always so majestic to me. There’s a special feeling to it.
There’s a part on Highway 26 where you’ve got the mountain on one side and the lake right there. That’s my spot. The energy there is just off the charts. Really, it was kind of pulling me up here.
It felt like home. My daughter and I are both very happy here.
The people up here are phenomenal. I find the people here are just friendly and helpful; just the kind of people you want to be around and spend time with.
It’s hard to find that in the city or bigger towns.
Q: What is your business?
A: It’s called Vibes of Eden. I do energy work and energy healing. I practise traditional Chinese medicine as well. I also do shamanic healing.
With the energy work, I do Reiki. I work on energy, get it balanced and healed, and release any dark or stagnant energy that’s around your aura. People can go through their days much more connected, aware and confident.
With the traditional Chinese medicine I do cupping therapy, magnetic therapy and sound therapy. I do two different types of massages: shiatsu and tuina.
Q: Do you do this out of your home?
A: Yes, but I do house calls as well, depending on the area. I serve Blue Mountain, Collingwood, and sometimes Stayner.
I also do energy cleansing. So if you move into a new home and there’s bad vibes or strange feelings, it can affect you.
So, I’ll go in and clear that, and it’s a clean slate.
I meet all kinds of interesting people doing this and have seen a few strange situations.
Q: Do you have any interesting stories of people you’ve helped with the work you do?
A: Emotionally and mental speaking, most of our problems come from our traumas in life. Mostly what I do is help people deal with that, so how they can approach life differently and see things in a different light.
I went to see a person about six weeks ago. This person had about six homes on a property where he was working as a contractor. He was having visitation from a woman spirit on the property. Every night she was coming to him and showing up somewhere.
I went over and spent a day doing some cleansing. He said he hasn’t had any problems since.
Q: In dealing with ‘spirits,’ have you ever felt afraid?
A: No. I know who I have on my side. They’re telling me what I need to do and how I need to deal with this, and that darkness can’t touch me. The only way darkness can touch me is if I am afraid. I know they can’t harm me unless I allow it.
I don’t worry or stress.
Also, I lived so much of my life in darkness, meaning my illness and struggles, so I’ve seen the darkness. I’ve come to understand that I’m stronger than that because of the help and guidance I have.
Q: When do you officially start your business?
A: Technically, in February. I’ve been doing this for a few years but before it was more like a volunteer thing and taking donations. I didn’t really want to charge for what I was doing.
When I decided to start over, I thought that balance is so important. I’m helping somebody. It’s important they give back in some way. That was lacking the way I was doing it before.
Now I’m charging, but I keep my costs low.
My website is www.vibesofeden.com. People can contact me through my website, email or phone.
Q: What does the future hold for you? What kinds of hopes and plans do you have for the future?
A: I’m hoping to become an important part of the community here. I feel like my tribe is here.
I’m going to be doing workshops on how to create your own realities and how easy it really is when you understand the energy around you.
I do Tarot as well, so I’m going to be doing some Tarot workshops.
I’ll be attending different festivals and fairs.
I’m hoping I can help the community in a way that is unique and a little bit different, and maybe change some people’s lives; maybe help them to put the things behind them that hold them back in life.
I’d like to be able to help people heal their minds, hearts and souls.
For our feature People of Collingwood, we’ll be speaking with interesting people who are either from or are contributing to the Collingwood community in some way. This feature will run on CollingwoodToday every Saturday. If you’d like to nominate or suggest someone to be featured in People of Collingwood, email [email protected].
