Jennifer jovial over first book launch
Harsh reality and trauma leads local author to practicing Reiki and writing.
She aims to make people happier and claims her books are one of two channels she utilises to do so.
Jennifer Rossouw, 44, is a recently-published, local author who grew up in Roodepoort. She penned a non-denominational daily devotional, titled A Step in the Right Direction, as well as 5 Steps to Living a Happier and More Enlightened Life, as ebooks in 2014 and 2015. In May, a paperback edition of A Step in the Right Direction will be launched at Skoobs Books in Montecasino.
The author had coffee with the Record in her backyard bar, a pet project, and told how her writing came to be. In her young professional life, Jennifer describes herself as having existed, not lived.
“I told my mother at the time that I don’t plan on ever fitting the cookie-cutter life of graduating, marrying a nice boy and having 2.5 children — but I wasn’t doing anything more significant with my 20s than existing,” she said.
She worked hard and tried to figure life out when she suffered a great loss, that of her father, who succumbed to cancer in 2004.
“That really rocked my boat. I could not deal with it and could not even hear the word, ‘cancer’. When my colleagues supported Shavathon, I was sickened by what felt like a meaningless gesture of spraying my hair green. I needed more. I wanted to do more and I wanted to be more. I told myself, Jennifer, wakey-wakey, get a life.”
Jennifer started examining her life and her spirituality, trying various methods to work through the trauma. At some point in 2013, for some reason, she came across the details of a Reiki master and recommended a colleague of hers go for a session, as he was also going through deep waters.
Reiki, or Reiki healing as it is known among those who practice it, is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation which is said to promote healing. The technique is rooted in the idea that hands can heal, that an unseen ‘life force energy’ (LFE) flows through people and that LFE gives life and the ability to be happy or healthy. When LFE is low, it is believed a person is more likely to feel sick or stressed, as opposed to feeling happy and healthy when it is high. A Reiki master heals his or her patient through touch, tapping into the greater LFE source and channeling that energy, not their own, to them.
“He never went to his appointment and one day I decided, what the heck, let’s try it. I remember getting up from that table and not being able to say anything more than ‘wow’… and it’s difficult to shut me up, I’m a real chatter.”
She felt she dealt with so much on the table at Reiki Gauteng that she repeatedly went to her Reiki master, Lee Davenport-brown, to align her chakras. To her, the experience didn’t change her religion or spirituality but only enhanced it.
“I feel I’m a better Christian because I went for healing and can help others heal, now — I haven’t replaced my religion, but Reiki has certainly taught me more patience, love and peace and enhanced my religious life.
Jennifer has completed her Reiki first and second degrees through Reiki Gauteng, via her Reiki master, Lee Davenport-Brown. She felt a nudging to write, but kept pushing it aside. Finally, on 1 September 2014, she said yes to the little voice telling her to pen a book, even though she’s never considered writing before or written outside of school or work. She meant to co-author the daily devotional with her Reiki master, but as Davenport-Brown was too busy, she set herself a deadline and moved on.
“I told myself, Jennifer, you’ll finish this by 19 December or you won’t finish a book at all, and I spent nights and weekends writing and researching this devotional, finding quotes and themes for every month.”
On 18 December 2014 she published the daily devotional through American ebook website BookBaby.com, and her second book was published not long after.
“I’m very, very amped about getting a print edition out there, through which I can hopefully reach more South Africans and change people’s minds about spirituality,” she concluded.
Jennifer lives happily with her parents and dogs in Georginia, and works with her brother in Lea Glen, but it’s her writing that keeps her going. Her book will be available at Skoobs Books in Montecasino from 21 May or through Amazon.com, among other websites.
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