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ABOUT ME / KO WAI AU

Portrait of Ana Dorrington
Ana Dorrington Making a biodynamic cow pat pit

KIA ORA KOUTOU - warm greetings

I am a 3rd generation pākehā New Zealander who landed on Earth in Cornwall Park, Auckland in the 1950's. Maunga Kiekie / One Tree Hill is my mountain and the Manukau is my harbour waters. My parents have Scottish, English, French and Irish ancestry, and there are 2 more generations in my line through my children and grandchildren. I have strong links with te Ao Maori from childhood times through to my current life both personally and in my mahi/work. I feel immensly grateful to have been born in these times and in this land - Aotearoa, the Land of the Evershining Light.
Tihei Mauri Ora!

I began my studies in my early 20's under the tutelage of Tarchin Hearn, a Canadian Tibetan Buddhist monk. I studied the Western mysteries, Buddhist psychology, Carl Jung, karma, the womb and transcendence among many other very interesting things!

During these years I met the Venerable Namgyal Rinpoche, who was the first westerner to be acknowledged by Tibetans as a fully enlightened reincarnated Rinpoche. I was extremely fortunate to retreat for prolonged periods at the Wangapeka Study and Retreat Centre (near Nelson), with Ven. Namgyal Rinpoche and Tarchin. I have immense gratitude towards these teachers and the sangha, the community of beings I studied with, for the gifts of healing and inspiration I experienced in these mostly silent retreats.

Coinciding with this spiritual training I started working on personal addictions in my life through the 12 Step programmes. This eventually led me into formal addiction studies through Weltec in Wellington and into working as an addictions counsellor and group facilitator, which I still do today. I then went on to complete a degree in counselling and a certificate in clinical supervision and began supervising counsellors, social workers and body workers.

Also in the 1980's I got involved in feminist studies, joined a local Rape Crisis group and spent several years training and working to raise awareness and provide counselling and group work for those affected by sexual violence in our communities. This led into private practice therapy work with ACC which I also still do today.

In 2006 I began my studies with the sacred plant medicine of Aotearoa and received the Diploma in First Light Flower Essences of NZ® and became a registered practitioner in 2009. In 2012 I began tutoring the First Light workshops and also studied with the teacher plants of NZ known as the whakahirahira plants in the Maori higher school of learning, completing the Medicine Woman Healers/Shamanic 3 year apprenticeship.

Current Work

Tools in my healers basket / kete

Qualifications and Registrations

Acknowledgements

My heartfelt gratitude to the following people who have helped shaped me for the better