Spotlight on the Heart of Healing: Josephine Coulcher

Spotlight on the Heart of Healing: Josephine Coulcher

Spotlight on the Heart of Healing: Josephine Coulcher

It’s a true honour to begin this special section of Lanzarote Voices by introducing the first person—and dear  friend—I’ve chosen to write about and interviewed: Josephine Coulcher.

Originally from England, Josephine came to Lanzarote in the late 1980s, bringing with her a deep curiosity for healing and a natural gift for connecting with people. She has been a part of my life for over 20 years.

Our friendship began thanks to a mutual friend who had recently experienced a healing session with Josiephine and was absolutely thrilled with the results. She spoke so highly of the experience that I felt compelled to go myself.

I still remember that day vividly—Josephine opened the door and gave me a hug straight away, before I could even say my name. No nonsense, just warmth. The peaceful energy in her home, the colours, the crystals, and the immediate sense of calm that surrounded her space made a lasting impression. From that very first meeting, a true and lasting friendship was born.

Over the years, Josephine has been not only a constant presence in my life, but also a guide and a teacher. She is a gifted healer and a Reiki Master, with a deep well of knowledge and compassion. I had the privilege of completing Reiki levels 1, 2, and 3 with her, in a small, intimate group of four people from different parts of the world. Each session brought not only learning and healing, but connection, laughter, and insight. Josie teaches from the heart—with wisdom, patience, and a touch of humour that makes every moment with her feel meaningful.

Her dedication to holistic healing doesn’t stop at Reiki. Josephine has also undertaken several advanced Aura-Soma courses, deepening her understanding of colour therapy and energy balance. In addition, she is a specialist in crystal therapy, using the unique vibrations of crystals to support emotional, spiritual, and physical wellbeing. This knowledge shines through in her home, which is filled with beautiful stones, bottles of vibrant Aura-Soma oils, and colours that truly uplift the soul.

Now in her seventies, Josephine is still going strong. Her energy is as vibrant as ever, and she continues to contribute to the Lanzarote community in many ways. She has organised workshops, shared her healing gifts, and has recently turned her creative spirit toward Channelled Art painting. Her home still remains a beautiful reflection of who she is—filled with therapeutic colours, radiant energy, and the gentle magic of someone truly aligned with their purpose.

There has never been a dull moment in Josephine company. Visiting her is always a journey into warmth, creativity, and deeper understanding. Whether she’s showing you her latest artwork, offering support, sharing a cup of tea—or one of the many joyful barbecues we’ve enjoyed together—Josephine embodies the spirit of healing and the power of presence.

Thank you, Josephine, for your friendship, your light, and all that you bring to Lanzarote – and to my life.

 Interview with Josephine Coulcher:

Lanzarote has a unique way of capturing hearts—and for many, it becomes more than just a place to visit. In this interview, I sit down with my dear friend Josephine Coulcher, a long-time island resident, to explore what drew her to this volcanic gem, how it has shaped her life, and what she hopes others take away from their time here. Her reflections are honest, grounded, and deeply inspiring—just like the island itself.


1. How did you discover Lanzarote, and what brought you to stay here originally?

“To be honest, I didn’t know much about Lanzarote before coming. I first visited on holiday because I had friends living here. My first impression was how dry the island looked – very different from now, as it rains more often these days. But when I visited the Timanfaya National Park, I realised how unique this island is compared to anywhere else. That experience really opened my eyes to its beauty.”

2. How has the island influenced you, and what made you stay so long?

“When I returned to the UK after that first trip, I realised that Lanzarote had touched my heart. I knew I had to come back. The island gives me a sense of freedom and has helped me become who I truly am. It brings your inner self to the surface – it’s a place of personal growth. It’s not always easy living here, but I can honestly say I’ve had a beautiful life on this island.”

3. What do you think most visitors often miss when coming here?

“Definitely visiting the local villages – that’s where you get to see the real Canarian life. You meet people from all walks of life and different nationalities. I personally love mixed communities – they bring such richness to the island experience.”

4. What do you hope people experience when they come to Lanzarote?

“I hope they feel something deep – a connection. That they’re able to slow down and tune in to the island’s energy. It’s a special place that invites reflection and presence. I hope visitors leave not just with memories, but with a sense of peace and inspiration.”

5. What’s one piece of advice you would give to someone thinking of moving to Lanzarote?

“I would suggest renting first, just to make sure you can adapt. Life here isn’t a holiday every single day. Those of us who live here often have to work harder, and the salaries are generally lower than in other parts of Europe. Also, don’t expect to bring ‘your country’s rules’ with you and live the same way you did before. People come here to change their lives – and that means letting go of the past and embracing a new way of living.”

6. Give me one word to describe the island of Lanzarote.

“Amazing & Inspiring”

7. If people would like to get in touch with you, where can they find you?

“You can search for me on Facebook under my name, Josephine Coulcher, and send me a message there.”


Final Thoughts

Speaking with Josephine is a reminder that Lanzarote is more than beaches and sunshine—it’s a place of transformation, simplicity, and soulful living. Her journey is a beautiful example of how the island calls some people not just to visit, but to stay, adapt, and grow. If you’re thinking of making Lanzarote your home, take Josephine’s words to heart: arrive with openness, leave the past behind, and let the island work its quiet magic.


Also Read:

My Favourite Must See Places

IRONMAN 2018 BEHIND THE SCENES

A great day at Volcan De La Corona


Midsummer Bonfire On Lanzarote

Midsummer Bonfire On Lanzarote

Midsummer Bonfire On Lanzarote

 

I Love this time of the year. Its June. Its summer. It’s Midsummer Bonfire On Lanzarote.

Every year the 23th of June we celebrate the Midsummer Bonfire on Gill’s RANCH in Arrietta. Gill is a friend of mine. She is British and one of those people, who seem to be born to entertain. She is so good at it!

When I and many others of her friends are invited to her ranch “Great Times” are guaranteed. This year we had a musician playing JAZZ on his Saxophone, while the

Barbecue was on and later during the night we had the pleasure of music delivered by a DJ who played all the great hits from the EIGHTIES & NINETIES. Oh lord, this music made us dance!

What I find interesting during these kind of celebrations, like Midsummer Bonfire, is the amount of different people you meet. Some of them you already know from previous celebrations and others are new to you.

Sometimes you’ll find there are a few people from every single country in Europe. It’s so much fun. Especially ONE PERSON in particular. It`s Pedro. He is Canarian. Born here on LANZAROTE and he’s Gill`s neighbour. He´s  in his early eighties and he never misses out one single of of Gill`s parties. He doesn’t speak a single word of

English, but I never doubted for one moment that he’s having fun! He loves to dance. He demonstrated that once again during our Midsummer Bonfire night!

While we were sitting around the tables earlier that evening enjoying our Barbecue food, I actually asked Pedro what he liked the most about the parties at Gill´s Ranch. Since he doesn`t understand a word of what is being said his answer really surprised me. He told me, he likes all the DIFFERENT kind of people he gets to meet. He thinks we are all great FUN, and he would never let an invitation from Gill down. “When you get an invite you have to show up”, he said with proudness in his voice!

On several occasions, while living here on LANZAROTE, I have felt differently. Not in a bad way. I am different. There is nothing that can change that. As a foreigner, your background and your upbringing is so dissimilar from the people born here so of course, me and lots of my friends have had some good laughs talking about it. And that`s where Gill comes into the PICTURE once again….

In the beginning of this year Gill had some family members from Norway on holiday visiting her. Young people. It was their first visit to LANZAROTE. They decided to go for dinner at the local village in Arrietta, just 2 minutes by car from Gill`s Ranch. It got later than planned, because the young couple stopped by the local Bar after dinner.

When they finally decided to return back home to the ranch it was pretty late night and extremely dark, because Arrietta has no lightning on the roads. They decided to ask the local police service for help. When explaining to the police officer what the ranch they were living at looked like and that Gill, the owner, was blond and tall the policeman exclaimed “I know who she is. That’s “Lady Gaga”!!

Thanks to the kind police officers, the young couple was guided safely back home to the ranch at two o`clock in the night with plenty of blue lights blinking on the police car in front of them..

And on our Midsummer Bonfire Eve there were plenty of lights too, BUT these ones where placed on the palm trees, on the terrace and used as decorations! When we were done with the barbecue, we went down to the garden area where Gill set fire to a huge homemade impressive bale of wood, branches and twigs. Plenty of photographs were being shot while we were standing admiring the beautiful scenery of Midsommer Bonfire Eve….

So welcome to “The foreign world”, Welcome to “Being different” and happy Midsummer’s Eve!

Midsommer Bonfire

 

 

300 Years Older In 1 Week!

300 Years Older In 1 Week!

Hi there, welcome to my very first post on my new exciting “Bettina’s Blog”!!

I would like to share this unusual and amazing story with you. “How I became a Professional Photographer In Two Weeks” thanks to Facebook. Social media is just amazing.

The sister of a good friend of mine owned a book company in the United States. And as it happens, her company was publishing a book called “Arena y Mar” with a plot taking place in Argentina.

The book was ready, but they were still missing the perfect cover photo for the book, because they hadn’t found a girl yet, who looked like Laura, the main character of the story.

So, one day and by pure coincidence, the publisher noticed a photo on Facebook. It was a photo on my timeline that I had taken of my daughter on the Famara beach here on Lanzarote.

She told me, that from the moment she saw that picture, she knew she had found “Laura”. She just needed my permission to use my daughter.

She also asked me if I knew any professional photographer on the Island, to do a photo shoot with my daughter. Unfortunately, at that time I didn’t, so I offered to take the responsibility myself, and take over the photo shoot.

I was completely over the moon, as you can imagine, when they agreed to give me that chance.

I love the photography and I have been taking photos since I was a little girl, even to the point where it drove my family crazy.

They sent me all the instructions by email. What photos to take and where. And since volcanoes are nonexistent in Argentina they specifically stressed that NO volcanoes were allowed on any of the photos.

Which was quite a difficult task, since we live on a volcanic Island!

Another one of the instructions, and the funniest part really, was the 300 year old book they wanted “Laura” to be holding in her hands

They didn’t send me one and I didn’t know of anyone who owned a 300 year old book. Not even a 100 year old book for that matter.

So, I came up with the idea to make one myself. It`s amazing how creative one can be when it’s urgently needed!

So what I did was that I took a brand new hardcover book from my very own bookshelf and went down to the beach, which luckily is just about 50 meters from my house.

I then put loads of sand on every single page and left the book on the shore for about an hour letting the foamy shallow waves wash over it.

After sitting there watching it for about an hour I went home and left it on my terrace, in the sun, for a week, in 30º Celsius.

That treatment was just what made a brand new hardcover look 300 years old in a week! Amazing.

Now, everything was ready and the most important part of the photo shooting with my daughter could begin.

We shot some pretty nice pictures that day and the US publishers were more than thrilled with the results, everybody were extremely happy with the result.

If I may say, the front cover of “Arena y Mar” was a smashing hit.

So this is the REAL power of  social media and thanks to Facebook, I can add Creative Artist and Professional Photographer to my Curriculum.

 

CÉSAR MANRIQUE

CÉSAR MANRIQUE

CÉSAR MANRIQUE 1919 – 1992

Have you ever heard about the Architect and Painter Cesar Manrique from Lanzarote?

If not, you don’t know what you been missing. For the 25 years I’ve lived here and to this very day  I still can`t believe this man hasn’t become known worldwide!

Once you have seen his architecture and Art you will never forget it! That’s one of the reasons why Cesar Manrique is a must and a privilege to cover on my blog.

 

A visit to Cesar Manrique’s house in Tahiche will make you really understand his amazing intellect and also how advanced an artist and ahead  of his time he was.

Cesar Manrique had a lot of influence on this Island. He pushed the idea through that houses were to be painted all white and no building in rural areas or by the sea must be more than 3 stories tall. He was admired by many, both kinsmen and foreigners.

Thanks to him high buildings are not permitted. The windows of Lanzarote houses shall always be painted in either blue, brown or green colour.

He was without any doubt a very interesting and very talented man. And his talent  shined through in many other areas. He was a fantastic architect, an ecologist, a construction adviser, painter, a sculptor and a landscape architect.

He died on the 25 of September 1992 at the age of 73 in a tragic car accident, just outside the newly founded  La Fundación de Cesar Manrique.

The Island has grieved his way too early passing ever since.

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