About

Andrea Bugari

Just after waking up, I like to go outside to refill the bird bath in the garden, check in on the frogs, say hello to the birds, watch the golfers behind the gate. Pottering around in nature makes me feel connected.
Connected to the two and the four-legged and all the little critters in the garden. Connected to the water, the wind and the trees. Connected to spirit. Connected to Reiki - the universal life energy - and to creation.
Being connected is the most important driver of good healing and development work. Connections provide wisdom, strength and joy.
And they remind me to always think about my impact on the world around me. Based on Native American traditions, we sometimes say: "Mitakuye Oyasin", which means "to all our relations".

Waterfall in the South of Switzerland.

My Journey

I was born and raised in Switzerland. Spending time in the mountains and hiking close to the wild waters has been important to me all my life. Even as a kid, when exhausted from a climb, I noticed that I could put my hand on a warm rock and regain my strength. I also seemed to 'know' much more when I was close to the rocks; were they whispering to me about their ancient knowledge? All this made sense later, when I became a holistic practitioner, but first...

... I trained and worked as an organisational development consultant and executive coach, living in the USA, then in Paris and finally in London. I travelled the world to facilitate leadership programs and support teams with their long-term plans.

While I was living in the USA, a Native American friend offered some initial teachings about Earth Medicine and the healing powers of the sweat lodge. This felt like going 'home'. I started exploring healing practices such as Reiki, Shamanism, Soul Midwifery and Bach Flower Remedies - as well as Martial Arts. Since 2012, I have integrated these tools into my Holistic Therapy practice.

Some people are confused when I tell them about the different aspects of my life. However, I find it rather 'normal' to do energy and spiritual work and still coach people in organisations. Many years ago, I journeyed with my drum to explore my life purpose.
My purpose is being a bridge. I am glad to be of service.

My education and experience

I am a certified and insured coach and holistic therapy practitioner in the following areas.

Reiki

Reiki is an ancient self-development and energy healing technique that got rediscovered and popularised by Mikao Usui in the 1920ies. I have been a certified Reiki 3 practitioner and teacher since 2002, with the lineage of my teachers going all the way back to Usui. Since 2023, I also attended courses for animal Reiki and understanding animal behaviour.

Bach Flower Therapy

I grew up with Bach Flower remedies, as they were popular among my friends and family, including the use for the family pets.
In the last five years, I have intensified my studies and attended several courses, most recently at the Bach Centre in Oxfordshire.

Coaching

Coaching and leadership development have been part of my life for over thirty years. I gained my coaching degrees in the 1990ies at the George Washington University in Washington, DC, and 2004 at the Lore International Institute in London. My extensive experience taught me how to ask the right questions, how to step back and listen, how to be a useful mirror and how to challenge clients in a friendly way when this might be of help.

Drum Journeying and Medicine Wheel

I learned the method of Drum journeying 35 years ago and used it all my life. Since 2015 I started using it as a therapy tool, inspired by the three year program at Michael Harner's Foundation for Shamanic Studies.
The method of the Medicine Wheel came to me through a variety of teachers, especially Leo Rutherford from the Eagle's Wing Centre of Contemporary Shamanism.
The English/Irish Shamans Cait Branigan and Caitlin Matthews introduced me to the Celtic ways of soul midwifery, spirit release and ancestral work.
Through a month-long journey to Mongolia and several workshops with Tuva teachers in Europe, I learned the Tuvan way of working with song and the drum as healing tools.

Tai Chi Energy Work

I have practiced Martial Arts for 42 years. After moving to London in 2001, I focused on the Shaolin style of Tai Chi Chuan and Kung Fu. Gaining my second degree black sash in 2014 inspired me to create my own school. As I already had experiences of using Tai Chi exercises in executive coaching, it was easy to add physical energy work to my holistic therapy offerings. Read more about Shaolin and the benefits of Tai Chi Chuan on the dedicated website: http://www.vitalityleap.com/shaolin.html

Soul Midwifery / End-of-Life Support

Felicity Warner has revived and integrated the ancient art of doula work - helping people achieve a peaceful death. She calls her approach Soul Midwifery, and I am a certified practitioner since 2016. This training helps me when using Reiki or Bach flowers in the context of palliative care.

Nature is my greatest teacher

Again and again:
If I stop and listen and stand and stare,
Nature will teach me.
If I beat my drum at the riverside,
The Universe will talk to me.
If I surrender to the ancient wisdom of the Earth,
I will walk in beauty and in joy.

Working Principles

The goal of my work is leading clients to joy - through balance, fulfilment and empowerment. The following principles guide my work.

I am not a 'healer'. I am creating space for your self-healing process and I facilitate your access to your True Self. This will allow you to find your inner balance, wisdom and strength for positive transformation.

Created by the artist Kaca Thomasini to represent my medicine name.

I only work with the explicit permission of everybody involved. If a client feels their situation is negatively influenced by a third person, and would like help with this, I reframe the client's question to explore what they need to do to improve this situation. I will not do any work on a third person without their explicit agreement.

Care and Respect

When we work together in the Fireside Lodge, we are partners: Together, we explore the best course of action for you. The final decision about how to proceed will always be yours. And you are taking the responsibility to speak up and give me feedback if you are not at ease during a session.

The healing and personal development work described on this website can bring intense experiences and new ways of thinking. Some personal issues and challenges may come up that have to be acknowledged, reconciled and integrated before positive change can occur. This may take some time and patience, but at the end, it will enable you to fully engage with life. The work in the Fireside Lodge is always safe - you will be treated with care and respect.

Our work does not replace seeing a doctor if you are ill

Working with Bach flowers, Drum Journeys or Reiki does not replace seeing a doctor if you are in pain or have other physical or mental health concerns. Western medicine has its own gifts, and our healing and development approaches can support these in a complementary way. For example, if you are undergoing cancer treatment, then Bach Flower remedies can bring you back to your balance, and Reiki can strengthen your energy system. You then can make the best of the hospital treatment. Our work will also stimulate your self-healing ability.