From Courtroom to Spiritual Sanctuary
A former Newcastle barrister has made an extraordinary career shift, trading legal briefs for spiritual guidance in the tranquil Martinsville Valley. Shakti Durga, previously known as Kim Fraser, now dedicates her life to helping people find inner peace through energy healing and meditation.
The transformation began over two decades ago when health challenges and personal struggles prompted her to explore alternative healing methods. "I had six months of bronchitis while trying to run a law practice and raise a two-year-old," Shakti Durga recalls. "I was exhausted. Someone suggested I try energy healing, which I didn't believe in."
The Healing Journey Begins
Skeptical but desperate, she tried energy healing and experienced remarkable results. "My lungs cleared up within 24 hours. That was completely outside my paradigm of what was possible," she says. During the same session, she also released grief from the end of her six-year marriage, setting her on a new life path.
This profound experience led her to retire from law at age 40 in 2001 and fully embrace her spiritual calling. She legally changed her name to Shakti Durga, explaining that "Durga is a goddess most known for spiritual strength and courage. Shakti is spiritual energy."
Once dubbed "Australia's first female guru," she now prefers the title of "mystic and healer," noting that "people get frightened of the word guru because of people who've behaved badly."
Building a Spiritual Community
Shakti Durga established the Harmony Centre on a 65-acre property she purchased in 1999 along Martinsville Road at Cooranbong. The peaceful valley near the Watagan Mountains provides the perfect setting for an ashram and spiritual retreat.
The centre offers various activities including:
- Weekly community Satsang gatherings on Sundays
- Meditation classes and healing sessions
- Fire and moon ceremonies
- Multi-faith exploration
- Cooking classes and community events
"We invite people from every faith. You don't even have to believe in the divine. It's just about having love inside you," she emphasizes. "It's multi-faith and universal. We explore different traditions because each has so much wisdom."
The Science Behind Energy Healing
Energy medicine, while sometimes controversial in Western medical circles, has growing scientific interest. Dr. Dean Radin, chief scientist at the Institute of Noetic Science in California, explains that energy medicine assesses and treats energetic imbalances to bring the body's systems back to homeostasis.
"Many scientists and physicians will not accept 'weird' healing effects without an explanation, regardless of the growing database indicating that many of these modalities appear to be efficacious," Dr. Radin notes.
Research continues to explore these healing methods. A 2023 study of the Bengston healing method found a "measurable resonant bond between healer and healee," while University of Northampton meta-analyses in 2015 discovered "a significant improvement in wellbeing relative to control subjects" in non-contact healing studies.
A Voice for Healing
One of Shakti Durga's most remarkable gifts emerged through her spiritual practice - a healing singing voice she discovered during deep meditation. "Prior to being a spiritual teacher and healer, my singing career was limited to the shower," she jokes.
"While I loved music, I never thought of myself as a performer. But then the voice started to happen. As I went into high states of meditation, I would start singing." She believes her voice is "augmented by an energy beyond me" and that the unplanned lyrics come to her as she sings.
Emotional Wisdom and Community Connection
Shakti Durga teaches that emotions serve as important messengers. "The charge from my emotion gives me the information I need," she says. "I can breathe and release that charge, then meditate and have a clear idea about what needs to be done."
The Harmony Centre has grown into a supportive community where "everybody looks after each other and is welcoming of new people." Beyond spiritual practices, life at the centre includes gardening, caring for their four "joyful" cows named Panacea, Brahmi, Veda and Bella, and simple pleasures like walking the land and sharing cups of tea.
Reflecting on her journey from successful barrister to spiritual leader, Shakti Durga says the spiritual path has been "the gift that keeps on giving" and has brought her "more love than I ever felt possible."
