If, like me, you are a Diva o’ Destiny with an interest in all things spiritual, meet Alice Grist, author-girl of The High Heeled Guide to Enlightenment – a book for Minxsresses who have an interest in spirituality, but don’t know where, when or how to start learning more…

Alice, who I absolutely adore, covers subjects such as Reincarnation, Buddhism, Shamanism and Reiki in a fresh, comical, honest and entertaining way. Not only does it have a pretty cover, I read this book from cover to cover in a day and it’s literally filled to the brim with spiritual  goodness – from Kabbalah to shamans, from psychics to crystals – and combines Alice’s own experiences too – LOVE it.

What is it you do exactly, Alice?
I’m the author of The High Heeled Guide to Enlightenment, the new and fabulous book on alternative spirituality for modern, independent, intelligent Women. I’m also a Tarot advisor and Reiki practitioner.  At the moment I’m concentrating on THHGTE publicity and I’m making several appearances before Christmas to do signings etc. I am also working on Book number 2!   There are some other incredible opportunities at the moment but they’re in the baby stages, so I will get back to you on those when they are a little more solidified, come visit me at: www.alicegrist.co.uk

The High Heeled Guide to Enlightenment – LOVE it x 1000 – what made you sit down and write this book of awesomeness?
General life stress and boredom. I was having somewhat of a mid/late twenties crisis. Life had been very much about living for the weekend for too long. I had lost myself and lost all meaning. Of course, like so many of us, I blamed everybody and everything else for my state of unhappiness. Luckily I had been brought up spiritually as my Dad was a vicar turned wicca. I had always, even as a child, been fascinated by topics such as reincarnation and other spiritual delights, and so I returned to these. I had Reiki treatments, read up on Buddhism and soon my life began to turn around. I realised what fabulous insight I was gaining, and how much happier I was becoming now that I was focusing on the internal spiritual me, as opposed to believing that the perfect dress on a Saturday night could cure my malaise. I woke one morning and started writing a blog, before breakfast I had the title and knew it needed to be a book. I believe in that moment I found my path.

You did some pretty awesome research on your path to enlightenment – tell us all about it!
Ha ha, yeah I did ! It was great fun! I figured that to make each aspect of the book accessible then I had to get stuck in myself. As a thoroughly modern female it was essential that my readers had more than just the theory. As such I experimented with everything. I tried to live every single faith to see how it fit for me and what it could offer. I also enjoyed taking part in some enlightening and unusual experiences. I underwent past life regression and life between life regression. I took part in a sweat-lodge ceremony – basically an ancient tribal rite that involves sitting in an overheated sauna for quite some time. I undertook spiritual development for nine months and tried and tested various healing techniques and divination techniques. Indeed I feng shui’s my house and that did wonders for my relationship! Inevitably it was all life changing and helps to add a little more wit and wisdom to the book!

Reading your book was like a total revelation – y’see, I’m the kind of girl that’s interested in spirituality AND loves buying new shoes, I meditate AND wants to scoop up the entire Hello Kitty Mac range – before I read your book, I’d often feel a bit of a fraudster, but I’m not am I? Your book says so!
We can’t all be Buddhist monks can we! We live in the society we live in, yeah, I don’t always approve of the rampant commercialism, but I buy into it as much as any other woman. I do think however that if we are going to change the world we need to start on the inside. I see no problem with living a modern life as long as you don’t get overly caught up in it’s obsessions. Being an ex-model, I know the dangers of the glamour and fashion industries. I hate that women get obsessed by their weight, their looks, their outfit, the perfect handbag or the search for Mr Right. All of that is at the expense of our inner selves. I believe that once you connect spiritually, you begin to find your inner, true self. When you do find that, you can accept yourself a little more.

Yeah you’ll still want a new dress for the Christmas party, but it won’t carry the same weight. It all connects in with an environmental picture too, because our obsessions lead to overproduction and the mechanisation of our desires. Everything we desire is provided in a shop, so long as you have enough cash. That’s wholly unhealthy, unhealthy for our souls and unhealthy for the planet. It’s also a major distraction, because it’s difficult to concentrate on being a good spiritual, kind person, when you really need to find the correct lipstick to match your stilettos.

All of these aspects feed into each other, I hope to address these more full in Book 2!  Your spiritual path will take you where you need to be, and if that is, on occasion, to the MAC counter then so be it.

Religion and spirituality – what’s the difference?
Religion has been processed by the human mind and other people’s interpretation for thousands of years. It has their intentions set firmly into it. Spirituality is very personal, it arises internally and your interpretation is as correct as the next persons. I absolutely admire many of the teachings of religion, especially some of the Buddhist stuff, but I take that into my own spirituality and allow it a little breathing space in my modern, female way of understanding things. Frankly, religion has been no good for the world and has caused too much harm. It has been used for power and gain and manipulation, I cannot abide that. It is dogmatic and self righteous. Spirituality is peace, calm, serenity, it is seeing the bigger picture. Spirituality is pure love.

As a kick-ass Sassy Minx, I have a hard time dealing with the ‘feminist’ label, you too are both a whole lot of sass and tres minxy in the best possible way, what are your thoughts on the term feminist, and would you consider yourself to be one?
Yes I am a feminist. I am truly unhappy with the way the term feminist has been transformed into something negative. Young women are terrified to class themselves as feminist because they will be stereotyped as ‘hairy, lesbians’. You know what, so what if you are a hairy, lesbian? Some of the most wonderful people I have ever known have been hairy lesbians!  As a result of our desperate fear not to be classed as feminists we have bought into the idea that we have no worth unless we are a playboy bunny type. We believe we are empowered by wearing less clothes and being incredibly sexual. It has gone too far though, and whilst I appreciate women needed to have more control over their choices and their sexuality, we are too often portrayed as human adornments for male sexual tastes. Like a pimped up Christmas tree covered in pink and lashes and big hair. I won’t go on, but I do find it incredibly depressing.

I am a feminist because I believe male and female are equal. I believe girls and women should have the same opportunities as men. I have to be a feminist, I was brought up by my Mother who was a feminist and her partner was a radical feminist. Yes it can go too far, I’ve seen the man hating type. I don’t approve of that. But anything can go too far – right? Women are incredible and we deserve absolute equality, we deserve not to be seen purely as sex symbols and we deserve space to bring our unique feminine touch to the world. Men have had the control for too long now and we have ended up with a society big on consumerism and production, I can’t wait to see what the Women can bring to that table. A little bit of earth mother, nature and nurture could help rebalance things and make this planet far more inspiring to be upon! I will never, ever claim not to be a feminist, and if I do please shoot me.

If you had a theme tune Alice, what would it be?
I have one, my husband wrote it for me! He is a musician and his band is called Superevolver www.superevolver.com & the song is on  www.myspace.com/mab316 The song is called ‘Hey Al’. Bless his heart. He has been so supportive. The song is a bit of a departure from his rock routes, I won’t gush but the guy is an angel.

What makes you jump-in-the-air happy?
Despite being spiritual my feet are very much stuck to planet earth. I think one of my favourite happy things is eating. If someone offers to cook for me I become near ecstatic. My husband laughs at me alot for my love of food. But I can’t help it. I’m constantly thinking of my next meal, food is an absolute gift! I’m smiling just thinking about it!

Who rocks your world?
James my husband tends to. He has a habit of knowing me better than I know myself and imparting some pearl of wisdom right when I’m not expecting it. I’m kinda enthralled by most people  I meet these days. We are all mini universes and people are so fascinating.

What’s your motto for life?
Let’s go with the Beatles: Love, Love, Love.

What’s a typical day in the life of Alice?
No such thing at the moment! As long as I get my three meals a day and a nice hot bath at the end of it and some quality time with my cats and chickens then I’m happy!

The Sassy list – what’s your favourite:
City: New York
Book: So many, currently enjoying Punk Science by Dr Manjir Samanta – Laughton
Website/blog: Crazy, Sexy Life
Hang-out: My living room is pretty hot right now.
way to chill: Dinner with friends, bubble bath, trips to countryside, someone else cooking!
store: The local one…
celebrity: Tori Amos – the woman is incredible.
must-have item: Lip gloss and a decent pen.

Visit Alice’s website at: www.alicegrist.co.uk and buy her book at www.amazon.co.uk