I have had a varied and fascinating life so far with various incarnations! After a Grammar school education I trained as a Fashion Designer at Epsom School of Art and Design. Working mainly with knitwear design I went on to run my own small knitwear label for a while. This gradually transmogrified into working as an Interior Designer firstly in London then moving to Bristol and opening my shop, NB Interiors, in Clifton in 1989. It was a very beautiful, friendly shop that opened just before the property crash happened, so sadly not long before it closed again with bankruptcy in tow. However I have learned that as one door closes another has the chance to open and I was offered the gift of the opportunity to train as a holistic therapist by a dear friend who then ran her own Natural Therapy School.
This heralded a complete change of direction that felt unexpectedly perfect. I trained in Therapeutic Massage, Reflexology, Aromatherapy, Indian Head Massage, Reiki, Holistic Massage and more over a period of many years - working for myself in renowned clinics in and around Bristol, and my own home treatment room. I also wrote and taught Indian Head Massage courses and taught Reiki - the Reiki teaching especially being such an honour and a joy.
Over the years I started writing and holding ceremonies for all sorts of situations that my friends, clients or groups asked me to do - Baby Naming Ceremonies, House Blessings, celebrations of the seasons and the earth's natural cycles. One thing I started to feel passionately about was funerals and end of life celebrations. I went to some 'services' which were so dire and impersonal that I wanted to run out screaming, and to some that were truly amazing and felt like a fit and proper ceremony to mark the culmination of the soul's time having it's human experience. A cathartic and important honouring for both the person who had died and those left in life. It was after a run of less than wonderful funerals that I renewed my quest to find a training to enable me to truly 'hold' Ceremonies - Namings, Weddings and Funerals and more - it was then that I found information about the 2 year training to become and Interfaith Minister. I just knew immediately that this was what I was meant to be doing, a few weeks later I was in London at an open day and I enrolled in the Seminary.
After an incredible 2 year journey alongside 30 incredibly varied and amazing peers I was Ordained in July 2010. It was a humbling and unique experience. Since then I have built up my Ministry by focussing on what I love doing - Ceremony and Healing; I worked at Penny Brohn Cancer Care in Bristol as an employed Healer and Group Facilitator until 2012 when I moved into the beautiful Somerset countryside. Whilst here I concentrated on my celebrancy work, especially working as a Funeral Celebrant, also working alongside people with terminal illnesses with Spiritual Counselling and end of life choices. I am passionate about empowering those who find themselves arranging a funeral to realise the choices they have for Home Funerals, Funeral Director led funerals and all stages between. We have now moved to North Devon and I am continuing to develop the Home Funeral ideology whilst working alongside some wonderful Funeral Directors.
I am a Mother of two sons, with four stepsons, and 3 delightful grandchildren! We have 2 beautiful girl lurcher dogs. My other business is creating prints and greetings cards from my photography. My husband is a great musician, designer, life coach and tutor.
I love to sing, dance, walk in the country or by the sea. I have a passion for wildlife being ever delighted by the ingenuity and beauty of the natural world.
I love to cook and share food and time with family and friends, talking and laughing. I feel blessed.
Thank you for reading this.
Nixie James-Scott