About the author/teacher
I am Dawid Jacobus Cloete born 6 March 1952.
Being a qualified private psychiatrist dealing especially with mood disorders and trauma has been my life’s work. It has been 34 years and still going. I have grown up in a conservative Afrikaans speaking South African home, being the first born of three children.
Although I have a strong belief system, I learnt that being respectful to other people’s belief systems is as important as being truthful to my own religious beliefs. Therefore, when it comes to matters religious I respectfully not argue my case. Duality leads to a stale mate- a dead end, undermining connection through finding common ground.
The bone and marrow of this webpage is to guide people to a better understanding of themselves and the processes they encounter in dealing with life’s difficulties.
My greatest endeavour was to be a physician. Finishing my medical degree at University of Pretoria in 1973 and doing my houseman year at Klerksdorp Hospital, I was conscripted to the army where I served for two years full time as a medical officer.
Then I was obliged to work for the then, Transvaal (Now Gauteng) provincial government as I completed my studies with a state sponsored grant. Serving eventually as a senior medical officer at the Germiston General Hospital working as ER physician and ICU physician, I became more and more frustrated realizing that there is more that I can do to help people hurting psychologically. I think the many times I had to break the devastating news to families about their loved one’s passing away has forged this new endeavour.
I started with the post graduate MMed in Psychiatry at Weskoppies State Mental Institution through the University of Pretoria in 1982. After completion of this degree I commenced 1986 in private psychiatric practice. My prospective wife was coincidentally in her final year of nursing studies at Klerksdorp hospital when we met at a yearend ball. The attraction was felt at first sight. After 43 years of marriage, we have been blessed with two daughters, two sons in law and now five grandchildren.
In 2015 I became interested in mindfulness and was enrolled in the two year post graduate course in Mindfulness Based Interventions by the Department of Family Medicine (University of Stellenbosch). This opened up a totally new chapter in my life.
The study of consciousness and its infinitive facets cannot stop amazing me. This study is the muse that is now giving birth to this website and the developing ramification I hope it will find to enrich not only my own life but that of those whom I meet in this space. I try to lead a balanced life by exercising physically, eating healthy and sitting daily at least twenty to forty minutes to find “what is in the moment’ with mindful exercises. Keeping to a healthy sleep routine helps. As time passes I hope to develop this website into a hub of mindful wisdom and connection of like minded people. Finding the way to personal and spiritual growth ,for those perusing these pages and courses would accomplish the vision.
I am privileged to be in this space. You can contact me through, the contact page with any question/s and feedback. Discerning comments would be of great value as this is a mutually beneficial learning space.