Juliet Batten was born in Taranaki, where she grew up in Inglewood until the age of fourteen, when her family moved to Auckland. There she attended high school and university in Auckland, graduating with a PhD in English. She has taught English, Environmental Studies and Women's Studies at Auckland University, and was a director of the Queen Elizabeth National Trust for ten years. As an artist she has held many solo exhibitions and co-ordinated collaborative art projects. For twenty-eight years she worked as a Psychosynthesis (transpersonal) counsellor and psychotherapist with a strong focus on the spiritual dimensions of healing. She has offered workshops and courses in ritual, creativity and personal growth over many decades. Her work has now shifted to mentoring, creativity coaching and spiritual guidance through life transitions. She also offers online courses in ritual and sacred earth connection. She has followed a meditation path since 1983 and is a trained meditation teacher. Since 1985 she has celebrated the eight seasons of the year with her ritual group. Her published writing reflects her commitment to personal, community and spiritual well being, and her passion for reconnecting people with nature. Her books Celebrating the Southern Seasons and Dancing with the Seasons explore seasonal celebrations from European and Maori spiritual practices. For the last 12 years she has written her Seasons Newsletter to help her readers align their energies with the seasonal flow.