Bodhi Babes Wonder Women - Meriel Rosenkranz

louisehewison
Dec 1, 2014
7 min read

Meet our Bodhi Babes Wonder Woman #BBWW -

Meriel Rosenkranz, Film Producer, Actor

& Massage therapist/ Reiki practitioner at The Still Point.

When you were a little girl, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I think my earliest memory was of wanting to be a Primaballerina and I started dancing when I was five. I moved onto Jazz and Tap dance. I had an amazing teacher (who looked exactly like Gene Kelly ) he really encouraged my love of the stage. I was under no illusion that I was an amazing dancer but my teacher always said to me “ if your smile and energy are right, no one will look at your feet.” Somehow I must have gotten it right as I was my school’s solo dancer for a few years.

When I got a little older I wanted to be a writer or more precisely, I wanted to be Anne of Green Gables. I think I probably still want to be her! I have the red hair now all I need are puff sleeves!

What do you do now? For work? For fun?

I am a Jack-of-all -trades and have the pleasure of doing a variety of jobs. No week is ever the same and it sure never gets boring:

Film producer
Actor
Massage therapist/ Reiki practitioner

What I do for fun? Well I consider my jobs fun, which is a great luxury. When I have time to squeeze in anything else, I love dancing Tango and I started archery a while back, which I would love to take up again. I grew up at the foot of the Alpes and spent a lot of my childhood in the North Pennines, so being out in nature and going exploring is really important to me. And watching films of course, reading about films, analyzing films, imdb-ing films etc. etc. I think you get the picture.

How did you get into your area of expertise?

I would love to say I had a grand plan, but most of the time I just followed my gut from one moment to the next and I have stumbled across some amazing opportunities along the way. I left school early in Germany and moved to London to pursue an acting career and trained at Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts and Guildford School of Drama. During my training I worked in a lovely New Age shop called 'Apache Tears' and was introduced to Reiki and I learned Holistic massage on top of that. The film producing sprang out of the need to create some good show reel material for myself, so together with a friend I ended up producing and acting in VERITY and have worked on many films since.

What obstacles have you faced in following your dreams and how have you overcome them?

I resent the idea of having to fit in with society’s idea of how a career should look. I don’t fit into a specific category or have a definite label. That is exciting and liberating but also presents difficulties and many anxieties.

I find it hard focusing my energy on just one of my paths, I sometimes spread myself too thin. But what I know about myself is that I don’t see things very linear, I go about work in a roundabout way and trust that each of my disciplines informs the others and makes me better all round. Being my own boss, I have to hold myself accountable for my mistakes and have to praise myself too. Remembering to do both and not just concentrating on the things that have gone wrong can be challenging.

What’s the best part of what you do?

The best part is definitely the people I have had the honor to meet along the way. Inspiring, creative, kind and all a little bit crazy. People are infinitely fascinating, and definitely stranger than fiction.

What advice do you have for other women who might want to follow suit?

I wasn’t sure I had any advice to give, I’m still desperately trying to figure things out myself. But these are the things I often forget and and have to constantly remind myself of. This is more about surviving the self-employed lifestyle than actual advice for the jobs.

Figure out what keeps you happy, healthy and sane.

I for example know that I can cope with life in London much better when I have a good book to read and good headphones, to survive the endless travelling across town. And no day should go by with at least one unrushed cup of tea. I have also learned how to nourish myself the best way to keep me from running out of energy or grumpy. And I know which people I need around me, to feel inspired and positive.

Create Rituals

Yes, we all have To Do lists and appointments, but I think it’s important to make time for small rituals in the day. Little pockets of time in which to remember to be grateful, remembering to enjoy accomplishments and to come to a still point in the noisy confusion of life. I light Nag Champa incense. It makes me feel at home straight away and grounds me, it clears the energy and sets me up with new beginning energy.

Give compliments and smile

Never be insincere about it and make something up for the sake of giving a compliment. But if you see something you like, say it out loud, even if it’s to a complete stranger. It feels nice and you might just be making their day. And when catching someone’s eye, be it your friend, your flat mate or again a stranger in the street, smile! Why the hell not?

Never apologize for what you love or what you are passionate about

I am really bad at this. I am a Pisces and try to adapt to people and situations. But if you can not be honest about your passions, then you might as well rip your heart out. And never ever apologize for them either. People may not be passionate about the same thing as you, that does not matter but they will see your enthusiasm shine through you and be infected by that.

What’s your morning routine?

To be honest I have very little discipline in my life, but my morning routine, when I am at home is very important to me to set me up for the day. And the elements have all come together of learning how my body functions.

-hot shower

-oil pulling

- hot water and lemon

- grapefruit

- porridge or toast

-strong, hot, sweet tea

I would love so add exercise and meditation to my routine and sometimes I manage it…but very often a few extra minute in bed can be very persuasive.

3 things that are on your ‘to do’ list today?

I have a rolling To Do list, which is endless and just keeps on going. Right now the highlighted points are: Sort my taxes, register with doctor and advertise Reiki and Massage as I have recently got new treatment rooms in Crouch End.

What are you working on at the moment? Next project?

I am working on countless projects. My film VERITY is doing the festival circuit at the moment and still needs a lot of hand holding, I am in post production for my film SHOES, which I wrote and directed and finishing off two corporate films I produced for Amazon.

My partner has started a film production company called Third Iris Films, which I am heavily involved in as a producer. We have just finished a film called PL4TES, which I am organizing the Cast and Crew screening for at the moment and we are in pre-production for a literary short and a film noir short, shooting early 2015.

At the same time I am constantly promoting the Massage and Reiki business and trying to reach more clients, while studying for my Aromatherapy exam.

One woman you admire and why?

My mum, Tricia Jones. My mother has a way of talking to people from all kind of backgrounds, that I have always admired. She really sees people for themselves not for all the labels that are imposed on them. She is one the most generous people I know and leads her life with grace and style.

Three wishes?

To be involved in a film that really entertains, touches and inspires people.
My own space. I would love to own my own space, to live and create in.
“Harsher punishment for parole violators. And WORLD PEACE!”

Who do you turn to for advice?

Most of the time my mother. But when I need the no nonsense, no molly-coddling, straightforward no bullshit advice with a splash of sobering cynicism I turn to my brother Matt.

Who do you turn to for a shoulder to cry on?

I hate crying in front of other people, but I have an amazing safety net of friends who have caught me in my low points. I have one friend “my person” – who I have a deal with. If either one of us hits a real dark point we text each other a specific emoji symbol. Sometimes you don’t want answers or advice you just need someone else to know that you are having a shit time to feel not quite so alone in the situation.

Favourite book?

That is an impossible question!

Favourite movie?

Also an impossible question, but here are top 5:

When Harry met Sally

Almost Famous

Fried Green Tomatoes

The World according to Garp

Mrs Doubtfire

Favourite childhood game?

'Räuber und Schandi’, which translates into something like Thieves and Poilcemen. Combination of hide and seek and tag….think you get the gist. I had some amazing hiding places and when the adrenalin pumps I was able to run like the wind.

Fantasy career? Why?

Rock star! I would love to know that people are singing my songs under the shower!

Words for Monday motivation?

“What matters most is how well you walk through the fire.” Charles Bukowski

#FeelGoodFriday song?

“Long before Rock ‘n’ Roll” Mando Diao

Favourite quote?

“Gehe alles an was du kannst oder zu können träumst. In der Kühnheit liegt Genie, Magie und Zauberkraft.” Goethe’s way of saying...

‘Fortune favours the bold’

or as used in Almost Famous...

“Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid.”

Thanks so much for this wonderful interview Meriel! xx