Everyone always asks--where did you learn Wicca? Who were your mentors? Who taught you?
I am a product of a basic British Traditionalist Wiccan Lineage ending with Vivianne (and Chris) Crowley who have been my biggest influences over the years. Add to that the amazing psychologist Carl Jung and my hero, Joseph Campbell, and then add any from the listings below as my mentors, teachers, influences and initiators--
Mary Etta (Molly) West-Anderson, my Cherokee great-grandmother who taught me to love herbs and healing ways.
Florence Irene Mullan Powell, my Irish Grandmother, who taught me to respect and love the little people/the fairies, to be proud of my Irish heritage, and the incredible magick of being a "simple kitchen witch."
Selena Fox, my first teacher (by phone-LOL:) in 1982 and Diana Paxton--her novel White Raven inspired both my Craft names
John, my first husband, who opened me up to novels by Marion Zimmer Bradley and Robert Heinlein and was Pagan at heart even though he never realized that his Pagan name was Sean.
Kevin, my first gay male friend, who taught me to envision a shower of white healing light surrounding my patients at Providence Health Care Center where I spent several years a Social Worker and Activities Coordinator.
DeWayne, my Tibetan Buddhist roommate and friend, who opened my eyes to other cultures and ways of life
Dr. James Flannick, Psychologist, who talked me into going back to school to start my Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology
Bran, my second husband, who started off with me on the journey, but I somehow lost him along the way
Larry Cornett and the Vision Weavers coven from Northern Virginia
Patrick Maritz-now deceased-my dearest friend and mentor and Jenny, his mentor
Ric Campbell, my dear friend and coven shaman-brother
Shireonay--my first Wiccan magickal partner and my first Pan-also now deceased
Myth, dear sister and Vickie, my first HPS
Frater Steven-my Ceremonial magickian friend-who introduced me to Sacred Sex and helped me found my first coven which he HPed until he moved on.
Paul Hume-campmaster of the William Blake camp of the OTO who made "the BEAST" a little less beastly for me :)
Thaddeus Venar /Gaffer who taught me the Greenleaf healing tradition
The other Founding Members of the Church of the Olde Religion (COR) and Morgan ap Tairn, my friend and brother
Elspeth and Nybor from Haven
Gavin and Yvonne Frost
Chief of the Free Cherokee-Wohali Agvnige
Lady Morgaine-(supposedly initiated by Vivienne Crowley) who assisted in my Second Degree Initiation
Lady Breid Starsong-Gardnerian HPS who gave me my Second Degree Initiation
Lord Sagebrusher-who shared my Third Degree Initiation-my first soul mate.
The members-official and unofficial-of the first Crystal Visions coven-Lori, Donny, Steve, Chris, Kat, Randy, Chris, Brandon, Rob, Beth, Steve, Jen, Susan, Morgan, CC, Joy, Gaffer, Russell, all the many others who touched my life at that incredible, magickal time
Crystal Dragon-Fire Coven-Lord StormDragon, Bob, CC, Claire, Ed, Goia, and many others-a short, but very educational experience
Ariana Lightningstorm and the members of KIVA-present and past
Snehan Farish and The Eclectic Pagan Wiccan Fellowship in Charlottesville, VA (EWPF) and all of the members from year's past
My third family and third coven-unofficially-never did we actually CALL it a coven-comprised MOSTLY of the founding members of the Blue Ridge Pagan Alliance-Brother York, Quark, Lord Emrys, Lady Joyannah, Lady Serafina, Lord Red Dragon, Lord Dragon of Ember, Kushiel, Ed, Steve, many others
Mark, my third husband from Scotland, who kept me in Scotland and Ireland just long enough for me to never want to leave...
My husband, magickal partner, second and last soul mate, life partner, and the TRUE LOVE that I have been searching for all my life--Jamey
More as I remember 21+ years of Pagan studies-1982-2003-with countless Pagan influences before that--Robert Heinlein's novels, Marion Zimmer Bradley's novels, Whitley Strieber's novel Cat Magic, Morgan Llewellyn's novels, Mary Stewarts's novels, Diana Paxton's novels, many, many more
And finally, although they may not be happy to know it, my Mom and Dad, who adopted me and loved me more than any other parents could have, encouraged me to think for myself, to get a good education, and to stand up for truth and for what I believe in and hold close to my heart
A special thank-you to my "biological mother", Lydia (Grim)Thomas, who had the wisdom to give me to loving parents and name me Hope May before she passed me on to them--You may have thought then that "Hope May"--but I can assure you that Hope most certainly did become all and more that you may have dreamed...it is still not too late to find out...
