For about three years, during a break from co-running a coven in the 1990s, I was Senior Druid of Garrân Sìorghlas, Evergreen Grove, ADF. Prior to that, I lived in the Central Valley of California on and off for 20 years, having moved there from New Mexico in my early teens. Moving to Washington was a great change for someone who had lived in deserts and semi-desert climates for most of their life. I find it not only refreshing, but soul-healing. Some personal background: The family stuff -- Growing up in New Mexico, I had a mother, a father, and a sister and, over the years, several dogs, cats, birds and fish. We later moved to California, from there to Nevada for a year, and promptly back to California, where I spent too many years before escaping permanently. I was brought up in a nominally Christian home, and attended the First Baptist Church (both Southern and American Baptist Conferences) for many years. At the age of 16, I was selected to be a Deacon in the First Baptist Church of Boron California, and shortly after that left Christianity for good. I looked at Catholicism (if they had kept the Latin Mass I might have been more interested), Judaism, and several other religious paths, both Eastern and Western. I had always had an interest in the Occult and Metaphysical, largely due to some childhood events, and eventually I found my way back to the Craft, which I had first encountered at about age 10 when I read Gerald Gardner's Witchcraft Today and discovered the name for all those ceremonies I had been holding in my back yard while praying to Diana, Pan, Athena and Hekate. In high school, I discovered Paul Huson's seminal work, Mastering Witchcraft, which formed the basis for much of my teenaged practice of the Craft. Currently (and for the past25 years) I'm married to Raven, who is the Lady of Nemed Cuculatii, my wife, my lover, my soul-mate, mother of our three daughters, my shoulder to lean on, my ... well, I tend to get carried away sometimes. Truth is, she's probably the only other person who could put up with me for as long as she has, and I thank her and the Deities daily for it. The astrological stuff -- Virgo Sun, Moon, Mercury, Ascendant and a bunch of asteroids...only one planet (Pluto) in a fire sign (Leo). The Witchcraft stuff -- Wherein I employ loose terminology, as I use "the Craft" "Witchcraft" and "Wicca" almost interchangeably in the following, although each has a more specific meaning...for more information on the specifics, please look here. Although I was originally initiated into the Georgian Tradition of Wicca in Bakersfield, California, at Beltane 1973, I haven't worked in it for nearly 25 years. I still have a certain fondness for the Georgian tradition - until the end of 2004 I was the webmaster and primary email list keeper for it. I am an Elder High Priest in the tradition called N.E.C.T.W. (The New England Covens of Traditionalist Witches.) I've been "out" as a Witch since 1974 (and wasn't very well closeted before then); family reaction has varied from "you'll burn in hell" to "so what"; I've only had issues with it at one place of employment, and that was largely my own fault. Learning that you can be "out" and not beat others over the head with your religious beliefs was a good lesson. In 1975, I was one of several co-founders of Covenant of the Goddess, and served twice on its National Board of Directors, as well as having held several offices in the Southern California and Northwest Local Councils. I was also a co-founder of the Earth Religions Cultural Association (ERCA) in the Puget Sound area. Like many others who have been in the Craft for an extended period of time, I have chosen to take degrees of initiation in Traditions other than the one I normally work. One reason for this is so that I can discuss certain facets of the Craft with those not of my Tradition, that would otherwise be considered "oath-bound." I am a person who values their word very highly, I do not give it freely nor easily, and each decision to accept another layer to my Oath of Initiation (which is one way of describing how I perceive the process) has been a long and involved process. I must weigh any benefit of gained knowledge with restrictions placed upon me by that knowledge. It isn't so much a matter of "I've got a secret" as it is "here's another piece of the puzzle". Over the years, I've had the opportunity to work with and within several other forms of the Craft, both traditional witchcraft and traditionalist Wicca; from the Georgian, "New York" (or "Brooklyn") Welsh and NECTW Traditions, to the Order of 1734, Plant Bran, and many others. In all that time, I've found only a very few that I felt were worth pursuing for myself. Some years ago, I became a Gardnerian initiate; this was result of several years of meditation, negotiation and work, both on my part and that of the people from whom I accepted that initiation. While I no longer am actively studying or working in that particular tradition, I may, at some point, resume those studies and advance to the second degree of that Craft. I have also been informed by members of the Gardnerian Tradition that this initiation is not reflected in their lineage documents. Through working with the NWCOG ritual team (Tribe of the Big Cats of the Serengeti), in the N.R.O.O.G.D. Tradition, I worked towards taking my White Cord, which is roughly equivalent to First Degree in N.R.O.O.G.D. Each of these decisions was arrived at after long and due consideration of the ramifications of each, and I do my best to honor each of these steps along my Path. Beginning study of any "new" form of the Craft is a serious step, and should only be undertaken after due consideration. To accept initiation into several traditions without thought is akin to "degree collecting" and means very little, especially to the person doing the collecting. The Craft, whether Wicca, Witchcraft or simply Paganism, is a serious subject, and should be treated as such on all levels. Other Things Current activities -- genealogical research. Over the years I've managed to make a bit of headway with the help of some relatives who have walked that path before me. I also write a continuing column and articles for The Witches' Almanac and other publications. I can sometimes be found in the following forums and websites: More stuff -- You want to know more about me? You need to ask me. Or you can see if it's in my Journal.
I'm also a occasional member of the Society for Creative Anachronism, and known as Alaric Wulfgar of Amberwood. Our SCA Household site can be found here. While we are not greatly active within the SCA, we have very fond memories of our time spent in the Current Middle Ages. A place that I spend a lot of time just playing around is Neopets.com
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