Born in a beautiful 355-acre spiritual community nestled in the foothills of the Great Basin Desert, my first fourteen years of life included endless freedom and hours of playing in the natural world. “Home Farm,” as it was called,  gave me spiritual alignment from diverse mentors of all ages, shapes, and sizes. I learned to do yoga before I learned how to hula-hoop!  I was meditating before I learned how to read, and this unusual upbringing continued to bless my life into adulthood.  

 

At 14, my parents, my dog Sparky, and I packed our house into a U-haul truck and drove to Portland, Oregon. I completed high school, excelling in music, theater, and social activism, and thirsted for the spiritual connection I took for granted as a young child. Thus began my destiny of uncovering my inner true nature and finding a spirituality that worked for me as a bi-pan, ENM, gender-fluid artist who was pretty fed up with white patriarchal society. 

 

This venture led me across the country three times wearing various hats, including outdoor survivalist, musician, nanny, and spiritual seeker of the Dine. I received gifts and teachings from Yogis, Native American Shamans, Pre-School Children, Insight Meditation Teachers, Mother Nature, Alchemists, and African Spiritualists.  It was as if I was unraveling a spiritual treasure hunt, and each new experience gave me another inner gem that helped complete the puzzle that was becoming me. It is here that I must honor some of my teachers: Vitvan, Jim Dalton, Ghost Dog, Robert Beatty, Tom Brown Jr., ALL of the teachers at Prescott and RSC,  a Lakota Shaman - you know who you are -  Sarahjoy Marsh, Liliana Barzola, Sobonfu Some, Stanislav Grof, ShellyRae, Dr. Joe Dispenza and endless other angels along the way. 

 

Eventually, I received a Bachelor’s Degree in Alternative Methods in Education at Prescott College. After completing my Senior Project, “Exploring the Sacred in Education,” I graduated with honors and continued to California to begin my studies in Waldorf Education.  Foundation Year at Rudolf Steiner College was a profound coming home as I devoured the art, the human development approach to education, and especially the esoteric studies with fervor and thirst. This was deep, soul-searching work, and it rubbed off so many of my harsh edges.  To pursue my Master’s in Education, I transferred to Sunbridge in New York, where I completed my first music book for teachers, “Songs From Around the World,” as part of my Master’s Thesis.

 

And then two voices called to me from the far beyond...

 

Motherhood was the most incredible adventure yet. I shifted my attention from scholarly ambitions to devoting my life, time, knowledge, and energy to my twin miracles and a tiny in-home early childhood program. This was a wonderful time of baking, singing, walking to the river, and learning about WONDER!  I was blessed to run this in-home program until my little ones showed a readiness for Kindergarten. I, too, felt ready to continue my career as a Main Lesson teacher and music teacher at a Waldorf school. At this time, I felt as if I was living the dream I had spent years preparing for. Over a decade of Waldorf teaching utilized and expanded every one of my gifts and filled 

my life with meaning and purpose.

 

After teaching for over 15 years, I took a sabbatical and journeyed inward. This heart-opening journey led me to music, love, travel, and JOY!  Singing with the Portland Revels, pivoting my studies toward an MS in clinical mental health and counseling, and traveling to Europe and Mexico with the love of my life healed and invigorated me to my core. Spain and Portugal changed me, the Czech Republic expanded my heart, and Hungary helped me re-ignite my inner “hot mama!” As I emerge a wizened crone and empty nester, I spread my new Phoenix wings into the clinical mental health world of counseling. 

 

So now I step into work that continues to align with my highest self. I consider myself a global citizen now and eagerly await this next journey into the mental health field. I love the worldwide connection and the possibilities around every winding corner, and this incredible journey continues...