What to Know About Me…
I Practice What I Teach
I am loyal to my spiritual practice and have a fierce devotion to the One Who Moves Through All Things. This requires loads of patience with myself and my life. I regularly set time aside for contemplation and solitude to listen to my dreams, study the cycles of nature, journal deep insights, and reflect on my interior life. My spiritual practice carries with me throughout my day, and I endeavor to live as a mystic without a monastery. Studying the mystics and reading deep spiritual texts from many different faiths is a great passion of mine. In addition, I have my own Spiritual Advisor that I meet with regularly.
Animals, Ecosystems, and the Environment are My Thing
Graduating from the University of Washington in Seattle with honors in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology and spending years working outdoors as a professional Wildlife Biologist, I have the academic background to support my lifelong passion. All of the research projects I participated in were focused on making a difference and helping care for the planet. I still go birding and study wild plants.
My Spiritual Practice Includes Making Art
I have always loved to write and this is my primary form of artistic expression. I consider writing an important part of my connection to the Creator. I immensely enjoy the visual arts of photography, painting, and drawing. I also have a background in wildcrafting. Through my work as a shamanic teacher, I create art in altars and ceremonies. Art is one of the ways I stay in dialogue with my soul. You can see my visual art on my Instagram @wild.gratitude, and my writing on my blog.
I Lived Alone on an Island!
My ultimate dream of saving an endangered species was realized when I was hired to work on an island in an endangered fox captive breeding program in 2001. Little did I know that my time alone on an island would cause me to question everything. The isolation was an accidental vision quest that spurred a complete life change. I left the scientific field and went soul searching with the help of two hawks and a shamanic teacher. This story is covered in my book, Gracious Wild: A Shamanic Journey with Hawks.
I Grew Up Studying Alternative Spirituality
As a child, I had the great serendipity of being mentored by a group of wise women, including my mom, who acted as my spiritual advisors. They taught me about being spiritual but not religious, shamanic teachers, healing with light, archetypes, and spirit animals in the early days of what is now the current day alternative spirituality movement. I received my first energy treatment and played with healing crystals around 12 years old. Pulling spirit animal cards was a favorite pastime of mine growing up.
My Lifestyle is About Sustainability
I live on a 38-acre small mountain ranch outside of Pagosa Springs, CO (southwest Colorado) with my husband, son, cat, dog, chickens, and two horses. We have a year round food garden, harvest our own eggs, and heat our house with a wood burning stove. We use solar-power for all of our energy. And, I have all the amenities I need to run my internet-based, global business out of my home. Rooting in the stewardship of a small farm and connecting virtually to many different walks of life around the world helps me honor the earth in a beautiful way.
What I Recommend You Read
Want to see my favorite books? Go to my Bookshop.org specially curated booklists and find out!