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BIOGRAPHY
Born in New York City, my metaphysical career began early: My first
encounter with tarot cards at age six was also my first experience
of love at first sight! That passion still burns true. Although
I do practice other forms of divination, tarot remains the foundation
of my practice.
A lifelong pursuit of metaphysical wisdom followed and continues:
astrology, mythology, Kabbalah, the Egyptian mysteries as well as
spiritual, magical and healing traditions from all over Earth but
particularly Africa and Asia.
I've also been a blues and free-form rock and roll disc jockey,
a corporate travel consultant specializing in the Caribbean, a skin-care
and cosmetics consultant, and a teacher of mythology and multicultural
studies. I wrote and edited the Ancient Beauty Secrets section for
the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism's monthly online magazine, which
integrated modern aromatherapy with ancient methods of body care
and decoration.
True love's arrows pierced my heart yet again when I first encountered
a vial of essential oil. (Essential oil of frankincense, to be exact,
still a favorite.) Essential oils are not true oils but potent plant
extracts. Modern aromatherapy, with its roots stretching back to
ancient China, Egypt, Mesopotamia and the Middle East, is the manipulation
of essential oils for therapeutic and cosmetic purposes. Essential
oils are perhaps the purest, most potent expression of a plant's
power and play a profound role in rituals, potions and spells. Many
are powerful aphrodisiacs and may be used to enhance health, beauty
and peace of mind.
Following over a decade of independent study, I earned a certificate
in therapeutic aromatherapy. I served on the faculty of the Australasian
College of Herbal Studies as an aromatherapy tutor, teaching the
certification program.
My special passion for almost fifteen years has been magical and
traditional approaches to fertility. Originally stimulated by own
reproductive challenges, I was frustrated by the medical options
offered to me. I went searching for other avenues, gentle Earth
and female-friendly solutions and found them: a vast repository
of women's wisdom. Two children and many years later, I still search
and research, impressed and empowered by thousands of years of women's
inventiveness, endurance, defiance and humor.
Earth Mother Magic: Ancient Spells for Modern Belles, my
first book, was published in 2001. Emergency Magic! 150 Spells
for Surviving the Worst-Case Scenario, followed in 2002. Although both these books are now out-of-print, they have been reissued in new, improved editions by Weiser Books as Pure Magic and Magic When You Need It respectively. I am also the author of three large encyclopedias: The Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells, The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft, and The Encyclopedia of Spirits. Please click on the Books section of this website for detailed information about each of these books.
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