I remember when I was very young, just after learning to read, sneaking the Encyclopedia Brittanica into my bedroom at night to read about the ancient Gods, without anyone ever having told me about them, much less telling me their stories or myths. I would pray to them in the only way I knew how, on my knees by the bed. My, how times have changed!
I began to identify as Wiccan at the age of 12, when I stumbled upon Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft while looking for role playing game books. The "New Age" section in Waldenbooks in the mall was right next to the role playing game section, and the cover caught my eye. I immediately devoured it, eager to know more, and excited that there were actually others who felt like I did. About this time I began to attempt meditation and trance work, through whatever methods I could find. It was also about this time, when I began to have purposeful Otherworldly journeying experiences, that my 2 to 3 times yearly strep throat bouts ceased.
At age twenty, I became the de facto high priest of a coven (because I was the only male in the group at the time I joined) that saw many people come and go over the years. The high priestess was like a second mother to me, and I learned a lot from her, about magic and about life. Ours was an eclectic group, and everyone seemed to have their own path, while also being able to find a common ground for a group practice.
Since then, I have explored many different paths, from Buddhism and Hinduism, to Traditional Witchcraft, Celtic Reconstructionism, Druidry, Asatru, Religio Romana, Hellenismos, and Graeco-Egyptian Hellenistic practice. I am a member, or a past member, of various organizations such as the Troth, the Ancient Order of Druids in America (AODA) (1st degree), Ar nDraiocht Fein (ADF) (Dedicant program completed), the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids (OBOD) (Druid Grade completed), Hellenion, Res Publica Romana, and the Society for Shamanic Practitioners. I have also studied the journeying and extraction healing methods of core shamanism with Micheal Harner's Foundation for Shamanic Studies, after having read and put into practice his seminal book The Way of the Shaman years ago.
