RavenHarte

RavenHarte

First, why the pseudonym… My legal name is unique, so for business, and reasons concerning my children, I always use the pen name I wrote my kid's book under, which has since become my public Craft name or “nightside" name. It protects my employer from any harassment they might receive in having a Pagan employee, and it protects my children from being ostracized or shunned by teachers, or parents of their peers and friends.

Why RavenHarte? I chose this name because the raven was the totem animal of my initiatory coven, and the coven's Patroness, now one of mine, The Morrighan. When my HPhood returned to our mother coven in NY, I wanted something for myself that would always link me to them, thus I became RavenHarte as my screenname, then my published name, and later my public Pagan/nightside name.

Some background… I raised with the Craft and ceremonialism always in my life. Though I was baptized and confirmed Episcopalian for my mom (a past Worthy Matron of Eastern Star), I spent time in Catholic church with my godparents, and later studied with Jehovah's Witnesses, Born Again Christians, as well as with Temple Israel and some Buddhist temples. My father was an Agnostic Master Mason who taught us the Divine was more energy than one religion could ever depict, and forced us to always see the bigger picture in life. His mother was a Puerto Rican Bruheria, who belonged to a Hispanic esoteric school in NYC, where I spent many weekends as a child watching her "read" for people, council and "do work" for people, etc.

I grew up in the Hudson Valley in NY, home to a multitude of paranormal activities, so being interested in the occult just wasnt as unnerving there as it may have been in most places. So I was able to get my hands on ALOT of information. Because both sides of my family are all Masonically affiliated, I was initiated into the International Order of Rainbow for Girls, the girls Masonic tradition, at 12 and was the Worthy Advisor by 14. I spent several years following in various Grand Officer positions but no I am not Eastern Star because here in the South.... well.. they just don’t look at it quite the same way as up North

I came to Paganism as my preferred spirituality by way of Patricia Kennealy Morrison. Her words and guidance were instrumental in keeping me on a particular path until my 1994 initiation into the Western Mystery tradition I now teach within. My coven is the 6th hived from our 30 yr old Irish mother coven in NY. Mine is Celtic Arthurian and is 10 yrs old. I am a 4th degree HPS and Elder of that line, and an initiate in our progenitor's group, The Boreadean Order of Druid and Feryltt, as well as a former student of the Servants of the Light esoteric school.

A long time student of Jewish Mystical Kabbalah, I began teaching my 11 mos long series of workshops in Spring 2003. In 2005 that series also spawned an online version, which lasts as long but is completely online. I was also creator and facillitor of SpiritualaTea/SpiritualaTEAM interfaith explorative groups, and Go Goddess, a "girls night in" style female "empowerment" group. I have also been blessed to have been an interim minister, and some time Religious Education lecturer for my local Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, so in July 2008
I finally became an ordained minister (Reverand officailly) through the Light and Energy Workers Association (LEWA) able to legally perform marriages in all 50 states (and several countries) as well as attend the sick/dying as clergy in medical facilities.

In late 2003, while doing exploration of the Shadow self and alternative working with energy, I also became involved in other “Nightside” groups and lifestyles, facilitating my becoming an Abbon to House of the Dreaming, and Affiliate to House Dark Haven vampyric houses. Since then I have become a moderator of the RamkhtCaste, BlackOaksSavannah, and SavannahVampyres yahoo groups as well as owner of UtopiaNocturna Nightside board. By serving at NC and GA Pagan Pride events, and being a lecturer at "Twilight II", "Spiritual Awakenings", and other Nightside & Pagan conferences, and becoming a member of the Voices of the Vampire Community (VVC) , I am proud to continue working as a bridge between the Pagan and other Nightside communities.

I'm a fairly civic minded and politically active Pagan too, having done workshops with my mentor's best friend Phyllis Currott, as well as Kerr Cuhulain, and Isaac Bonewitz, all of whom have very strong opinions on what we as Pagans should be doing in our communities. "Walking our talk". So I have been the Organizer of my local Pagan Networking Org Path of the Moon Collective , since the summer of 2006, where I have worked on the Goddess 2000 project (which lasted longer than just 2000, LOL), and organized charitable events, as well as helped to host monthly rituals, workshops and bi-annual Sabbat festivals. I am also a member of Circle Sanctuary's Pagan veteran's association Order of the Pentacle helping our Pagan military & vets obtain equal legal rights, and have been one of my area's resident "media witches", being interviewed on occassion for our local news regarding occult topics.

Mundanely - I am the 2008 Organizer of "Craft for the Cure", our local Pagan effort for the "Passionately Pink for the Cure" campaign against breast cancer through the Susan G Komen Foundation. I was also the 2007 and 2008 Organizer of my city's V-Day Organization, having been involved as co-organizer in the past, raising awareness about violence against females. I was also the 2007 Producer, and a cast member of our Org's production of Eve Ensler's “The Vagina Monologues", which raised funds for our local Family Services - who I have been a Sexual Assault Victim's Advocate for. The 2008 focus was on Safe on Seven - Forsyth County's Domestic Violence Center. Through my connections in V-Day, I also marched on Washington during the March for Women's Lives as a Pagan Peacekeeper in April 2004, and was a lecturer for the League of Women Voters, rallying the Pagan vote during the last election.

Mundanely, I have been married for 20 years to my high school sweetheart (the boy practically next door), and we have 3 sons. I have worked for the same company in the medical insurance industry for 15 years. My covenors are my dearest friends, but I can also boast that almost all the friends my hubby and I grew up with are still amongst our best today as well. Loyalty is not something I compromise about.

WOW thats a mouthful!!!! If you have any questions, wish to know more about us, please email me.