Born on 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 on into adulthood.  

 

At the age of 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 that I took for granted as a young child. Thus began my destiny with uncovering my inner two-spirit nature and finding a spirituality that worked for me as a bi -pan, poly, female artist who was pretty fed up with white patriarchal society. 

 

This venture led me across the country three different times wearing a variety of hats including outdoor survivalist, musician, nanny and spiritual seeker looking especially for the Divine Feminine. I received gifts and teachings from Yogi’s, Native American Shamans, Pre-School Children, Insight Meditation Teachers, Mother Nature, Alchemists and African Spiritualists.  It was as if I was traveling a spiritual treasure hunt and each teaching I encountered gave me an 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., literally ALL the teachers at Prescott and RSC,  a Lakota Shaman - you know who you are -  Sarahjoy Marsh, Liliana Barzola, Sobonfu Some, Stanislof Grof, Dr Joe Dispenza and endless other angels along the way. 

 

At Prescott College, I received a Bachelor's Degree in Alternative Education with a Double Minor in Music and Skills in Spiritual Living. After completing my Senior Project “Exploring the Sacred in Education”, I graduated with honors and made my way 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 a fervor and thirst. This was deep, soul searching work and it rubbed off so many of my harsh edges.  This fueled me to pursue my Master’s in Education at Sunbridge College 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 proved to be the greatest adventure yet, as I shifted my attention from scholarly ambitions to devoting my life, time, knowledge and energy to my own twin miracles and a tiny in-home early childhood program.   This was a wonderful time of baking, singing, walks to the river and learning about WONDER and the gift of a slow meandering walk!  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. 

This time in my life felt as if I was living the dream I had spent years preparing for. Waldorf teaching utilized and expanded every one of my gifts and filled my life with meaning and purpose.

 

...And as so many of these stories go, the greatest heights and brightest moments often crash into a dark night of the soul that takes one's epic journey to the deepest depths. 

It was a dark stormy night that precluded a call to stand up for what I knew was right in my heart even though it meant having to leave my community, many friends and what was once a dream job. 

 

After teaching for over 15 years, I took a sabbatical and journeyed inward. This heartbreaking and ultimately heart opening journey led me to music, love, travel and JOY!  Singing with the Portland Revels, 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!"

 

So now I step into work that is in alignment with my highest self and I am loving the world-wide connection possibilities of having students from all over the world.  And this wonderful journey continues...