About

Welcome to my little corner of the Web. :-)

I’m Heathwitch (Heather), a tall redhead in her late twenties, who’s been around on the Witchcraft pathway for a long time — and yet not long enough. I live in Derbyshire (UK) with my knight in shining armour, lots of computers and a collection of books which help to hold up the roof. We are currently owned by three kitties — the eldest is a matriarchal tortie-and-white female moggie, the “middle child” is a timid blue-silver Somali girl, and the baby boy of the family is a silver tabby and white Norwegian Forest Cat with a wicked streak.

I spend far too much time in front of the PC, both in terms of my day job (company director for an Internet firm, thus: geek) and in terms of a(n) (un)healthy obsession with teh Intawebz. That said, though, I’m not a CyberWitch or TechnoPagan — I’m an honest-to-Goddess, get-her-hands-dirty Witch who likes nothing better than standing in the woods at midnight on a moon-bright night, hands above her head and hair flowing loose down her back, as she stands and feels the connection between herself and the Lords and Ladies.

Speaking of Deity, I am currently claimed by an interesting mix of Gods and Goddesses, most of Whom have a link to the Underworld or “darker” aspects of life and the Craft. Though I also answer to other Deities, my primary matron is Hekate and my primary patron is Anpu (Anubis) — They’ve seen me through some pretty rough times, and I adore my connection to Them. My personal spiritual practice revolves around my deities, an eclectic mix of Egyptian, Thracian and Celtic Gods and Goddesses and a Santarian Orisha. As such, I am intensely interested in anything to do with deity worship, tending Their altars and shrines, and honouring Them with each act and every breath.

As High Priestess of the Circle of the Moon Coven, I spend a lot of time organising and leading rituals, co-ordinating coven events and also administering and teaching on our annual Discovering Witchcraft training course. The latter is actually the first year of a five-year pathway of study which blends both theoretical and practical aspects of the Craft and related areas into a cohesive whole.

I am not a Gardnarian Witch, and I do not follow a set Wiccan pathway. I do not identify myself as Wiccan as there are elements of Wicca that do not fit into my practice; likewise, I also incorporate aspects of (for example) Buddhism, family traditions, eclectic Craft, Native American spirituality, Spiritualism and a whole lot more into what I do and believe. If you are interested in a breakdown as to what I believe, you could start by reading my coven’s tradition and then read some of the posts in this blog to get to know me better. And of course, you can always drop me an email.

As well as being a Witch, I’m a Vibrational Therapist who specialises in the Alaskan and Wild Earth essence systems. My favourite stone is garnet but I confess I’m also a bit of a tourmaline junkie — especially black tourmaline and tourmalated quartz. I’m always looking to learn more about healing and enjoy sharing and learning with others in a variety of healing methods. I’m also a Reiki Master-Teacher and Holistic Therapist.

I am something of an academic and enjoy furthering my own knowledge and development. I believe that no one can know or learn everything, and that every moment is a lesson waiting to be discovered. None of us stop learning. We just need to be open to the experience.

I like to blog about Witchcraft and related areas; I knit and cross stitch, and I ramble on too in my personal blog. I collect dragons and books, have two degrees in English — a BA (Hons) in English and an MA in Creative Writing — and am currently planning my wedding. My favourite film is Practical Magic, my favourite musicians are Chris De Burgh, Sarah McLachlan, Heather Dale and Rascal Flatts, and my favourite authors include Elizabeth Bear, Nora Roberts, Anita Shreve, Anne McCaffrey and the Romantic poets (e.g. Wordsworth, Byron, Keats).

My red hair is a bit of a warning regarding my temper, but that said I do love to socialise with friends and family over a decent wine and good curry, and I always open to nattering about my Craft and help those who may be finding their pathway a little tricky. We all need guidance from time to time (even me), so hopefully this blog will touch some of you out there who are needing to find your feet — maybe for the first time, maybe for the one hundredth. Either way, I would love to hear from you if you want to get in touch.

“Do not go where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” [- Emerson]