Lady Selkhet

Phoenix Moon Grove

Austin, TX

Born in 1967 to free-thinking parents, I grew up teething on a copy of 'Linda Goodman's Sun Signs' and was fascinated with the stars at an early age, both astronomy and astrology. When I was about 5, a local neighbor child told me I was going to hell if I didn't give herself to Jesus; I ran home to my parents who told me how different people believe different things, and not to worry about going to hell. They didn't take me to church but encouraged me to see the beauty all around me.  When I was about 7, I lived in San Antonio near a great patch of wilderness- typical central Texas wilds with oaks and mesquite, and tiny streams. I spent a lot of time there, trying to catch crawdads or snakes and exploring.

Since I couldn't reconcile what I'd heard about God with the things I enjoyed in life, I became an atheist at an early age. But I always loved being in nature. I had no problem believing in things like ESP and such, and I had a very moving experience at age 15 in Kerrville, Texas along the banks of the Guadalupe River when I could hear and even almost understand the cypress trees whispering to each other. When I was about 22 some interesting coincidences happened and I decided to label myself an agnostic, since denying the possibility of any god seemed sort of cheeky.

In 1991, war broke out (Desert Storm) and I was horrified. I had never experienced war so directly- I lived in Killeen at the time, home of Fort Hood- one of the biggest army bases in America. Shelling practice rattled the windows day and night. Neighbors were clamoring for the deaths of people I had never met, while sending off their own children to get shot at.

It made no sense to me. My heart was broken, and I wanted to cry to someone, anyone who would listen about how wrong it all felt. I went to a Catholic church (I was dating a Catholic at the time, though he had not set foot inside a church in years) but felt no comfort. Then I started looking around at other religions. A friend of mine had read and enjoyed Z.Budapest's books, so I decided to explore Wicca. I went to a bookstore and picked up Cunningham's 'Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner'. I had that feeling that so many people describe as the 'aha! So this is what I've been feeling all these years!' realization. I soon returned to Austin (I'd gotten my BA in Psychology from the University of Texas there, and missed the hippie-liberal-college-town vibe), and went from a Goddess study group to classes with Earth Haven Grove in December of 1991.

I received my First Degree Initiation with Earth Haven in July of 1993. I went through many changes in her personal life and didn't get my Second Degree until November of 1997. Then it became increasingly obvious to me that I was growing in a different direction from my mother grove, so I left Earth Haven in July of 1998 and started Phoenix Moon Grove in September of 1998, all the while studying for my Third Degree under my former High Priestess. I received my Third Degree Initiation in June of 1999, and took my first student that November.

I continue to meander down the pagan pathways, collecting lore about astrology, Quabala, the god Pan, and the local flora and fauna of the beautiful Texas Hill Country.  I answer phones at the state abuse hotline, herd 4 cats and keep freshwater fish fat and happy.  My husband and I enjoy quiet adventure together, and just went to Europe in March 2006 (and am looking forward to going back someday).