I discovered Wicca in 1996 when I was in grade 8. I was 13 years-old. A friend of mine had lent me a series of books entitled The Secret Circle by L.J. Smith. The trilogy was about a coven of teenage witches living in fictional New Salem, and more importantly, about a girl named Cassie Blake and her search to find herself. Not only did I identify with Cassie and her journey of self-discovery, but what also captured my interest was the author's portrayal of witchcraft. My perception of witchcraft prior to reading the books was stereo-typical: green-skinned hag, broomstick-flying, magic spells, enchanted times and places, curses, and hexes. L.J. Smith's portrayal of witchcraft was different from my initial perception. There was magic in every day life, herb lore, poetic words, and elements. And the witches...they were REAL people; some were teenagers, like I was at the time.

From that point on, I was hooked. I was intrigued by what I read and so began my research. I was introduced to Goddess spirituality, shamanism, Wicca, and all of the wonderful things that fall under the umbrella of Paganism. Since then, I've discovered a spiritual path and a practice that speaks to me. I soon realized that it has spoken to me all my life. The path I have found has helped me through a lot. The Lady and the Lord guide me through life, helping me to overcome and learn from all the obstacles I face.

There were times when I felt like I was stagnating. Up until the beginning of college, my only exposure to Wicca was through my readings and my trips down to Le Mélange Magique once in awhile. I had all the theory packed into my head but was afraid to put it all into practice. The books told me how but I didn't really know how. When college started, I decided it was time to reach out and make connections. I enrolled myself in Level 1 of the Crescent Moon School and met Autumn. She became my teacher and I went through the first level program with a renewed enthusiasm for my spiritual growth. Many things happened during that period in my life and I looked to my spirituality for healing and comfort. When I was at my all time low, my love for the Lord and Lady as well as their unconditional love for me were the only things that kept me going. I progressed to the second level and became a teacher's assistant. I delighted in helping others. It felt good to share my knowledge and wisdom with other seekers such as myself. I felt like I was somehow making a difference (even if a tiny difference) in people's lives, encouraging them to be the best people they can be. I knew I wanted to continue with CMS and become a teacher like Autumn.

I met my mentor through CMS and contacted her with an interest in ninjitsu. I was at a point in my spiritual journey when I wasn't sure what path was for me and I was struggling to find something that truly spoke to me. I wanted to try and reconnect with my Asian heritage and I thought ninjitsu might be great for the mind as well as the body. Well, ninjitsu didn't work out with my schedule but what was important was that I made a great friend. Through my mentor, I enrolled myself in Elements of Wicca, feeling a need to go back to the basics. I strengthened my foundation of knowledge, learned to work with energy, and met a fantastic group of people, many of whom would later become my covenmates. After Elements of Wicca, I was honored in being invited to the Highland Coven of the Greenwood Tradition.

Since dedicating myself to the coven and the path of Celtic Shamanic Wicca, I have seen myself change in ways I never thought was possible. I have learned things about myself that I was never really aware of. I have connected with an amazing group of individuals who I am honored to call family. I have been able to truly heal from past traumatic experiences. I am becoming more and more myself. In November 2005, I earned my first degree initiation and embarked on a specialty path that fit my spiritual needs. This path is taking me above and beyond any expectations I ever had for myself. Though quite challenging at times, my personal path is proving to incredibly interesting, enriching and deeply rewarding.