Desert Henge 
PO Box 40451
Tucson, AZ 85717
DesertHenge@yahoo.com
Meet the members, and former members, of Desert Henge Coven. Each of these bios was written by the members themselves but not all of us chose to add a bio to this page. Come back often to see who has been added and what we say about ourselves. Any current or former Desert Henge Coven member is invited to put their own Bio here. Let us know what you have been doing lately!
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BIOGRAPHY OF SHEA HERMES
I grew up in DHC, receiving my novice binding in 1994 after taking the public Wicca class offered by Rick and his coven at the time, my initiation took place in 1995 and I finally received my Third degree in 2004. The ten year span from start to start, allowed time for grad school, a tortuous divorce, a move across country to pursue my career and the busy life of single motherhood. I say start to start because being a Third degree is like starting over again…new ideas, new focus and new opportunities to commune with the Gods.
Before I took the public Wicca class, I was not new to Wicca or the idea that I was a witch. I had been a practicing solitary for many, many years. My “coming home” moment presented itself through Our Lady early in my teen years as I sat on a fallen tree across the creek in my backyard. It was there that she spoke to me and I have been ever so blessed since that time.
My Craft life is full of the absolute wonder of it all and I see the Goddess present herself in all that I see and do. I enjoy writing, participating and leading ritual; spell crafting, and celebrating the magic of the Mysteries.
I have a passion for children who are the key to our future. My career as a medical professional offers me the opportunity to be witness to the miracle of birth as well as the fight for life. The infants I care for each day in my practice or the children of Peru for which I am lucky to be part of a medical team that travels there each year, show me firsthand the strength of living in spite of obstacles.
My hobbies include community service, traveling, camping, kayaking, 16th century dance, watercolor painting, studying, growing and storing herbs, gourmet cooking, organic gardening and drinking red wine. I am a collector of stuff like most, my favorites include shoes, antique furnishings, kitchen towels, Depression glass in the Madrid pattern (a reminder of living in Spain) as well as black amethyst.
I try to live life by the Big 5 (my son Spencer will roll his eyes at this having heard it time and time again)…Be responsible and respectful. Don’t yell. Say NO to drugs. Don’t think to put your mother in a home. And last but most importantly, be a kid and have fun.
My religion is who I am and not what I do. I am a proud mother, daughter, witch, nurse practitioner, friend and priestess. If you feel inclined to contact me, you can do so via the DHC website or my personal email at ladyidunn@msn.com.
May the Gods Bless your journey today and everyday! Blessed Be!
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BIOGRAPHY OF RICK JOHNSON
I first came home to The Craft in 1971 after attending a lecture by Sybil Leek at the University of Arizona and never looked back. I was Self-Dedicated on Samhain 1971 and became a Solitary because at that time you could count the number of Witches in Arizona on your fingers and still have fingers left over.
I joined the Enchanted Moon Coven (a Gardnerian coven descended from the
Kentucky Lineage) in 1976 and received my First and Second Degrees in 1978 after the coven broke up. I joined an eclectic coven later, until I was talked into forming Desert Henge Coven in 1982. As Cyprian, one of my favorite teachers, put it, "If you don't do it, who will and where will these people go. At least you are honest enough to tell them the truth." At that time you could count the number of covens in Arizona on your fingers and still have fingers left over.
I received my first Third Degree in 1984 from an Alexandrian who had trained with Maxine Sanders in London. Finally, in January of 1997, I received my British Gardnerian Third Degree from a Canadian Witch descended from Eleanor Bone and Gerald Gardner.
Since the '70's I have been active in Wiccan civil rights and have concentrated on educating the public through my public class and media presentations.
My hobbies include collecting dragons and swords and I also amass material and
information of all sorts on Wicca. I also study martial arts, love motorcycles and hiking.
I'm a chocolate-a-holic because it makes me feel like I'm in love and my current
fantasy involves an attractive female (preferably a redhead) who knocks on my door witha bottle of decent wine in one hand and a thick crust pizza with sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms and black olives (no bell peppers or onions and if there are anchovies, they have to be chopped up so they don't stare at me when I eat them) with some chocolate on the side.
I also give a killer back scratch and enjoy making breakfast in bed for my
companion when allowed to do so.
Over the years, my Wiccan accomplishments and failures include, but are not limited to:
My current goals include getting some decent replacement computer programs to finalize a few projects such as Wiccan songbook, Wicca humor book, Technical manual on magick. Currently writing a book on Theology of Witchcraft based on the public classes.
I am open to new ideas and information and never say "because" and am always willing to experiment to see if it works. I'm constantly seeking material on Wicca to be used for public classes. Said material to include: slides, photos, handouts, info on Wiccan activities, children's books, coloring books, calendars and anything to show Wicca as it is.
P.S. I am also an anal-retentive Irish Virgo, a nerd and a single (what a suprise) father. I describe myself as a great husband, good father, decent priest, excellent teacher and a rotten date. I'm also dense, oblivious,
obnoxious, disliked, neurotic, psychotic and just plain crazy. But I do have a cute tush.
Oh yes, for those who are interested (and you know who you are), here is my Lineage, complex as it is.
For my Gardnerian First and Second Degree in 1976-78, I claim Gardner to Monique Wilson to Raymond and Rosemary Buckland to Judy & Tom K. to D&M to D&A to Ernie to Nancy G. to me.
Of course, some of the Canadian Line here made a few mistakes when recording this and we are still collecting accurate info. It now appears that Mary Buckle was NOT an unknown Gardner HPS. In fact, it seems that 'Mary Buckle' wasn't even her real name but her Craft name. She was a generation or two removed from 'Rae' Bone. There are many people who have a problem with this part of my lineage and I really do consider it just that: THEIR problem. I have complete confidence in my Lineage and qualifications as a Third Degree Gardnerian.
If you are Gardnerian, contact me and we'll exchange full Lineages if you are interested.
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Biography for Lisa
I was born on August 14, 1981 in Chicago, IL to a very interesting family (and by 'interesting' I mean to say 'worthy of study by experts in the behavioral and social sciences'). I was raised to believe in ghosts, speaking in tongues, magic, divination, the power of Jesus, and that many people were going to hell. All of this was somehow imparted without any real religious training. While rummaging through the attic as a child, I found an old book full of Greek myths that my mother had from high school. I was astonished to find that there were other religions out there besides my family's Christian/agnostic grab bag of craziness.
From an early age, I was precocious, a voracious reader, an insomniac, and mostly unsupervised. This combination was a recipe for disaster. I read anything I could get my hands on: encyclopedias, children's books, romance novels, textbooks, and more. I read my first Stephen King novels, The Dark Half and Misery at age eight and have been a King fan ever since.
My mother and I moved to Florida when I was ten. I got my first computer for my fourteenth birthday and began my life-long addiction to the internet. When I got to high school, I met a young man who was interested in witchcraft and loaned me a few of his books. I got that feeling, which I later found out was a common one, of 'coming home' to witchcraft. I eventually started dating this young man. We were handfasted in a small ceremony at a local park and on August 10, 1999, we had a daughter. The two of us studied with a Gardnerian coven in Florida for a while, and I found that I liked it much more than being a solitary eclectic.
In 2001, I met my long-time internet friend and we got along like a house on fire. Later that year, he moved in with me and my family. We lived in a polyamorous household and moved from Florida to Arizona in 2003. None of us had liked Florida all that much (too many bugs, hurricanes, and TOURISTS) and were glad for the change of scenery. In 2005, my first partner and I decided that we just didn't mesh the same way we did back when we were kids and had the most amicable break-up in history. After that, I decided that it was time for another big change and started looking for a coven.
After searching The Witches' Voice, I found Desert Henge, the only Gardnerian coven in the entire state. I started studying with them and received my first degree initiation in November 2006. After our Maiden, Rick's daughter Cerridwen, left for the Peace Corps, I became Maiden for the coven. As the most social (pronounced 'least offensive' ^_~) person of the group, I am the 'PR Person' for Desert Henge. This basically means that I sort through the snail mail, check the e-mail, and try to talk to as many people as possible when the coven is represented at our local pagan events.
In addition to all of this pagan stuff, I am dual citizen of the US and the interwebs, a HUGE Joss Whedon fan, a Potterphile, a gamer, an unrepentant geek, and a crazy humanist (I believe all people should be respected and/or despised equally, regardless of gender, race, religion, or shoe size). I do NOT want Hillary Clinton to be President because I have this thing against people who think they know what's best for me (I'm voting for Ron Paul, damn it). I am the proud mommy of a precocious insomniac who is a voracious reader (I have a little more sympathy for my mom now), step-mom-once-removed to my ex-husband's children, and (despite ALL LOGIC) the one that people like the most. Everything else can be summed up with my LiveJournal icons.
And I want to be Granny Weatherwax when I grow up.
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Bio of Cerridwen Johnson
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Disclaimer: My opinions are strictly my own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of Desert Henge Coven, its members or the webmaster.
I am Janna, and I am an alumnus of Desert Henge Coven (DHC), having attended its birth. I have since moved on to other places and other things. Although I am no longer involved with DHC, I have remained in contact with the coven through Rik. I have been pleased to see how well DHC has matured as a group over the years, having survived the growing pains that would have destroyed a lesser group. DHC has far exceeded the vision of the original coveners. I support DHC and its works within the community. May it continue to grow as a positive force within that community.
Let's see, this was supposed to be my bio:
As of 1998, I am a 42 year old mother of one, stepmother of two, and honorary
grandmother of four. I have been married to my life partner for over twenty years. I reside at the edge of a beautiful river in Texas, surrounded by ancient live oaks and assorted critters. I am a spinner, weaver, novice brewer, and somewhat addicted to working Hardanger embroidery. I have interests in herbalism and folk magic.
I am solitary, having realized a few years ago (post DHC era), that as a conservative, monogamous, heterosexual, politically incorrect, Republican, capitalistic witch, who doesn't like playing pagan politics, I was some what an oddity within the greater Wiccan community. It's not that I have a problem with those who don't share my views...quite the contrary. I believe that there is room for all of us. May we ALL be blessed in whatever life we choose. No, the problem was that I was tired of being told there must be something wrong with me for admitting that I was the above-mentioned creature.
So, what does a conservative, monogamous, heterosexual, politically incorrect,
Republican, capitalistic witch believe? Here are a few clues:
I can hear a few of you nervously saying:
That's ok. You can agree with some my ideas and still not be categorized with me. You can even disagree with me. I won't zap you! There's room for all of us.
Well, that's it for now. I warned you that I wasn't the fluffy type. If you have a problem with any of my words... well, good! You are entitled to your opinion, just as I am entitled to mine. My intent was to shake up the status quo and possibly de-calcify some brain cells. Your mileage may vary.
May the gods bless you and yours.
Copyright 1998 Janna Sharptooth This article may be reproduced for personal use (assuming anyone wants it), as long as it remains intact with the copyright notice in place. In the rare event that someone may wish to publish my work, please contact me for permission.
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Merry Meet, I am a Third Degree Gardnerian and the current High Priestess of Desert Henge Coven. While our covenstead is in Arizona, I make my home in Saint Paul, Minnesota, a beautiful city nestled in a crook of the Mississippi river. I return to AZ for Sabbats, Moons and coven activities.
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I am Rick Johnson, a Third Degree Gardnerian
Witch and High Priest of Desert Henge Coven in Tucson, Arizona. I was an eleven month baby born on August 24, 1952 at 12:30 a.m., the Japanese Year if the Dragon at Westover Air Force Base, Mass (if interested, I'll e-mail you the proper lattitude/longitude). I suspect that my mother still holds those two extra months against me.
Then what happens next I haven't the imagination to describe.
Plus a second Line from Judy & Tom K. to Ann and Gerald F. to S.& N. to Ferran C. & S. to Mike P. to Christine H. to Ernie B. & Nancy G. to me.
(remember, I said no outing).
For my Alexandrian Third Degree in 1984, I claim Gardner to Patricia Crowther to Pat K. to Alex and Maxine Sanders to Adelaide W. to me.
And for my Gardnerian Third Degree in 1997, I claim Gardner to Eleanor Bone to John S. to Mary Buckle D. to Margaret & James A. to Fiona and Paul M. to Shelly R. to me.
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Granny Weatherwax had never heard of psychiatry and would have had no truck with it even if she had. There are some arts too black even for a witch... A psychiatrist, dealing with a man who fears he is being followed by a large and terrible monster, will endeavour to convince him that monsters don't exist. Granny Weatherwax would simply give him a chair to stand on and a very heavy stick.
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I was born in 1982 into Desert Henge. Literally. My father, Rik Johnson formed DHC about 6 months earlier, so as the Coven grew, so did I. I must say, the teen years were traumatic for us all. I received my First Degree in September 2006 shortly before leaving for the Peace Corps. I am stationed in The Gambia, West Africa (remember Roots? Where Kunta Kinte is from). Officially I am an AgFo (Environment) Volunteer. Really I work for the local health center: vaccinating babies, teaching nutrition, making children cry. You know all the fun stuff.
In my spare time I like to take bucket baths, knit, read, treat whatever new fungus/infection I have picked up, and finding new threats for the children in my compound (when telling them "I am going to beat you" started resulting in them bringing me sticks and giggling I switched to "I am going to drop you down the well".
We'll see how long that works. That is the current favorite of the mothers), and plan what I am going to do when I return to America in 2009 (the current plan is law school where I would study Constitutional and Human Rights law).
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I had not planned on placing a "bio" on the Desert Henge Coven site, but in light of recent postings to a public forum, I feel it has become a matter of honor and principle to show my support for Rik and Desert Henge Coven. I understand that there are people who have made disparaging remarks about Desert Henge's website being an ad campaign for Rik. My first though at hearing this was the old saying...
Those who can, do;
Those who can't, bitch!
I am not a (fill in as many blanks as you need) witch!"
Janna
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