My journey into the mystical and spiritual began as far back as age 4. Always curious, always questioning, and all-too-aware of energy and the spirit realm, I asked my Mom to begin taking me to church so I could learn more. As I grew older, I found myself being able to envision the outcomes of certain choices and behaviors, as well as knowing certain information about people and situations.
Having a thirst for the things of God, as well as a great desire to teach and encourage others, I went to a Christian (Pentecostal) college where I majored in theology and pastoral ministry, with a double minor in counseling and literature. I became a licensed, ordained minister and eventually co-pastored a church with my first husband. After 7 years of marriage, I became a widow when he succumbed to leukemia. I found my options very limited as a single female minister living in a very rural, traditional, conservative, patriarchal area.
Over the years, my understanding of God evolved, and I began to explore toltecism, metaphysics, Tarot, and other mystical studies. I don't like labels, so I don't really have a term for my spiritual path. My husband says I'm a "Translucent".
I write about and teach practical spirituality, and while my upbringing is Christian, I incorporate other belief systems into my path, believing that truth can be found all over the place, especially within.
I am the former Editor of the New Age site at BellaOnline.com, the second largest women's site on the web, a position I held for three years.
I also teach Tarot to students from all over the world via my popular Tarot Classroom.
Astrologically, I´m a Scorpio Sun (stellium 7th and 8th Houses), Aries Rising,and Aquarius Moon (11th House). In Chinese Astrology, I'm a Metal Dog. Personality wise, I'm an ENXP in the Myers-Briggs/Keirsey system (X means Thinking and Feeling are equal), a Type 7w8 SP/SX/SO according to the Enneagram and a Philosopher "Boss" in the ANSIR model (Visionary/Philosopher/Philosopher). I have strong Evokateur tendencies in the Work realm (as well as Healer) and Sage tendencies in the Thinking and Emoting realms. Strong Visionary in Emoting, too.
In Numerology, my Life Path number is (not surprisingly!) 7. In the elemental system, I'm Choleric/Sanguine (Red/Yellow in Color Code terminology). In the StrengthsFinder 2.0 system, my top five strengths are Input, Strategic, Ideation, Maximizer and Learner.
My interests include the band Rush, Tarot, Mystery/mysteries, literary fiction and (surprise!) writing and reading. I enjoy good movies, especially thrillers. Poetry wise, I adore e.e.cummings. (insert genuflect).
I make my home in the North Eastern U.S. with my husband Ron (a fellow Scorpio Sun/Aquarius Moon with Cancer Rising), and our 11 year old son (Libra Sun, Gemini Rising, Sagittarius Moon)--whom I homeschool (unschool).
Some Janet Trivia
- Hasn't had/watched TV programming in over two years.
- Dubbed the Queen of Tarot by Monte Farber
- Will turn 40 on November 6, 2010.
- Will celebrate 13th wedding anniversary on August 7, 2010.
- Loves Christmas! And books! And coffee! And chocolate!
- Is currently working on three different Tarot decks with her husband (I'm the idea person/writer, Ron is the artist)
- Thinks texting while driving should be a crime.
- Hates country music and thinks that should be a crime. (Joking!)
- Loves Baroque music, especially Bach and Vivaldi (and any piece with a harpsichord!)
- Wrote most of Back in Time Tarot during the hours of 10 PM and 6 AM. (We live in a duplex and the unemployed neighbors next door--he 53 and his girlfriend 23 with a toddler--had nothing better to do than harass us with karaoke music for fun, rattling our walls with the pounding bass and prohibiting me from writing, and homeschooling, during the daytime.) The good news? We bought the other side of the duplex in Spring of 2008, combined them, and it's now one big house. YAY! Peace and quiet and no smelly cigarette smoke and rude loafers!
- Owns over 150 Tarot books, 100 Tarot decks and over 50 books on the writing craft.
- Has never been west of Ohio or east of Philly
- In the summer, keeps her bedroom air conditioner at 61 F (Husband sometimes wears a sweatshirt and toboggan to bed)
- 3-time spelling bee champ in Junior High School, making it to the state level of the Scripps Howard Spelling Bee
- Thinks dred locks look ridiculous, especially on Caucasians
- Abhors smoking (I think it should be banned in all public places)
- Has a library painted bright orange and raspberry (Thanks, hubby!)
- Is a spender, not a saver
- Was voted "Most Talkative" in the Senior superlatives in High School (almost got "Class Clown", too)
- Married a guy who was voted "Most Shy" at his High School (no lie)
- Considers Pepsi, ginger ale and coffee "Elixirs of the Gods" (But tries to limit intake nevertheless. Well, except for the ginger ale...)
- Loves thriller movies (Joyride is my favorite!)
- Survivor of a run-in with a school bus at age 12. (The front tire ran over and sat on my right foot. Wearing sneakers bought the night before, the pressure blew out the side of the shoe. Yes, I could have been killed and, fortunately, I learned to walk again.)
- All-star firstbaseman in softball (circa bus injury)
- Was a member of the National Honor Society, Spanish Club, Nuclear Physics Club, and Who's Who Among American High School Students. Graduated in Top 10 to High School class.
- Assessed as Genius on a Psychologist-rendered IQ test (145? Somewhere in the 40s... As you can see, don't really care. LOL)
- Possesses the archetypal patterns of Teacher, Communicator, Hermit, Queen, Hedonist, Bohemian, Creator, Magical Child, Judge, Rebel and Sage
- Self-taught sound engineer who ran live sound for first husband (a professional trumpet player) and mixed his first demo recording
- Was widowed at 25 (First husband of 7 years passed from leukemia)
- Collects snowpeople, masks, sun/moon/stars paraphernalia, bluejays (not live ones!) and Nancy Drew books
- Has more books than shelving space (but that is being solved thanks to hubby's carpentry prowess)
- Has two cats, Neo and Stewart (named by my husband. If I had my way, they would have been called Onyx and Butterscotch! But alas, the names he chose do, indeed, fit.)
- AB+ blood type, supposedly rare
- Resides in a world of symbols (husband asserts)
- Failed drivers license exam the first time (I wonder if running up over the curb had anything to do with that...)
- Abhors country music. And blues. And soul or hip hop ('cept for Eminem)
- Rebellious (but you probably knew that already)
- Enjoys rainy days and thunderstorms
- No known allergies (but suffers from chronic non-allergic rhinitis. Waaah!)
- Weakness for chocolate, books and bath products
If you want to know anything beyond this, you'll just have to email me and ask! :o)