About Heather...

Writing, Teaching, and Healing from the Heart

From the time I was a little girl, I knew that I wanted to be a writer and to teach people, to make a difference in this world.  My passion for writing, researching, and helping others has fueled my life path with treasured experiences.
At 21, I began teaching college courses as a Graduate Assistant at Miami University in Ohio while doing my MA, and at 28, I was promoted to Dean of Students while teaching full-time at a college in Chicago, working with many international students.  But my life took another adventurous turn when I moved to London, England and began pursuing PhD research in Goddess Mythology within the context of women's literature.  During this time, I also studied in Glastonbury with Kathy Jones, priestess, author, and all-around amazing woman, to complete my Priestess of Avalon training and to initiate into the ancient British Goddess mysteries.
This was a profound time of connection and finding the balance of honoring my academic and research interests, while also having such rich opportunities for exploring my intuitive and creative abilities, amidst the backdrop of the powerful and historic sites of the British landscape.  Soon after completing the fourth year of training in Glastonbury with Kathy, my life path shifted again, and for personal reasons returned to the US, after having lived in the UK for five years.
Since that time, I have enjoyed a blossoming of my life in new and joyous ways, creating my own online spiritual courses and retreats for those interested in ancient Goddess mysteries, history, and sacred landscapes through my company, The Swan Centre, while still continuing my academic path as an educator, having taught at prestigious colleges such as the University of Richmond and Moravian College.  Over the years, I have taught a variety of courses related to areas of expertise for my degrees and my research in literature, myth, folklore, and history, from British literature to American and World literature courses, Women's Studies, College Seminars, and various writing courses, from Composition to Journalism.  But the favorite part of my teaching, whether in the college classroom or through my online spiritual courses and retreats, is connecting with people, helping others to find their voices, to pursue their goals and dreams, and to overcome obstacles so that they know they are not alone on the path.
As a writer, my journey has also been varied.  A Creative Writing minor in college, I began my writing path with a focus on short stories, poetry, and as the lead writer for the college newspaper.  Over the years, though, my research for my degrees and my travels led me deeper into the explorations of history, on a quest to understand the mysteries of the ancients and their encoded messages in their mythology, ancient sites, and art.  Another fascinating turn of events occurred when my research and writing in these areas led to my radio and TV work, being asked to present as a contributing expert on various Discovery and Science Channel shows, including 'Forbidden History,' 'Inside Secret Societies,' and 'What On Earth?'
Yet, the icing on my life's 'cake' has been the gift of my beautiful son Sean and marrying my soulmate, author Gary Osborn.  Every day, I am grateful for the blessings of their love, my greatest joy. It is our attachments of the heart that gift us the most meaning in life and become our lasting legacy of our very human, earthly experience.  Each of us has a 'story' of triumph, heartbreaks, and defeats, but our human resiliency through love is our great unifier.  What is your story, your gift to the world, your legacy?  For you are not only an earthly being with a story, but a divine soul, whose song is an integral part of the Universe.  May you also find your greatest joys, your own 'Oran Mor' or 'Great Song' to sing within our world, our Universe, and beyond....