We each have an interesting life story to tell, whether or not we think we do.

I haven’t always appreciated my unique and interesting life, but I do have quite a story to tell… even though I’ll tell you I’m nothing special.

I was training for the Olympics in gymnastics at 10 years old and when that dream was dashed, I started in baton, becoming a multi time winner. Then I went on to teach dance (I was semi-pro for over 20 years) and gymnastics, and then life took over for a while.

In my thirties, I decided to take up Kung Fu and became a multiple time winner. I donated my trophies to my school. Then, at age 35 (many years ago now) I became a Borders #1 best selling author with my first novel. For many years I attended conventions, book signings and enjoyed an underground celebrity status.

Then I retired and devoted my life to humanitarian efforts, homeless advocacy, animal rights and environmentalism. In that time, I also became a Minister (I prefer Ministress) and got a Master’s Degree in religion.

Looking back now, all this drive and adventure makes sense.

I hail from strong and innovative women and insane and brutal Viking warriors. I’m a descendant of Ivar The Boneless on my father’s side of the family. On my mother’s side, I am yet another in a long line of Country Witches – Wise Women – all the way back to Beli Mawr.

I’ve always had certain gifts that no one (not even myself) can explain, as did my mother, her mother, and on back.

One of those gifts is creativity. I’ve always been a storyteller, crafting my own worlds, living in the world of Greek Mythology, pretending I’m a tree Nymph and immersing myself in worlds that only I understood… and was completely convinced existed.

In my mind, somewhere in one of those lobes, that world is still there and reminds me of that little girl I once was.

I enjoy crafting worlds, telling tales, and with the advent of some digital aid not available when I was coming up, I’ve also become an artist and musician.

My art and my music takes me back to those worlds of my youth.

Before there were Witchcraft books, websites selling Witch wares and all other manner of Witchy things, I was already in that world, using gifts and powers I never understood.

I didn’t have many friends, except for those few like myself. I tended to frighten off and freak out most others, losing people when I’d tell them (with only good intentions in my naivete because I never realized how scary what I could do was to others) things I thought they needed to know.

One friend wouldn’t speak to me for almost a year when – after agonizing for three days over a dream I had about a member of her family and told her about it – I had, in complete detail, relayed the death of her sister-in-law.

Gifts and creativity can be both a blessing and a curse. I’ve experienced both, even once losing a job because my ability isn’t something I’ve ever hidden and it has gotten me in trouble.

I’ve never honed my skills. I don’t “try” to use them. I would never even think of charging for anything I do. Many of us older Witches (I’m a proud Crone) know that it’s an unspoken law that you don’t charge money for your gifts, or you’ll lose them. They were freely gifted to you, and you freely gift them to others. So, I freely give away ALL my gifts, to the benefit of others.

I do dream interpretation (the real stuff, not that claptrap you find in books – though the books are good for a laugh). And I do incense and candle burning for those in need.

I can, with frightening results, curse but don’t do that any longer. It blackens the soul and for me personally, cursing turns me into something that I fight hard enough to keep at bay.

I prefer the Darkness to Light, but nothing good comes from evil, so every day I do what I can to help others, rarely thinking of myself and ‘going without’ to help others.

That’s my life’s Yin and Yang. My father’s women were powerful, creative and wholly evil. My mother’s people were healers, helpers and kind. While I’ve often strayed to the Dark Side, I always find my way back to the Light and will continue, through my outreach – Father Cedar’s Sisters – to do what I can to make the world a better and more beautiful place. I hope you enjoy my art and music.

Andrea does free work for others, including film soundtracks and promotional artwork and videos.
Visit her on Instagram @nigheanmusic.
Check Out her blog on Celtic Nations Magazine.