I’ve seen a few new faces come through the door, so I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself.
Depending on where you know me from, you may know me as Sierra. Some others know me as Rose. If you’re here from the Sirian star system or are reincarnated from the Norse in some way, then you know me as Rosaleihna. You can really call me whatever you like. Queen Bitch works too. Just make sure you capitalize the ‘B.’ (I can tell the anecdote behind this later.)
Like many of us, I was raised in a traditional Abrahamic religion which I subsequently became disillusioned with and left completely at the age of 13. In the following crisis of faith, I tried to tell myself that maybe there was nothing. No, no, that didn’t sit right with me. So, for the next few years I tried to look for a path to take. I devoured book after book, seeing what would strike a chord within my spirit. Finally, when I opened Scott Cunningham’s Wicca for the Solitary Practitioner at age 14, something clicked. This is not the same path I walk now – but it opened the gates to the fork I would eventually take.
I loved everything about Paganism. I loved how you had the freedom to express your faith in a way that made sense to you – not a priest telling you the right way to practice and threatening you with a fiery eternity amongst the brimstone if you didn’t fall in line. Plus, every time I had encountered that particular god, all I felt was fear and shame. That relationship was not for me – and it wasn’t because there was anything wrong with me. It wasn’t where I belonged.
Eventually, I’m happy to report, I did find where I belong. I am a part of the Norse family. Technically, they found me first, but I later found supportive evidence as to why. I am over 67% Scandinavian by blood. If I had paid attention to my grandmother’s painstaking research into our family, I probably would have found my way to them sooner. But I digress. I don’t think the Norse belief system is the end all, be all. Why?
There isn’t just one. There are many.
In 2018, I earned my bachelor’s degree in Biological Science from Purdue University where I found a passionate interest in quantum physics and theory. Paired with my quickly deepening experiential research and study in the realm of metaphysics, I have come to the following conclusion:
The Universe is infinite, which means that every reality exists. The notion of time becomes completely warped, so multiple realities exist on top of and underneath and to either side of us, simultaneously. Because of this, I think that every avenue of faith is real in the sense that it does exist on a certain plane of existence. Every creation story has happened – just on different planes of reality, at different times. This is why I never bash anyone for what they believe – it exists. And I don’t feel threatened by that. Why should one reality be the dominant above all others?
This is really difficult for humans to swallow, I think. As a collective, we have this wound of uncertainty, and one of the only ways we can make ourselves feel certain is if we think we’re ‘right’ or if a substantial amount of people agree with us. Some of us go so far as to actively try to convert people to our cause, just so we can feel better about our choice to believe in what we do. But of course, we mask that by saying it’s ‘god’s will.’ Don’t bring the gods into this – they’re not the ones looking for approval. Trust me.
So, with all of that said, with everything and anything being out there, my favorite part about working with people is helping them find their path, or at the very least their practice. Nearly every single practice I teach in my classes and workshops can be used on any path, regardless of where it leads.
When you start on a path like this, it involves a lot of self-reflection and inner work. Not many of us know who we really, truly are. We only know ourselves through the reflections that others mirror back to us – their opinions, thoughts, and judgments about us. Some of us go 20, 30, 40, 50 years believing that those are absolute truths because we’ve never turned our eyes inward to really see what’s actually going on inside us. Sometimes it’s cool and fun to learn about yourself. Sometimes it’s really uncomfortable and there are boxes you would rather leave untouched and unopened. Problem is, just because they’re in a box doesn’t mean they’re inactive. No, quite the opposite – those old mental and emotional programs are still running unchecked in the background, and the boxes full of your unresolved trauma eventually corrode and leak out into your body, manifesting as physical, mental, and emotional diseases and illness.
Where do you start in this process – getting to know yourself, way past the surface level?
Well, first, I highly, highly recommend therapy, especially psychodynamic therapy. Psychodynamic therapy differs from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in the sense that it’s a long-term approach, not just a quick fix. In psychodynamic therapy, you’ll work with a therapist to explore the connection between your unconscious mind and your actions. This involves examining your emotions, relationships, and thought patterns. Currently I’m working through my doctorate program with the University of Sedona to receive my degree in metaphysical counseling, which will be heavily modeled after psychodynamic therapy – just with a metaphysical bent, of course. I’m hoping to finish my coursework by 2023.
And I love supporting others by doing energy work, too. Sometimes it’s really hard to get started on your own, so I love to be around as a helping hand to get you up onto your path. A lot of us know that we need to take care of our physical, mental, and emotional health…what about your energetic health? Our entire bodies are made of energy – from molecules to compounds to atoms to quanta – so it’s just as important as caring for all the rest. You can view all of my offerings here.
So, I’m really glad to have met you and that you found your way to this page! If you’d like to talk with me in more detail, please feel free to send me an e-mail at sierra@onevalpo.com.
Fun Facts About Me
What’s your favorite genre of music? Definitely metal and alternative. Did you know that metal music pulls heavily from the rhythms and instruments of ancient Scandinavia and Britain? (Which is why I suppose I’m not surprised that I love it so much.)
What was the first album you ever bought? I asked my dad for a copy of Linkin Park’s Hybrid Theory when I was 7. True story.
Do you have pets? I have a small zoo on my homestead. Currently I mother 8 chickens, 7 rats, 3 ducks, 2 ferrets, 2 leopard geckos, 1 bearded dragon, 1 Siberian forest cat, and an invertebrate collection. How do I handle it? It’s all in the routine, baby.
How many siblings do you have? In the human scope, I have a younger sister by blood and another sister and brother through marriage. Soul siblings? How many Norse deities are there again?
Can you play any musical instruments? I started playing viola when I was 9 and continue to do so. I also play the shamanic drum, crystal bowls, and other percussion instruments for vibration therapy.
Do you speak any other languages? My most proficient language is English, but I studied both Japanese and French for five years, which I’m confident reading, writing, and speaking simple sentences. I am currently studying Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish (since they all descend from Old Norse) and am confident reading and writing these three. (If I haven’t outed myself as a Gemini yet, here’s the shining example.)
What was your favorite subject in school? Art and literature. I was horrendous at math. Numbers are simply a language that my brain does not comprehend.
Have you met any celebrities? She may only be a celebrity to me, but I’ve met Amy Lee of Evanescence a handful of times. I really love chatting with her, and after our first meeting she’s remembered me each time since.
Describe your ideal day. This may be boring, but this would be my perfect day. Waking up around 8:00 AM. Starting my coffee, going out to give my hens their breakfast (including mealworms because they’re spoiled) and watch them out in their yard for a while. Collect some eggs for breakfast. Check my mailbox. Water our flowers. Peek at the vegetable garden. Make myself my favorite breakfast, which is grits with butter, over easy eggs, sauteed mushrooms, turmeric, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Go into my ‘magic’ room (my office) and do a short yoga practice and divination reading. Before the sun gets too high, I would pull on my garden gloves and go outside to weed the beds. Would probably let my girls out to free roam with me. Around lunchtime I would go to the farmer’s market and see if I could get inspired for dinner. Bring my groceries home, start cooking. While dinner cooks, I usually make my rounds to my indoor animals and clean/give them their meals/snuggle. When the sun goes down, I go and make sure all of my birds are in for the night, safe and sound in their coop, settling down into their nests and on their roosts for the night. Come back in, set the table, eat dinner with my husband. Afterward we’d cuddle up on the couch, maybe indulge in some plant medicine, watch some TV. I love sitting in a long, hot shower not thinking about anything at all. Listening to music through my headphones. Maybe drawing, painting, or sculpting. And then, when I felt tired, I would go crawl into a soft, cool bed with fresh sheets, and zoom off to dreamland as soon as I hit the pillow. That’s my perfect day. And it happens a lot – for that, I’m thankful.
Love the blog. I feel exactly as you do about ppl, their religions, their paths. We all fit together in one gigantic wonderful puzzle called life.