This is the first in a series of short blogs introducing our authors to the wordpress community. We will start with Sorita d’Este, the author / co-author of 17 books, and editor of 5 anthologies currently in print. Sorita has also contributed to many anthologies, journals and magazines. She founded a community website Avalonia in the 1990′s which became Avalonia publishing in 2005.
Sorita d’Este is an esoteric researcher, author and Priestess who manifests her knowledge and passion for the Mysteries through her work. She is best known for her research and work related to the Goddess Hekate, as well as for her ability to push at the boundaries of esoteric research and practice through her workshops, lectures and writing.
Born a double-Sagittarius, with Aquarius rising, overlooked by the majestic Table Mountain in Cape Town (South Africa), Sorita was raised with a mixed Italian, English and South African cultural heritage. Her early interest and love affair with the Romantic Poets conjured up a world of forgotten Gods and Heroes, and out-of-body experiences during her childhood lead to pathways of psychic, dream and astral explorations in the years that followed. During her teens she explored a variety of religious and spiritual traditions and developed an interest in the Marian tradition within the Catholic Church, and through that in the resurgence of the Divine Feminine.
In her late teens this cumulated in a chance meeting which lead to her initiation into the Alexandrian Tradition of the Craft in 1992. In late 1999 she met the occultist and qabalist David Rankine in the Atlantis Bookshop in London, and a year later they formed a very productive and creative partnership.
Together Sorita and David founded the StarStone Networkin London (2000), an Alexandrian lineaged community consisting of several covens and other magical groups, exploring the Craft, Qabalah, Healing and the art of Divination. Initiates are encouraged to strive towards spiritual perfection through the active and practical exploration of the western esoteric traditions and the ancient mystery traditions which engendered them. They additionally facilitated groups such as the Qabalah Study Group, Lapis Companions, The Lyceum of Stella Maris and a number of public and private workshops, ceremonies and courses together between 2000-2007 before taking time out from public life to live the wild life in the beautiful Brecon Beacons in Wales for a few years focussing on personal mystical work, researching historical traditions and raising their young son for a few years.
To date Sorita and David have co-authored more than a 17 books together, includingHekate Liminal Rites, Practical Qabalah Magick, The Guises of the Morrigan, The Cosmic Shekinah and Visions of the Cailleach. Sorita is also the author of books such asArtemis:Virgin Goddess of the Sun & Moon and the editor of five occult anthologies including Both Sides of Heaven, Hekate: Her Sacred Fires and Priestesses Pythonesses & Sibyls.
She considers it a privilege to have had several teachers and guides on her own journey through the Mysteries, and in turn to have been a teacher, guide and priestess to some of the most inquisitive and passionate students. Each has helped shaped her views, interests, experience and knowledge along the way, whether intentionally or through providence. Amongst other things she is a third degree High Priestess in the Alexandrian Tradition and the current Master of the Temple in the O.I.F. (The Order of the Ineffable Flame) . She is proud to have completed a ten year apprenticeship with an English Cunning Dame in 2009 and to have survived.
In 2010 she initiated a worldwide ceremony honouring the Goddess Hekate which took place on the Full Moon of 27th of May. The Rite of Her Sacred Fires was performed by more than 3000 people from all over the world, many performing it by themselves, whilst others gathered in groups and covens. The rite marked the completion of the landmark anthology Hekate Her Sacred Fires in which 50 people share their experiences, visions and research in the form of essays, prose and art. The book provides a unique study of how an ancient Goddess is seen in the 21st century, a valuable resource not only for those interested in Hekate, but also for anyone who is interested in the feminine divine today. Sorita is also a Keybearer of The Covenant of Hekate, an international society she founded to promote the exploration of the mysteries of this enigmatic Goddess through scholarly research and ritual work (see www.hekatecovenant.com). The ritual became an annual event in May 2011 with thousands again joining around the world to honour Hekate through this ritual. Find out more at www.sacredfires.co.uk
With more than 19 published books to date, Sorita is a prolific writer and researcher who has also written hundreds of articles published in academic, community and commercial publications. This includes more than a hundred articles which appeared in the international Enhancing Your Mind Body and Spirit produced by DeAgostini for which she produced a course in palmistry, as well as writing on aromatherapy, world healing traditions, wild crafting and herbalism. Additionally several articles by her have been published in the popular Herbal Almanac and Magical Almanac produced by Llewellyn, and magazines such as Witchcraft & Wicca (produced by the Children of Artemis). Pagan Dawn and The Cauldron have featured her work on many occasions.
She sometimes describes herself as a Gnostic Theurgist, a reference to her personal beliefs and practices. The term “Gnostic” comes from the Greek γνῶσις meaning “knowledge” and “theurgist” being one who practices theurgy, which comes from the Greek θεουργία which refers to the practice of rituals which are performed with the aim of achieving henosis (union) with the Divine. Her passion for the Seven Wandering Stars, or the “Deathless Gods” (being the 7 classical planets, ie. Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter) has been central to her spiritual path for many years and lead her to develop a series of practical workings, some of which were published in the book Practical Planetary Magick.
But seriously, you can just refer to her as a ‘stubborn wild woman who likes shiny things’and that would be just fine …
Sorita’s work has featured in the media frequently over the years, and appeared on many television and radio programs. Her work and interviews with her have featured in numerous publications including TIME OUT, The Guardian, The Sunday Times, and Alternative London. She has also been interviewed on WitchTalk, Gnostic Byte Aeon Radio, BBC Radio London and BBC local radio networks, and also on television programs for ITV, BBC, Channel 5, The Discovery Channel and Sky.
Having done time in London (England), and several years on the edge of the wild beauty of the Brecon Beacons (Wales); she has recently moved back to England and is now resident in Glastonbury. This small Somerset town is known internationally for its associations with myth, legend and religion – not only because of its vibrant high street filled with new age, occult, pagan and other esoteric shops and centres, but also because of its claim to being the first Christian place in the British Isles, ancient Marian Shrine, its links to King Arthur, Morgan Le Fay and ‘Avalon’, having been the home and last resting place of the early 20th century writer Dion Fortune and for its beautiful Chalice Well, the Tor and of course the renowned Glastonbury Music Festival!
From 2012 she will again be doing some public community work, as well as facilitating workshops, giving lectures and offering some homestudy courses on a range of subjects related to her work.
See www.sorita.co.uk for more information, including numerous articles and book extracts.
