Hi there!
I've performed many jobs and roles in my 42 years, including English teacher, writing tutor, bookstore clerk, credit solicitor, ordained minister, co-pastor, interior decorator, psychic, editor, columnist, reviewer, professional Tarot reader and Social Media Maven.
My journey into the mystical and spiritual began as far back as age four. 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 unseen realm, as well as a 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 seven 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 rural, traditional, conservative, patriarchal area.
After a year of widowhood, I met my best friend, Ron--an extremely introverted, gentle and artistic soul. We were unseparable, and soon realized we were destined to be together. Less than six weeks after our first meeting, I married my soulmate--and we've just celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary August 2012.
A few months after our wedding, I became pregnant; our "baby", Noah, turned 14 in September 2012! We had a difficult first few years, weathering an Autism PDD-NOS diagnosis and its troubling behavior, but, thankfully, after working with Noah with patience and love, he's not even on the spectrum anymore according to a recent psychological evaluation. He is now an articulate, creative,witty and fun-loving soul whose favorite phrase is "Isn't this the best day EVER?" (Don't you love happy endings?)
But back to the God thing: over the years, my understanding of the Divine evolved. After researching the Bible's original language and hermeneutics, I realized there was no literal hell. Of course, this realization didn't go over well with my friends and colleagues, so I was bascially excommunicated--shunned from my spiritual family and home (which I describe in my in my first book, Back in Time Tarot in the BIT Snapshot No Hell).
So what am I now? I don't like labels, so I don't really have a term for my spiritual path. (Christian Mystic/Tibetan Buddhist/Occultist/Nature Lover? My husband says I'm a "Translucent"). Whatever!
Most of my writings deal with practical spirituality, empowerment, self-understanding and consciousness. Although my upbringing is Christian, I incorporate other spiritual, psychological and esoteric systems into my path, believing that truth can be found all over the place--especially within.
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) and a Type 7w8 SP/SX/SO according to the Enneagram (possibly 8w7). In the ANSIR model, I'm a Philosopher Boss, but have strong Evokateur, Healer and Visionary tendencies in the Work realm, as well as strong Visionary Thinking and Philosopher Emoting. I am a Working profile--not Emoting.
In Numerology, my Life Path number is (not surprisingly!) 7, which makes my Tarot birth cards The Chariot/Tower. 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. In the StandOut Strengths Assessment, I'm an Influencer/Equalizer.
My interests include the band Rush, Mystery/mysteries, literary fiction, writing craft and, of course, reading. I enjoy good movies, especially thrillers. Poetry wise, I adore e.e.cummings. (insert genuflect).
I make my home in Pennsylvania with my husband Ron (a fellow Scorpio Sun/Aquarius Moon, but with Cancer Rising), and our 14 year old son (Libra Sun, Gemini Rising, Sagittarius Moon)--whom I homeschool (unschool).
Some Janet Trivia
- Concurrently working on my 3rd traditionally published book Naked Tarot (coming Fall 2012 from Dodona Books!) and 4th, 365 Tarot: Daily Meditations.
- Made it into Round 3 of Charlie Sheen's #tigerbloodintern search (among 250, narrowed down from tens of thousands)...just to see if I could do it!
- With Ron at the painting helm, we began work on the Snowland Deck in January 2011. It's now available for purchase here. YAY!
- Hasn't had/watched TV programming for 5 years, 6 months.
- Dubbed the "Queen of Tarot" by bestselling metaphysical author Monte Farber
- Turned 42 on November 6, 2012.
- Celebrated 15th wedding anniversary on August 7, 2012.
- Loves Christmas! And books! And coffee! And chocolate!
- Loves Rush! And hard rock and heavy metal! And Iron Maiden! And Bruce Dickinson!
- 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 250 Tarot books, 100 Tarot decks and over 120 books on the writing craft.
- Has never been west of Ohio or east of Philly.
- In the summer, keeps her bedroom air conditioner at 63 F (Ron 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 140s... As you can see, don't really care.)
- 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, 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.) RIP Neo who passed Christmas Eve 2012
- 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)
