Hello! I am Deanne also known as Bendis, Fierce Huntress of the Two Spears, Priestess of the Goddess.

Life has been beautiful for me - gifting me with love and joy in abundance. As mother of three, grandmother of five, ah, life is sweet!

I awakened to the Goddess late in life - a life filled with searching the spiritual, studying Buddhism, learning of the world's major religions, finally finding Goddess in my forties. Diving headlong into the greatest treasure I have ever known, I studied and trained. Spending several years in Taoist Spiritual Alchemy, and then into the study of the Sacred Trees becoming High Priestess in 1991.

My work has led me many places, from owning and operating a pagan bookstore, finally throwing in the towel to find ways to serve Goddess that did not involve trying to make a living with it.

The Ivy Girls formed in 1996 through a spontaneous combustion of pleasure. We women learned the meaning of ecstatic in our spiritual lives. From this work, The Apple Branch ~ A Dianic Tradition was born, twelve high priestesses have hived, all practicing, honoring the Trees, Women’s Mysteries, and training priestesses themselves.

I have been heavily involved on the Net, weaving a web through continents, networking and pointing seekers far and wide, serving as moderator for many lists, the Z Budapest group for four years, attending and occasionally priestessing at the Circle of Aradia in Southern California, Online groups, HerStudy, BlueRoebuck_StudyGroup, Feminist_Dianic_Witchcraft, and finally, this, the Priestess Training Program called From-the-Branch. This Internet is truly an amazing connector of women worldwide!

Other work on-line has been as founder of Global Goddess, birthed in the Summer of 2002. I originally shared this birthing process with my friend, Regina, and have continued with other volunteers connecting and building bridges for women worldwide. We organized as a non-governmental organization (NGO).

I am currently teaching as an adjunct professor (non-paid) in the Department of Neo--Pagan Studies.  I am also writing my dissertation which when complete means a doctorate of ministry!

Life is good, my friends. Immersing myself in Goddess, serving Her and Her women, is how I live - fully embracing all that life offers! Such a fine gift it has been for me!