Sorita d’Este at The Temple of Artemis of Ephesus, 2015
Sorita d’Este is a priestess and author whose work is focussed on bringing the history of the Gods and Goddesses of our ancestors alive through devotion in the 21st century. She is the author of Circle for Hekate, Artemis as well as around 20 other titles on mythology, pagan religions and magical techniques. With David Rankine she co-authored books such as Hekate: Liminal Rites; Practical Elemental Magick, The Guises of the Morrigan, Visions of the Cailleach, The Isles of the Many Gods and Wicca: Magickal Beginnings. She has also compiled 5 anthologies on subjects linked to modern Paganism, Witchcraft and the Goddess. Sorita has also contributed extensively to journals, anthologies and almanacs, as well as the deAgostini part-work Enhancing your Mind, Body, Spirit writing on such topics as magic, goddesses, herbalism, aromatherapy and palmistry. Her personal beliefs and practices are informed not only by her love (and study) of history and philosophy but also through experienced gnosis and mysticism. Aspects of Ancient Greek and Aegean religious and magical practices, as well as Ancient Egyptian, Hermetic and Celtic threads, can be found in her work that combines her experience gained in Initiatory Craft, as well as traditions preserved in other European traditions, Orphism and the Grimoires. While her work is firmly rooted in history, it is lived in the authenticity of the 21st century and the palpability of Nature.Personal LifeSorita d’Este was born in Cape Town, South Africa where she was introduced not only to the cultural diversity of Southern Africa, but also to aspects of European culture through her European family. She moved to London (UK) in 1995 where she had many magical, creative, musical and religious adventures. She served as a High Priestess to an initiatory Craft Coven, facilitated online communities (including “Wiccans & Witches in London”), open rituals and study groups (including Sabbat rituals for the Pagan Federation, Children of Artemis, Lapis Companions, V.I.T.R.I.O.L. Grove and others) and also founded Avalonia Books (publishing). In late 2006 Sorita moved to the Brecon Beacons area in Wales, where her son was born a year later before moving to Glastonbury (Somerset, England). Her son has a diagnosis of Autism (ASD) with severe language delay and disorder. She has since then invested a lot of time in learning more about sensory disorders and developing methods of encouraging him towards his first steps in using speech, having been told it was unlikely that he would be more than one professional. It took a while, but words did come when he was nearly 8 years old and at the start of a carefully curated year of travel adventures.She always spends a lot of time exploring the local areas where she lives, and has also travelled around the world visiting temples and sacred sites, including famous sites such as the Temple of Artemis of Ephesus and the Temple of Hekate in Lagina (Turkey), the Temple of Apollo at Delphi (Greece) and the Temple of Maa Kali at Kalighat (India). Sorita currently lives on a hill in Glastonbury (Somerset, England) with her Buddhist partner Lokabandhu, her teenage son and a lot of books. They share their home with a ridiculously fluffy white rescue cat from Egypt called Khonsu (who believes he rules the world) and their garden with a vagabond mini black panther named Zen, as well as many wild birds, including owls, crows, magpies, woodpeckers, hedgehogs, robins and a clan of badgers. —————-
— if you are interested in Sorita’s work with the Covenant of Hekate visit www.hekatecovenant.com
— if you are interested in courses, or study groups with Sorita, visit www.theurgia.co.uk (and click on “study circles”) or explore events and study groups on this site.