FAQ: Is Heron Michelle your real name?
What does real even mean, when you're a professional witch? It's the most real and authentic name for me. This name reflects the intentionally crafted, and self-realized witch I've worked hard to become. However, the US government still knows me as Michelle + surnames bestowed upon me by the patriarchy.
Answer: Heron Michelle was originally my secret magickal name, known only inside coven circles. Later, I was led by Spirit to merge my inner and public witching identities, as part of my sacred mission to open The Sojourner, and create a public space for witches and pagans. In 2015, when Patheos offered me a blog on their religious blogging platform, I chose Heron Michelle as an obvious nom de plume.
Nom de plume: derived from a French term (name of feather) used in the mid 19th Century; "an assumed name used by a writer instead of their real name; a pen name."
As it happens, my father derived my legal name from our partially French heritage and surname. (And the famous 70's song by the Beatles...Michelle my belle....)
So much about that etymology amuses me. Heron is my self-chosen witch-name. I named myself Heron for the guiding Spirit of the Great Blue Heron, who has long flown by my side. As it happens, Great Blue Heron is a water bird with magnificent blue-grey plummage, and the pens of the mid 19th Century, were literally quills made of bird feathers. That guiding spirit always insisted that I write about the mysteries they were imparting to me - without concern for how those sometimes unpopular truths would be received. In the guided meditative journeys where I sought out my name and sacred witching mission, Heron appeared to pluck one of their own glorious plumes and offer it to me. Then followed a quaint vision of me using that feather quill to enscribe the grimoire text and spiritual maps we were navigating anew together.
At later initiations as a Priestess, I re-adopted Michelle, gifted to me by my loving parents, as my chosen surname.
Incidentally, back in 2010-2011, my business partner and I developed and taught a kid's academic summer camp based on the Harry Potter novels. We called it "The Bear and Heron School of Magic," where everyone was sorted into houses, and given a magic-camp name. My professor name was Heron Azureplume.
There are so many young adults still in the area who still refer to me by this name. When they see me in public, we excitedly reconnect with each other by our old camp names. "Professor Azureplume! Remember me? I was "Nimbus Hoddyknock" in your summer camp back in the 5th grade!"
I love those encounters so, so much. Yes, my inner giggle is that I once called myself Heron "Blue Feather." If that name didn't sound so much like a HP fanfic character, implying continued support for JK Rowling, I might still use it. Sadly, those fun times have forever been tainted by a hatefulness I cannot abide, alas...
Today I am called Heron by friends who know me as a witch, and Michelle by my family, the government, and anyone who knew me before I made my inner-witchyness public. You'll find me on my author website at HeronMichelle.com where I teach an on-line course based on my book. Elemental Witchcraft. I write as Heron Michelle for my Patheos blog, WitchonFire.net, and my Substack newsletter. This is also the name I use on all my social media pages.
Shakespeare's Juliet famously asked: "What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other word would smell as
sweet," Yes, a name is merely a label. It can't fully define the essence of the person it evokes. Humans are myriad, a kaleidoscope of strength and weakness, vision and blindness, scar and callous, shell and squish. Each phase of my 51 years of life so far came with a different name. The tumblers continue to twist, revealing new patterns of my essence. For this phase of my earthly sojourn, I choose to write Heron Michelle on "Hello my name is..." badges. By whatever name I'm called upon, as long as it is used respectfully and in good faith, I'll answer.
