River is not the name I was given at birth. It’s more of a concept that has aligned my soul with joy for as long as I can remember. Also, a river is an individual expression of the totality of the earth’s water, much like I am an individual expression of universal consciousness.

Sigh. That is really complicated. Let’s back up.

I’m on a journey of self-actualization and growth. I’ve been many versions of myself and I’ve identified as a stoner, a businesswoman, a nonfunctional series of mental illness diagnoses, a fighter, a survivor, a sex and kink educator, a restaurant manager, a life coach, a sex worker, an autism mom, a writer, and an activist. While defining myself, I’ve tried on different sexual preferences and my gender is somewhat fluid. My spirituality has been defined by Christianity, atheism, Taoism, Buddhism, Paganism, Wicca, metaphysics, and quantum mechanics.

Yeah, that’s no simpler.

Perhaps the simplest explanation is that I’ve had a very twisty journey. From it, I have learned that reality is created through belief, vibrational alignment, and will. My understanding is that there is one Spirit. Every single thing that exists on this plane of existence or any other is a manifestation of that Spirit. I am you and you are me. Anything is possible.

I choose the name River for this incarnation of me because words are incredibly powerful. Words do much to define our reality. I wanted my name to remind me that we are all the same star-stuff. The world we inhabit is limited only by belief.