TOUGH CHICKS-LOL - RUSTY DENNIS & ME

                   “I have been inspired by June’s ability to awaken the 

awareness of many people and to train them to use their metaphysical gifts 

productively. Her readings and classes allowed me to recognize my own gifts 

and taught me how to utilize them effectively. Now I successfully do reading and 

healing for others. June is a loving and knowledgeable person.  

We could all benefit through the information she shares with us. 

                                         - Rusty Dennis -                                       

NOTE: All photos of Rusty with me are subject to permission from June Ahern to copy in any form.

When I was scheduled to read at San Francisco The Whole Life Expo 1991, I encouraged 

Rusty to do tarot readings with me. There she sat in her “colors” reading the cards and loving it! 

Like many Gemini’s, she was a bit of a ham. 

 On the morning of October 14, 2006, Rusty was driving her three-wheel motorcycle - one which 

had been in the process of being built for quite a few years -  when she lost control and was thrown 

from the motorcycle after it struck a curb and hit a telephone pole. Rusty suffered serious injuries - 

both legs broken and a punctured lung. My friend died of an infection on November 11. She was 

70years of age.

Rusty Dennis will always remain a powerful influence on my life’s work.

You might remember her from the movie Mask, which was based on life as a mother of her son, Rocky. Cher played Rusty in the movie and did quite a good job, but wasn’t quite tough enough, I learned after meeting Rusty.

Today would have been my friend, Rusty Dennis’ 75th birthday. I first met Rusty in 1984 while she was living in San Francisco. A mutual friend invited me to Rusty’s flat to be part of a study group of Louise Hay’s book, “You Can Heal Your Life” – and indeed Ms. Hay’s book was an inspiration connection to a most vivacious unique 

woman who would become a good friend.

Rusty had a complex personality with many roles to play. One she talked about with love 

and pride was being a mother of two children. Sadly both were to die before her.  

I never met Rocky in person although I did meet her eldest son, Joshua, before he died. 

When Joshua’s illness progressed and he was hospitalized, Rusty asked if I’d spend time with 

him at San Francisco's General Hospital to help him transition be easier, which I did. She bravely 

accepted his death with her usual, I must go on, attitude.  

When people would offer Rusty  condolences for the loss of her sons, she’d reply, 

they’re not lost. I know exactly where they are. They’re dead. 

She knew her boys’ spirits stayed around her. One time she showed me a small studio portrait 

of her and Joshua. Behind them appeared a whitish "ghostly" image of Rocky who had been 

dead for some time. Was it the photographer's addition? Rusty denied that. Was it truly the spirit 

of Rocky? Strange and unusual story, but that’s what I saw. 

In addition to being a bodacious chick, Rusty was very funny–quick to laugh out loud!  She was 

an original LOL gal. She would puff up and challenge people and when doing so with me–testing 

my toughness–I met her it squarely on.  She laughed heartily declaring, "You’re okay!"

And darn if she didn’t test my toughness more than once. With her, you had to be on your toes, 

and shake off her puffing with a  laugh. I could dig it and we got along just fine.

Besides a desire to heal our spirits, she and I quickly learned we had more in common  

–– we liked motorcycles (1975 bought my own motorcycle, a Honda 550 Super Sport

– big enough for me). Both of us were Geminis, and had a great thirst for adventure. And then the glue of the friendship–both had a keen interest in the psyche and parapsychology.

After Joshua’s death Rusty’s interest in spiritual and psychic realm deepened. When she learned I was a psychic reader and ESP and tarot card teacher, she was eager to learn about her own abilities. It wasn’t long before she became one of my star students.

When she moved back to Los Angeles I visited her a few times, driving down with my young son. We'd had fun with psychic experiences. Once she was offered to teach a psychic workshop at a fair. I encouraged her to go for it and to my surprise she was shy and uncertain–bold and shy Rusty.

Once on stage, she rocked.  

Another time we stopped by her father’s house and she asked me to show him and her sister 

an ESP game. I opened two coat hangers, held separately in two but straight forward side by side

pointed at first her sister to measure her energy.  I don’t think she or her rather were all that impressed 

with me, but Rusty and I had fun playing with the experiment and her family. 

We tripped around LA in her old beat-up VW bug going to metaphysical bookstores and meet 

other psychic readers. We were wild psychic girls!

I think if I had been out of broom closet with my witchcraft back then she would have declared 

she too was a witch just to enjoy spicing up conversation that challenged the image of “society’s norm.”

That was Rusty.

In time, distance and my growing family and business eventually caused us to lose touch. 

I know I inspired Rusty to trust her ESP and psychic abilities but in return, she also inspired me 

to “show” myself more to the world because she had faith in me. Thank you, girlfriend.

Rusty’s review of my book, The Timeless Counselor: The Best Guide to a Successful Psychic Reading. 

I know she'd have loved my latest book, "How to Talk With Spirits: Seances, Mediums, Ghost Hunts". 

Although retired from private practice, still teaching. Review more about my books and myself  www.juneahern.com

All photos of Rusty and me are subject to permission of me to copy in any form.

The Priests Paved my Witch Path

On numerous occasions I’ve been condemned for being a pagan and witch by those professing to be God loving religious folks.

After years of avoiding inquiries about my spiritual path I became forthcoming to disapproving faces of those chastising my spiritual practice.

I’ve been asked how could a nice Catholic woman forsake God for a heathen practice? What demon seduced you to prance around under the moon naked to the world? What evil spirit took control of your soul calling you to cast spells?

“Honestly,” say I, “it was a progression rather than a possession.”

It wasn't the spirituality of Catholicism that started my soul’s exodus and detachment from it, but rather the "old boy" attitude.

I began to view my religion as stuck in outdated dogmas. I questioned such things as, why women
weren’t involved with electing a new pope?

For centuries Catholic women have accepted backseat roles to male members, proving to me that they, my sisters, bought into men as superior to lead. As I looked around the church at a majority of women, girls and boys with a sprinkling of, mostly, senior men, I wondered why I supported a religion that didn’t allow for powerful decision-making roles for females.

But it was these incidents at Mass that finalized my decision to leave the Church. During a sermon a priest addressed the role of women as mothers and daughters. He said they were to serve their husbands and fathers’ needs (cook, clean) and not question his decisions for he was the head of the family as the priest is the father of his flock. Later at another sermon on Mother’s Day the congregation was told to condemn abortionist. Done deal for me, said I, a pro-choicer. At the age of 44 I left my family’s religion forever.

It was a most difficult and sad choice because religion was a large connection to, and part of, my family. But my spirit sought, amongst other needs, a spiritual group that contained equality of sexes in power roles.

Some former Catholics hold a grudge against the religion. I do not. There is no reason to be stuck in what didn’t fulfill me. I am thankful for my religious upbringing and continue to appreciate some reasonable philosophical and spiritual concepts from it. Through the faith I learned to have a deep caring for, and practice in, spirituality and ritual.

Attending parochial school my memories are mainly cherished ones of my teachers, the nuns. Most were good women and very interesting teachers who taught me to enjoy literature, geography, history and theology.

I’ve created a satisfying spiritual practice through mixing and matching philosophical and spiritual teachings from Buddhism, Rosy Croix, Native American spirituality, paganism, Wicca and witchcraft. I am open to learning about religions that support women in strong decision-making roles in regards to making laws and dogmas for I am a devoted student of living with spirit, spirituality and  theology.

My books - An excellent consumer's guide: “The Timeless Counselor: The Best Guide to a Successful Psychic Reading” and novel:  "The Skye in June” & "City of Redemption.
juneahern dot com