Among the most respected figures in Wicca and contemporary Earth-based spirituality, Starhawk was born Miriam Simos, to parents of Russian-Jewish descent. She studied film at UCLA and won early recognition as a novelist. A long-time political activist, she has devoted herself to encouraging nonviolence, environmental awareness, world peace, and anti-globalization, and is considered one of the foremost voices of ecofeminism.

A practicing witch, Starhawk is best known as the author of the classic text on Goddess-centered religion, The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess, a collection of history, philosophy, spells, and rituals that was first published in 1979. Her teachings include the principle of immanence, which means that “the Goddess, the Gods, are embodied, that we are each a manifestation of the living being of the earth, that nature, culture, and life in all their diversity are sacred.” In this and many other books, she also emphasizes the connection between human beings and the Earth, stating, “What affects one of us affects all.”

Starhawk helped found the Reclaiming tradition of witchcraft, whose goal is to “unify spirit and politics.” To this end, she lectures internationally, gives classes and workshops, and conducts public rituals in Earth-based spirituality. She lives in California, where she continues to write, teach, and promote understanding of contemporary witchcraft, magic, and pagan spiritual paths.