A long time ago in a galax– er.. Oops wrong story.
Many years ago I popped into this world as Raffaele P. Baldassarro. As a toddler barely able to speak I was intrigued by the world outside although to others I always appeared to be focused inward. I wasn’t focused or lost in myself. I was observing everyone and everything. But through a very interesting childhood filled with pain, mistakes, and even rare days of pure joy I emerged into the adult world without a clear sense of identity or direction. All my life I attempted to shift and change who I was and how I interacted with the world; Sometimes to hide, other times to fit in.
My sense of self was never tied to my name or my own heritage. I was always studying other lands like England or Russia, and the outer realms of space.
One day while a freshman in college I happened to start reading about magick. No, not Penn & Teller. REAL magick. The Old Religion. Witchcraft.
As I delved farther in I realized this was a religion closer to how I perceived the world. How I had ALWAYS perceived it. As this new religion- no, wrong word. As this new belief system started to take root I could feel the warmth inside as my true self emerged from the seed planted within my mind. For several years I continued on a new Spiritual and professional path. I set out to merge Mind, Body, and Spirit. I began a career in psychology and spent many wonderful years helping others deal with life’s trials.
Then one day I was set upon the next leg of my journey as I received a new identity, a new sense of self. My Spirit guides saw fit to give me a new name- Wolf LittleBear. It fit. Wolf’s Medicine is that of knowledge. He is the pathfinder. The teacher; Bear’s power is introspection. The ability to seek answers within.
Many more years passed by and this name became more than just a Spiritual name. It became my very essence; my identity in relation to the world around me. From that point on every new person I met was introduced not to Raffaele, but to Wolf LittleBear. This was now my public as well as private identity.
Life’s journey often forces us to change direction and to take a path new and mysterious. Thus in 2007 my career in psychology came to a crashing end and the bad choices I made in my past came back all at once to slap me in the face.
I was once again grappling with a loss of self-worth and identity. I had always dreamed of being a writer, jotting down bits here and there, with even more ideas in my head through the years. So I kicked myself into gear and started publishing. It made sense at the time to continue to use my public persona of Wolf LittleBear as my pen name for these new works I was about to bestow upon the world. And so through the rest of ’07 and throughout 2008 I went about the business of building a career and a public image as a writer, releasing several items in the process and making friends along the way both in and outside the entertainment industry.
Recent conversations with a close friend have given rise to the next chapter in this life. The issues of the past are dealt with- personally, psychologically, and otherwise. So with that mindset 2009 is going to be a year of reinvention. A year to break out in an even bigger way and announce to the world I am here to stay and history will remember me! The observation was made that while the name Wolf was such a strong and powerful name which suited who I was and what my talents were, the name LittleBear served to hinder the seriousness of the career I was trying to build. A new marketing strategy was called for and the first order of business was to reinvent my public image. A stronger, more mature name was called for. After some thinking I decided that the best way was to acknowledge who I was, who I am, and who I want to be remembered as. So in a blending of past, present, and future I merged both my given birth name and my Spiritual name into R. Wolf Baldassarro.
The next logical step was to completely edit my library to reflect the name change. Then I updated my company logo and went about the arduous task of updating my online presence. In the very near future I will debut my brand new website, www.deepforestproductions.com and the creation of my own paranormal research group. The time has come to take the reigns into my own hands and control my own destiny. I love those in my life but I can not sacrifice my professional success to hold on to the past. I must move forward and either you walk beside me or I must continue on this path alone.
The Bear’s Medicine is that of introspection and reflection. The time for soul searching is over and the Bear is once again asleep within the deep recesses of my soul and psyche. Sleep well brother Bear for you have taught me well and served your purpose.
Wolf has always been there and always will. He is the teacher of wisdom and the pathfinder, pointing the way to enlightenment and growth. He has taught me to be loyal and caring but like the living Wolf in the wild, many only perceive his aggressive nature. Wolves mate for life, and so you can expect me to stay strong and protective by the side of those dear to me in this uncertain and difficult period in history. My senses are sharp now and my intellect cunning and sure. I will find all that I seek on this path. I am alert and possess a strong inner wisdom. So hello world, for I am here to stay. History will remember the name R. Wolf Baldassarro!