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TWPT:
Tell me about the premise of your book Dark Moon Mysteries?
TR: Dark Moon Mysteries is all
about working with the darker aspects of magical energy. We are all
made up of both dark and light energy-as expressed in the familiar
Asian Yin-Yang symbol. In Western cultures in particular, we tend to
look away, discount and even separate ourselves from anything that
may seem dark. But the dark is part of who we are, what the earth is
and what life is when you consider it as a whole. Darkness occurs on
the personal realm as "shadow." Shadows represent the
forbidden, dangerous or unthinkable aspects that we all carry within.
It can be our anger, our rage, sadness, grief, selfishness, cruelty,
aggression and so forth. Dark Moon Mysteries is a book of insights,
rituals, meditations and exercises to help magical folk recognize
their darker aspects and incorporate them into their lives in a way
that promotes healing and magical empowerment.
The reception of this book really surprised me. I
thought certainly Witches might not be interested in deeply exploring
their darker nature and widdershins energy. But I was wrong. The book
continues to draw the interest of both Crafters and non-magical folk
from around the world. I was completely stunned when it was selected
to be on the Time-Warner Book of the Month Club. I don't see Dark
Moon Mysteries as a mainstream study in magical practice at all, yet
mainstream readers have written to me, thanking me for what I've
done. It is amazing, really.
TWPT: Why
is it that we as a culture have problems dealing with the dark side
of our lives and personalities? And how does this effect our
abilities to draw upon this power within our rituals and our work?
TR: This is a very good question.
Most people don't ever wonder why they are they way they are.
Certainly, when it comes to exploring the forbidden, the hidden, the
unthinkable, the road stops short for most folks. Our culture does
not support an open exploration of our darker natures. We want to
have a culture of people who are commercially viable, socially
productive and ready to follow "the system." These are all
things we're ready to do when we repress-or hold down-our natural
expression of the self. The natural expression of self is one that
contains both light and dark aspects. A light aspect in its natural
state does not produce a person who is manic, super-polite, and
glowingly happy. Instead, this individual radiates a calm, peaceful,
low-grade joy. Likewise someone who allows his or her dark aspects to
come forward is not menacing, hateful and full of rage. Dark aspects
naturally expressed have a dignified strength and a grounding energy
about them. For example, anger is not explosive in its natural state.
It is more of a temporary flash of energy that one can feel in the
belly. The problem is that we don't work to feel our dark aspects on
a daily basis-we cover up our natural feelings and energy flow
(sometimes for years on end). That's when our darkness bunches up and
then becomes explosive when we are angry or depressing when we are sad.
This is also the way that we completely drain
ourselves of magical power. Life and nature require unfettered
expression. When a cloud must form and produce rain, then that's just
how it is. And there is power in the natural ability of the cloud to
be itself fully. In fact, a cloud may have more power than many of us
who live our lives according to social scripting, ignoring our true
natures and our true powers. It is really sad to live in this way,
but it isn't without a remedy. Once someone begins down the path of
releasing their shadows and finding a neutral stance, they will have
greater magical flexibility. This is when human beings come into
their full human potential and are able to achieve wonders.
TWPT:
Could you tell me what is behind the resurgence of
Wicca/Witchcraft/Paganism in an age that has grown increasingly high tech?
TR: It is odd isn't it? One might
imagine that as we become more technologically advanced, we might
lose our sense of spirituality. But it hasn't happened. In fact, with
the growth of the internet, people are exploring their spirits more
readily than ever before. I believe that what is fueling our keen
interest in spiritual matters-in particular, paganism--is a growing,
internalized existential question. As our culture begins to rely more
and more on machines and electronics, as we decipher the human gene
codes and explore the vastness of space and time we are coming to
realize the fragility of human existence. We are coming into the
"mid-life crisis" of our humanity so to speak. At midlife
it is natural that we start to wonder, "what is it all
about?" We often ask ourselves, "am I just a human
body?" or, "Why am I here?" Paganism offers a fully
human approach to these questions. It doesn't rely on a set of rules
or commandments to instruct its followers. It doesn't rely on
beliefs. Instead, it encourages people to explore their place in the
world and in nature. Through simple methods such as ritual and
meditation, Wicca and other forms of neo-paganism awaken people to
the interconnectedness of all things. The internet is a metaphor for
what we are really looking for, which is a true human community.
TWPT: Is
there the potential for misuse of all this knowledge now that it has
come out of the shadows and has been made available to the masses
through many books and on the internet?
TR: There is always abuse and
misuse in every spiritual tradition. That's because not everyone is
functioning on the same level of consciousness at the same time.
Education, socio-economic background, personal history, time, place
and temperament are only a few influences that taint the individual
mind as it interprets any information (spiritual or non-spiritual).
Differences between people are bound to happen. Some of these gaps
between human understanding can never be fully closed, so one
important task is to develop tolerance and a sense of openness.
TWPT: Is
there information within the community that was not meant to be
handed out to those who have not been properly trained and/or
initiated? And if that is the case where does that leave those who
practice solitary?
TR: There is information that is
shared from elder to initiate-usually within the context of a coven.
These secrets are often referred to as the inner mysteries of a
particular tradition. However, from my perspective, the inner
mysteries are usually nothing that can't be found in books and in
various formats. I'm not sure that there is anything really
"new" out there. So where does that leave us? Well, the
inner mysteries are a reflection of an even older tradition which is
when the shamanic/magical teacher would guide his/her student into a
very personal spiritual awakening of some sort. The only true inner
mysteries are those that spring forth from the individual
unconscious. These are the only mysteries worth knowing in a
lifetime, because they are the true keys to an individual's magical
and spiritual potential. One way to these personal inner mysteries is
through careful observation of dreams. Many people find it helpful to
have someone else-a neutral party-interpret the symbolic meaning of
their dreams. The process to uncovering your own inner mysteries is
hit and miss, but slowly, slowly the contents of the deepest parts of
your spirit will emerge and then you can tap into this for power and
magic. Some of the most powerful magical people I know were never
taught a specific tradition's "inner mysteries."
TWPT: How
do you decide what to write about or what your next project will be?
TR: There are two ways that people
can be creative. The first way is being creative out of personal
intent. This is the way of many commercial artists and writers. The
other way is to tap into the voice of the divine and create from that
perspective. That's that path of "listening to the Muses."
Both paths are perfectly valid and perfectly powerful. However, each
book I've written has come out of this second "Muse"
experience. I never plan too far in advance what I'll write about. A
theme emerges as I meditate, look at my dreams, interact with other
people and participate in the world around me.
TWPT: Are
there still folks who begin on this path simply to obtain power over
others and use it for their own benefit? What would you say to those
who seek the power without the substance of magick?
TR: There are, of course, people
who start on the magical path thinking that magic is all about having
dominance over other people and the world around them. It isn't a
bad, wrong, or evil place for them to start. In fact, most of us have
ambitions to control one aspect of life or another. For example, we
may not want bad things to happen to us, or we think that we need to
have the perfect job or the perfect relationship. There is nothing
wrong with being in this space, unless we are unable to see ourselves
here. When we act unconsciously, then we are not able to shift our
experience or to learn. As long as we are able to learn and grow from
a place of control to a place of shared power we are on the right
track. We're all in different places and we need to be tolerant of that.
TWPT: Your
new book coming in Sept. is called Apprentice to Power: A Wiccan
Odyssey to Spiritual Awakening , tell our readers what they can
expect from this latest work?
TR: Apprentice to Power is
different from anything in the neo-pagan tradition that has been
written before. Told through story, fairy tale, personal magical
encounters, rituals and celebrations, Apprentice to Power is a
colorful introduction to the world of Earth Centered Spirituality and
Wiccan Practice. It came from my vision of the Craft as a vehicle of
spiritual awakening. I felt as though no one had ever addressed how
to live one's life within the guidelines of magical practice. Mostly
we read books about how to light candles for love or money. Or we
read books that tell us how to celebrate the seasonal passages and
how to select appropriate magical tools. But as the Craft grows and
matures, we need to learn how to live our daily lives with a sense of
spirit from the pagan perspective. Apprentice to Power deals with
helping you to find power in each moment of your life, in each task
you undertake, in your work, your play, your children, your sex-everywhere.
Many people think of the Craft as a celebratory
religion. Certainly, it is this, but it is also a tool of
personal-transformation. Not only is Apprentice to Power a book full
of magical information, but it is one that is fun to read. It is a
book that you could take with you on a vacation and still have a good
time-as well as a spiritual experience.
TWPT: Do
your books follow a path of progression or are each of your books
completely independent from the others?
TR: Each book is independent of the
others, however they follow my personal magical and spiritual
progression. It is interesting for me to look back to my thinking in
1993, when I wrote "The Once Unknown Familiar." I'd
definitely want to revise each project based on my current thinking.
In fact, when the final proofs of "Apprentice to Power"
arrived the other day, I was ready to re-write the whole thing again,
based on where I am with my current thinking and spiritual progression.
TWPT: What
was it that motivated you to become a writer yourself and begin to
share what you had learned along the way?
TR: It is difficult to say what
motivated me to write. I knew that I had something to contribute to
the contemporary reemergence of the Craft. I was really
"driven" rather than motivated. That's the distinction that
keeps me writing: I'm driven to say more, to clarify our spiritual tradition.
TWPT: What
advice would you give to other writers out there who might have
ambitions about writing books of their own?
TR: People were astounded when I
wrote my first book. I suppose that writing a book does seem like a
daunting task. However it is better not to look at the mountain-just
focus on the rocks that are in front of you and keep climbing. If you
have something to say and something to add to the Craft, then it is
very important that you give voice to that addition. I told people
that I wrote my first book doing only two pages each day-and that is
the truth. Only two pages each day is a small enough chunk to be
manageable yet it is also effective in getting a whole body of work done.
TWPT: Do
you have any last comments or last thoughts for our readers as we
close out this interview?
TR: In closing, I'd like to share a quote from Richard
Jeffries that I read the other day. He said, "It is eternity
now. I am in the midst of it. It is about me in the sunshine [and
might I add in the moonlight and the darkness of space]; I am in it
as the butterfly in the light-laiden air. Nothing has to come; it is
now. Now is eternity; now is the immortal life." It is truly
magical for each of us to remember that life in this very moment is
sacred--no matter what this moment is bringing. Look for deity, power
and magic right now.
TWPT: I'd
like to thank you for taking time out to talk to us and wish you much
success with your new book on the eve of it being published. (Sept.
2000) Blessings to you and yours. |
