Raven Digitalis
Raven Digitalis Interview
(Photo by Anna-Varney Cantodea)
Pagan Pages: First, tell us about your books and please include links where we can purchase them.
Raven Digitalis: Sure. My first book, Goth Craft: The Magickal Side of Dark Culture focuses on the intersection of the Gothic culture and magickal spirituality. It explores things like the magick of music, shamanic body modification, Necromancy, the place of depression, and a number of social issues. My second book, Shadow Magick Compendium: Exploring Darker Aspects of Magickal Spirituality, does away with the subculture element and simply explores darkness—the Shadow—in its numerous expressions. This is divided into the chapters The Internal Shadow, The External Shadow, The Astral Shadow, The Shadow of Nature, and The Shadow of Society. The books can be browsed on Amazon.com, and can be purchased anywhere books are sold. One can also get inscribed copies straight from me, from my website www.ravendigitalis.com!
PP: Please tell us about the magazines you have appeared in.
RD: I’ve been featured in the magazines newWitch (now reborn as Witches & Pagans Magazine), Spellcraft (AU), Metacreative (online), the Ninth Gate (USA), and the Psychic Times International (online). All can be found via our trusty friend Google! I also have these links on my websites.
PP: Please tell us about the TV shows and radio show you have appeared in.
RD: The largest program I had the opportunity to participate in was MTV News. They visited my house and did filming for a number of days. They were wonderful folks and they formed an awesome story. The video can be watched at www.ravendigitalis.com. Fun!
PP: Where were you born and raised?
RD: Missoula, Montana, USA. It’s also the place I currently reside! Missoula is the “liberal hub” of Montana, and shared many similarities—vibrationally and politically—with surrounding northwest areas such as Washington, Oregon, and California.
PP: Can you tell us about your childhood, your parents, siblings, and surroundings?
RD: Sure. I’m blessed to have a very supportive, caring family. I certainly wouldn’t have published books this early in life if it wasn’t for them! My mother and father also live in Missoula, as does my grandma and my little brother. I’ve always been the “odd man out,” but luckily that black-sheepery doesn’t get overly rubbed in my face these days. I’m lucky for the moral support I’ve gotten, and strive to extend that very thing to others.
PP: What was your most memorable moment as a child?
RD: The first thing that comes to mind are my experiences as a stage magician. Before I ever got into “real magick,” I was highly interested in stage magic and slight-of-hand. I even performed, as a magician’s apprentice, for live crowds at a local restaurant, around the age of 15. Fun!
PP: What was the unhappiest memory you have of your childhood?
RD: Being tickled in a back room for minutes on end, without stop or hesitation, to the point of immense pain, by a member of my extended family. It’s only recently that I realized what a trauma those experiences were, and have magickally and psycho-spiritually worked against those imprints.
PP: What did your parents, family and friends teach you about life that you still hold close to your heart today?
RD: I suppose the most valuable thing people taught me is morality. To be noble, to have ethics and respect for people, and to treat them well—even if they aren’t doing the same themselves. These things were mostly family-taught. Most of my friends in high school turned out to be using me in many ways. Not good people. I learned a valuable lesson of discernment through many of my old friends, and count all my current friends as sacred comrades on the spiritual journey of life.
PP: What is the strongest realization about human nature; spirituality, bonding and interaction/relationships between people, between the material and spirit world that made you take notice as a child and young adult? How did that evolve or develop into adulthood, into the person you are today?
RD: From an early age I noticed that love, kindness, and compassion seemed to be the keys to evolution on all accounts, in every way, regardless of person, animal, or entity. I still carry that realization in my life and am constantly reminding myself that Love is the Law, and that it’s the one true key to all spiritual and magickal evolution. Period.
PP: What scared you the most as a child?
RD: The feeling that I am not from this place.
PP: What scares you the most now?
RD: The possibility that I may never be “okay” with existence, with being incarnate, living in this paradigm of reality. As well as the pessimism accompanying seeing so many people in varying states of suffering. So… in a sense, the very same thing.
PP: One of the greatest philosophical minds to have ever existed, yet one of the most misunderstood, is Anton LaVey. Why do you think Mr. LaVey was so misunderstood and continues to be misunderstood by some to this day?
RD: I think Aleister Crowley is and was far more misunderstood than Anton. As for Anton, his rebellious nature, and the use of the term “Satan,” caused much misunderstanding. I think he would have had it that way, however; if people are too scared to research the reality of Satanism—LaVeyan or otherwise—they are best left in the dark with their uneducated fear.
PP: When did you begin to study the occult and spirituality? Was it deliberate (did you set out to seek truth) or did it happen much by accident?
RD: A friend of mine introduced me to the Craft in high school. From there, I began studying Wicca and other forms of magick and occultism, and found my place in that spiritual expression. I’m happy also involving myself in other paths and philosophies, like Buddhism and Hinduism, at this point in time. So, I suppose I would say that esotericism “came to me,” but it was my willpower that took it to the next level.
PP: Did you have a spiritual experience that changed your life? Can you tell us about it?
RD: For me, the spiritual use of entheogenic drugs was the first experiences to reveal the spiritual world to me. My first times getting high on cannabis literally felt like a veil of reality was being lifted—and this was palpable and perceivable. While I’m not “into” drugs so much at this point in time, I have immense respect for the awareness they can give spiritual seekers. But, a person must approaches any substance with this type of intention, and this is a very ancient thing. Otherwise, it’s misuse and abuse.
PP: Are you able to see the past, present, future, and are able to walk with the dead?
RD: Yep. I see everything, everywhere, at all times, ever. No, not really! It can be a challenge just to perceive the present with accuracy and clarity!! My vision-seeking and Tarot readings do provide glimpses into the past and future, and help clarify the present, but otherwise, no, my gift is predominantly Empathic rather than Psychic. And as for the dead… I believe we all have that ability if we choose to hone it!
PP: Can you tell us more about your abilities and how you developed them? Are you in control of them or do they occur naturally in a hit or miss kind of way? And what is meant by ‘walking with the dead’, is it the ability to communicate with loved ones from the other side?
RD: Sure, “walking with the dead” is the ability to travel to the Otherworld and communicate with the departed. This often includes helping guide departed souls to the world beyond this one, so that they don’t remain “earthbound disincarnates” or ghosts, as Dion Fortune might put it. Shamans have done this since the beginning of humankind. And as for my abilities, they do indeed occur naturally. The challenge with these things is acutely and accurately getting hold of the abilities and allowing them to become controlled by the practitioner, rather than them being controlled by the abilities.
PP: When you channel in on Spirit, how do you receive the messages you get? What is like? What do you feel at the time? Do you feel as if you’re out of your body looking in or is it like a film playing in your mind? Can you see, feel touch taste, smell the messages from the other side? Is it that concrete or is it more abstract?
RD: Yes, no, yes, yes, no, yes, no, yes. Next question! Just kidding. Hmm, I would say that the experience of Invocation and Channeling is more abstract than concrete. The Otherworld is not as solid as the physical world—this includes energies such as emotion, the mind, the astral plane, the spirit world, and so on. When a person engages in Invocation or Channeling, they open themselves as conduits of spirits, gods, or other entities they consciously invite into their “frame” or body. This can be immensely overwhelming, to be sure, and the practitioner’s goal is to channel these Otherworldly vibrations into an understandable form. It would be silly to think that all of these messages are 100% pure: the person conducting the channeling naturally has some influence over the transmission. The channel is the interpreter of an energetic language so to speak, and just like with any language-to-language translation, messages are never 100% solid. But, depending on the message and the channeler, these transmissions can be incredibly valuable—or incredibly arcane! If I were to summarize this process, it’s like accessing an etheric box (this is the current, or vibration, of that which is being Invoked or Channeled) and reporting its energy, while taking a backseat to the energy pulsing through the Self. Many artists can relate to a feeling of being “worked through.”
PP: What was the most profound experience you ever had when contacting a spirit from the other side?
RD: I honestly don’t do too much work with spirits—I would leave these sorts of questions up to the more experienced, such as my friends Michelle Belanger (Weiser and Llewellyn author, and spirit-contactor on the TV show Paranormal State) and Liz Souza (Witch and host of “Psychic in the City” on CBS PsychicRadio).
PP: What was the scariest if any, experience you’ve had while contacting a spirit from the other side?
RD: Having a spirit, in her desperation and loneliness, literally cling to my left side for a few months. I’ll never forget that experience, and she came of her own accord—I didn’t consciously invite her! She could easily be called a succubus, and it took force—and forced apathy—to get her off my energy sphere. It was certainly a challenge, and occurred just last year. I’ve never had a spirit experience that strong and long-lasting! I wish her the best of luck.
PP: What tools if any do you use as a method for divination?
RD: Us here at the OAO Temple House are quite keen of Tarot cards, which are the true Book of Thoth: the Qabalistic codex and the Key of Reality! Literally everything—any energy or experience imaginable—is contained in the Tarot. So, we constantly work on honing our skills divinating with the cards. While our foundation is in Aleister Crowley’s Thoth Deck, we branch into diving with other decks and experimenting with other methods of divination including runes, scrying, trancework, stones, and so on. My Priestess even hosts Dark Moon (New Moon) women’s rituals, each of which includes using a different form of divination!
PP: Do you think the Ouija board has gotten a bad rap or are the cautionary tales regarding the board true?
RD: Oh, I think many things can be used as portals to the Other Side. Certainly the Ouija board can serve that purpose. I always advocate caution when using it, and I have a couple, but I rarely utilize them. It’s just very difficult to trust the information that’s coming through! How much of it is dictated by a spirit—and what is their real intention—and how much of it is simply the unconscious mind of the user? It’s hard to say, so I find it less reliable. As for contacting the departed, I prefer to use deep meditation! I think the departed prefer that method, too—then they don’t feel like such a novelty or item of entertainment!
PP: What is the difference between the Ouija board and tarot cards? To me there aren’t any really because you’re opening a portal and contacting Spirit regardless. Why is the Ouija board considered more ’dangerous’ than the average tarot cards?
RD: There is a huge difference! Tarot is not used to contact spirits, and contains the code of reality in the cards. Sure you may be tapping into Spirit, AKA the Universe, AKA the Creator or God and Goddess forces, but you can do the same thing with a can opener! Spirit is in all things and can be accessed through anything. Ouija boards are considered dangerous because one never knows what sort of spirit is really coming through.
PP: Is there a ritual you use specifically for protection?
RD: I mostly prefer the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (LBRP), which is a Qabalistic protection exercise derived from the Golden Dawn. Done properly, it’s incredibly effective!
PP: Can you read auras?
RD: I read emotions. I can read a person through those emotions, which definitely ties into their auric energy at any given time. But as far as actually divining and scanning a person based on their aura colors, auric strength, or auric attachments, it’s not something I’ve done very often in the past!
PP: How does the ‘essence’ of a person come through to you the strongest? Is it intuition or is something more that helps you connect with that person’s inner spirit and read it so well?
RD: Like I said, emotions are my strong point as an Empath. When I’m doing healing or divinatory work with someone, they also have to be trusting and open with me in order for those insights and healing methods to be accessed most successfully!
PP: Can you tell us about Opus Aima Obscuræ?
RD: Sure. OAO is the training Coven and community group that I belong to. We perform numerous public ritual events that members of our community and beyond are welcome to attend. We also conduct inner-Coven training for interested members, which relies on a series of “Marks” or degrees, each of which has various lessons, challenges, and obligations. It’s not an easy occult training system, but then again, neither is life! We’re lucky to reap the rewards of our own successes and the achievements of the group.
PP: Can you tell us about your being a radio and club DJ of Gothic and industrial music?
RD: I host a radio show every Saturday night on the local college radio station here. I’ve done it for 6 years, and it’s a blast! I play all varieties of “dark” music. The station is even streaming online now, at www.kbga.org – my show is every Saturday night from 10pm until midnight Mountain Standard Time. And yep, I also DJ regularly at a local Goth/industrial/fetish club night we have locally, which occurs roughly once a month. In the club, I stick to danceable-dark music and have fun getting energy flowing with the crowd.
PP: Who do you consider your greatest mentor?
RD: My Priestess, Estha McNevin.
PP: Do you consider yourself a teacher and mentor as well?
RD: I’ve long struggled with the idea of the role of “teacher” being attached to me. Over the last couple years I’ve started to accept that title more often, yet at the same time I will always and forever be a student of life’s mysteries, and will constantly learn from those around me, regardless of their official titles or roles. A person can never stop asking questions in life, nor forget that everyone in there sphere of experience is also there to both learn and teach about life along the way.
PP: Where did the name Raven Digitalis originate from?
RD: The Raven is my spirit animal. The idea of spirit animals is cross-cultural, and many of us in America are familiar with the concept because of Native American spiritualities and their emphases on the wisdom of the animal realm. As for Digitalis, the term is the Latin name for the Foxglove plant. Much as Raven is my spirit animal, Foxglove is my spirit plant!
PP: Tell us about Twigs & Brews Herbs.
RD: Twigs & Brews is a mini-business that my Coven and I operate from our home. We create bath salts, herbal blends, teas, incenses, soaps, and other products; each is charged with energy, and we only use pure, natural ingredients—nothing synthetic! At this point in time we sell products online and do local vending at various festivals and events. We’ll soon have a “proper” website up and running, and will eventually have a miraculous metaphysical storefront that people can visit any time!
PP: What has been the most devastating part of human nature that you have experienced?
RD: I think the biggest problems between people, no matter how big or small, come from selfishness, apathy, and lack of compassion. These things are the greatest poisons.
PP: What has been the most uplifting part of human nature that you have experienced?
RD: Love in all its forms.
PP: Do you think when we die, Spirit judges us or we judge ourselves?
RD: Well, I think this view is folly because it assumes that “Spirit” is not “us.” It’s a “this” and “that.” In truth, everything is God. All things are alive and vibrant with Spirit. The reality we constantly find ourselves in is a piece of Spirit. I think the view of someone judging us from the Other Side is entirely Christian and mythological. I believe our karmic patterns continue to follow the path they’re on, regardless of how we find ourselves incarnated or disincarnated. If we’re happy now, we’ll be happy when the physical body ceases. Like attracts like!
PP: Tell me about the various spiritual altars that you have, if any.
RD: In our Temple, we have altars to Aima Elohim: The Great Mother Binah, Abba Elohim: The Great Father Chokmah, North/Earth, South/Fire, East/Air, and West/Water. About the house are altars to Ganesha, Shiva, Parvati, Bast, Horus, Thoth, Kwan-Yin, the Buddha, and an ancestor altar.
PP: What would like to say to the skeptics?
RD: I would advise that they continue to be skeptical about everything—it’s a necessary quality—but always keep an open mind!
PP: Can you tell us about any organizations you are involved in, such as charities?
RD: Our Coven supports a number of nonprofit groups. We’ve done fundraisers for Ars Terra and Greenpeace, and are fond of groups like Solar Cross, The Permibus, Action for Animals, and others.
PP: What new projects do you want to tell us about? What’s new right now?
RD: My next book, Planetary Spells & Rituals: Dark & Light Magick Aligned with the Cosmic Bodies, will be released in March 2010. I’m also working on a fiction project and have a big top secret book planned to follow that! I’m dreadfully excited.
Review
Raven Digitalis (Missoula, MT) is the author of Planetary Spells & Rituals, Shadow Magick Compendium, and Goth Craft, all on Llewellyn. He is a Neopagan Priest and cofounder of the “disciplined eclectic” shadow magick tradition and training coven Opus Aima Obscuræ, and is a radio and club DJ of Gothic and industrial music. Also trained in Georgian Witchcraft and Buddhist philosophy, Raven has been a Witch since 1999, a Priest since 2003, and an Empath all of his life. Raven holds a degree in anthropology from the University of Montana and is also an animal rights activist, black-and-white photographic artist, Tarot reader, and is the co-owner of Twigs & Brews Herbs, specializing in bath salts, herbal blends, essential oils, and incenses. He has appeared on the cover of newWitch magazine, is a regular contributor to Dragon’s Blood and The Ninth Gate magazines, and has been featured on MTV News and CBS PsychicRadio.