Carl
McColman continued from last page
McColman finds meditation to be a key factor in his spirituality.
“...I spend more time sitting in front of my altar focussing
on achieving a more open, or higher, consciousness, than I do 'casting
spells.' And I believe that magic comes out of it. Was it William
Butler who said, 'Magic is the art of changing consciousness at
will'? So if you want to have a magickal spirituality, learn how
to manage your consciousness, and you do that through meditation.”
In A Complete Guide to Celtic Wisdom, it's immediately
apparent how important the role of Irish and Welsh mythology plays
in McColman's spirituality. “I believe that, when Christianity
came to Celtic lands, the common people really didn't abandon
the old ways. Again, they avoided the labels, because that's what
would get you in trouble. If you stood up and said, 'Well, I'm
a Druid,' or 'I'm a Pagan,' then you had a hot date
with a burning pyre. But if you simply went about your business and
made your offerings to the faeries, the priests left you alone. You
had to show up at mass on Sunday mornings, but that was what you had
to do. And the rest of the week, you did your own thing.”
McColman believes that these traditions are still alive in rural areas
in Celtic lands, even though they may be practiced by self-described
devout Christians. “I don't believe that there has to be
a contradiction, which is another thing that separates me from a lot
of people who call themselves Pagans or Witches... I just don't
believe there's a contradiction between Christian and Buddhist
or Muslim, and try telling that to people today!” He laughed,
ruefully. “But you know, spirit is spirit, and that's what
it's all about anyway.”
Unlike some who associate Celtic spirituality with the romance of
Arthur's court and Merlin, or with fairies and fantasy, McColman
sees the Celtic world as comprising “a specific language, a specific
group of people. It has political associations; it has social meanings;
and you need to understand all those different shades to truly understand
the spirituality.”
Ultimately, McColman belives the goal of a spiritual life is to give
one a sense of unity with the consciousness “at the heart of
the Universe. And call it God, Goddess, Spirit, Mother/Father God,
the Force, I don't care, it's beyond all names, anyway.”
And isn't that what gives it its beauty, the mystery of it all?
Carl
McColman reads Tarot and teaches classes at The Phoenix and Dragon
when he isn't writing. He can be contacted there at 404.255.5207.
Interview
