Interview by kitchengrrl.

[witchscauldron]

1. How did you meet Janis/starfallz?

Star was one of far too many people lost in the cracks of the old Forum de Kyoht. I remember seeing her there, but not talking much since she seemed to be on the art forums, primarily. After the forum blew up and people sort of scattered to the winds, Elfy approached me on ICQ, I think, and we started talking there.

Apparently I'm intimidating to people, so a whole lot of cool people had never spoken to me at all - they were scared I might bite or something. I met a lot of people online after that board died...Janis just happened to be the first. We then made an Ezboard, hung out in IRC, and the rest is history! I feel like I should have known her sooner - kindred spirits. :) I'm so happy we've met in real-time, too.


2. What shapes your religious life and how did you come to it?

What shapes my religious life is a desire to live in balance; in balance with myself, with the world around me and its' changing seasons, and in balance with those around me. All of that balance...and still give honour to my ancestors, the spirits, and the Shining Ones. I strive to live my life by the concept of "Perfect Love and Perfect Trust" - something that is very hard to do.

I came to where I am today over a decade of searching. I walk the same path that I started when I was 11 or 12 - but back then I couldn't have imagined where this path went. Wherever my heart takes me, indeed! It started by reading mythology, history, historical accounts of the witch craze, and assorted wonderful books, for a couple of years. After then I felt "edificated" enough to start practicing small things - mostly magick, backed by a strong belief that it was out there.

I didn't have a strong concept of Divine Feminine at that point, tho. I felt a strong call to the Divine, but I was unsure of where to focus it. I spent some time working through the belief system of the United Church of Canada, eventually being confirmed, but I knew something was lacking - the other kids were just as vile to me there as anywhere else, so it didn't strike me that being a good Christian really mattered much to these folks. Mind you...I suspected I wasn't a good Christian myself. :p I started reading about all sorts of faith systems, hoping that education might help me find the right one. I was 13.

What changed? I was praying one night, in my room. It was one of those deep cold Ottawa Valley winter nights - curling rimes of hoarfrost on the windows, crystalline skies, and a brilliantly full moon. I often felt closest to the Divine under the moon, so it was then I would talk to it, or pray. And that night, as I felt a strong presence coming down over me, I realized for the first time that this presence was female. And I was filled with incredible realization, joy, love, and other unexpressable emotions. I remember closing my eyes and throwing my arms up into the air from this feeling...and I never looked back.

I have walked a pagan path since then. It was like coming home.

3. Where in Canada do you live and why do you like it there?

I live in Peterborough, Ontario. We're sort of right in the center of Ontario. I love Ontario in general. We have the best rock formations, the best lakes, the best forests and fields and people and produce and everything! It's a diverse, beautiful place to live and I can't ever imagine living anywhere else. I love watching the seasons change here. :) I enjoy travelling and seeing new things, new places - but I also love coming home.

4. What are you doing in life right now? (School, work, hobbies, etc.)

I'm not working or in school at the moment. I look after the house, mostly, and spent time working on stuff online, beading, painting, making other crafty bits, etc. My beading business has been picking up, so I'm really enjoying that right now. I'm going to try to do some craft fairs this fall and see if I can't clear out my stock.

I don't know what I want to do with my life. Part of me just really enjoys being at home. Part of me says I'm leaving my brain idle too long. I haven't decided what, if anything, I want to study - forensics is really interesting, but I'm also interested in maybe art, learning silversmithing, Native Studies, and possibly how to custom-paint cars. O_o I feel like if I'm doing something these days, it should engage both my mind and my hands.

One of these days I'll figure it out. Until then, "itinerate artist" is a good description.

5. What music do you most enjoy?

Heh. Better to ask what I don't really like - that being country, jazz, and rap/hip-hop. I listen to a diverse range of music outside of those three.

I love baroque music, opera, medieval madrigals, classical, show tunes, musicals - this is the sort of thing I think I'm best suited to singing. Hrmm. Very fond of renaissance-style recorder music as well.

I like alternative stuff - the stuff I went to high school with - Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Live, Soundgarden, etc..

Canadian stuff I like Moist, Blue Rodeo, 54-40, The Watchmen, The Tea Party, Nickelback; The Tragically Hip is my favorite Canadian band.

I like folk music, esp. pagan folk, irish folk or traditional stuff, as well as music from Newfoundland and Cape Breton. Gaelic rules. :)

I also really like industrial and goth sorts of music: NIN, Skinny Puppy, Ministry, KMFDM, Kidney Thieves....um...Rasputina, Dead Can Dance, Siouxie and the Banshees, This Mortal Coil, Sisters of Mercy, some of Peter Murphy's solo stuff, Faith and the Muse and probably about a million others.

There are a lot of bands I've missed here. I know that. I couldn't ever name them all.


Ok - same drill as before. You want questions? Ask me.
-M.

Comments

[wertle.livejournal.com]

I also love reading these things, I've been intending to do one myself, better now than never ^_^ Could you muster some questions for me?

[morgandria.livejournal.com]

1. Who is Wertle? How is Wertle the dragon a part of Lisa the person?

2. Do you find any sort of transformation or magick in the art of blowing glass?

3. If you were a series of movements, sounds, shapes, and colours, what would you be?

4. Do you have any serious pet peeves?

5. Describe the interior of the perfect room for you.