FEATURES A Step Beyond Madness - Death & Rebirth By Virgil Martinez


This book A Step Beyond Madness is about the dark night of the soul and the journey from the darkness into the light.


MCW: For our readers who haven’t had the chance to read your book yet, can you please tell us what inspired you to write it?


VM: While I was in therapy I was encouraged to engage in some type of activity to channel the energy from my various experiences. The two activities that resonated with me were keeping a journal and drawing. Later, after several years of writing and drawing in my jour- nal, a good friend of mine mentioned that I “clean up” my journals, add some explanations, and then publish them. If I could somehow, even in a small way, help someone else find their way through similar circum- stances, I felt in my heart that I had an almost “spiritual responsibility” to share my story.


Not only did I want others to know about the trials of spiritual awakenings, but also about the hope, per- severance, love, and faith that can often arise as one pierces emotional and spiritual paradigms. “Death & Rebirth”, while one is still alive, is a messy business, but the results are often quite beautiful.”


MCW: Do you think that facing difficulties in one’s life makes one more powerful and if so, why?


VM: “Yes, I feel that, when facing life’s vagaries, there is the potential for growth. However, there are two impor- tant caveats. First, I believe its healthy for us to spend some time figuring out what is or is not truly a serious challenge. This process can vary for each person, based on their current life’s experiences and their karma. What we originally thought was something to overcome, after reconsideration, could be mundane or even a “sign” or “omen”, all of which can be handled and processed dif- ferently.


Second, how we face our difficulties often shape whether or not we grow as emotional and spiritual beings. Part of the growth process involves introspectively deciding whether or not the way we handle difficulties is truly efficacious. We can take up the challenge and, if neces- sary, make changes in our lives. This usually requires gumption and chutzpah, but it is possible.”


MCW: You created wonderful graphics about your visions and past lives, how did these images come to you - in your dreams or did you have visions of them?


VM: “The images, often times triggered by sensory experiences, i.e., touching an object, smelling a certain scent, reading a book, hearing some sound, or thinking of something or someone, came to me either in dreams, visions or while I was in trance. If I could remember their


Oracle 20/20 March 2011 Interview By Marie-Claire Wilson


details (sometimes I could not), I would later detail them in my writing and/or drawings. The resulting illustra- tions in the book are the black and white versions of my original color drawings.


MCW: What is your suggestion to help people in similar situations as your own, to help them move beyond their madness?


VM: “For those who may be going through a similar situation as I have, i.e., an epiphany, rising of kundalini, shamanic initiation, etc., I feel the biggest challenge is recognizing that they are in fact experiencing some- thing of this nature. Because most of us have been socialized in a “modern” culture we are not usually familiar with such things and so when and if we begin having prophetic dreams and visions, going into trance, or exhibiting paranormal abilities, we and our family and friends might not be able to emotionally or “ratio- nally” process what is happening. Our first instinct should not be to self-medicate, which is what many of us tend to do, in order to try and prevent these experi- ences. Nor should it be for our therapist to prescribe some drug to dampen the experiences we are having. Instead, our culture should become more educated about this type of phenomenon and about the more “accepted” psychological issues in order to differentiate between the two. Also, in many faiths and traditions, a mentor/teacher/guru are often available for those hav- ing a mystical experience. If a genuinely caring person, or a community of such, were available I would encour- age the novice to make a connection with them. Lastly, be careful whom you talk to about your experiences. There are, unfortunately, many people in our culture, due to their religious upbringing, who are not receptive to those having mystical experiences or to those who have paranormal abilities. My hope is that one day our culture, similar to many indigenous ones, will be more knowledgeable, accepting and supportive of those of us in the liminal realm.


Thanks for the chance to spend time with you and your readers. if anyone would like to read more about my book they can go to my website www.astepbeyond- madness.com. “


Marie-Claire Wilson, author of The Spiritual Tarot: The Keys to The Divine Temple is a bilingual writer and poet. She has been a practicing medium for 3


0 y r eas using d t c ir ync irec lavoa e,


The Tarot, numerology and palmistry. To make an appointment call: 1-877- 847-7330 www.marie-claire.tv


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