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It was Wyrd...

... One day in my early teen-years, when I suddenly found the ambition to sit still long enough and write something... simply for the sheer creative joy of it; possibly for the necessity of it.

Therapies intended to break bad habits or addictions often tend to be equally addicting.  Discovering this truth is an amazing insight into human resilience, and the inate desire to be positive, caring and empathetic.

This revelation came to me as a young boy, possibly six or seven... but, as truths tend to do, I forgot, or took it for granted, or lost hope, or stopped caring - any and all.

But one morning in my early teens, I woke from a dream that seemed just one or two degrees more "real" than any other I had remembered.  I quickly disabled my alarm clock, as it was nearly time to get ready for school, anyway, and I laid in bed for a few moments replaying the entire dream in my mind.

It was simply too vivid to forget quickly, but the feeling it promoted in me was strangely ominous; I needed to understand it.  The idea came to me that I needed to write the story of my dream; that ink on paper would preserve the content and possibly its message until I could decipher it completely.

So I spent 15 minutes writing a detailed account of the dream in a notebook, and then I spent the next few days reading through it repeatedly, until the "EUREKA!" finally hit me.

It's interesting how those moments of self-discovery come.  Everyone has at least one in their life; probably many more for those who are more open to brutal honesty.  And that moment in my life was both brutal and beautiful.  My perspective instantly changed and I began the work of my life, all in that same moment.

The "work of my life" is something I call The Ayahuasca Experience, although the name was not assigned until several years later.  Terence McKenna's (R.I.P.) detailed accounts of the deeply mysterious and ancient shamanic hallucinogen, Ayahuasca, was an "aided" revelation for me.  Although I have never experimented with illegal substances, the descriptions of Ayahuasca's primary power and apparent function captivated me.  By the time I read Mr. McKenna's books on the subject, I had already determined the power and function of my writing - the intent and purpose I wanted my creations to serve for those who read them.

Ayahuasca, with its subtle approach, rhythmic tone, optimistic mood and instructional metaphors, seemed to be the chemical equivalent of what I wanted my writing to be like.  Ayahuasca appears to teach and promote wellness (be it mental, physical, emotional or spiritual) with such subtle - very possibly subliminal - messages.  My writing strives to take advantage of a reader's subconscious elements, inducing positive moods and emotion in order to subtly plant the message deeply in the mind.  And the message Ayahuasca plants, although deeply rooted in the subconscious, quickly sprouts tendrils into areas of consciousness that force the person to consider it long after returning to "sobriety."  Thus, revelation occurs, and whatever revelation spawns is a service to the process of Ayahuasca.

I try to give my writings the power to hide their effect and purpose in the reader's mind, waiting to spring forth at some later moment - a second, a day, a month after reading it.  And it is that lingering mental aura that ultimately creates understanding.

I will not reveal the esoteric meanings of my writings right here (that is for each of you to explore in your own way), but I will say the "understanding" that resides in them tends to be optimistic in nature, despite the ominous or tragic stories being told.

Like that dream that turned into a short story so many years ago, now... when it became clear to me that despite any effort I put forth, everyone important in my life will be gone someday; the important thing is that they will have made my life better just by being a part of it, and hopefully I will have made theirs better.  And that is what is truly wonderful about love and friendships, and about being naturally gregarious creatures... we affect each other, and it's up to us to decide if it's for better or worse.


-DLW

Poetry...
Ashes *
In a Desert Rain *
The Nighttide Crush
Search...
...Destroy...
...Secia Azure
Shy by the Light
Nature's Caress
Divinity
Furtive Petals
Moonlight *
Distraction
A Singular Reason
Never Turn Cold
Object of Desire
The Water Moon
White Smile *
Lush Light
The Fruits of Tomorrow
The Veiled Substance
Vortex
(When You're) Whirling
Fusion
Star Sight
The Airy Dea
Quiet Rapture
Silhouette
Temptation
The Devouring Element
Threadbare
Sentient
Nu
The Soul's Inferno

Short Stories...
The Five-Minutes Late 5:30 Train
The Golden Shower
The Shining Ones

Observations...
Symphony of Thought
Inspiration *
Inspiration - Part II *

* Denotes that the item was published or displayed in a book, newspaper or other public forum.  See the specific item page for details.

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