Robert Owings did a great job with making the characters real and relatable in his book. I am looking forward to reading more of Robert’s books.
By Pamela Cummins
I was a little nervous doing my first book review and interview for Bellesprit because what if I didn’t like the book? Thank goodness, I wasn’t put in that predicament as I loved Call of the Forbidden Waystory and would give it 5 stars!
Pamela: What is the name of your novel?
Robert: My novel is titled Call of the Forbidden Way; it’s the first book in the trilogy. It’s the story of a documentary filmmaker who ineluctably gets pulled into the radically unfamiliar world of Native American medicine men, a Shakti shaman, a Himalayan god, and some ominous hyper-interdimensional beings from beyond our ordinary world. It’s a shamanic, plant medicine, visionary psycho-thriller. Fundamentally, it’s a hero’s journey that pushes contemporary shamanic work up against a galactic threat.
Pamela: How did you get into the field of consciousness, religion, shamanic, and alchemical practices?
Robert: It really began in my earliest childhood. I was drawn to such things, although at that age, I didn’t have much awareness as to why I had a proclivity for such things. Somewhere in my early 40’s I found myself seeking to learn more about esoteric philosophies and alternative spiritual paths. It wasn’t until another 10 years later that I allowed myself to accept and acknowledge that I had always been aligned with these matters. This ultimately led to me going back to graduate school to gain an academic foundation in these areas. Much of this was fueled by a need to explain to myself why I had always experienced visitations from spirit beings—and more importantly, just what was it I was supposed to do about this phenomenon.
Pamela: Do you feel these practices have helped your life?
Robert: Ah, that’s an open question. Ostensibly yes, though my path into these realms hasn’t been easy. I have felt quite alone many times, that mostly due to my particular field of shamanic practice tends toward psychopomp work. And this lead to working with Dark Energies, which by the way has nothing to do with anything evil or satanic, yet extremely challenging all the same.
Pamela: Why did you choose to write a fiction book versus a non-fiction book to educate the public?
Robert: Our response to story and myth is intensely powerful due to its ability to affect the subconscious, the soul. Here is the power of fiction. I think my books touch people because they cause people to feel something that is beyond the limitations of empirical logic. Fiction liberates the soul.
Pamela: Did you base the characters and story on yourself or people you know?
Robert: No, the characters are, if anything, composites of people I’ve encountered, or simply conjured to fit the needs of the story. Assuredly, some parts of my own psyche bleed into some of the characters, I suppose. Carson, our main protagonist, is meant to represent just an average person who gets pulled into something beyond his ability to fathom or resist. It’s sort of a classic Alfred Hitchcock tactic. And as to Rhiannon, well it’s a bit embarrassing but it’s been pointed out to me that Rhiannon is probably someone I’m in love with and have yet to meet.
Pamela: In some of the scenes the characters take natural substances to achieve altered states of consciousness. Obviously, you are NOT promoting for the reader to do this. Is there an exercise or tip to help us bring a heightened state of consciousness?
Robert: The use of psychoactive substances by some of the characters is reflective of methodologies employed by numerous shamanic cultures but is in no way meant to advocate its use. There are numerous means employed to achieve altered states of consciousness, some of which are: intense levels of meditation; breath work; fasting of both food and water, especially when accompanied by prolonged physical exertion; developed dream processing; certain forms of psycho-therapy; and deep states of prayer.
Pamela: What’s next for you?
Robert: Call of the Forbidden Way is the first book in a trilogy, which by the way is already complete. I trust the success of these books will generate interest from my audience for additional books. And yes, I have certain themes in mind for those future books but prefer not to say too much about them at this time. So much of what I have written came not from me but through Spirit itself, so it will have a huge say in what I’m permitted to write about in the future.
Robert Owings is an explorer in the field of consciousness. He holds a master’s degree in philosophy and religion, with a concentration in cosmology and consciousness from the California Institute of Integral Studies. He maintains an active interest in an eclectic mix of subjects ranging from transpersonal psychology, altered states of consciousness, alchemy, and complexity theory to Buddhist cosmology, cross-cultural shamanism, and ancient mystery religions. He lives in Sonoma County, California. Learn more about Robert Owings at http://www.robertowings.com/
About the Author:
Pamela Cummins helps her clients take their nighttime messages and turn them into daytime wisdom to accelerate their personal and spiritual growth. She is an author, dream interpreter, and intuitive coach. To learn more about Pamela and grab your free gifts, please visit her websites https://learndreaminterpretation.com/ and https://www.pamelacummins.com/
