Interview with Renascentia Bella Morte
You have been submitting poems to Asphyxium zine since May this year. Your writing is loaded with supernatural and wiccan themes but also emphasizes a person’s connection with oneself. How did you develop this approach to writing poetry?
It comes from my life experience. It all started in my much younger years. I always knew I was different from an early age. I was always super sensitive to other people's emotions around me. I could read the energy of a room after I walked into it. I also had the gift of the ability to heal people at a very young age. With some of these special gifts and not understanding how to transmute energies at that of an early age. I would often find myself self-isolating.
I found an escape from it through music and writing. Writing poetry became a very good way of releasing these heavy energies surrounding me and that had attached to me. Little would I know it then, but writing and music would ultimately end up becoming my biggest passions. Throughout the many years of writing. I'd say about ten years later I would find and meet so many other individuals like myself. I became part of a spiritualist organization where I took some classes on energy work. A Reiki course to understand my healing capabilities, & also further develop my intuition. A few years after moving to a new state. I would be introduced to a much familiar and broadened community known as The Vampyre Community. I have learned a lot from all of it and my writing comes from a lot of my personal experiences.
Talk to the readers about some of the poems you’ve written recently and where the inspiration came from.
A lot of my inspiration comes from people I feel a deep connection too. Some would call it soulmates. I believe we have many in our lifetime. It's become very cliché to say that they are just romantic connections. I believe it can be more than that. Friends, family, and yes even a lover. Have you ever met someone and don't know how, but you feel like you have known this person before. Perhaps even I'm a past life? It's a very rare occurrence but it does happen. For myself I can count on one hand the connections I have made like this. I treasure them dearly. A lot of my writing goes into connection. Some of my writing goes into my spiritual journey like my poem inward and reflects on my personal journey. I also get inspired by reading a line, hearing a line, or something someone might say. It's hit me to my core. I feel I must pick up the pen and I must start writing and I do.
Besides this zine, are any of the poems you’ve written published in printed or online magazines?
Actually there is one poem I wrote when I was first diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. It was an extremely hard and difficult time for me. I wrote a poem about my experience and it was selected to be published into a book of multiple poems. This was about ten years ago. The poems name was called Tug Of War.
How long has this book been in the works and who do you plan to seek out to help you publish it? Do you have it in mind to publish through an independent company or will it be self-published?
I have been writing for a couple years now. With always the intent to write a complete book. Originally I was going to write a book about my life and experiences. Yet I found I am more motivated, and inspired, by writing Poetry. It just comes pouring out of me. As far as publishing. I have a friend part of that spiritualist community I mentioned above earlier. That told me when I was done writing a book to come to her. She would help me edit it and get it out there. Yet of course I will do my research and see the best thing to do when the time comes to publishing it. It’s good to know I already have an option.
Do you have enough poems written to publish in book form if you were ever inclined to? At what point do you think you would have the means and resources to publish a book of your poems? How much of your work would you want to include?
Not yet but that is my ultimate goal and dream of mine. To publish a book. As far as a set date I do not have one nor the means it right now. I am still currently writing and concluding this book. I hope and plan for it to be soon. I believe also that I could reach out to some people I have met and know to help me in the right direction as far as publishing goes. As for as what I would include in it. Every single thing I have written.
What is Reiki and how much information have you gathered from the course you took?
Reiki is a form of energy healing. It originated in Japan. It is the practice of healing with the conception that we all have this unseen energetic life force that is moving through our bodies. When we practice it as practitioners we use our energy to manipulate the stress or harmful areas of the body of the person we are working with and thus remove it from them. Grounding it back into mother earth from our roots.
How did you discover your sensitivity at such a young age, and how did you learn to express it through writing poems? How did music figure into it?
There were a few incidents that happened.
First starting with premonistic dreams. Whenever I dreamt of myself wandering around in this house looking for certain doors and a way out. I knew danger was afoot.
If I dreamt I was floating to the bottom of my staircase or jumping from one building to another. Something good was to occur. At a later time in life I would find that I was actually astral projecting. Yet when we astral project we are very much free from our physical bodies. The association is pretty ironic that I related it to a feeling of being free when I was young. As I mentioned above too.
I could also walk into a rented out part of my house we lived in and tell how people were feeling. Often times even till this day I know things and people think I’m strange. As for the healing part. Everyone in my house would always want a massage from me. When I give them to my family. They would all say I have such healing hands. I learned later in life to ground the blockages of others back into the earth. In younger years. I took it into myself and found myself hurting and overwhelmed.
I really believe I was just born this way. My grandmother was also a very intuitive psychic. My mother always explains to me I get my gifts from her. I remember her when I was seven and her teaching me how to cloud scry. She sadly passed away when I was eleven years old, but before she passed on. She couldn't speak. She looked at me with a look I'll never forget. It was as if I could hear her. Like I'm so sorry for leaving and all you may endure but that she would always be near and with me always. I still feel her presence till this day.
From all these experiences. I would often need time alone. I enjoyed it. In these moments I could blast my music and get lost in writing and I found I had much to write about.
How did your grandmother learn about scrying and how much of this knowledge did she pass on to you?
I am unsure of how my grandmother learned about scrying. I did learn of her gifts later in life from my mother. She taught me cloud scrying and that was about it. She could read a regular deck of playing cards for tarot. This she did not show me and I learned that also later on. I wish I had the chance to learn more from her, but I am grateful that on my path I found a number of individuals that I was led to who did help me along my way.
At what point after having those experiences did you decide you wanted to increase your sensitivity and put your talents to practice?
It began soon after when I found the spiritualist community. I started by practicing more of my efforts in groups, and at home amongst family. When it came to the vampyre community and learning more about energy manipulation. It became easy to shift the energy in a room after practicing it. My Sire had taught me a lot how to control, strengthen, and manipulate it.
What kind of music did you most closely relate to while writing, and what spoke to you about it?
I listened to just about everything when I was growing up. Anything from the 50s till that time was the 90s. Even now in the 2000s I still listen to just about everything. I love my classic rock and roll but when I'm writing I'm mostly focused on writing. The music is just background noise.
How important do you deem music when it comes to encouraging creativity in writing?
I believe music is a great tool for writing. I can listen to anything and write my heart out. Yet I do believe music can have effect on others writing. Different tunes for different moods.
In what ways do your chosen spiritual views help sustain your connection with yourself?
I believe my spiritual views helped me understand and identify with who I am. Let me also define spiritual as well. When I say I am spiritual it does not mean I am religious. By any means. When it comes to the religious side of things. I am actually an omnist.
I believe there is always something to be taken or learned from all angles of religion but everything in life as well. Believing in spirituality though .Has made me sustain a much higher vibration and connection to myself.
What about vampirism did you learn that differs from mainstream preconceptions?
Mainstream preconceptions. Well there is a lot of them and I never believed any of them. One for instance and I still get messages as a lot of us do is. Can you turn me into a vampire? You cannot be turned into a vampyre. It is just something that is a part of and within you. Awakening is part of the process but no one does that for you. It's something that happens to you. Awakening is a messy process. The dark night of soul as many of us refer to it as. I also believe we don't just awaken once. We transition a few times. This is from my own personal experience and what I have personally been through. Each transition. Moving up each time. Read books If you want to see if some of what you been through relates to vampirism. Is my best advice.
How did you react to meeting people with similar spiritual traits after writing for so many years? Were the people you met taking the classes you attended or did you discover them on your own?
We had a lot of death happen in my family.
A family friend was going to a spiritualist community where they practice mediumship, and do an offering of healing every Sunday. I finally went, it was incredible. There was a lady after service I will never forget. She looked at me and said "you have the gift." I smiled and I felt like yes these are my people. It was an incredible feeling. This is also where I met many individuals who would also teach me the classes. This was not the only place I learned though.
When I moved to Tampa. My neighbor downstairs was also very highly intuitive like myself. Later on I would come to find out and realize she was also my distant cousin. Small world right. Her name is Rebecca Mead also known as Psy Phoenix within the Vampyre Community. She would ultimately teach me more in depth about energy work and an Unknown topic to myself vampirism. She was my first teacher, mentor, or as a lot of us would refer to as my sire. She introduced to the Tampa Vampyre Community. Soon after I would then meet a whole online community of Vampyres.
I would eventually become friends with Goddess Rosemary Sahjaza. I took a liking to her because of her great love and affection for animals. At the beginning of our meeting there was an instant connection. This doesn't happen with many people in your life but it most definitely did with her. Also a few other individuals on my path. A couple years later she would ask me to join the Sahjaza. Where I must say I have learned even more about my path, craft, gifts, and have spiritually grown into my higher self. A Maiden and Priestess. The Temple Sahjaza is a place where I would finally and ultimately feel permanently home.
How much did Psy Phoenix know about vampirism and energy work, and how was her instruction beneficial to you?
Psy Phoenix knew a ton about vampirism. She is someone I would refer to as an extremely naturally gifted Vampyre-Healer in this part of my studies and instruction. To name a few instances she taught me guided meditation. We would often meditate and she would lead me places. These are all private between myself and her of course but what was learned was how to open up that third eye of mine. Also as I mentioned above. She taught me how to manipulate energy. Now in Reiki I learned to manipulate the energy of one person. She would end up teaching me how to manipulate transmute the energy of an entire room. I have always been very much appreciated for so many things she showed me. Which I only have named a few.
Did you meet Goddess Rosemary Sahjaza online through the Tampa Vampyre Community? In what ways did The Temple Sahjaza help you expand on what you were learning from Psy Phoenix? Also have you been involved in any local events hosted by The Temple Sahjaza since you joined?
I actually got a friend suggestion on Facebook 12 years ago. Looked at her profile. I saw her great love for animals and this is how we became instantly connected, In more ways than just one. Meeting Goddess Rosemary Sahjaza and becoming a part of The Temple House Sahjaza has definitely made a huge impact on me. It also did help me expand a lot further. Like I stated early. I finally felt home. It was incredibly easy to open up and communicate with her. It wasn't just her though it has been a number of our family within The Sahjaza. I felt like we all might have come from different belief systems - backgrounds, but there was never no judgment because of it. Also a common goal of unity, empathy, and a strong family brother-sisterhood. The ultimate goal becoming the best versions of ourselves. It was all about learning how to strengthen each unique road within that we are on. Ultimately that is leading to the self. I learned to turn truly inward to heighten and strengthen myself.
There have been a number of online courses. That I might quickly mention.
That are open and welcome to any individual. It is definitely worth learning.
Many great and fantastic courses are available. Offered by our very own high elders. To name one that is offered that I personally took is called Shadow Work. By my dear sister Reverend Priestess Heop Liath Sahjaza. It was not an easy one as it isn't for most, but I assure you it has helped me vigorously and has been very rewarding. You may be asking yourself what is shadow work? For me it recognizing and making sense of old traumas, wounds, triggers, and or behaviors.
What I learned most was acceptance, transformation, of being imperfectly perfect but also strengthening my core being to become better and strive for better. Ultimately in the end achieving balance. It's not a class I have done once but I revisit from time to time.
There has been a number of different courses. I'm just naming one off I personally found very beneficial. There are a ton more created by some of our most amazing elders within The Temple Sahjaza.
I'm very grateful to Goddess Rosemary for our meeting and also this great opportunity. Also in regard to the last part of your question I learned a great deal from them both. Goddess Rosemary definitely helped me expand, but I wouldn't say one was more than the other. I find we all make each other expand daily. There is something always to be learned from everyone I find. That is what makes learning and life so beautiful. It's a deep appreciation and understanding of one another. I'm just grateful to have met them both on my journey.
I had planned on going to a couple events that had ended up being canceled due to the corona virus. Hoping to attend one as soon as it is safe to.
What other courses hosted by The Temple Sahjaza do you consider worthwhile? If someone outside the Temple was interested in taking these courses, how can they be looked into?
There are a few other courses that I could mention. Such as mediation, astral projection, also one on aromatherapy. If someone is interested. They can simply click the link here. It is open to anyone outside The Temple House.
Is there anything you hope to accomplish with The Temple Sahjaza in the days to come?
I like to continue to accomplish what I already have been. Exploring, developing, and strengthening my gifts. As well as also helping others within our community do the same.
Renascentia Bella Morte Sahjaza Contact information:
Email: missydee8135@gmail.com
-Dave Wolff
