Is this our problem?
In the midst of writing my novel—Otzi’s Odyssey - The Troubled Soul of a Neolithic Iceman, I came upon this compelling announcement stenciled to a sidewalk in Manhattan. After taking the photo, I paused to dwell upon its message, causing me to wonder…
Are there those walking among us, devoid of a soul?
What happens to these unfortunates who journey through life without the essential essence of what makes us human?
Are these soulless beings what we call—The evil ones?
For those who receive a soul, when is this ethereal force brought into existence?
At what moment does an ensoulment into a new life occur?
Does the soul reside in the spirit world, waiting to be born?
These metaphysical questions stimulated a trove of ideas, allowing me to build upon the past and present worlds where the Neolithic hero—Bhark, and his tormented soul, struggles to earn his redemption among the four demonic realms of Gehenna.
The quote above, by the Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner, encouraged me to consider the following eternal questions regarding the journey of the soul:
Does our biography conclude upon the moment of our death, or does our soul’s story continue on as we transition into the spiritual realm?
Where do we dwell during our time between death and rebirth?
Whom do we interact with in this in between time?
What agreements or callings do we take on, before our rebirth?
How is the moment of our rebirth decided upon?
Is there a purpose we are destined to pursue, when born again?
Since the passing of my thirty-two year old son, now nearly two years ago, writing has become my spiritual practice, a place where I assemble the mysteries of our ethereal puzzle, and in turn, build a story around these perplexing questions.
I would love to hear your thoughts.
THE NAZARITE
THE UNTOLD STORY OF SAMSON & DELILAH
SERIALIZED FICTIOn PREMIERING March 1st, 2023
Samson and Delilah was one of my favorite bible stories. The great Israelite and strongman, able to kill a lion with his bare hands, defeat an army of one-thousand strong with the jawbone of an ass, plus many more captivating Herculean feats. Plenty of heroics to impress a young boy.
During the writing of my latest book—Thunder Falls, I make reference to Samson and Delilah, causing me to ponder it once again. What a fantastic tale of great and outrageous feats, as well as an intriguing love affair between an Israelite and a Philistine. It was this relationship that raised my brow.
Why did Samson share his sacred secret with the vixen—Delilah? A secret so dear, that his life depended upon keeping it private. Yet he tells Delilah, and by doing so, is taken captive. His eyes are gored out and he's sentenced to be sacrificed to the Philistine god—Dagon.
I imagined Delilah, armed with nothing more than her exquisite beauty, and cunning deceit, enticing the lustful Samson by pushing him beyond the limits of their love making. Why else would the Nazarite give up the key to his great strength, unless lured by forbidden, erotic desires?
Like a shark smelling blood in the water, I became driven to write this untold story. It's points a view are through the eyes of Samson, and a Philistine scribe—Mizar, whose given the task of writing upon parchment the events of Samson's life.
The Nazarite will be presented as serialized fiction and offered on SUBSTACK.