An Interview with
Isaac Bonewits

by Christopher Blackwell

Isaac Bonewits is one of our Pagan pioneers. He started the largest North American-based tradition of Druidism (Ár nDraíocht Fein: A Druid Fellowship) and is that group's first Archdruid Emeritus. He is a prolific writer having presently seven books in print, plus five others he has written forwards to. What makes him unusual is he is a trained scholar who has spent a life time studying and learning magic. He has been a featured speaker and given workshops at Pagan festivals all over the country. I myself attended one of his workshops some 23 or 24 years ago here in New Mexico. I still remember his workshop subjects then, on the need for the Pagan community to take on the responsibility of a community in dealing with problems within, and he also suggested if we wanted to have full time priests and priestesses that we should be willing to provide them with a salary and give them a decent living. This was pretty radical stuff in the Pagan Community back in the mid-1980s. So I was interested in interviewing him and he granted me a bit of his time.

Christopher: You have spent most of a lifetime in the Pagan community all the way back to getting your degree back in Berkley, haven't you?

Isaac: Pretty much. Once I knew I was Pagan, I never saw any need to say I wasn't, although I did drop out of active writing and leadership roles for a few years while I concentrated on earning a secular living.

Christopher: In the Pagan community we have plenty of writers but very few scholars. You are one of the rare exceptions to the rule. How long have you been studying and writing about magic? How many books have you written?

Isaac: Thanks to work by Chas Clifton and others with Pomegranate Journal, we now have a growing number of Pagan scholars. I have to admit that I consider myself an amateur scholar, since I have no advanced degrees beyond my original Bachelors in Magic from UC Berkeley.

At this point, I've been studying about magic, polytheism, and other minority belief systems for over forty years, and writing about them for nearly that long.

I've written seven books, one with my wife Phaedra, though some of them have had more than one title in different editions. [Let me know if you want a list]

Christopher: Making the festival road trip sounds like it must be quite an effort. I know what it takes for most of us to make just one festival a year. How many festivals do you attend on the average year?

Isaac: I used to do a dozen or more every year for decades. Since the collapse of the American economy, I'm only doing one or two a year now. Festival organizers just can't afford to fly speakers into their events anymore.

Christopher: So tell us about this trip to Europe? Is this your first trip to Europe or your first time working with Pagan Federation International?

Isaac: I spent seven weeks in Ireland back in 2000, but this is my first trip to England and the Continent, and Phae's first as well. I met Irish members of the Pagan Federation back in 2000, but this is our first event with them in Holland, England, and Germany.

Christopher: What will you be covering in your talks on this tour, where and when?

Isaac: From October 18–19th, we'll be talking in Amsterdam about the history and customs of Samhain, with a Samhain ritual of course, the role of men in the Pagan movement, American Druidism, and other interesting topics.

From October 21–23rd, we'll be talking in London about American Druidism, the real history of Wicca, and perhaps ritual participation and performance skills.

From October 25-26th, we'll be in Germany giving an intensive two-day seminar about ritual design, preparation, performance, preparation, and critique skills, with an American Druidic focus, plus some classes on Real Magic, Real Energy, and Neopagan Polytheology.

Christopher: What are you looking forward to on this trip?

Isaac: Everything! Ancient Pagan sites, museums, meeting European fans, and lots of dark, chewy beer!

Christopher: You have often brought up subjects in the Pagan community that have been considered controversial and perhaps ahead of their time. What do you see that the Pagan community still needs to deal with?

Isaac: We still have the overlapping issues of Pagan real estate, support for full time clergy, and support for Pagan elders (long-time leaders, writers, and clergy) and seniors. All of these have to do with issues of fundraising, financial trust, and sacrifice for the future. Those in term need our current members to move away from "me" to "we" in our thinking and planning.

Christopher: I noted from your web page you are into a lot of different things to earn your living. Being a Pagan elder is not a way to get rich by any means. Perhaps you could give contact information and your web page URL?

Isaac: Being a Pagan elder is a good way to die in hunger and poverty, as has happened to quite a few of us already. People can go to Our Blatant Hucksterism Page at http://www.neopagan.net/Money.html for links to other sites where they can purchase our books, music, jewelry, graphic designs, etc., or just to make a simple donation. Considering how little money we actually earn from those sources, I'm really fearful for other Pagan elders who don't have as many ways to "earn their keep" by providing physical objects to sell to the Pagan market. "What have you done for us lately?" seems to be the common Pagan response to Pagan elders asking for help.

Christopher: Anything else you would like our readers to know?

Isaac: We want everyone to register to vote and then do so! This is especially important in the USA right now, but fascism and theocracy are rearing their ugly heads everywhere. Remember: Friends Don't Let Friends Vote Fascist!

Contact Isaac Bonewits

Web page: http://www.neopagan.net

 

Six Books by Isaac Bonewits, and One by Phaedra Bonewits and Isaac Bonewits

Neopagan Rites: A Guide to Creating Public Rituals that Work (Paperback)
by Isaac Bonewits (Author)
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications (December, 2007)
ISBN-3: 978-07387997

Real Energy: Systems, Spirits, And Substances to Heal, Change, And Grow(Paperback)
by Phaedra Bonewits (Author), Isaac Bonewits (Author)
Publisher: New Page Books; edition(March, 2007)
ISBN-3: 978-6449046

Bonewits’s Essential Guide to Druidism (Paperback)
by Isaac Bonewits (Author)
Publisher: Citadel (August, 2006)
ISBN-3: 978-0806279

Bonewits’s Essential Guide to Witchcraft and Wicca (Paperback)
by Isaac Bonewits (Author)
Publisher: Citadel (February, 2006)
ISBN-3: 978-0806276

The Pagan Man: Priests, Warriors,Hunters, and Drummers (Paperback)
by Isaac Bonewits (Author)
Publisher: Citadel
ISBN-3: 978-080626973

Authentic Thaumaturgy (Paperback)
by Isaac Bonewits (Author)
Publisher: Steve Jackson Games; 2 edition
ISBN-3: 978-63436

Real Magic: An Introductory Treatise on the Basic Principles of Yellow Magic
(Paperback)
by Isaac Bonewits (Author)
Publisher: Red Wheel / Weiser; Revised edition
ISBN-3: 978-0877286882