An Interview with
Shahindran Moonieya

Hindu, Witch, and Deputy Director of Corporate Communications for the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry

Q. Would it be correct to call you a Shivaite?

A. Because Hinduism is a syncretic faith made up of many schools of thought and many philosophies that have evolved over approximately 12000 years, I can be called many things. In broad generic terms, I am a Hindu. In terms of my specific tribal and philosophical upbringing I am a Tamil speaking Saivite [shivaite]. This particular Tantric school or path of the broad Hindu faith is the oldest and forms the basis of modern Hinduism and Buddhism as it is practiced in Nepal, Tibet, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Cambodia.

Q. Tell me about your first introduction to Spirituality.

A. I was brought up in a very eclectic spiritual family. My mother is descended of a long unbroken line of German Sidhr witches who practice the "kitchen craft" and my father is Tamil speaking. From a very young age, I was exposed to all of these. My earliest memories include being drawn toward anything and anyone even vaguely spiritual or esoteric as well as the fact that I have had a traditional education in the esoterics of Indian witchcraft through the Tantra. In addition to this, I spent much of my very early childhood on my mother's family’s farm in the Eastern Cape where such practices in her family were perfectly natural.

Q. Would you call Hinduism and Brahmanism pagan spiritualities?

A. Hinduism certainly is a pagan spirituality. In my view, Brahmanism, while also being pagan by virtue of its basis and raison de tre in Hinduism is an evil aberration which oppressed people and contorted the faith by formalizing and institutionalizing it based on the caste system. Much the same way in that the Catholic Church suppressed free thought in the dark ages and the medieval age.

Q. What led you to Witchcraft?

A. My entry into western witchcraft was a natural evolution based on my own spiritual and cultural history. More importantly, it was my close friendship with Morgainne Emrys that gave me formal entry and training in the craft.

Q. How and in what way have you managed to fuse these two paths in practice?

A. My point of departure is the historical fact that the Celts have their origins in the Indus valley, and while their evolution may have taken a different path on the surface of things, the practices and philosophies of Wicca and Druidry are essentially the same, especially in as far as we follow the cycles of the seasons, nature and the moon. I have written rituals fusing the two paths by taking them back to the source. One only has to look at the study in modern witchcraft and magic of the Tantra and the Chakras to realize the comfort both Hinduism and Wicca find in each other.

Q. Tell us a little more about Tantric magic.

A. Tantric magic is an ancient system that would take many volumes to expound. I could refer you to a western author George Feurstein who has written the most exhaustive treatise on the subject, in his book entitled Tantra. One must bear in mind that all of the systems of Yoga and the works on Chakras have their direct roots in Tantric magic.

Q. Do you think it wise to engage in Tantric magic without having received the kind of training and preparation you have as a Brahmin?

A. First of all, you do not have to be a Brahmin. Unfortunately, because of the evils of the caste system, being born a Brahmin has entitled me to many privileges especially with regard to traditional education. I have received this training as a Brahmin, but there are many radical Hindu witches like myself who do not hold with the caste system and the customs governing training in the tradition of Tantric Magic.

However, one must have the training that governs the realm of tantric magic and this needs to be very closely guided. The training itself takes many years, and indeed, many lifetimes. I have, within the coven to which I belong, imparted some of my knowledge to my sisters and brothers in the craft with careful selection of certain techniques and practices. To do a more involved and intense training would require much more time and discipline on the part of members of my coven. I would not impart this knowledge or give training randomly or to others outside of my order or my coven. All witches who have studied the chakras and the paths of the Goddess in the eastern tradition have, at any rate, received the basic introduction to tantric magic. Read Feurstein and you will get further insight into how the system works on a more formal level.

Q. What are your opinions on the ancient caste system and how does this system still influence South African Hindus?

A. In order to give my view, I must first trace the history of the caste system. It is a social evil and its history is one of racial oppression. In fact, the word for caste is Varna, and this refers to skin colour. The system originated as a method of structuring ancient Indian society when the lighter skinned Germanic invaders from the Caucasian steppes subjugated the darker skinned inhabitants of the sub-continent called Dravidians.

Over time the two groups intermarried and one could no longer distinguish between the them as new tribes and languages had evolved. Parallel to this was the fact that throughout Indian history, there were trade guilds like the ones that existed in Europe, and also clans, like those that exist in Scotland. These became fused with this maniacal system of subjugation and thousands of castes and sub-castes evolved based on the type of work that the group did. This further evolved into the strict hierarchic structure that exists today.

Vedic philosophy divides people into four types, namely priests and lawmakers followed by rulers, merchants and labourers. This was never meant to be a hierarchic system because you could be born into a family of labourers and educate yourself to be a lawmaker. An example in Indian history is the story of Valmiki. He was a highwayman and thief of the lowest order who through a revelation attained enlightenment and proceeded to write one of the most important pieces of Hindu Scripture called the Ramayana.

There are many such stories in Hindu and Buddhist history. South African Hindus have largely discarded the caste system in practice. Most South African Hindus are Tamil speaking and the caste system has never been big amongst Tamil speaking Hindus. Often the reference to the clan one belongs to is just a verbal one with no real adherence to the letter of the system. Clans and tribal groups would practice customs and rites peculiar to them, but that is where it ends.

Q. Do your Hindu friends and relatives know about your initiation as a Witch and how do they feel about it?

A. Yes. It really makes no difference since Hindus are closely aligned with general pagan paths and have an enormous amount of respect for it, especially in as far as the Wicca is seen to be advancing the knowledge around Hindu philosophies such as Chakras, Karma, reincarnation and the Mother Goddess. Besides, if anyone felt differently, that would be his or her problem to deal with and not mine. I am at peace with who and what I am.

Q. Are you open about your spirituality at work?

A. I am currently the Deputy Director of Corporate Communications in the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry. I oversee the corporate communications for the Department on a national level. Of course I am open about my spirituality. Besides being proudly Pagan and Hindu, we are governed by the most advanced constitution in the world. One of my duties as a civil servant is to protect and advance this legislation. What better way to do it than via my religion?

Q. How do you feel about the future of modern Paganism in the new South Africa?

A. Modern paganism is its own enemy in that we do not speak as a cohesive group or from one platform. The constitution protects us and the media have always given us good positive coverage. Unfortunately because there are so many small independent pagan groups out there who do not work together we weaken our own cause in the process. To iterate the complaints of many media people who try to get more information and publicize more events, whom do they talk to?

The Hindu community is comprised of many eclectic paths, cults, organizations and linguistic tribal groups and yet they speak with one public voice and have empowered themselves by belonging to one organization which functions like a union or a watchdog for the protection and advancement of Hindu and Buddhist thought and praxis, based simply on a common need and a common thread which runs through all of its various philosophies. The greatest problem with the future of modern paganism in South Africa is the very large ego of the witch.

Shahindran Moonieya, Ardhana Freya Shakti Thor , lives in Gauteng and is an initiate of the Circle of Awen, a coven formed in 1998 by Druidic Witch Morgainne Emrys. Initiates of the Circle of Awen practice a unique and eclectic blend of Druidry, Wicca and Tantric Hindu witchcraft. Quarter callings are often chanted in unison in English, Gaelic and Sanskrit. Apprentices are initially trained as Witches for a year and a day after which they are schooled in the bardic, ovatic and druidic arts.