In today's The Sun, Zeena talks about fabled Jayne Mansfield death curse.
Excerpted: "Artist Zeena, who used to practise magic and is now a Buddhist, claims it was beyond her father’s powers to cause the crash. She said: 'His curses were fits of anger. 'This needed a focused ritual.' But she is in no doubt LaVey was a man you would not want to cross. Zeena, who also knew serial killer Charles Manson, said: “I could deal with Manson in a more rational way than I could with my father.' The film dwells on LaVey’s kooky TV persona, yet Zeena describes a 'brutal' man who almost killed her mother Diane Hegarty more than once." Read the whole article here: https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/6230856/jayne-mansfield-satanic-sex-cult-film/
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Tune in Tuesday night Oct 25th @10PM CET for a NIGHTWATCH Halloween Special, when Zeena will discuss her current music and writing projects and much more. As always there's sure to be surprises! The show will be a double-feature pairing Zeena alongside actor Richard Sammel, currently known for his role as Thomas Eichhorst in the FX vampire horror drama series 'The Strain.' Tune in live on the Nightwatch homepage at: http://www.zombiebloodbath.com/nightwatch/front.html The Guardsman student newspaper interviews Zeena on a little known period of her life as an arts student at City College of San Francisco & teenage single-mother. During the run up for local election to reinstate CCSF as a free college, Zeena shares her memories and recommends young art students to also explore opportunities in foreign countries that offer state support for the arts and universities. Read the full article HERE
Zeena translates a study on the language of Buddhists. By Tony SokolA recent study found that people being exposed to Buddhist concepts can make them more socially accepting of outside behavior and undermine prejudice. The study, “Buddhist Concepts as Implicitly Reducing Prejudice and Increasing Prosociality” was led by Stanford University researchers from Belgium and Taiwan. It was published in the April issue of the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. The study supplements research about a phenomenon called priming, which theorizes that merely being exposed to certain words or concepts changes the way people think or behave. The researchers conducted three separate experiments of 355 individuals. They found that being exposed to words related to Buddhism could “automatically activate prosociality and tolerance, in particular among people with socio-cognitive open-mindedness.” Zeena Schreck is an artist, musician, author, animal rights activist and Tantric Buddhist in the Nyingma, Drikung Kagyu, Karma Kagyu lineages (also known as the “Oral Lineage” or Whispered Transmission traditions). “We usually only attribute the familiar phrase ‘You are what you eat’ to edible nutrition, but the phrase also relates to mental nutrition,” Zeena began. “If you only put ‘junk-food’ into your mind, it becomes flabby and unhealthy. You will see everything in a nihilistic ‘glass half empty’ view, develop feelings of paranoia, persecution or entitlement and your resentment towards others will grow to a crippling degree.” “But if you ‘ingest’ healthy, life affirming and spiritually nutritious thoughts, you become those thoughts, without needing to be preachy about it or making a show of righteousness and virtuousness,” she said. The study points out that Buddhist practices like meditation foster an open-minded and compassionate viewpoint. “The tantric Buddhist practice of utilizing mantras to liberate the mind from disturbing emotions, conditioning and limitations for the greater purpose of spiritual Enlightenment, can have immediate positive effect on even those new to the techniques,” Zeena said. “I’ve seen this personally when teaching these practices in my workshops and retreats. The effect experienced by the participants after a long mantra meditation session is visible in their faces and bodies. They appear more peaceful, centered and alert.” The researchers studied the reactions of Western subjects who were familiar with Buddhism when they read religious words like “Dharma” and “Nirvana” in a word puzzle. The researchers found the participants expressed lower negative attitudes toward outgroups than the subjects who were exposed to positive non-religious words like “freedom.” “Like mantras, the Buddhist related words used in this study, such as Dharma and Nirvana, also have a vibrational ‘weight,'” explained Zeena. “The energy of these religio-magical terms comes from centuries of priming and charging by beings who used them to express spiritual bliss, love, compassion, liberation and enlightenment.” “Words, like symbols, are not superficial. There is an intrinsic energy and life to all words. So a religious word such as Dharma or Nirvana, to an intelligent person who knows the basic meaning, will have a very different subliminal effect than non-religiously-primed, secular words such as ‘freedom,'” she continued. The study found that Westerners with a Christian background scored higher on prosociality measures after being exposed to Buddhist concepts, but the research found that the measure of prosociality did not increase after subjects were to Christian concepts. “I would suggest that this has something to do with the non-dualistic mental attitude and approach of Buddhism in contrast to the dualistic mindset of monotheistic, specifically Abrahamic, religions,” Zeena interpreted. “To my experience as a tantric Buddhist, Buddhism actively discourages a morally superior attitude between the various schools of Buddhism and its practitioners. Causing division among the Sangha is one of the Five Heinous Crimes of Buddhism.” The study found that “unlike Christian and other monotheistic religious systems that paradoxically seem to encourage not only prosociality but also prejudice, Buddhist ideas favor both prosociality and outgroup tolerance, and these ideals seem particularly efficient (in leading to action) for people with relevant personality dispositions.” “We are taught that each and all of the various schools and vehicles of Buddhism are important elements of the greater Buddha-Dharma teachings,” Zeena said. “This expansive, inclusive and non-judgmental mindset is inbuilt to the religious teachings and practices. They are the basis by which the same mentality toward all beings should be understood. By contrast, among the various sects and denominations of Christianity, division, contention, segregation and judgment is prevalent and not especially discouraged.” Buddhism does not draw a sharp line between believers and unbelievers like the three dominant monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Subjects with a Christian background who were predisposed to valuing the welfare of all people and an aversion towards authoritarianism reportedly became more tolerant after being exposed to Buddhist concepts. Tests imply that these subjects were less prejudiced against people of African descent and Muslims than participants exposed to Christian concepts or neutral concepts. “Emotional (compassion) and cognitive (tolerance of contradictions) mechanisms explain, to some extent, how Buddhist concepts, across cultural and religious contexts, enhance prosocial and tolerant attitudes and behavioral tendencies. Religious and cultural characteristics ‘travel’ and influence people’s attitudes and behavior in a globalized world even at the implicit level of consciousness,” the study concluded. “The Dharma practitioner learns to consider his or her words and thoughts and apply mental antidotes to negative thoughts and speech,” Zeena said. “In developing this kind of awareness whenever possible, transformation is immediately possible. Replacing any negative thought with a time-tested traditional mantra will automatically and organically begin to transform body, spirit and life.” [Original from Daily Offbeat at author Tony Sokol archives: https://deyliveaccestv.wordpress.com/2015/12/06/study-finds-buddhist-compassion-is-contagious-zeena-schreck-explains-why-exclusive/] The Zaum of Zeena is now available on this site! A Collection of Interviews, Essays, Quotes and Images by Zeena Schreck Edited by Frank Haines Published by HEINZFELLER NILEISIST New Review of The Zaum of Zeena by Luca Piccolo below in this post. [La versione in lingua italiana di questa recensione si trova sotto il testo in inglese.] This fine art zine was presented especially for the 10th annual NY Art Book Fair 2015, at MOMA/PS1, Sept. 17-20, 2015 From the original Premiere Limited Edition of 50 - Only 23 copies are left of the original first printing.
New Review of The Zaum of Zeena
by Luca Piccolo: [La versione in lingua italiana di questa recensione si trova sotto il testo in inglese.] . The Zaum of Zeena, published by Frank Haines in 2015, is presented as a "collection of Interview, Essay, Quotes and Images" of the artist Zeena Schreck. Interviews closely analyze the most interesting aspects of the life, the thought and the philosophy that always accompanies Zeena. As is written in the first pages of this volume, "her art, like her music, is best understood as a non-verbal trans-rational branch of her spiritual teaching"; the best way to understand this is to read this text. In fact, Zeena's art is the main issue covered in the first interview presented in this volume, which happens to be my own interview with Zeena originally published in WSF (online art journal). This is followed by excerpts from the interview with the author Konstantinos that focuses on exploring spirituality and the magical path of this artist. A theme which is then expanded upon in a different way in the wonderful interview with Che Chetty (for the School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics, University of Kwazulu Natal, South Africa), where certain aspects of Tantra are analyzed and investigated. In this series of questions and answers we see two alternating fronts: the accademic vs. the practical knowledge. The interview by Maxime Lachaud, drops us completely into the musical dimension of the artist, and investigates mainly the work that Zeena made with recordings for Radio Werewolf. Also relevant to her work during Radio Werewolf is an extract from "Mythos Wewelsburg: Fakten und Legenden" by Daniele Siepe, in which the artist explaines the reason for a particular position/asana she takes in a scene from her Video Werewolf film "Germany: The Theory of Ruins" (1992). Both of these interviews make us reflect on the meticulousness that the artist uses for the realization of every single opera. With this in mind, it spontaneously came to me how the composition of this volume was not at all left to chance. Also included in this collection are two writings by Zeena originally published in the Beatdom Magazine # 11 (referring to "Liberation under the Snow Moon," the story of a salvific mission to free captive wolves from a fur farm) and Vice Magazine ("A Tale of Two Birds and Tantric Meditation "). All the interviews are linked together through a series of quotes and images, which greatly augment the value of the text and make for a most pleasant and smooth reading experience. Between the lines we also see beauty and clarity: perhaps the two most emotionally engaging effects of this pubblication. This is a text that gives to the general public the opportunity to open up to the understanding of Zeena Schreck and her art. It is certainly a must read by anyone interested in the spiritual and artistic aspects of Zeena. But also for those who have only a marginal interest in these topics, it is still a treat. --Luca Piccolo 2015 Naples, Italy The Zaum of Zeena, editato da Frank Haines nel 2015, si presenta come una “collection of Interview, Essay, Quotes and Images” dell’artista Zeena Schreck. Le interviste analizzano da vicino gli aspetti più interessanti della vita, del pensiero e della filosofia che accompagna Zeena da sempre. Come appare scritto nelle prime pagine di questo volume “her art, like her music, is best understood as a non-verbal trans-rational branch of her spiritual teaching”; il miglior modo per comprenderlo è leggere questo testo. È infatti l’arte di Zeena la tematica principalmente trattata nella prima intervista, quella di Luca Piccolo. Seguono poi alcuni estratti dall’intervista con l’autore Konstantinos che fa convergere le proprie domande su questioni che indagano la spiritualità e il percorso magico dell’artista. Tematica che poi verrà sviluppata in un altro modo nella stupenda intervista con Che Chetty (for the School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics, University of Kwazulu Natal, South Africa), dove sono invece analizzati e indagati alcuni aspetti del Tantra, in questa serie di domande e risposte vediamo alternarsi due fronti: quello accademico e quello della conoscenza pratica. L’intervista di Maxime Lachaud, ci cala completamente nella dimensione musicale dell’artista, e indaga principalmente il lavoro che Zeena ha compiuto con le registrazioni di Radio Werewolf; così come nell’estratto da “Mythos Wewelsburg: Fakten und Legenden” di Daniele Siepe, viene spiegata una posizione/asana che l’artista assume in una scena di “Germania: The theory of Ruins” (1992), from Video Werewolf film. Entrambe le interviste ci fanno riflettere sulla meticolosità che l’artista utilizza per la realizzazione di ogni sua singola Opera. Tenendo presente ciò, sorge spontaneo il pensiero che anche la composizione di questo volume non sia affatto stata affidata al caso. Sono inoltre inclusi in questa raccolta due scritti della stessa Zeena già pubblicati su Beatdom Magazine # 11 (parliamo di “Liberation under the Snow Moon”, racconto di un’azione salvifica per liberare alcuni lupi) e su Vice Magazine (“A Tale of Two Birds and Tantric Meditation”). Le citazioni e le immagini che compongono quest’opera fanno da anello di congiunzione tra tutte le interviste, e aumentano notevolmente il valore del testo, oltre a renderlo ancora più piacevole e scorrevole. Tra le pagine vediamo quindi affiancarsi la bellezza e la chiarezza: forse i due elementi emotivamente più coinvolgenti dell’opera. È questo un testo che dà al grande pubblico la possibilità di aprirsi alla comprensione di Zeena Schreck e della sua Arte. Va indubbiamente letto da chiunque abbia interesse per il percorso spirituale e artistico di Zeena, ma anche, da chi ha solo un interesse marginale per le tematiche trattate. The Chiseler Online Magazine interviews Zeena about her memories of actor Christopher Lee: The interdisciplinary avant garde artist spoke exclusively with the Chiseler about the legendary actor. Zeena “met Christopher Lee as a result of being co-producer for the CD ‘Christopher Lee Sings Devils Rogues and other Villians.’ Specifically, I first met him at the apartment in Los Angeles that Nikolas and I rented for him and his wife Gitte to stay in while we worked on the recording of ‘Christopher Lee Sings Devils Rogues and other Villains.’” Long before Lee recorded with the symphonic power metal group Rhapsody of Fire, he was involved with “Christopher Lee Sings Devils, Rogues & Other Villains (From Broadway To Bayreuth And Beyond).“ “Nikolas knew of Lee’s love of classical music, opera and Broadway musicals. But at that time, the general public only knew Lee for his vampire roles and had little awareness of his musical talent and appreciation,” Zeena explained. Lee maintained that his one regrets was his decision not to become an opera singer. “Nikolas conceived of the idea to spotlight Christopher Lee’s considerable singing talents,” Zeena said. “But he knew that to do that effectively, such a project would need to focus on musical selections one would automatically think of Lee singing, appropriately sinister villainous characters from Opera and musicals. “Lee was very enthusiastic at the proposal. So it was through helping Nikolas with the planning, production and coordinating of that project that I got to know Christopher. We recorded it at a studio in Crossroads of the World in Los Angeles. A considerable amount of work and expense went into finding suitable, classically trained musicians and a musical director (Dean Shepherd, who was fantastic) who had the right skills and temperament to work well with Lee.” The friendship endured long after the work was completed. “We stayed in contact throughout the years following that album,” she said. “We’d see him whenever he was in Berlin for the Berlin Film Festival and the ‘Cinema for Peace’ benefit.” [...] “It goes without saying that Christopher was a very colorful person,” Zeena said. “But for me, the most interesting conversations with him revolved around his descriptions of his WWII work as a British Intelligence officer. He talked about parachuting into German enemy Waffen SS camps and, well, he did what the British government trained him to do, which was not pretty.” “I got the impression he was still rather haunted, even decades later, by some of his experiences during the war. Even though he believed that what he did was for virtuous and just reasons,” she added. Zeena was present during the meeting of two masters. “I remember a funny incident when Nikolas and I were having high tea with Lee at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. When we finished, we left the hotel to meet with Ferdy Mayne (Fearless Vampire Killers) who lived nearby. Together with Lee, we bumped into Bela Lugosi, Jr., whom we also knew (the attorney son of Bela Lugosi who’s a dead-ringer for his father),” Zeena said. “To us, this was just business as usual. But then it dawned on Nikolas and me, that we must have known a lot of vampires, for the odds of that happening! Around the same time, Nikolas and I were also well acquainted with vampire actors Robert Quarry, Maila Nurmi, William Marshall, Barbara Steele and Ingrid Pitt.” [...] “He definitely had an interest in magic beyond the roles he played,” Zeena said. “But we need to make a distinction between 'interest’ and 'involvement.’ He had no first-hand involvement in any magical, occult or satanic groups and even declined direct invitations from such groups. “He liked horror fiction of authors like H.P. Lovecraft, Bram Stoker, Algernon Blackwood, etc. But that was purely a literary appreciation. He also had an interest in John Dee, The Golden Dawn and other 19th and early 20th century magical groups,” she explained. “However, it should be stated that Lee had an interest in a wide variety of eclectic subjects, which had nothing to do with occultism. He was simply very well-read and inquisitive by nature,” she added. Lee was in the enviable position to be able to satisfy his many curiosities. “As a result of his years in British intelligence, he’d known figures like Dennis Wheatley, his cousin Ian Fleming, etc., and had heard of their experiences with Aleister Crowley. In fact he was lifelong friends with Dennis Wheatley and agreed with Wheatley’s views on the occult. But their friendship grew out of their mutual intelligence work, not because of occult or magical interests. Christopher Lee was instrumental in getting Wheatley works to film. Wheatley’s The Forbidden Territory was made into a movie starring Ronald Squire as Sir Charles rather than Duke de Richleau in 1934. “It was Lee who convinced Hammer films to buy the rights to Wheatley’s books for the films he would star in,” Zeena said. “But it should be clarified that Lee was very dismissive and wary of occultists, black magicians or satanists.” During Zeena’s involvement in the Lee album, she had the opportunity to ask Lee about the rumor that her father knew Christopher Lee. “When Nikolas and I got to know Lee, we were able to discuss this rumor with him in detail,” Zeena said. “Both Lee and his wife Gitte refuted the rumor vehemently. Lee explained that, as a result of working on the U.S. TV movie Poor Devil, with Sammy Davis, Jr. (who became a Priest in the Church of Satan), Davis tried to ingratiate Lee into accepting an invitation at the behest of my father, offering Lee a copy of The Satanic Bible, personally inscribed and signed by my father. “Lee still had the book in his collection and, on one of Nikolas’s visits to London for preparations of the CD, Lee showed Nikolas the book referring to it as a cheap paperback from the '60s witchcraft fads. Lee didn’t take it at all seriously,” Zeena said. “His wife Gitte recalled another time they visited Sammy and his wife Altovise in Los Angeles, when again Sammy tried to serve as middle-man between Dracula and the Black Pope, and again to no avail. “Lee had no interest. He said Sammy was nuts about my father but Lee saw my father as a 'Johnny-come-lately opportunist and con-man’ within the occult. Lee expressed that he had no intention of ever meeting LaVey. Then, Lee pointedly looked me in the eye and said 'I’m very glad that you had the sense to get out of all of that destructive rubbish, expounding on what he called the ruinous effects of that type of belief system,’” she concluded. The levelheaded enchantress also got to see the work that went into his actor’s preparation. “Lee took personal responsibility to research his roles, to learn what he could about the characters and the historical context, in order to bring a more believable performance to each character,” Zeena said. “His interest in devilish and monstrous roles was purely a matter of aesthetics and literary appreciation - but not at all a personal lifestyle. “I think he considered the villainous roles he played as having allegorical and moral significance. Sort of like morality tales for a new generation. I don’t think he expected to actually inspire people to want to become the characters he played. He was part Italian and had a very strong sense of religious moral ethics. So even though he befriended Wheatley and personally researched the villainous roles he would play, it was really out of a dedication to portray those roles in as real a way as possible, to understand those characters from their own points of view and to make them believable,” she said. THERE'S MORE - READ THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE Christopher Lee letter from 22nd of July [1996] "Dear Nikolas, First & foremost, my thanks to Zeena for her much appreciated letter & the enclosure of the contact sheets [photos for the CD], most of which are very good. It is good to know that dedication, determination and devotion (the three D's) are still appreciated in the downspiralling & diminishing & destructive (thee more D's) rush of our wretched industry; and that there are still artistic & professional people who understand & support that horribly misused word “Talent.” I greatly enjoyed my sessions & we have indeed created musical history, it was great fun, if at times almost beyond me....I still think you should make the high notes in the Credo sound as good as possible. I don't want to make ugly sounds. Vanity of course. You can use any or all of the pictures included, except those marked with a red X. Obviously the “burnt out” ones will need to be graded, if possible. And you can match the facial expressions to the arias concerned. I would like to have some myself! Best to you both from Gitta & me, Christopher" [BOOK REVIEW by ZEENA] Today I received a review copy of a new German book I'm featured in: 'Mythos Wewelsburg: Fakten und Legenden' (The Wewelsburg Myth: Facts and Legends) – sent directly from the Kreismusum Wewelsburg. The authors, Daniela Siepe and Kirsten John-Stucke provide an excellent historical overview, and leave no stone unturned, in exploring all of the legends and realities surrounding the notorious and mysterious Wewelsburg castle. For German speakers who have an interest in this strange and misunderstood edifice, its history and cultural influence, I highly recommend this volume. Comprehensively researched with detailed notes and historical context, this volume includes so many obscure facts and references that even those well versed in the Wewelsburg legend would be surprised to learn yet more. For those who are not familiar with the Wewelsburg, it is a 9th century German castle that first came to world-wide attention as the “Grail Castle” of the Nazi SS. Purported to be a mystical location chosen personally by Heinrich Himmler (Reichsführer-SS), it was to become an SS leadership school and the headquarters for what Himmler believed would be a German equivalent of the Arthurian 'Nights of the Round Table,' or the stage for a living Parsifal epic.
Following the end of WWII, countless legends arose surrounding this edifice, many having to do with secret cult rites and the structure having a supernatural energy, comparable to Externsteine or Stonehenge. Such legends sparked the imaginations of many authors, filmmakers, musicians, artists, political extremists, UFO fanatics, conspiracy theorists and occultists. At a time in my life when I was questioning the inconsistencies of the philosophical and religious framework within which I was raised, I began my own ardent spiritual quest. I needed to find the roots of, and truth behind, many of the figures, legends, and nomenclature which my father misappropriated for his newly created pseudo-religion. So, in 1992, I organized a personal pilgrimage throughout Germany to many sacred sites which I'd learned of early in life. I documented my journey along the way in a video-poem entitled Germania: The Theory of Ruins. One of the target sites of my journey was the Wewelsburg, where I conducted a private ceremony and oracular magical Working. The purpose of the rite was to attain insight into the reason this castle was so strongly associated with the Grail Quest, and to learn what a 'Grail Quest,' – or more specifically, what The Grail – truly is. Slipping through the bars of the iron gate to the legendary crypt, I was prepared to take on this heavy philosophical question in a spontaneous meditation. Author Daniela Siepe summarized our in-person conversation about this private magical ritual in 'Mythos Wewelsburg: Fakten und Legenden.'. I share with you the email follow-up to our in-person interview; the information in my message was incorporated into the book: Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2013 5:21 PM Subject: Re: Grail Ritual Dear Daniela~ About the Grail ritual itself: You mentioned some points which I think might have come from things Nikolas talked about during our interview, as well as combining it with your thoughts on our EP "Bring Me the Head of Geraldo Rivera" (Lucifer's Court track). I can clarify some of that. During our interview, it was Nikolas who mentioned his interest in the legend of the Grail being the Emerald that fell from the crown of Lucifer during the battle with Michael and the angels. That was the connecting thread to Otto Rahn. But this was not my reason or point of interest in wanting to find "What Is the Grail" during my Wewelsburg working. Our use of the title Lucifer's Court on our recording occurred while we were still representing satanism (I was still the Church of Satan's High Priestess and spokesperson) and using it on that recording reflected where we were at that point in time. But that was three years before my Wewelsburg working. By the time we broke with the Church of Satan (in 1990) and began exploring more deeply into these references and figures, I realized that I was really more drawn to the same ancient legends which inspired the personalities we were researching while living in Vienna. All my life I've been driven by such things as fairy tales, sagas, mythology, folk legends, etc. Therefore it wasn't the humans involved in these various Teutonic occult orders and societies that interested me. What interested me was the same eternal phenomena which those people also explored. It wasn't long into our research of these 19th century European occult figures (Rahn, von List, Sebbotendorf, Weistor/Wiligut, von Liebenfels etc.) that I found the same reactionary, misogynistic and fundamentally subjective fantasy role-playing (albeit on a more intellectual level) as was with the occult world of satanism I'd just left. So, metaphorically speaking, if a house of cards is built on a weak foundation of sand, how valid can one regard the entire philosophies of such people? It was clear that, despite their interest in ancient legends, they were missing a big piece of the puzzle in their mystical portrayals and projections. Only when I made my first pilgrimages to the same mystical locations that were to hold such significance to these men, did I experience first-hand that visceral, intuitive feeling that they were "missing something". But I, myself, didn't yet know exactly what the "Something" was. Hence, my ritual at Wewelsburg and the documentation of many of the other places I and Nikolas made spiritual pilgrimages to in Germany and Austria in our quest for deeper answers. So when I performed the ritual at Wewelsburg, for me, it had nothing to do with the Emerald from Lucifer's Crown. You asked, "So, during your Grail ritual you were standing in the middle of the Crypt with your arms raised high. – Was this a symbolic gesture – such as the sign of the Ka? Or just a gesture which enabled you to take a deep breath?" The position was mostly for the following two reasons: 1. To become the grail, from which I was summoning answers, I needed to take the form of the grail as we know it, in a chalice-like shape (i.e., sympathetic magic, for example if you wish to know the mystery of the Sphinx, it helps to take the position of and embody that energy). 2. The body in this position/asana becomes like a musical tuning fork and is more sensitive to a wider range of subtle to greater vibrations. I had been practicing tantra for two years by that time. So I was sensitive to how the body should be held to promote energy flow for certain purposes. When you begin in this position you raise your head upwards and slowly bring it down to find the proper alignment with the spine. This enables the best, unblocked flow of energy rising upwards through all the chakras, through the central channel and out the top of the head. It also promotes even, smooth breath flow. In order to open yourself up for the answers you seek, it's very important to clear everything out of your head and have even energy flow throughout your body. You asked, "Is it correct to say that you made a humming sound (German: Summen)? And then you sensed the vibrations of the sound in your chest – while you focused (sich konzentrieren auf, meditieren) on the question “What is the grail?” " That's correct. The sound must be with the mouth open (not closed as in a hum). The particular syllable sound I made helps to clear the chakras but must be done with the mouth open. There is only one part at the end where the mouth closes to finish the mantra. The sensations, or vibrations, felt were throughout the body, not only the chest. The feeling began in the heart area and gradually spread ever outwards throughout the whole body. A very open, wide and expansive feeling. Secondly, while I'm opening myself up as I'm standing in that central spot, it's important to not think anything. The purpose for the working, "What is the Grail", is well established in focused attention directly before beginning the ritual. Once in the ritual, that thought must be dropped and no thought can enter but rather one should be very aware of what is experienced, without expectations. Using this method, the mind will be best prepared to receive signs and answers. The innate wisdom of the mind must not be forced, steered, clouded or manipulated into any predictable, or accidental, direction by the subjective wishes, interests or preferences of the individual's personality. You asked, "In this moment you realized that the grail is no tangible object, but a part of a human being himself. You cannot look for the Grail on the outside, you have to become the grail yourself (meaning you have to feel your own strength?, rely on your spiritual side which has access to a primordial wisdom??)" Yes, this is all correct as it happened (in a brief description). To make the wording more precise, I'd say it like this: "In this moment you realized that the grail is no tangible object, but a part of a human being himself. You cannot look for the Grail on the outside, you have to become the grail yourself (meaning you have to awaken to your spiritual side which has access to your primordial wisdom." We all have this potential, but don't always know how to use it or access it. This is why the legend of the Grail is always a quest, whether interpreted or experienced as the spiritual inner quest or written about and described in stories and legends as an outer physical quest. They are two levels of understanding, one esoteric (feminine-based and directly receiving the wisdom, i.e., left-hand path in practice), the other exoteric (male-based and documenting the wisdom, i.e., right-hand path in practice). When I use these terms left-hand path and right-hand path it should be clarified that it is in the authentic tantric meaning - not the Western occult definition. I hope this helps to give a little more detail to that experience. I'd be happy to talk with you by phone or Skype if there's anything else you'd like to ask or clarify. Wishing you the best of Life, Strength, Health and Happiness! Zeena [END] More information on Wewelsburg or 'Mythos Wewelsburg: Fakten und Legenden' Interview with Zeena Schreck by Luca Piccolo for Italian art magazine WSF (Words Social Forum). Zeena discusses art, magic and her creative development and inspirations. Intervista con Zeena Schreck a cura di Luca Piccolo per l'art magazine Italiano WSF (Centro sociale dell'Arte) 21 Febbraio 2014. Zeena parla di arte, magia, della sua evoluzione creativa e dell'ispirazione. Per leggere la versione italiana con gli artworks di Zeena, clicca qui: http://wordsocialforum.com/2014/02/21/lo-zaum-di-zeena/ Among all of the left hand path personalities emerging in Europe today, most important is Zeena Schreck whose life’s work is dedicated to raising awareness in the West of the difference between authentic left-way mystical traditions from occult imitations. Much of her research, experiences and teachings in that field are presented in her influential book “Demons of the Flesh: The Complete Guide to Left Hand Path Sex Magic,” co-authored with Nikolas Schreck. Zeena Schreck is an American born, Berlin-based interdisciplinary artist known by the one-name moniker ZEENA. A counter-culture icon, she is known through her work as photographer, graphic artist, musician/composer, writer, animal rights activist, magician and mystic. She has practiced and taught magic and meditation for over 30 years. Her artwork stems from her mystical experience. Since childhood, Zeena was exposed to magic and sorcery through her family environment. In 1990, Zeena renounced the pseudo-satanic religion of her family in favor of finding her way to authentic Eastern left-way spiritual lineages. Today, she is a practicing Tibetan Buddhist yogini and the spiritual leader of the Sethian Liberation Movement (SLM, founded 2002). Between 1988-1993 Zeena was composer, vocalist, musician and graphic designer for the sonic magical musical project Radio Werewolf (c. 1984 to 1993). Her most recent musical release is “The Vinyl Solution-Analog Artifacts: Ritual Instrumentals and Undercover Versions” Her graphic-art project, “God Bless Charles Manson” is published in “The Manson File: Myth and Reality of an Outlaw Shaman.” Her last art Installation was“Zeena Schreck, Live From the Eye of the Storm” transmitting sacred syllables from Vajrayana, Shaktism and Sethian-Typhonian left-way tantric practices, organized by visual artist Frank Haines and presented by Performa-13. http://13.performa-arts.org/event/frank-haines-zeena-schreck Zeena has written for VICE Magazine and the Beat-oriented periodical Beatdom and is currently working on music and art projects. How do you define Art? There are many different types of art and reasons why people feel driven to create. In my case I use a holistic approach. There has always been an inseparable unity between my spiritual practices and my art. This holistic approach to art, exactly like the tantric techniques I practice, is when all activities and aspects of life are a part of an ongoing “work in progress” contributing to the ultimate completed work – both art and spiritual work. So this informs all activities, whether you're buying art supplies, rehearsing, eating, carrying out your personal grooming, painting, having sex, sleeping, cleaning, wrapping a package, driving, parenting, contemplating, helping a sick friend, singing, etc. – absolutely all aspects of your life are carried out in as mindful a way as possible in order that each small part contributes to the greater body of work, which you eventually shed and leave behind. Your Magnum Opus – this life. In this sense, I guess you could say I'm an inspired artist, rather than one who's perfecting or developing a particular school or type of art or an artist who's more interested in technical aspects of the craft. Inspired art is literally having the breath of divine or spiritual energies stir within you so that you are no longer your usual persona; the composite of your habits, conditioning, tastes, biases, circumstances, etc.. Instead, you are a medium for the energy which is inspiring (breathing into) you to create. In antiquity, this phenomenon was known as being inspired by a Muse. I was born with this type of inspiration to create. As early as I can remember, I had an impulse to draw and would just sit in the middle of the floor, or on the roof of our house, or blocking the stairwell just to draw. I drew on absolutely anything available in the house – often to the irritation of my parents! I was a drawing maniac. Drawing gave me a whole-body peaceful sensation and I'd get an uneasy feeling of something being “wrong” if I couldn't immediately draw when the impulse struck. I had no idea where that idea came from. Even now I can't adequately articulate it, like a dream you can't fully describe. Much later I learned that in ancient times being born with creative inspiration was considered a gift from the gods. It was thought that if you didn't honor that divine inspiration, or gift, and fulfil your destiny to create, the gods would not look favorably upon you. They considered it a slight against their generosity when humans wasted potential that not everyone's granted. So you'd forfeit your gift and that divine inspiration would be passed on to another more worthy. That's what the phrase “the muse has left” originally meant. That you waited too long and the divine inspiration was permanently taken from you. So maybe as a child I had some kind of karmic “memory” of something similar to this mythological phenomenon. As a child, I never wanted the usual things kids ask for as gifts; games, toys, dolls or popular clothes. What really got me enthused was getting art supplies and materials, particularly materials to make my own puppets with. Somewhere in storage, I still have a box of my childhood drawings and some paper puppets I made, which are quite humorous considering the influences I was exposed to growing up. I have a newspaper clipping about a junior art competition that I won at six years old. Around the same age I began creating theater pieces and ballet shows with neighborhood friends. Then my grandfather taught me how to use an old camera and I fell in love with photography. By fourteen I began training in drama and theater. I made experimental films with class-mates and wrote monologues and scenes for presentations and showcases. I watched as many foreign films as possible, what Americans considered art house films, and that spawned a growing desire to live and work in the European film industry. And then later I began musical composition. So, the point is, this creative inspiration couldn't be curtailed. In tantric Buddhist practices there are many factors that determine why a person has predispositions for certain things. So aside from this inspiration to create, there are certain organically recurring themes in much of my art. One of them, which you have noticed, is nature and animals. Another common theme I see over the years is that I like working with light and shadows, and extremes. Sometimes I work with very vibrant colors and other times I focus on only black and white. I also make use of space as an important ingredient of a work. In art terminology I'm referring to “negative space.” I do this in my music and soundscapes as well. Silence is very important, both in tone and on a canvass or in a photograph. Creating an empty space, or conveying and expansiveness, allows the viewer or listener to focus attention and open their mind to what isn't readily perceived. Negative space is important on many levels. Without the "negative space" there would be no way to reflect upon the contrast of an object in the picture, or the notes in music. Space is also very important in the spiritual meaning as well. I'm referring to the tantric understanding of emptiness. I view art as a form of communication - on many different levels and experienced differently by each artist. In my art I try communicating an inseparable circulation of energy between inner and outer worlds, the dream state and the waking state, the subtle and the coarse, the ultimate and relative realities, the mystical and ordinary, the feminine and the masculine. Art is also a reflection. Whatever I create to some degree reflects what I'm experiencing or have experienced. This is also true for any works of art throughout history. You see or hear a reflection of the tone, energy or living standards within which the artist was creating. I find that fascinating. To give you an example, as I'm writing this, a neighbor is playing his radio on the street outside of my window and a piece by Johann Sebastian Bach is attracting my attention. I notice as I listen to it how much, in addition to the talent, precision and energy of the composer, there is also an aspect of a musical time-capsule involved in which the pace and way of life from the composer's time is reflected in the composition. The viewer's, or listener's, inner world is also reflected back while taking in a work of art – and that gets back to the communication element. As an artist, you are remotely communicating with people in all different times – as Johann Sebastian Bach is with me and my neighbor at the moment! I've always found it fascinating when I see how differently one piece or work can be perceived by different people. How often it happens that you perceive one mood or feeling in a work of art and someone else perceives something totally different in the same work of art. That's because your state of mind contributes to how everything is perceived, including art. My art is also heavily inspired by dreams and mystical experiences. Those messages can be strikingly clear, with unambiguous meaning, or they can be delivered in a language of symbolism and atmosphere. All art originated as communication between the waking, spirit, and dream realms. Cave paintings, animal totem sculptures, drumming hypnotic rhythms, oracular chanting or the embodying of characters in morality plays – all of these examples of art were originally informed by mystical and oneiric experiences. Not so long ago, before our developed worlds' compulsory anthropocentric-humanist ideology, inspired art was always synonymous with mysticism, animism, shamanism, divinity, religion and magic. This is what art is for me. What is Magic for you? First of all, thank you for spelling it correctly, and for not adding a “k” at the end of magic. I should make it clear that the word “magic” has neither a positive nor negative connotation. My book Demons of the Flesh explains in detail the origins and meaning of the word magic. To give you a brief summary, magic is a method or technique. The word stems from the ancient Greek magike tekhne or “art of the magi”. From Demons of the Flesh: “The modern magician does well to remember the ancient concept of magic as an art, noticing as well that tekhne is the root word for 'technology.' Approaching magical praxis as a delicate balance of intuitive and aesthetic art form and logical and rational technology – at once an esoteric science and [what was once referred to as] the Black Arts – can allow for a more exacting approach to the development of the skill.” Along these lines, one of my first Buddhist teachers told me that, to understand the complexity and discipline of Dharma practices, it was very good that I was an artist because Dharma practices are more akin to an art than religion. He suggested that possibly the best way for me to teach was through my art. That, of course, was music to my ears! To describe what Magic is for me, it helps to provide the largely agreed upon definition of magic, cross-culturally and by many different persuasions. This excerpt from my notes at a 2009 presentation in Berlin on this subject, Magic, Media and Meditation, briefly summarizes that: “ Magic has very subjective interpretations among all the different types of practitioners. But there is a basic standard, an established commonality, which each magician accepts as the core definition. How the practitioner develops from that basis is determined by many different variables according to the different persuasions and practices of magical teachings available to each culture. The core practice of magic is: The execution of a willed intent to create change in the material world, which either defies, hastens or purifies the consequences of natural cause and effect.” As with art, magic also is a form of communication on many obvious and subtle levels. Poor communicators have difficulty practicing magic successfully. A magician might think he's a perfectly good communicator because he talks, writes, and reads a lot. But test his communication skills with non-human beings and it becomes immediately clear whether or not he's capable of making contact with The Other. For example, those with no connection at all to animals, or who cannot even try to communicate with an animal but rather try to control it, would be poor magicians. Similarly, someone who feels silly or embarrassed trying to communicate with a non-visible entity, which is necessary to practice theurgy, invocation, prayers, spells, visualizations, and basically any kind of magic, will be a poor magician. Good communication skills, therefore, doesn't mean anyone who has a lot to say, or who continuously talks to fill gaps in conversation. On the contrary very effective magical results can come from communicating clearly but softly. Or through undisturbed emotions. Or in a language that only you and the being you're communicating with know. There is an inherent energy to everything; constantly vibrating subtle particles that form all matter. We now know that focused, directed thoughts can change the molecular structure, quality and energy of matter. So, that requires clear communication in a focused state of mind. Considering that, you can imagine how the motivation of an artist and his or her state of mind will affect the final outcome of the work. This is true for all aspects of living and dying. Not only in creating art. For example, if you go to a restaurant and have a meal prepared by a cook who is angry that he has to work late, impatient for his shift to be over, and resentful that he's working on a Saturday night when he'd rather be doing something else, you will be eating those toxic emotions through the food. There's a difference in the way food tastes when prepared by someone who loves you and is thinking loving thoughts into the meal (even if the food isn't perfectly prepared), compared to a similar meal at a busy food-chain prepared by a wage-slave cook. So our thoughts are very important when creating works of art. If we have a scattered, distracted, emotionally disturbed mind, it definitely manifests in the art. If we focus our motivation for what we hope to achieve in creating art, even if it's only thinking or repeating one word or phrase, that thought will carry into the artwork. The subject matter could even be unpleasant or disturbing (i.e., a war photographer or art and poetry created from experiences within repressive political regimes or violent families). If there's a compassionate motivation while working on the art, the effect of the compassionate thoughts will exist within the work, despite the possibly harsh appearance or tone of the finished work. Naturally, the reverse is also true: Art depicting pleasant subject matter created by an emotionally disturbed state of mind will also absorb and convey that energy. So, as a magical technique, one of the most important things for any artist to remember before beginning is to be clear about the motivation. In a very small way, it's how to begin understanding magic in the context of an ongoing, never ending practice. There is, of course, so much more to the subject of magic - too much for one interview. But that can give you a small idea of how I utilize magic in my creations. Often in your photos your subjects are landscapes or animals, why this choice? The simple answer is because that's what I like best. Being surrounded by animals and nature simply feels good, so why not do what makes you feel good? Which is why I live in the forest of Berlin and not in the city center. The most beautiful secret about Berlin is that it has the largest body of forestry of all the European capitals. To contrast that, consider one of the most famous films to come from Berlin, Metropolis, and its depiction of the industrialized worker-drones filing off to factory jobs. Well, that was a reflection of Berlin city life in the 1920s. But what the film depicted of how industrialized living affects the psyche is even more true today in any metropolis. City living creates a disempathic, anhedonic malaise that drains your vitality and strains the immune system. You have limited freedom of movement and space, so you confine yourself to a very selective and guarded personal space. Living packed into cities like human slaughterhouses compartmentalizes everything and fosters a desire to segregate. But in nature, boundaries are less defined. So you have a feeling of expansion rather than constriction. In Japan the Forest Agency created the idea of “forest bathing” and it's now officially recognized as a stress-management activity everywhere. I notice that whenever people come from the city center to visit me, they always comment on how much instantly better they feel just being around trees, lakes, wide open spaces and no traffic or streets. When I do portraits of people, taken in nature settings, there's a noticeable difference in the expressions. People are more at ease in nature. In city environments, under hectic and rushed conditions, people's expressions are much different. Even happy people display a subtle tension because they can't fully relax, anticipating the next interruption from whatever electronic devices - I can't work that way. What do you think is necessary to do Art? Patience. Self-discipline. Practice. Trust. Gratitude. A sense of humor. And what in Sanskrit is known as lila, divine creative play. A “priming of the minds canvas” is necessary. Clearing away mind-clutter in order to reach certain trance or meditative states helps you to become completely absorbed while working. If you prime yourself before beginning to work, then the art flows freely. You don't have to “think” of what to do. This expansive meditative state of mind creates a type of enthusiasm (literal meaning: an energy infusion from pure and powerful forces) which also affects the final product. So, because of the way I work, I'm very selective about who I work with and what projects I agree to. I carefully consider the energy, ability and mental state of the people I work with because that also affects the final result of the project. In choosing an apprentice or assistant, it's very important for me to work with those of a similar temperament to maintain a cohesive and conducive atmosphere during the creation. When it comes down to the task of actually doing the work, choosing those who are undistracted, have good focus, and who aren't preoccupied with trivia, impatient or waiting for the “fun” to begin. That's what's important. And this is true of all inspired artists. It's a particular temperament and a way of working whereby you have a clear vision and you can only work with people who understand that way of working. In other words, I am not what I call a “congregational artist” - someone who only engages in art to feel a warm fuzzy sense of community with “like-minded people.” You may as well join the Hare Krishnas, if that's what you're looking for. In order to create, you also need the fire in the belly. An urgent sense of time passing and impermanence. It's the knowing that if you don't seize the moment when you have it, you'll never get that shot exactly the same again; you'll never record that track exactly right without completing itnow ; you'll never film that scene exactly the same way tomorrow. The fire in the belly is the sense of urgency. That there is no time to waste. That regardless of circumstances, availability of materials resources, time, financial conditions or obstacles, artists who are inspired to create have an unstoppable fire. Being truly inspired to create means you can't say you have to wait to buy a new notebook in order to write. You will either write with whatever you have or you will find a way to make one appear for you. You won't say you need to wait until you have more time to begin painting. You make the time or you sacrifice time from meaningless activities in your life. You won't say your creative juices just aren't there without the right sexual partner in your life. You will integrate your desire for the right sexual partner into your creation. Then maybe, like Pygmalion, your Galatea will actually appear in your life. You won't be an uptight geeky nerd about what materials or instruments you use, or can't do without. If you have a fire within you to create music, you will create your own instruments. If you're truly inspired, you won't even want to drink or take drugs to stimulate creativity because you'll be intoxicated by the process of creating. When you have the proper inspiration and inner fire to create, it's like a baby that's ready to be born – it can't be put off for a more optimal time to happen. It happens to you and like being in love, you can't resist it. Have you other project in work-in-progress? I'm working on three different projects simultaneously, involving music, writing and art. Generally, I don't talk about works in progress until they are completed or near completion. But for this interview, I've included some examples from the photography project I'm working on. Consider this interview, as well as my past, present and future work, all as fragments of my Gesamtkunstwerk, or inspired-holistic art project...A work in progress. To view the original Italian version on the Words Social Forum site, click here: http://wordsocialforum.com/2014/02/21/lo-zaum-di-zeena/
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Zeena is an entirely independent, self-funded artist. Her livelihood and funding for creative projects rely solely on commissioned artwork, teaching and lecturing engagements, performances and purchases of her products and music, as well as from donations from private patrons and sponsors. If you would like to pledge your support towards the production costs of current works in progress, please use the PayPal donation button at the top of page. Thank you for your support of Zeena's work! Archives
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