At Ezoteric Fest, I've spoken to a wise teacher that is neither overly mystical nor pedantic
Spiritual or not, you can recognise a kind one when you see one.
Ezoteric Fest is a bi-annual event that takes place in my hometown, where you can find something for everyone. A lot of people that come here seek healing or are living adrift. Obviously, this also attracts a lot of wish-wash teachers and second hand gurus, technically sounding scam artists and sweet talkin' charlatans.
Alexander is far from this. He has a very pragmatic worldview, and this has helped him understand his inner and outer cosmos. He tries to get folks back on track and is part of the World of Wisdom gang.
Like with any New Age school of thought, this cannot appeal to anyone. Nor it shouldn't. But after listening to his no-bullshit, just facts speech, I suggested a q&a. He happily agreed, and a nice conversation was had in the grass next to Casa Tineretului.
I am no believer in anything immaterial, but think that tolerating each other regardless of belief or life philosophy is deeply needed in a world that is more polarised as days go by. Even more so in Romania, the land where the state, church and other power structures have successfully divided and conquered.
in.TM: So how did you wise up?
Alexander Northern Deer: My path came to me by itself. I just wanted to find answers. I started by going to Siberia with a shaman, and I was not interested to learn a particular technique, so I ended up studying many. Shamanism is the closest to my heart. This is what I practice and teach, but don't call myself a shaman. I try not to connect the people with the ancient traditions backwards, but tech how they can apply them today, in the modern age.
So you actually don't believe so much in the mystical practices.
It's not about believing. It's about how things are presented. On the other hand, mysticism can be everything. Because if you ask yourself „where am I now?”, you could say Timișoara, Romania, Europe, Earth, The Universe. But you cannot comprehend things further than that. There will always be some mystery.
Do you also use ayahuasca in your shamanism?
No. But this year we are planning a retreat with students in the Amazonian forrest. Myself, I was initiated with drums, singing and my own energy to enter in trance.
You talked a lot about a person's role in the community. Also, about the difference between people living in a circle, at equal distance from each other, and in a pyramid, where only few are at the top. What kind of a system are we experiencing now?
It is a pyramid, of course.
And how could we transition to a system where more people could have an opportunity?
At the global level, no one knows. But you need to start from the individual level. We live mechanically, we take it for granted, but there is no idea until now that there could be something else. Only in the last years people have started questioning this.
Banks and businesses, this is our own creation. Based on some rules, of course, but now we see that these rules are not the best. It's like creating one-size jeans and handing it out to everyone: chance will favour a lucky few, while others are left out. And there's nothing to blame here. It's quite possible that if you were part of the privileged, you would hold on to the power, too.
You were also talking about self-expression. How can people strike a balance between self-expression and tolerance?
It's very easy. If you really free yourself, you are so happy that you don't care the others expressing themselves in another way. If you enjoy your life, do you care what the others are doing?
There's this whole social friction nowadays regarding changing the constitution so that LGBT people cannot marry.
This is basically unhappiness manifesting.
Yes, and it's also mainly pushed by religious groups in Romania. How do you feel regarding the church as a dictator of religion?
It's a big topic. Religion is something that has to do with your soul, not with anything else. Therefore, only you can know how you should relate to your soul. You cannot put this in any frame.
But Christ spoke about love. That's what religion should be about. If it's not about that, something's wrong. It's not about behaviour, but about accepting.
For example, when you go in the forest and you enjoy it and its fresh air, you just breathe it. And you don't desire the forest just for yourself. You never think about what other people are breathing.
You also talked about freelancing. What's the future of jobs?
I don't know.
How do you hope it will be?
Generally, I think that people with confidence will be more determined.
For example, when we were kids, one day we were playing store, selling our old Popeye magazines. Another day, we were playing doctors. The next one, taxi drivers. It was just an inspiration manifesting itself. Otherwise, I have to work as a driver. It's not about contributing, it's about money. This is why the world's direction is wrong.
Sometimes, we used to play football all day long. A professional player doesn't enjoy it anymore. It's just a business for him.
Should people dare more and in their creative pursuances?
Absolutely. Otherwise, you remain safe and miserable.
Do you think that economies based on access and ideas such as a basic income are the way forward?
All of them are very good. They are modern, progressive and, like all ideas, they have the root of transcending the current limitation. I am for them.
But there's something. History has proved us that one thing is the new idea, another is their implementation. This is why communism, capitalism and other systems were of good inspiration, but practically, it turned out to be the opposite.
You've talked about using technology. There are also technophobic people. Why do you thing that happens?
I don't know. Technology is a great gift, but it's clear that technology is not the answer for everything. It's like the mind. It's an excellent servant if you know to use it. But it's a very bad master.
Of course, there's also the aspect of addiction to technology. What would you recommend for kicking this nasty habit?
As I said, we have to learn from the children. They don't know about psychology, technology or things like this. Except for recent years, when they see smartphones everywhere and want to play with them. But they are not obsessed with it.
So how do kids find happiness? From what? They don't function through the mind. They're not searching for things that make them happy. So if you just enjoy what you're doing at the moment, the mind doesn't turn on and request for something else. Instant gratification. Addiction. Dopamine.
The reward system.
Yes. This is why we vote for the politicians that we don't like. Come voting time, they deceive you with clapping, promises and you can actually imagine how good of a future it will be, with dopamine flooding your brain.
And it's gonna be great again!
Easy, great, somebody will do it for me. Let's give this guy a chance! But I ask „Where are you in this picture?”. And when you realise this paradox, creativity arises. You walk differently, you dance more, you start your own businesses. You even wash the dishes differently.
So we need more playfulness in our lives, rather than competition. How do we achieve this?
Have you ever tried? :) We just have to try.
in.TM is a new journalistic platform in Timișoara, that aims to create critical, clean and courageous press. We'll soon be launching an open crowdfunding campaign. We're on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Soundcloud.
