Mitch Horowitz is an American author. Just to name a few, he's written, The Miracle club, Occult America, One Simple Idea: How the Lessons of Positive Thinking Can Transform Your Life and Magician of Beautiful: An Introduction to Neville Goddard. One can deduce from his book titles that he specializes in esoteric themes and positive self transformation. I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Mitch Horowitz. He allowed me to pick his brain and I am forever grateful. We discussed how one should not overlook the extraordinary, and in doing so, we just might end up having a bright path ahead of us. So without further ado, here is my interview with the wonderful, knowledgeable and enlightened gentleman, Mr. Mitch Horowitz.
KL: What drew you to your profession? Was it happenstance? Was it with a purposeful intent? Due to the fact that your profession is so unique and fascinating, one must wonder, how did you end up being the voice of occult matters in the 21st century?
MH: I was always intrigued by the occult as a kid--I vividly recall my sister bringing home paperbacks of Carlos Castaneda, which tripped something in me. I was also fascinated with folklore, spells, and divination. Looking back today I realize that it was a search for power, which I think brings many people to the occult. We are not always honest with ourselves about that. But self-honesty opens up a lot of unexpected doors. As an adult, I wound up working for a New Age publisher and I wanted to learn more and more about the figures on the backlist. I realized that no one was writing histories of some of the modern occult pioneers--like HP Blavatsky, Manly P. Hall, and Edgar Cayce--in ways that took account of their ideas, and that neither heroized nor denigrated them, but that saw them as full beings. I wanted to fill that space as a historian.
KL: You have a lovely speaking voice, very calming, very clear. You speak so eloquently, you break thinks down so that just about anybody can grasp the subject matter that you are discussing. My question is, is that intentional? Or is that just simply how you speak. Clearly it’s an asset and I was curious as to if it is the professional side of you that speaks so exquisitely or if in fact that is simply how you converse with the public.
MH: I appreciate that. When I was in 7th grade--one of the worst years of my life, a time of total directionlessness and anxiety--I had an assignment to deliver an oral book report. I spoke about the life of the Native American athlete Jim Thorpe. My teacher, Ms. Wilamowksi, told me how articulate and textured my delivery was. I had never heard that before. It shined a light for me. Interestingly, Jim Thorpe's tribal name was "Bright Path."
KL: In an episode of Inspire Nation, the name Stuart Smalley was brought up. Although he is a comical, fictional character, he did have a negative impact on me personally. You stated how in his movie, “Stuart Smalley Saves His Family” he actually does end up saving his family. I thought it was wonderful how that character was brought up because as I previously stated, it had a negative effect on me. The reason being is because the SNL skits in which Al Franklin portrayed Stuart Smalley, they seemed to mock self-help people and affirmations. It’s actually utterly surprising and quite comical how Stuart would sneak into my psyche every time I tried to say affirmations to myself. I felt absurd and would stop immediately, only to try again the very next day. When I mentioned to a friend the ridiculous reason as to what was preventing me from reciting affirmations, he told me how he found it fascinating how television shows and movies inadvertently program us to not believe in such things like New Thought. He also added how their might be the very possibility that indeed we are being programmed intentionally. So it got me thinking, do you think as silly as it may sound, do you think there might be a grain of truth in that when it comes to media and higher forces, might they be trying to keep us from believing in New Thought? This notion has in fact been played out in movies and television series such as the movie, “Glass” and the short lived television series, “Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell” Would love to know your take on this matter.
MH: I think very little that is intentional occurs in our culture. We play out scripts based on prejudices, fears, and consumer attitudes. That said, it is interesting that Stuart is actually the hero of "Stuart Saves His Family." For all the irony, Stuart is the most courageous and well-adjusted character. I don't think Al Franken was attempting to redeem Stuart so much as to follow the thread: the self-starting person usually ends up saving the day. But we mustn't fool ourselves. Some of the most irresponsible people I know think of themselves as mystics. Honor is in doing.
KL: Since the universe is always listening, how does one retract a negative thought once it is put out there? I’ve spoken with several people that are overwhelmed by this truth. Once they are made aware and come to an understanding that they can partake in the creation of how they would like their life to be, instead of feeling empowered, most develop anxiety because they start to constantly monitor their thoughts. Which puts a strain on their psyche. Any tips for people that will undoubtedly face this at one time or another during their journey into manifesting? This advice can also be useful for not only when someone has negative thoughts, but when others say negative things about them.
MH: I think we get rescued from ourselves a lot of the time. That is why I believe in deific prayer even though I also believe in the ideas of Neville Goddard, who teaches that your imagination is God. Never fear paradox. The ability to live with paradox is a mark of maturity. I have released thoughts, performed spells, and asked for things and that did not reach me. Later on, something vastly better and more well suited reached me. I was relived not to get the thing that I initially thought I wanted. Something rescued me. What was it? None of us should rush to answer that. I think we are given second changes, guidance, rescue, and invisible help.
KL: I have personally come across people who know so much about mysticism yet nothing mystical has ever happened to them. What are they missing? It’s not just knowing the information, but how can someone immerse themselves into New Thought authentically, so that they can truly experience the benefits of this wonderful tool that we all have at our fingertips?
MH: Watch carefully for things reaching you in either mundane ways or in unexpected ways. We dismiss miracles all the time because they do not fit our mind's eye image of how we think something is supposed to arrive. Part of the aim of my 10-Day Miracle Challenge is to watch for unsuspected means of arrival. We overlook the extraordinary all the time.
KL: In this day and age a lot of people are coming out of the woodwork claiming that they have the secret sauce to get things going in the right direction, when it comes to manifesting. How can people who are hungry for information weed out the charlatans that are out there? Most people, not all, but most who are curious about New Thought are vulnerable and are looking for something to add more meaning into their life. They are ready to enhance their lives and learn about the occult. How can they protect themselves from people that have bad intentions and want to take advantage of them?
MH: Bad intentions usually announce themselves with drama or histrionics. I eschew both. I am not interested in secret societies, hidden doctrines, or people who cultivate airs of mystery. The truth, when it comes, is simple. Look for that first.
KL: Are you still surprised and taken aback when you witness some grand and mystical event take place in your life or in the lives of others? Or have you grown accustom to the fact that the universal has a creative way of providing us with what we desire.
MH: I am often surprised at the manner in which something arrives, as I was alluding above. Sometimes the arrival can seem ordinary. Sometimes the arrival can seem very different from what we expected. The extraordinary, when it comes, often announces itself quietly. Watch for that.
KL: What do you think the future holds in regards to the New Thought Movement? This movement has been going on since the 19th century and it is still not mainstream. Do you think we will ever get to a place where these ideas will become the norm?
MH: There are really two New Thought movements today. One is mature and searching in tone, represented by people like Harv Bishop and Kate Jegede, and the other is like a child's birthday party, filled with balloons and cheers, and also filled with childish people who are unaccountable and who cry when they get told the truth about something. The latter movement will fade because it is incapable of self-sustainment, and the former is opening up into something new and beautiful. New Thought as a philosophy (versus an identifiable movement) has long been accepted, but under different names. "You are what you think" is, in many ways, the American creed.
Due to the current climate, I have added these questions.
KL: Is it possible that all that is happening right now on earth, could it be due to some mystical upheaval?
MH: Yes. Or at least a thought upheaval. I think we are faced with a reckoning for gross irresponsibility. On one hand there exist financial institutions, such as banks and health-insurance companies, that fraudulently mistreat the public, and the government does little to fix it; and on the other hand we have a large mass of citizens who vote in this dishonest and inept figure Donald Trump. So our institutions are profoundly strained. I think the consequences of the pandemic will force a reset, though that may be good or bad.
KL: What advice do you have for people right now that are struggling to stay positive amid the pandemic that COVID-19 has created?
MH: I have three pieces of advice and I am going to keep them very simple because I think people are in need of blunt, actionable ideas and not bromides: 1) Get away from cruel or unproductive people. Burn your bridges and do not look back. You need colleagues, family, and friends who are capable, positive, and reliable. 2) Use your intellect--you have more powers than you know. Your mind has both cognitive and metaphysical dimensions. It is a map that you haven't fully unfurled. Explore your options. 3) Decide right now--right now, as you are reading these words--to throw off negative influences of every kind and dedicate your unconquerable spirit to every constructive act of which you are capable. This is the mark, and the only mark, of people who fix things.
