Voices
on the Path-
A
Collection of Interviews
Seeker
Rev.
Dr. Timothy Lake
Email:rev.timothylake@gmail.com
My
name is Rev. Dr. Timothy Lake. I am a seminarian graduate of the
Armanic Traveling College( now defunct) and follow the Heathen path
called Irminenschaft Gesselcraft.
My
particular order are Rune magicians based on the works of a
semi-important 19th century family dedicated to the German language
and Culture. I am one of the few teachers of Runic Yoga in the
country and maintain a daily practice of Runic yoga.
I
have also been active in the New Age business community for decades
as the proprietor of a series of magick shops in Plattsburgh,
NY,Schenectady and Albany ,NY. In 1998 to meet the needs of the
burgeoning unserviced eclectic Pagans and Pagan like folks, I started
a Tradition and congregational church called the Schenectady Pagan
Cluster Tradition. Before entering Seminary I was initiated into an
American Gardnerian Coven to the 3rd degree. I also over the years
began Bardic training with the ADF and saw a stint with the Ring of
Troth and with the Correllian Nativists. I've also done extensive
work with the Sonic monks of the Midwest.
I
currently am a substitute teacher and educational consultant for many
States. I help score and design and give quality control for State
elementary and high school competency exams. My undergraduate degree
is from SUNY Plattsburgh and is Cultural Anthropology and Economic
Geography with minors in Latin American studies, Urban Planning and
Archeology. I also carry a ThD in Germanic Theology.
I
am a Celtic musician, play the bodhron professionally, sing accapella
Gaelic pieces and Sea chanties and am a published performance poet. I
am an avid hiker and have recently finished the 46 Adirondack High
Peaks. I have also run for State Senate and am well known for
Community activism.
I
am currently working with Transition from Peak Oil communities doing
such things as teaching urban Gardening and starting a Time/skill
sharing bank.
I
started the path of the Seeker in 1988 and I wasn't seeking. I was
actually living on the streets of the Bronx and ran into my first
coven in Pelham Bay Park while out scrounging for food. Up until that
point, I tended to be conservative and growing up was a young
republican. My experiences led me to a pretty quick turn and I wound
up being a socialist and wobbly for many years. I have over the years
moderated back to the center left. My early years saw me do some
rather radical things and I hooked up with the Reclaiming witches as
well. I actually was introduced to my "Patron"( Asatru
doesn't have Patron Deities, but this happened before claiming that
path) at a protest vigil in the West of a nuclear weapons facility.
It would be accurate to say that I wasn't looking to be a Witch,
Pagan( and at that point, I didn't know the option for Heathen) but
that I was discovered by the Divine and was offered a vision of brave
new worlds of possibility.
As
an active businessman, civic leader and church founder, I have a very
public face and people in the greater community recognize my efforts.
It is fun to be the face of the clergy in groups sometimes having the
same level of authority as other respected clergy. It has taken
discipline, courage, honor and grace to attain that level of respect
and a constant love of the people and the greater spiritual dialogue.
As
a joke when writing my church's 501c3, I put my birthday in as a
religious holiday. To my surprise, it was accepted by the Board of
the church, the membership and the Feds. It and Earth Day have been
added to a holiday structure standard to the Pagan Wheel of the Year.
All of these are recognized by my employer and I can take them
off--although usually, I don't). We also offer letters of support for
congregants wishing to take these days off for religious purposes. I
appear at work with my ritual headgear( a top hat with a Gjallahorn
pin and a bronze boar pin with my measure cords tied round. We have
quite a few pagans at work.
As
a leader of the church, I offer weekly rituals and classes and
outdoor experiences for the local Pagan and Pagan like community. I
also host a Pagans in the Pub event and am helping to create a PPD
like event in the area. I have been a constant advocate for the
normalcy of what we do. I am not a big fan of closeting. I feel it is
being dishonest to those you love and trust and there is nothing
perfect about that. I have made all sorts of relationships and
connections to non-pagan people of faith. We work with the Nipponzon
Myohogi Buddhist Monks, The catholic workers, Campus ministries, the
Spiritualist church, the Unitarian church and the Unity church. All
sorts of voices that wouldn't normally be heard together. the
interfaith dialogue is really important for me as it helps me to
discern other ways to understand the Divine in Its many splendid
glories.
My
path has been one of constant growth and constant attempts at
understanding. Some of those have failed; others were more fruitful.
In each choice along the path, I have garnered valuable information
and gnosis to help provide new folks who are also seeking a beacon.
Although i have been Heathen for sometime now, I am convinced that
there are no pure religious people( lay or ordained) that know or
have finished their path--no pope, Imam or Rabbi. We are all seekers
and all continue to grow in our understanding of the universe as it
continues to unfold. I enjoy witnessing and being active in that
unfolding. It's sort of like reversed engineering origami.
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