Listen to the PUBLISHED! Interview with Birgit Langhammer.
Transcription of Interview:
I: You’ve had some really exciting things happen recently, but I’d like to start back a little further—before your success began. I can’t help but detect a little accent; tell us where you’re from.
BL: I am from Germany. I actually grew up in former East Germany with my two older brothers and my mom and dad.
I: Wow, what an experience! Were you actually in East Germany during all the turmoil and all of the change?
BL: Yes, I was. I experienced this very consciously. It was a very interesting experience for me to be able to witness the old system, because I was actually at the University when the wall came down and both Germanys were united.
I: I would guess that experience has influenced your writing since it had to af-fect you so deeply.
BL: It did influence me a lot. It affected who I became, and what’s happened later on in my life. I think it’s just a very special experience, and very eye-opening and very deep. To experience different systems and different lives, and to see the changes going on all over the world—it’s just beautiful.
I: Not all of us have been through such a tremendous change as you have, but certainly when you go through something like that, it makes you really appreci-ate how things are always evolving and opening up, doesn’t it?
BL: It does. It’s incredible to me, because I grew up in a system with no framework of spirituality whatsoever. No one in my family was spiritual or talked about spirituality. Now being interviewed by you about my book on prac-tical spirituality, that tells you there has been a huge transformation going on within me in my personal life. I think if I can do this, if I could find my way to-wards a very personal and deep spirituality, I think everyone else can find that, too.
I: How wonderful that you’re doing that through your writing. Tell me, when and why did you start to write?
BL: I can actually not say I always knew I would write, even though there were many signposts set up along my way; but as usual, we don’t see them. For ex-ample, as a child, I was a very avid reader. I read everything, and everywhere. My mom had a hard time getting me to come eat dinner or to do something, be-cause I didn’t hear anything when I was reading.
I also wrote the occasional poems teenagers write, and I also loved to write compositions in school. I actually made several attempts to start writing but I
didn’t follow through because I thought I had nothing special to write about. I thought there was nothing special about me to tell. I think many readers can go along those lines and have those kinds of doubts—not knowing what it is we have to give to the world.
I’ve always had a great longing inside to find my way, and live my truth and my purpose, but because I just couldn’t seem to figure it out on my own, I got a little help in the form of psychic reading that told me I would write and become an author. That surprised me completely, because I was always so focused on being a visual artist. When I had a second person, independently from the first one, tell me the same thing, I thought, “Really? Writing? That is interesting.” Then I remembered all of the times that I had started writing and gotten into it, but then let it fall apart. This time, I really let things flow and started writing with intention.
I: I talk with many writers who say that it’s their love of reading that really then inflames their passion to write. What really inspires you to write?
BL: I would say almost everything. It can be very simple everyday experiences, or it can be life’s big lessons. Quite simply, I can sit in my backyard and I can daydream and something could inspire me; like when I hear the wind chimes or something like that. A couple of weeks ago I visited Rothko Chapel Houston that features some beautiful abstracts by Mark Rothko, and I got so inspired by these paintings. That also happens during the day in my art class, talking to my students, or talking to my son.
I think the point really is that I’m not describing so much the outside—I’m trying to catch the essence of those moments so that I can see them in a universal context. A short time ago it occurred to me that there is a similarity between my photography and my writing and that is that I try to capture the intangible in both. I think being a photographer might be one reason why I’ve developed an eye or a sense for those situations in my life.
I: I think what’s so interesting about both of them, as well, is that they really do require both the technical aspect in addition to that sensual aspect that comes from your intuition and your inspiration. It’s really a marriage of the two in both of those arts. It’s so great that you find yourself at home in both of them.
How do you hope that your writing will inspire others?
BL: I hope that, like me, people can get a sense for the divine behind everything in our physical world, since everything is imbued by spirit. I would like for people to open up to that, not just see the outside; not fall for the illusions.
Very often, there is so much drama attached to the illusions around the situations in our life, relationships, etc., and we get so hung up on those outside things. When we start looking for these things which are behind it, what might have triggered those things, you might begin to understand everything in a much bigger context. It can actually free us to become independent from those circumstances and to say, “Ah! That was what was behind it. Now I know how I can change those things.”
I really want to empower my readers and inspire them to look for the divine nature within everything—within themselves, and in everything around them.
I: Is there anything that you find particularly challenging in your writing, since you’re fairly new to the craft?
BL: Oh, yes! I don’t think that it’s the writing process that I find so challenging. I did study literature, and I have a Masters degree in both visual arts and in German literature and language. Let me pick two things.
The first thing that is very challenging to me is to find the time to write because I work full-time, and I have a family. That is really something where I really need to be very consistent so that I can write. I love to write when it’s quiet in the house, and usually that’s at night or on the weekends. I found one way which worked for me, which might be interesting to others. It’s a little thing, but it has a huge impact. I mark on my calendar when I write, every day. Just seeing this or seeing a missing mark on one day reminds me to keep track and keep on going so I don’t lose my train of thought and my inspiration, and let it flow. This would be one thing.
The other one, of course, is the marketing aspect; to create a platform, to be visible on the Internet and everywhere. I think most new authors miss this piece. I didn’t realize that. I started writing, and then when I participated in Christine Kloser’s Transformational Author Experience®, it was the first time I realized, “Oh my goodness! There’s something else. There’s another side to the medal.”
I started to listen to a lot of webinars, and I even went to a conference in San Diego. I did a program called, “How to Build My Own Web site.” It is really good if writers do this right from the beginning and start right away. Right now, to me, it’s like, “What do I spend my time on—my writing, or on my platform building?” It is really a huge part of writing in today’s time. If no one knows that you exist or what it is that you do, of course you cannot get your message out there. We have to do this. I think there are many new authors who have to learn that aspect of the writing game.
I: Those are really important tips and strategies that you’ve shared. Do you have any that are specific to finding a real sense of achievement and fulfillment through your writing?
BL: I would say, always write what you love—what fascinates you, what you love doing. I hope no one is just writing to fill a gap or something, because it might be needed. I don’t think that would work. It would not work for me. I think it is important to write about things which you are passionate about.
A second thing is also maybe to realize how we can serve others. How can my experience help others? How can I contribute to make their life better and help them on their path? We all have some unique experiences. That would be very important.
When I write, what’s important to me is to connect within. Sometimes I just want to start writing, and I’m going for it, and then I think, “No, calm down, just relax first, center and connect inside, and then go from there.”
I: Then it seems to flow better, I would assume.
BL: Yes, definitely.
I: Do you have a specific writing style, Birgit?
BL: When the Gods Played Marbles, is actually a nonfiction book, so I do convey a message and communicate in the first place information, but I do so in a creative way. I use an array of elements. I have a preface. I implement real life stories so that my readers can identify with many of my experiences and feelings, and can then transfer them to their life.
I also write in a very down-to-earth style, because I really would love to have spiritual concepts which are sometimes a little abstract or are called, “airy-fairy.” I want them to be implemented in the real world so that people can understand them and realize that it is not complicated; that it really is life. I think I also write in a very inspiring and upbeat way, and sometimes I just think it’s maybe like a river. It changes speed, it changes mood, maybe even colors. Because of my background in visual arts, I can’t help but to write using a strong metaphoric language. That’s always a point in my writing.
I: I love the title of your book, When the Gods Played Marbles. How did you come up with that, and what does that mean to you?
BL: That’s really a story, because I would say I didn’t come up with it. The idea to use the word, “marbles,” in my title (and I also use them as symbols to structure my book into chapters) was actually an answer to prayers, honestly, because I took an unusual approach in starting writing.
I knew I wanted to write, but I didn’t know what it was that I wanted to write. So, I let everything flow out of me and then I looked for common themes and then organized my thoughts accordingly. When the chapters were finished, I was thinking, “Now how do I put it all together? I need some help here! I need my thread, so to speak, to bring it all together.” I really prayed for help, and at some point, I got this strong vision of the movie, “Hook,” in the scene when Peter Pan is being given the marble pouch of one of the lost boys. Then it hit me. Like in this movie where the marbles hold the most precious ideas of one of the lost boys, the marbles in my book will hold the most precious thoughts of creation.
After this, I had the idea of ancient gods playing with these marbles, and the marbles are manifestations of their creative thoughts. These have been magnificent thoughts at the beginning of life on earth, and this became my preface; that’s where the title was born.
I actually wrote my book the opposite way—from the inside out, or from the back to the front. It was a rather unusual approach, and it took longer probably, but it was just incredible. It was very beautiful to get these inspirations and to feel this connection.
I: What a fascinating metaphor to apply. Was there a message in your book that you really wanted readers to grasp?
BL: I think we are the creators of our own world, much more than we think. If we become aware that our Universe is one of a purposeful design and that there are universal principles at work at the bottom of everything, then we can align with them. That’s when we can create with so much more ease and beauty, love and grace. This is what I really would like for my readers to get out of my book, When the Gods Played Marbles.
I think there are some basic universal principles which apply to everybody, yet all of us have a different experience in life. We all are unique in our own ways; unique expressions of what I call the Divine Source.
I: That’s a really important thing that I love that your writing points out—we all have these unique talents and these unique contributions and realizing and connecting with those is so important.
BL: We all are a part of the universal source. We all come from the same source, and this source is working through us whether we are aware of it or not; but right now in this body, in this life, we have a unique angle. We have a unique talent. With our experience, we have something of importance and of beauty to say. It’s like a mystery in life, and it’s just so interesting to go and seek this mystery in life.
Connect with Birgit at: birgitlanghammer@gmail.com and www.brigitlanghammer.com.
PUBLISHED! Magazine
