An Interview With Jake Frankel
Don’t be tone deaf — ask yourself how your writing reflects the world around you and will contribute to it. Try to ask yourself what the issues du jour are, and if what you’re saying contributes either to a solution, or at the very least a new way of looking at things that can lead to solutions and fresh paradigms.
As a part of my series about “How to write a book that sparks a movement” I had the pleasure of interviewing Madison Margolin.
Madison Margolin is a journalist covering psychedelics and spirituality. She is the author of Exile & Ecstasy: Growing Up with Ram Dass & Coming of Age in the Jewish Psychedelic Underground. Also the host of the Be Here Now Network’s Set & Setting Podcast, as well as the co-founder of both DoubleBlind Magazine and the Jewish Psychedelic Summit, she has written for publications like Rolling Stone, Playboy, VICE, High Times, Lucid News, and Jewish publishing house and production studio Ayin Press, where she works as an editor curating psychedelic stories and interviews. With a master’s from Columbia Journalism School and a bachelor’s in rhetoric and linguistics from UC Berkeley, Madison has traveled everywhere from pot farms in the Emerald Triangle to the shores of the Ganges River and all over Israel|Palestine exploring the role of entheogens in religion, health, and conflict resolution. With a decade’s worth of experience covering psychedelics, cannabis, and religion/spirituality, Madison’s work has been featured in the New York Times, Forbes, KCRW, and other outlets. She offers classes, workshops, and consulting on the topic(s) of Judaism and psychedelics, and has presented at conferences like SXSW, Horizons: Perspectives in Psychedelics, the Association of Alternative News Media, and more.
https://www.madisonmargolin.com
Thank you so much for joining us! Can you share the “backstory” of how you grew up?
My dad is a criminal defense lawyer who has been heavily involved in the cannabis legalization movement. So growing up, you could say that fighting the drug war was a family value. My dad is also a devotee of the guru Neem Karoli Baba, who’s also the same guru as Ram Dass, author of Be Here Now and my dad’s close friend. So I grew up in this type of “HinJew” environment of Jewish traditions blended with Hindu practices. I write about my upbringing in my new book Exile & Ecstasy.
When you were younger, was there a book that you read that inspired you to take action or changed your life? Can you share a story?
One of the most inspiring books I read was The Doors of Perception by Aldous Huxley. I read it in high school and it got me unendingly curious about the psychedelic experience, putting me on a path to try mushrooms for the first time, which itself was life changing and has inspired me since.
What was the moment or series of events that made you decide to bring your message to the greater world? Can you share a story about that?
I always processed my life, my feelings, my experiences by writing. Usually the most personal stuff I wrote was in my journal, and I’d save the less personal, more journalistic stuff for my published articles. But I always knew that I wanted to write a book, to process my experiences and distill them into writing. It was a lifetime in the making, and then by serendipity, I was introduced to a literary agent, who helped me get my proposal in order, and pitched it around to publishers. From there it was just a matter of collecting my previous writings, distilling them into a draft, then rewriting those drafts many many many times. And voila. It was a very intense process writing and rewriting this book, but also a therapeutic one.
What impact did you hope to make when you wrote this book?
I hope that this book kindles the spirits of those who read it, and enables them to pay just a little more attention to what nourishes their souls, in both embodied and transcendent ways. People often reach out to me saying that my writing inspired them on their own Jewish and/or psychedelic journeys, and I hope my book can do the same.
Did the actual results align with your expectations? Can you explain?
So far yes, but I haven’t articulated very strong or specific expectations. I think it’s better to just let things flow, and try to align myself with whatever G-d’s plan is, without trying to control a situation according to how I think it should be or turn out.
What moment let you know that your book had started a movement? Please share a story.
I knew that my writing started a “movement” when I had the opportunity to co-found the Jewish Psychedelic Summit. The existence of such an event crystallized and gave specific identity to a movement that had been brewing for years, which was an organic occurrence and evolution of spiritual practice. But once we began to name it for what it was, more people who weren’t previously involved started becoming curious.
What kinds of things did you hear right away from readers? What are the most frequent things you hear from readers about your book now? Are they the same? Different?
Some people are taken aback by how personal the book is. Others say the writing inspires them on their own personal journeys of religion and psychedelic experiences.
What is the most moving or fulfilling experience you’ve had as a result of writing this book? Can you share a story?
Writing the book was fulfilling in and of itself. I began the book by collecting my published articles and private journals from years of reporting and journaling. Then I wrote a draft in New York, but I knew that I wanted the book to be infused with the magic of Tzfat, a mystical city in Northern Israel, known as the birthplace of Kabbalah. So I rented an apartment there to hunker down and basically rewrote the entire book within about a month. It was probably one of the best, most profound, and growth-filled experiences of my life.
Have you experienced anything negative? Do you feel there are drawbacks to writing a book that starts such colossal conversation and change?
Well, it so happens that this book is being launched during the war right now in Israel-Palestine. So far the feedback for my book has been good, but there is a piece of me that is afraid of the currently growing anti-Semitism that’s mounted due to the war, and putting out a Jewish book obviously draws more attention to me in that way.
Can you articulate why you think books in particular have the power to create movements, revolutions, and true change?
Books enable us to articulate and crystalize what’s already happening. When we do this, we give identity to a movement or moment, and when we give something a more explicit identity, we give it momentum to move forward in the world and make change. To fully own itself.
What is the one habit you believe contributed the most to you becoming a bestselling writer? (i.e. perseverance, discipline, play, craft study) Can you share a story or example?
It’s all G-d’s doing. But, one of my habits is being disciplined and self reflective, always trying to grow creatively and editorially. I am very self critical, but I think that just helps me be better at my craft.
What challenge or failure did you learn the most from in your writing career? Can you share the lesson(s) that you learned?
The greatest challenge is putting everything aside to focus and having enough faith in yourself to know that your efforts will be worth it. I am still learning this lesson, and struggle to fully step into the position I’m now in as an author. I also try to integrate mindfulness practices to help me be the best version of myself and stay grounded as I walk the path of an author, which can sometimes be less than straightforward.
Many aspiring authors would love to make an impact similar to what you have done. What are the 5 things writers need to know if they want to spark a movement with a book?
1. Get an editor who pushes you past your limits (Shout out to Eden Pearlstein).
2. Self reflect, often. It was specifically this practice that gave me the internal insight to write this book.
3. Do a “vomit” draft — don’t even think about what you’re writing, but just put it all on paper and edit later. This way, you don’t have to be self-conscious or self-critical when you first begin writing, but can just pour out whatever is on your mind and heart.
4. Don’t be tone deaf — ask yourself how your writing reflects the world around you and will contribute to it. Try to ask yourself what the issues du jour are, and if what you’re saying contributes either to a solution, or at the very least a new way of looking at things that can lead to solutions and fresh paradigms.
5. Meditate or say a prayer before you begin writing. When I was writing my book, before I’d begin a writing session at the start of the day, I’d simply close my eyes and whisper a prayer to G-d that I channel whatever needs to be said and that I should write it in a way that is well received and hopefully makes a difference.
The world, of course, needs progress in many areas. What movement do you hope someone (or you!) starts next? Can you explain why that is so important?
I’d like to see a movement that addresses the trauma in Israel-Palestine through a compassionate, psychedelic, spiritual framework. We can see its importance in what’s happening in the world around us right now.
How can our readers follow you on social media?
Instagram: @madisonmargolin Twitter: @margolinmadison Facebook: Madison Margolin
Also my website: madisonmargolin.com
Thank you so much for these insights. It was a true pleasure to do this with you.
Madison Margolin On How To Write A Book That Sparks A Movement was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.