Neale Donald Walsch on
Conversations With God - The Movie,
His Story & His Mission
Interview by Sherry Henderson
I had the privilege of
interviewing Neale Donald Walsh almost one year after the announcement
of his upcoming movie “Conversations With God” was featured
in our magazine. This was a very special experience since John & I
were able to sit face to face with him on board the Oosterdam, Holland
America’s host ship for Spiritual Cinema’s, Film Festival
at Sea. By all accounts, it has been an amazing year for everyone
involved.
For the reader who didn’t see last year’s article, Neale
became homeless after a tragic automobile accident in which his neck
was broken and he was left unable to work or support himself.
SH: So Tell me Neale, what have you been doing this past year since
our last interview?
NDW: Well the movie was made during this past year, we just finished
in April. It’s been an amazing year. The movie making process
was a miracle. When we needed snowfall for a scene, snow would fall.
This has continued up to this present moment.
SH: You’ve been busy!
NDW: No they have. (laugh) I was deeply involved in the development
process, but once they started shooting, I disappeared. I didn’t
want my presence on the set to be disruptive in any way. It would
be terribly intimidating doing a movie about the experiences of somebody’s
life and the guy standing on the sidelines watching. I just wanted
to give them their creative space.
SH: So what was it like to watch the movie?
NDW: Surrealistic and unsettling – and humbling.
SH: I was amazed when I viewed the film at how well Henry Czerny
plays this role. Even the expression in his eyes is the same. How
does that feel as you’re watching it?
NDW: I was taken aback. It was an amazing thing. He watched a couple
of video tapes of me and he’s just remarkable. He did a remarkable
job.
SH: Yesterday you were talking about your experience of being homeless
for over a year. How do you think that this influenced you in your
writing Conversations With God?
NDW: I’m sorry to say that that experience took me to the depths
of despair. I was at the bottom of the ladder. I’m sorry to
say that, because I would love for humanity to come to it’s
greater wisdom without having to do that. We often have to confront
our own potential demise or get ourselves so low to find wisdom.
I’m sorry to say
that I was such a stubborn person that I had come to my knees. It
shook me up and woke me up. I was about 50 years old and I was lying
there in that tent thinking “Is this it? So it’s come
to that has it? With all my apparent wisdom, talent, and gifts, that
God had given me (Seemingly I thought that I had some gifts, but
at the time I’m doubting all this) I’m lying in a tent
in a campground and I had no apparent way of getting out of this.
The odds of getting out of this were one in a kazillion. I was devastated
and utterly desolate. And that place of utter desolation, I think,
was what created the space for what has emerged, what could be called
forth. I would not encourage people to follow that path. I hope that
these books will give people what they need so they can avoid that.
SH: Do you think this is the same as with some religious paths that
require giving up everything to find God? I have a friend who entered
a certain spiritual order and she was required to live in the streets
and to beg for her sustenance for six months so that she might better
know herself.
NDW: Well there’s something good about knowing that at the
end of six months its done. I could have been right there for the
next forty years. You see my experiment may have never ended. I had
no reason to believe that it ever would. This wasn’t a six
month program. I thought, “I’m here for the duration.
I’m
going to die hers.” And I was lying in that tent one night
and I said to God “Please don’t let me die here in this
park… Don’t let me die out here” and ultimately
I made a determination. I actually said the words the other way around.
I was watching a parade in Ashland, a Christmas parade. There were
literally thousands of people gathered there for the parade and I
felt as though I was the only homeless person in that place. I wanted
so much to be a part of that. They were all going home after that,
to get some hot cider. It was very cold and I remember saying, “I’m
not going to die in that place” That was a turning point, that
Christmas. Actually it was the day after Thanksgiving when they have
the Ashland Christmas parade. It was very frigid and very rainy and
I said “I’m not doing it. I’m not staying there”
