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Damien Daville, Producer
LA Judge, Editor


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Interview with Silver Rainbolt
Interviewed by LA Judge

This month I have the pleasure of welcoming Silver Rainbolt to the VC Magazine interview chair. Enjoy the personal insights from the UK member of the VC Council as she discusses how the Vampire Church aided her in her path of self-discovery with vampirism, vampirism and science and how she now aids others in their quest for the truth about vampirism. Thanks Silver for a big peek inside your personal views and philosophies.

LA.: Greetings Silver and welcome I kind of look forward to our annual chat this way.

Silver: Thanks very much, and so do I o)

LA.: You first joined the Vampire Church as a general e-list member in late 1999 - about the time you were becoming aware of your vampirism. Describe that to me and how the VC influenced your self-awareness and development?

Silver: Ok well, for starters, I wasn't even aware at that point that real vampirism even existed. I have had energy issues all my life, and after having seen numerous doctors, no one ever found anything wrong with me that they were able to attribute to why I was always burnt out, etc. Then sometime in the summer of 99, my now ex husband happened upon the VC website through looking for things for a friend of his at work, and he brought it to my attention. I have to say, vampire things, movies, books, whatever weren't my thing, so I kinda looked at it half hearted at first, but the more I read, I sat there saying aloud "jeez, this is describing me to a T" So, I surfed the site for nearly a year I believe it was, before I actually joined the e-list.

LA.: So the info presented at that time on the Vampire Church site helped you identify the energy problems you were having?

Silver: Yes it did. But as I said, I had no idea this was considered to be "real vampirism"

LA.: From that point then, how did the Vampire Church as a community help and influence your development and understanding of real vampirism?

Silver: Well, there were a lot of writings from Mr. Daville that I went in and read through quite a lot! o) The more I read, the more I decided that I should probably have a further look into it and see what happened from there. That's when I joined the list and I tried them myself. After awhile, I did my own experimentation until I found what worked for me as an individual. Mostly, I enjoyed being around likeminded individuals.

LA.: That is a big point with many here - a sense of community. Has being part of this larger international community helped you feel more at ease with your energy needs and aided your understandings?

Silver: I feel that it has. What helped more was getting to know some of the Associates. I saw them as being more experienced than I was on the topic. So I'd make a point of getting to know several. I used to go all the time to the pictures of Associates and Council members, and also to the classes to get to know everyone better I told myself "one day, these people will all be like family" And so they became that!

LA.: Moving forward a bit to the time when you joined the VC Council…One of the things that is cool about the Council is that it is a diverse group. Each Council member is left to find their own way of assisting with-in the parameters of their area, there are no hard set rules. That may be a bit of trial by fire - but it also leaves a great deal of room for personal style and creativity Talk to me a bit about that.

Silver: Yes it does. For myself, I have always been the counselor type. So people usually come to me anyway just to sit and talk, and get their minds off things. During this time, there was a lot of room for expanding on many topics, including vampirism I almost always have someone that wants to know why, how, and wherefore. So I'll sit and calmly explain it to them. I was recently interviewed by one lady for her psychology class, and she ended up not knowing what to expect from me. The only problem with the whole thing was, the commentary she wrote in AFTER the affect, which I later read. She stated that she was mostly on the edge of her seat and a bit scared as well I asked her if she really felt that way about me, and she said yes, but didn't know why! Apparently, some people find me a little difficult to take in - I guess they need to do this with me in smaller doses o/ Mainly though, I just try to make each person as relaxed and comfortable as possible, and I think I have managed to do that o)

LA.: In joining the VC Council, you were less experienced than most of the others there, how did that too influence your self-perception knowing that others were now looking to you for help and guidance?

Silver: Well, I wanted to have some sense of purpose like everyone else here, but I realized I was pretty much at the bottom of the ladder at that time I started asking for duties, and got them, and kept asking for more. Some of the Council gave me various duties like the monthly interviews for example, and also the classes for awhile. The we introduced the music review which another Associate was doing, and I thought of ways we could make it better. I also volunteered to work with him on the music reviews, and so we got together several times a month, and would take it in turns to pick whom to review. I also began getting more involved within the e-list; most especially after a few of the Council members took their leave of this organization. I figured someone needed to step up to the plate and fill in some of the gaps - questions were still being asked, but there were fewer of us to answer them, so I became more involved there.

LA.: Did you realize at that time that being a Council member was a very public position and how did you adjust once you had that realization?

Silver: I always knew that it was, and being honest, that was my goal - to be on the Council I wanted to give back to this community what it gave me freely in my own time of need. Adjusting to it was gradual, but there were times when it became very hectic. You do what needs doing during those times, yanno?

LA.: Like many of the VC Council members before you, you too have your own organization Talk to me a little about that please. Tell me about your group and how it fits in.

Silver: Wow, ok. It's small. There aren't many members, and maybe that's actually a good thing. More members leaves for less personal service, in my opinion. I prefer quality to quantity any day of the week. The name of the organization is called In Medias Res - it simply means "into the midst of" which I thought was very appropriate considering the diversity of the topics on real vampirism. Although at the time I wasn't aware, I found out later that Sigmund Freud used this very term in one of his books, and when I saw that, it made me smile I felt like I was on the right track for what I was trying to achieve, and felt that I chose the right name. Those who are on my e-list, are also on the Vampire Church list as well, so there is little by way of posting there, which is fine, because my time these days has become severely limited I wanted it to be a place where people from this neck of the woods could come and feel at home. Since then, I also opened the door to others - swans and other donors, and simply those who know enough about it all to be able to help in some way.

LA.: In reading the info you have on your site, I see the focus you have there is different that the Vampire Church. There is a bit of real vampirism, a little magick, a little religion and some philosophy - all of course inner relating. Well done site btw. Do you see any conflicts with what you present there or is it an out growth of your work here in the VC? And where are the primary members located - local to you in the UK? Are you filling that void for real vampirism in your area?

Silver: Yeah, it's different in a lot of ways from a lot of vampirism sites - not just the Vampire Church. When I first started it, I wanted the page design to not have anything black in it. The first thing most mundanes say when they see black pages is "are you satanic"? Or they see it as being scary I didn't want that kind of reaction with regards to my site, so I did everything to ensure there was nothing frightening in there. I took out all the books I spent so much time coding up and placing on my site because after awhile, I thought they became somewhat stale - I wanted to try to keep things fresh. Mainly, it's all on real vampirism - I have just about every article on there that I have made use of within the VC Magazine. Primary members I don't really have - like I said, pretty much everyone on my list is also on the VC list, which makes posting slow to nonexistent. I think mainly people are getting what they need from the VC and other places, but they remain in my end of things out of support which is fine o) At least the site is there, the info is there for anyone who wishes to access it (minors excepted, of course). I don't think I am filling any void - and I'm really not trying to anyway I just wanted to be available for people should they choose to ask for that assistance o)

LA.: Thanks for the info on your site I am sure that many would like to take a visit and will find it an interesting and relaxing place.

Silver: That's the main thing I was looking for. Somewhere nice and relaxed. Peaceful even I also have a few meditations up that I have written, as well as a sanctuary for those who wish to have a place of quiet contemplation, called "the healing forest". In Medias Res, though it didn't intentionally begin this way, has turned out to be sort of a house of empathic vampires We can also gain energies via other means, but empathy seems to be at the top of the list for almost everyone involved. Those wishing to visit the site can do so on http//wwwgeocitiescom/silvervcc If I can manage to get the pages and graphics finished, that URL will soon be saying "we have moved!"

LA.: You, like many of the VC Associate members, have an interest in unraveling the science behind real vampirism. Currently there is a lot of work being done in the hard sciences that inner relates to human bio-energy and therefore real vampirism. I want to discuss with you two of those areas of research.

Silver: Ok

LA.: One of the areas I am speaking of is the work being done at University College in London on empathy. Science has now proven that yes, empathy exists - it is possible to feel the pain of another. Your reflections on that as an empathic vampire please.

Silver: Heh, well. That's not telling me or anyone else like me anything new. Obviously, some things are difficult to explain - if you can't see them, but you can feel them, yet someone else does not, how do you explain the existence of that thing? How do you make someone else understand what you're feeling is very real? I'm glad scientists are now taking some of these longstanding issues and making the attempt to crack them open and see how they tick.

LA.: But this must be very exciting to you - to start to see concert proof of what you have known all along.

Silver: Well it's pretty great, yes I realize to some, a lot of what we know and experience is going to seem "out there", and I understand that. Once upon a time, I also thought things like this were kinda out there too. But empathy is something I was born with. Most likely one day, they'll make it all seem rather commonplace.

LA.: The other research that I find interesting of late is the work being done at the University of Chicago.

Silver: Oh? What are they doing?

LA.: This is the work on sleep deprivation (i.e. low energy) and weight gain. You are a big woman - has any of this research changed how you approach things or deal with your vampirism? Or does it help you to better understand yourself?

Silver: Ahh that. Yes, I recall the article you sent me on that. Since you brought that up, I started watching not only my own, but also my partner's habits with regards to eating and sleeping. I have always been bigger than most people, including when I was very young It wasn't that I was pigging out, it's just that I didn't have the same get up and go as everyone else That's still true today I have to self motivate in order to get even simple things accomplished. Most people will probably see this as an affectation of being overweight, but it's like I said, when you have always been this way, you don't really know how the other half lives, so to speak, though you'd like to. The same is true with our sleeping habits - they are largely broken up Sometimes we end up staying up late due to work or meetings sometimes, which affects the both of us the next day. Trying to make up for it has never worked, and oversleeping doesn't help any either. And then there are plenty of times when we know we should be sleeping, and can't. Or we will be sleeping, but it will be fitful all night. One thing I really wonder about though, and I wonder if anyone is currently, or has ever looked into this - and that is the effects of menstruation cycles and female vampires. There are times there when I am not able to grab energies, and those are the times I will unconsciously go for carbs, even though I try to stay away from them.

LA.: Another area, which I know concerns you is the mixing of vampirism and depression I know that thru your both psychology studies and personal experiences you have looked at all sides of this issue. Talk to me a bit about this please.

Silver: Oh boy.

LA.: Lol - I had to ask.

Silver: Ok, I realize we get a great deal of folks who are depressed It is possible to have both the vampiric condition AND be depressed too, but the problem is, most of these are equating one with the other. We know from experience that this doesn't happen. Though talking to people, some may get the idea and be able to move on from that. Others though, seems no matter what you say, vampirism is dark, and since they feel dark, why it must be because they are a vampire! I have personally tried explaining this on several occasions. You can have both, but neither one causes the other. Nor is depression a catalyst for awakening. No one is born depressed, but you can be born with the vampiric condition, and it may not surface until you have the capacity to be able to fully understand it. Depression on the other hand, can happen at any point in life for a variety of reasons.

LA.: Lastly I guess, where do you see yourself here in the VC in the next few years? I know that recently you have had less time to be involved due to commitments, Do you still see yourself as an active member or will you be someone taking time for other things?

Silver: Well it's true that my time has become lessened through work. This should start evening out when my partner gets his paperwork and becomes legal here. Then he will be able to work and take some of that off me, opening my time up more I would then like to start getting more involved here again. Being honest, I miss it a lot I plan to be here for as long as I am needed. This was my promise to this community 4 years ago, and I want to keep going and I want to keep good on my word. It became necessary for me to take on more employment due to the fact that my family increased from 4 people to 5. That's a lot to have to take care of. I realize it is hard for my other half to be in this situation, and it drives him batty to have to sit and watch me take care of everything. Respite is on the way though, and I'll be glad for a bit of a break from having to work almost literally around the clock.

LA.: Wow that does sound like you need a much deserved break. Well as always thank you for an interesting look into how you view things Is there anything you would like to add for the VC Magazine readers?

Silver: Well, I appreciate the opportunity of being Ms March o) For those out there reading this, not everything is as it seems. Don't be afraid to look a bit deeper, experiment with alternative means of grabbing energies. There's an awful lot of information out there to be accessed free of charge, so take advantage of it, and help out others when and where you are able to!

LA.: Hehe - well it has been enjoyable.

Silver: Yes, I also enjoyed it o) Thanks again for having me o)

For Questions, please contact the VC Magazine Staff at VCMagazine_Staff@yahoogroups.com

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