Dear Reader,
I had a special experience recently. I had the opportunity to schedule a phone interview with István Kolonics, or as many of you might know him, by his pen name Yliaster Daleth. During this interview, I aimed to ask him questions that I'm sure you all would be eager to read his answers to.
This wasn't the first time I conducted an interview with someone of spiritual significance. I prepared as usual, wrote down my questions in advance, created an outline of possible answers leading to further questions, and then called him at the agreed-upon time.
I was prepared for the possibility of being caught off guard, so I introduced myself quickly and got to the point.
István kindly received my interest, which brought me great joy, as sometimes interviewees are not very cooperative, push back with counter-questions, and turning their words into a coherent piece that carries valuable content for the readers is not an easy task; it requires blood, sweat, and tears.
Now, even two weeks after the interview, I've only reached the point of summarizing, but not for the usual reasons. István turned out to be very talkative, informative, and in a very short time, it felt like we weren't just having a conversation between a blogger and an interviewee, but rather a discussion between two individuals deeply interested in spirituality, magic, and the arts. So, we quickly deviated from my prepared outline and within the framework of an informal conversation, we touched on those outline points not as mandatory directions but more as potential topics.
The Beginnings:
As always, my initial focus was on getting to know the person behind the books, understanding the mind that has placed these precious words on paper. What spirit hides within the body whose hands press the letters, revealing fragments of its soul? What were the motivations and who was he?
In the 1960s and 1970s, after completing his studies, István worked in the textile industry.
Weaving remained symbolically present throughout his life, as he created letters side by side just like weaving different elements, often using artistic precision to weave symbols into images. These symbols, like the inseparability of different threads, come together to form a perfect unity even today, just as Arachne's tapestries, in their colorful perfection that elevates the mind, heart, and soul, were worthy of the work of the gods.
I understood that for him, painting and writing are interconnected. He rarely put anything on paper without enriching it with complex symbols from various cultures in his graphical illustrations.
His first six books were written on a typewriter. He worked hard to gather credible information from the limited yet available local and foreign literature. He personally met with his first mentors, but with the help of his wife, they also translated foreign spellbooks, building his authentic and valuable magical knowledge which he shared with us through his books.
Since the beginning, István has been open to various spiritual paths. Thanks to his thirst for knowledge and rigorous research, he accessed Italian, English, Roman, Greek, and many other sources, incorporating the work and legacy of the great magicians of the past, such as Szerb Antal, Alaister Crowley, Paracelsus, Eliphas Levi, John Dee, and many more, in his work. Through these sources, he created a tapestry that became a defining literary treasure and source of inspiration in Hungarian, written during the time of the political transition and the years that followed.
He initially created his paintings using accessible materials like tempera or diluted paint, often gifting us with works influenced by Salvador Dali's surrealist style. Eventually, he developed his own style, recognized by its richness in symbols, clarity, and distinctiveness.
Creative Process, Symbolism, and Allegory:
The author's creative process is closely tied to the intersection of writing and visual representation, often enriched with the motif of self-portrayal. When a new idea emerges, he frequently incorporates himself into the illustrations, resulting in both written texts and series of images.
The interpretation of many of his images becomes complete only with a deeper knowledge of mythology, as different elements from various cultures often come together in a single image, complementing and enriching each other. Understanding a complex depiction sometimes requires acknowledging and considering the background of the associated book or text.
István doesn't underestimate the work involved. Due to his extensive interests, he might use an Egyptian symbol to represent a written element from Greek mythology, Hebrew mysticism, or Nordic culture.
During the creative process, he sketches, mentally constructs how and in what form he wants to communicate, seeks logical connections, and cares about both satisfying the reader and providing entertainment in the final work. However, he never compromises the content or formal quality of the piece for the sake of the reader's experience.
Philosophy:
István believes that magic doesn't work in this world on the plane of consciousness, so every magician needs to undergo a state of consciousness transformation. During our conversation, we noted that countless effective techniques have been developed over millennia by various indigenous cultures. These techniques could involve breathing exercises, DMT yoga, physical or mental control, the use of herbs, music, rhythm, dance, or combinations thereof. To work magic effectively, a magician needs to travel to the realm of magic through altered states of consciousness, where they can perform their magical work.
During our conversation, we touched on many areas. Personally, I believe that based on my own experience, what truly sets a magician apart from an ordinary person is their mastery over their body, mind, emotions, and will before attempting to influence the universe or harness its energies. They must naturally control those aspects.
It's not about the path or the method, but about having a capital 'W' WILL of the magician, practicing it, and consciously directing it. Through this, we can bring what we create in our alternative reality, over which we hold dominion, into the everyday world. Altered consciousness is required to step into the subtle plane of the world, much like the antechamber to the world's end.
The deeper one goes into this world, the more effectively magic works. A true magician doesn't require consciousness-altering substances; they can shift their consciousness at will.
Affiliations - Conclusion:
I initially planned for a brief and strictly "professional" conversation, but during our nearly ninety-minute call, time seemed to stretch to infinity, much like in a well-cast spell circle. I'm confident we could have easily talked through the night. There's so much more I could mention, but as I recently told my friends on another topic, "a blog post in 2023 has serious length constraints. Even in the most abundant mental pasture on the internet, people don't want to linger too long."
I also find it important to mention that István has been a member of several spiritual societies in Hungary. He founded many of them himself.
Currently, with great pride, I share that he's among the leaders of the Order of Golden Dragons, and I feel that I'll confidently turn to him in the future at points where my knowledge might need supplementation or where the opinion of a more experienced magician or artist could be of help. Because we are all stars: magic and art are one. But now, as I try to conclude my words, I might want to add one more thing: I feel that he's a particularly bright star among us, and I hope he stays with us for a long time, guiding us with his wisdom as he has done through his books for so many years!
The images featured in this article are the creations of the artist mentioned in the title.
Bright Blessings,
Atomm
To be continued...
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