Your Word Is Your Wand

Interview Richard Walter by Ruth O’Reilly

Ruth- Since I joined Substack a few months ago, one phrase has kept popping into my mind: Your Word is Your Wand. It’s actually the title of a bestselling book by New Thought author Florence Scovel Shinn. My mum was a big fan of her work, and I grew up seeing her books on the shelf. Over the years, I’ve often found myself returning to them. They’re short, easy to read, and yet somehow manage to be both simple and deeply meaningful at the same time the kind of writing that lingers in your thoughts long after you’ve closed the cover.

So when I recently learned that someone was planning a special event in her honour, my interest was instantly piqued. That “someone” is Richard Walter who is creating a whole day of celebration around what would have been Florence’s birthday this September. Naturally, I had to catch up with him to find out more. We talked about her influence, why her ideas still resonate today, and how he hopes the day will inspire new readers to discover her wisdom.

It feels fitting, really words shaping events, just as Florence taught. After all, if your word is your wand, why not use it to cast something beautiful?

Ruth- Hi Richard. Thanks for joining us today. It's a pleasure to connect with a fellow fan of such an iconic author! For anyone who isn't familiar with her work can you tell us What key life principles does Florence outline in The Game of Life and How to Play It?

Richard Walter- Florence distilled life into a few timeless truths. She taught that life isn’t random, it unfolds according to spiritual laws. Our thoughts and words are creative forces, shaping our experiences in direct proportion to the beliefs we hold and the affirmations we speak. She emphasised faith over fear, the power of Divine Order, and the truth that each of us has a unique path meant only for us. Her principles are not abstract philosophy, they are tools for living with clarity, trust, and courage.

Ruth- How did her work first come into your life?

Richard Walter -Her book didn’t so much “arrive” as it found me. I came across it during a season when I was searching for deeper alignment. It wasn’t just an interesting read; it felt like an awakening. Florence’s words leapt across a century and landed in my hands as if they had been written for this exact moment in my life.

Ruth-How has it shaped your thought process over the years?

Richard Walter - It reoriented how I see possibility. Florence showed me that the invisible realm; thought, faith, intention is the foundation of life, not an afterthought. Over time, I’ve learned to trust those unseen currents, to loosen fear’s grip, and to choose my words with care. It’s not about chasing perfection, it’s about living in alignment.

Her teachings have also encouraged me to begin writing The Hidden Chapter, a work that expands her legacy into a modern context, weaving her century-old wisdom into new stories and reflections that speak to today’s challenges.

Ruth-Do you return to the book again and again, as I have?

Richard Walter - Absolutely. It’s not a book you “finish”, it’s one you live with. I’ve opened it in uncertainty, in celebration, and in the quiet in-between. Each time, a passage meets me exactly where I am. Somehow, it speaks differently every time, as if the book grows with you.

Ruth-In Shinn’s teachings, what role does the spoken word play in shaping one’s reality?

Richard Walter -For Florence, the spoken word is the bridge between the unseen and the seen. Words carry vibration and intention; they set spiritual law into motion. She taught that affirmations aren’t about wishful thinking, they’re about declaring truth into form. Every word builds or dismantles the life we’re living, so she urged us to speak with precision, faith, and love.

Ruth- Where did the inspiration for IAMday begin for you?

Richard Walter - The seed was planted when I realized the centenary of The Game of Life and How to Play It was approaching. September 24th, Florence’s birthday, also aligns with the Fall Equinox and World Peace Day. That convergence felt too significant to ignore. IAMday became a way to honour her work while creating a global pause, an invitation for people everywhere to awaken together.

Ruth- Is this the first day of its kind, or have you been hosting them for a while?

Richard Walter - This is the very first IAMday, and it’s meant to be a beginning. We’re planting a seed for something that can grow year after year, drawing more people into this shared practice of presence, kindness, and awakening.

Ruth- How did you get to collaborate with Joe?

Richard Walter -Joe Nichols is the irreverent reverend behind Beautiful Heresy on Substack, where he writes with heart, wit, and just enough troublemaking to keep things interesting. He pokes at the edges of belief, beauty, and what it means to be human with a laugh, a question, and the occasional holy contradiction.

I’m the voice behind Through the Doldrums of Midlife and I AM Awake on Substack, blending midlife musings with spiritual wake-up calls and the quiet wisdom of lived experience. As the founder of IAMday.org, my work is an open invitation to remember who we are together.

We met somewhere between a poem and a cosmic nudge and discovered a shared love for authenticity and an allergy to pretense. This first IAMday is what happens when a beautiful heretic and a midlife mystic decide to dream something into being.

Ruth- Thank You Richard & Good Luck to you and Joe for the event. I look forward to hearing what stories emerge from IAM DAY 2025!

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