An Interview with Allison Batty-Capps

Allison Batty-Capps is a licensed marriage and family therapist, yoga therapist, Reiki Master, intuitive spiritual guide and channeler. She has lived experience learning to live with a complex mental health diagnosis that began after a profound mystical experience she had connecting to the divine within. She brings her trauma-informed training, lived experience, and education to bear on her spiritual teachings. Her unique insight into how divinity expresses itself in each of us comes not only from her education and training, but from her lived experience learning to use the tools in this book to manage her own mental health diagnosis and personal mystical experiences. The combination of her lived experience, client work, and training allows her to stand at the intersection of mysticism, psychology, science, and mindfulness.

What inspired you to start writing this book?

In 2008, I had a profound mystical experience where I was meditating and I was filled with a profound amount of love and peace. I began seeing the world through this love and peace and saw that all of creation is interconnected and divine. That same year, I had a dream where I saw a pond filled with ancient artifacts. In the center of the pond was a leather-bound book. I swam and retrieved the book. When I exited the water there stood in front of me seven beautiful beings of white light. They spoke to me telepathically and asked if I was ready to begin the work I had come to earth to do. I said I didn’t understand and they pointed to the book. I opened the book and the pages were blank. Then they said everything you need to know is inside you and you will remember and write it down to share with others. I started writing this book the next day. However, I didn’t fully understand the material at the time, so I put the book away and begin the journey of healing myself, and studying information that would help me understand the concepts in this book so I could write it and share those concepts with others.

Tell us the story of your book’s current title. Was it easy to find, or did it take forever?

The title, The Divine Within, came to me in a meditation I was doing connecting to the energy of Reiki. I was asking the energy for support to help me understand the spiritual concept of what I connect to when I meditate and help clients meditate. The phrase “The Divine Within” came to mind. Then I thought we need to heal ourselves in order to help heal the world, and that this strengthens our connection to the Divine Within.

Describe your dream book cover.

My dream cover would somehow represent the idea that the divine within is radiating from our heart space and that that compassionate center connects us to all things.

If your book had a soundtrack, what are some songs that would be on it?

If my book had a soundtrack, I imagine it would be different for each reader. I believe each reader would reflect upon what resonates for them and they would listen to that music to support them with the information they are processing while reading the book. For me, I would listen to meditation music as I read the book because I find that form of music to be calming and it helps me self-reflect and go inward.

What books are you reading (for research or comfort) as you continue the writing process?

I have completed the writing process and am no longer doing research on this book. I read several books on neuroscience, psychology, religion and spirituality to help me read this book. I also studied with various spiritual teachers to gain practical experiential experience with the concepts in this book.

What other professions have you worked in? What’s something about you that your readers wouldn’t know?

I was a professional actor for twenty years before I decided to become a healer. My calling to become a healer happened after my mystical experience in 2008 where I connected to what I define as the divine within. After that experience, my entire world was thrown into chaos as new ideas and experiences were opening up to me. I decided I wanted to help others understand how to heal themselves because I was so impacted by those that had supported me on my own healing journey.

Who/what made you want to write? Was there a particular person, or particular writers/works/art forms that influenced you?

It sounds crazy but the calling to write this book came from my connection to the spirit world. I have been guided by several Ascended Masters, who have left the earthly plane. They have been my teachers by sharing memories of their life and wisdom during mystical experiences I have had. My desire to understand these experiences led me to want to help others understand what I had come to understand.

Where is your favorite place to write?

A coffee shop while drinking a nice cup of coffee, or on my terrace here in Spain

Do you have any writing rituals?

Before I sit down to write, I always meditate and connect to the divine within asking for guidance of what will best serve the reader. I usually meditate for around fifteen minutes. Then I focus and write through stream of consciousness until I feel I have gotten everything out.

What is one thing you hope readers take away from reading your book? How do you envision your perfect reader?

I hope readers will understand from my book that they are divinely human and capable of healing themselves. There is no such thing as perfection, however, I believe that readers will be called to read my book if they are open and curious about what it means to heal themselves and if they are open and curious about what I mean by the divine within.

Are you a writer, too? Submit your manuscript to Atmosphere Press.