Your Word IS Your Wand

Interview with Richard Walter ahead of I AM DAY September 2025

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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The Wand of Words

In this game, your choices reveal how you see the power of your words and the way you use them.

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The Scenario

You are walking through a quiet, enchanted forest.
The sunlight filters gently through the leaves, and there’s a hush in the air as if the trees are listening.

Suddenly, you see an object half-buried in the moss.
When you pull it free, you realize it is not a branch at all, but a wand.
Inscribed along its length are faint glowing symbols words in a language you somehow understand.

This wand has one rule: Anything you say aloud while holding it will instantly become reality.

Before you can test it, you hear a voice in your mind:

“You may speak one sentence right now, here in the forest. What will you say?”

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Question 1

What is the very first sentence you speak?
(A) A wish for yourself
(B) A wish for someone you love
(C) A wish for the whole world
(D) Something playful or curious, just to see if it works

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Question 2

When the magic flashes and your words take effect, the wand begins to change. What does it turn into?
(A) A shining jewel
(B) A simple wooden stick
(C) A quill pen
(D) It vanishes completely

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Question 3

Later, you return to the forest and find the wand again.
This time, it works differently: your words no longer change the world, but instead change how people hear and remember your words. How does this make you feel?
(A) Powerful - you could inspire or persuade
(B) Nervous -you worry about the responsibility
(C) Relieved you prefer influence over control
(D) Disappointed -you wanted direct magic

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Interpretations

Q1 What you speak first:
This reflects your instinctive use of power.

• A (Wish for yourself) → You see your words as tools for personal growth and self-protection before helping others. You may believe you must “fill your own cup first.”

• B (Wish for someone you love) → You use words to nurture and protect. Loyalty and relationships guide your speech.

• C (Wish for the whole world) → You naturally think in big-picture terms. Your words often aim at ideals and collective well-being.

• D (Playful/curious) → You value creativity and exploration. Your speech may be spontaneous, charming, and surprising.

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Q2 What the wand becomes:
This reflects how you see the lasting form of your words.

• A (Shining jewel) → You see words as precious and lasting, something to be treasured.

• B (Simple wooden stick) → You believe words are humble tools — their value is in use, not display.

• C (Quill pen) → You see words as something to record, preserve, and craft over time.

• D (Vanishes) → You feel words are temporary but their effects ripple beyond your control.

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Q3 Words that change perception:
This reveals how you view influence vs. direct change.

• A (Powerful) → You’re comfortable with leadership and persuasion.

• B (Nervous) → You respect the weight of influence and may prefer careful speech.

• C (Relieved) → You feel more at home in subtle impact than in overt control.

• D (Disappointed) → You crave tangible, visible effects from your words.

Let me know your answers in the comments for more personalised results & I'd also love to know if any of my readers have read ‘The Game Of Life And How To Play It’?

Ps- My New Chiron Guide Book Here 😊 R x

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