Muse Monday with Dylan McCabe
Hi lovely,
I am thrilled to welcome one of my oldest friends from Instagram for a Muse Monday interview! Dylan and I connected years ago over a shared love of nature, the divine, tarot, and folk traditions. Over the years, we’ve traded tarot readings and engaged in interesting conversations.
His story is one of living creatively and abundantly and of finding that home is carried within, wherever you go. I hope you enjoy reading his story as much as I enjoyed listening to it.
Please note that if you are reading this in your email inbox, you might need to navigate to the app to read the entire interview or click on “read entire message.”
Ink-Stained Compass is the weekly newsletter of poet and witch, Caitlin Gemmell. Two newsletters per month are always free from the paywall, including the Muse Monday features where a follow creator shares their story and inspirations.
Muse Monday Interview with Dylan McCabe
Hi Dylan, it’s lovely to have this conversation with you. We’ve been Instagram friends for several years now and I know our journeys have often run parallel. It’s been interesting witnessing our similar spiritual journeys unfold. Thank you for agreeing to this interview. You are one of the people I garner jewels of inspiration from, and it’s such an honor to hold space for you to share chapters of your personal journey. Welcome!
As a deeply spiritual and creative person, were you always called to this path? When you were a child and were asked “What do you want to be when you grow up” do you remember what you answered? If you could go back in time and answer differently, what would you say instead?
That's quite a difficult question to answer, as I’m not sure I was aware that the path that I’m on now existed when I was a child. However, I did have a keen interest in the supernatural and a love for nature from an early age, and those things definitely feature heavily in the work that I do now. A lot of people who work as creatives and in the spiritual field will say that what they do has always been in them, and I’m inclined to agree with that. I know that I was born with the gifts that I’ve been able to tap into more deeply and develop over time. So, in that sense, yes, I would say that I was always called to this path, subconsciously.
When I was six or seven years old, I would often tell people that I was going to be a writer when I grew up. It was less a case of what I wanted to be, and more what I was going to be. I was very keen on reading and writing as a child and I started writing short stories when I was six years old. I even created a book of short stories during my second year in primary school. These days, I’m still writing poetry and prose, as well as the posts that I share on social media. I still enjoy writing and love the way the words pour out of me when I’m in a state of flow. If I were to go back in time, I would still give “writer” as an answer, although I would also add something like “wizard” into the mix, as I love working with energy so much. I think the school careers advisor would be even less likely to encourage me to pursue that one though!
You are called to several different things. If you had to define who you are in terms of what you do for a living, what words would you use to describe this path?
One of the first words that comes to me is “healer”, as all of my work centers around healing of some kind. Whether I’m reading Tarot, writing poetry, birthing drums, or helping people to connect with their ancestors, the theme of healing is always present. I’ve come to a space where I understand that I am holding space for others to heal themselves and that spirit is working through me. Some people over the years have called me a Shaman, and I think that title has been offered because of my ability to walk between worlds and assist others in their healing. Although that’s not necessarily a word I would use to describe myself. If I were to pick something that describes my divination work, I would be more likely to use the word “Seer.”
On a practical level, and since we need labels to communicate in human terms, I would give the longer answer: “I am a tarot reader, healer, drum maker, and poet.”, because, although healing ties all of those aspects together, they are each separate gifts and skills in their own right.
I know travel has been an important part of your life. Through your travels, have you discovered a place that feels like home? Why do you suppose you have answered the call to travel and experience new places?
Interestingly, the most important thing I’ve discovered while travelling over the years is that home is wherever I am. Although I have felt a strong connection to particular places, no single geographical place feels like home to me. There is a sense of familiarity and peace that I feel when I return to the rolling hills of where I grew up in North Wales, but then I can feel equally at peace looking at an unfamiliar landscape while travelling. Aside from the home within me, nature has always felt like home to me - wherever that nature happens to be.
In terms of answering the call to travel, the Norse god Odin had a lot to do with that. I began connecting with him (or rather, he began connecting with me) in 2021, and, soon after, I felt called to the road. There was also a strong ancestral pull, which also ties in with the energy of Odin and a connection to the Norse settlers who arrived here during the Viking Age. My ancestry on my father’s side runs back through Ireland, the Outer Hebrides, and - much further back - the west coast of Norway. When I felt the call to the road in 2021, the strongest initial pull was to Scotland and the east coast of England, so I followed that thread. Another thread ran parallel to this, which was connected to past lives. I have also felt drawn to some particular places to work with the ancestors of the land. This has led to some fascinating and deeply healing experiences and I am definitely looking forward to experiencing more of those in the future.
How does your spirituality show up for you in your daily life?
I would say that spirituality shows up for me in every moment of my life, even during the seemingly ‘unspiritual’ activities. These days I am noticing that I bring myself, my spirit, into everything that I do. For a long time, I felt that ‘everyday life’ and spirituality were separate, but that has definitely changed over time. Even the lowest moments hold an element of spirituality, because spirit is in everything. This has definitely been a helpful realisation for me.
That being said, I do have certain practices that help me to connect in even more deeply. Things that help to keep me grounded and clear. One of those practices is waking up early in the morning to enjoy the peace and quiet before other people are awake. During that time, I sit in meditation and journal about my dreams, how I’m feeling, and any insights that arise for the day ahead. I often pull Tarot and oracle cards to provide prompts and clues as to what I need to focus on during the day. I’ve come to realise that spending time in solitude is very important to me and that it helps me to keep my energy levels up. As well as keeping me in good spirits, it also grounds and strengthens me, which is essential for the kind of work that I do.
Time spent in/with nature is also incredibly helpful and important to me. This often looks like going for a long walk in the woods, along the beach, or in the hills. Sometimes it’s as simple as watching the birds on the feeders or gazing at the clouds through the window. At present, I am lucky enough to be able to see the sea from my bedroom window. So, these days, I often spend time gazing at the islands in the distance. This gives me space to dream, while also keeping me grounded in the present moment.
Most of us experience an ebb and flow with creativity. Is this the case for you, and if so do you have any suggestions for how to cope and ultimately rekindle the creative spark after a fallow period? How do we keep the creative juices flowing?
Yes, I definitely experience the ebb and flow of creativity, and it used to be something that caused me a lot of frustration. Over the years, I’ve realised that pressure does nothing to remedy a lack of creativity. In fact, it often tends to do the opposite for most people.
In terms of rekindling the spark, what nearly always works for me is a long walk in nature. I’ve found that the combination of fresh air, physical space, and movement all contribute to a clearer mind, which then allows inspiration to flow in. If, for whatever reason, I still don’t have any creative ideas come through (and that is rare), I either do more of the same, or something else that relieves stress. Listening to music often reignites the creative spark for me, and I also find spending time with other creatives and like-minded people to be helpful. I find that it boosts my inspiration and motivates me to be more creative. I’ve heard that napping can also be helpful, although that’s not something I’m particularly good at. I will keep trying though.
Do you live life in rhythm with the seasons, and if so, was this always the case or something you learned along the way?
Yes, I do tend to live my life in rhythm with the seasons these days, and I’ve noticed that it is something that has become increasingly essential to me. It wasn’t something that was instilled in me, growing up in the industrial west, so it is definitely something I have learned along the way.
Astrologically, I have my Sun, Moon, and Ascendent in Aries, so for a long time I was attempting to live in what we could call an ‘eternal Spring’. This left me feeling exhausted and burned out over time. I used to resist the onset of winter and wish that the long nights weren’t drawing in. Over time, I realised that trying to control things that are out of my control is exhausting and, ultimately, a waste of time and energy. So, as I’ve learned to accept the changing seasons, I have also learned to accept the turning tides of life. It took me a long time to realise that each season has its place, and to fully internalise the wisdom of the phrase, “This too shall pass.” Eventually, all things do pass, just as the seasons do.
I think, as a species, we all need to remember the importance of rest. Nature has dormant cycles and it is important for us to honour our own cycles and rhythms in this way. As I mentioned in a previous answer, rest can be helpful when it comes to rekindling our creative spark, and this can only ever be a good thing.
In The Soul's Code by James Hillman, he posits the theory that we are born into the right environment to either nurture our natural inclinations or to force us to rebel against our upbringing. He uses examples of famous people throughout history to highlight how they were either encouraged and put in situations that would help them to fulfill their soul’s calling, or they had this inner knowing of their path ahead and had the strength and stubbornness to achieve their goals despite less than favorable circumstances. I’m curious to know if you’ve thought about this idea that we choose our path in life before we were born and if so, if you believe your childhood helped you to obtain the resources you needed to reach your potential.
Yes, this is a theme that I’ve often explored often over the years, and I find that it tends to divide people. I once had a friend who cut me out of his life completely because I presented this concept to him. He couldn’t wrap his head around why he would have chosen such painful experiences. I can see why this would be difficult to grasp, and I resisted it for some time too.
On a personal level, I know that I came into this life with some very strong pre-birth intentions. I sometimes joke that I was a little overzealous when it came to piling so many challenges onto my plate. I’ve moved through a lot of challenging and painful experiences in this lifetime, especially during my childhood and teenage years. I can see now that those experiences, which were tinged with feelings of disempowerment, led to me eventually finding and reclaiming my power later in life.
In hindsight, I can see that my childhood helped me to get to where I am now, albeit in a strange and roundabout way. I learned to be very independent as a child, and that’s an incredibly useful trait when it comes to running my own business. I’ve gradually moved away from a state of ‘hyper’ independence though, and these days I realise that it’s okay to ask for help when I feel I need to. I also developed a lot of strength and resilience as a child, and those qualities have definitely helped me to push for what I want in life.
Nature is important to us both. And we’ve had some incredibly magical experiences thanks to this connection with the natural world. Is there a magical experience you’ve had that you’d like to share with my readers?
Honestly, it’s very difficult to narrow it down to one experience, so I will share a few. A lot of my magical nature experiences tend to revolve around animal encounters. Over the past four years or so, I have had several encounters with flocks of birds that have visited me when I have felt lost and alone. Usually, these birds show up in the form of Long-Tailed Tits and other small birds, and they also appear when I’ve asked for signs that the Fae are near. I’ve had a deep connection to the Fae kind since I was a child and, although it dissipated as I moved through my teens and twenties, it has strengthened again over the past few years.
To describe the encounters in more detail, the birds arrive suddenly and flit around me, tweeting and tilting their heads, and then leave as quickly as they arrived. Every encounter has brought me to tears - tears of relief, joy, and gratitude. There have also been times where I’ve encountered Deer in similar ways. There is always an interaction between us - often tapping feet/hooves, and bowing our heads in turn. Animals are deeply intuitive and empathic, and it’s a real honour to be able to communicate and share space with them in that way. It reminds me that magic truly does exist during times when I’m feeling somewhat disconnected from it.
What are you called to nurture these days? Is there a particular project you are giving most of your energy to?
Honestly, I feel most called to nurture myself at the moment. Not in the sense that I view myself as a project, but because I know that I’m moving through deeply transformative times. During Tarot readings, I often suggest that people love and nurture themselves deeply, and if I don’t do that for myself then I’m not really ‘walking my talk’. This time of year feels ideal for getting cosy, leaning further into self-care, and doing some deep diving into the shadows. Aside from that, in the realms of physical projects, I am feeling called to birth more shamanic drums during autumn and winter. And, of course, I will be continuing to read Tarot and offer Ancestor Readings. These are both offerings that require me to sink ever-further into my own practice, and doing so requires a lot of time, energy, and focus.
How can my readers support you most at this time?
I am the most active on Instagram, so following me there is a good place to start. I enjoy meeting new people there and reading the comments that people leave on my posts. Although there was a kind of ‘drifting’ there for a while, I feel that the community spirit on Instagram is increasing again. I also post shamanic drums that I have birthed from time to time, and people have the opportunity to purchase them directly.
Booking a Tarot or Ancestor Reading with me is one of the best ways to support me. If people are curious as to what these readings entail, the best way to find out is through my website - www.dylanmccabe.com - both through the ‘services’ tab and the testimonials page. I’ve had the pleasure of receiving many amazing testimonials from clients over the years. If anyone reading has any questions, I can be reached via email at: dylanmccabetarot@gmail.com
Thank you for inviting me to answer these questions, Cait.
They have given me much food for thought.
Wishing you and your readers all the very best.
Thank you, Dylan! It was a pleasure learning more about your journey.
Readers, please check out Dylan’s website, social media, and/or offerings. He very kindly shared a couple photos of his handmade drums, below.
