When and how did your journey with this book begin?
Never before had I experienced such grief.
My father passed away somewhat suddenly, and an overload of emotional family drama ensued. Never before had I experienced such grief. To make matters worse, the over-the-top emotional spectacle of my sisters and mother unleashed from me years of suppressed and repressed anger, resentment, and unresolved trauma. An emotional/spiritual awakening followed, creating great inner chaos and emotional overwhelm. I started journaling to heal whatever it was that was causing such emotional suffering. Over time, I realized that what I had experienced and chronicled could hopefully help others who are going through something similar. The title Rantings of a Screaming Soul spontaneously came to me without any thought of any other possible titles because that is exactly what my book is all about!
Why is this book important to you?
I came to understand that the emotional upheaval I experienced was not unique to me. This book is important to me because I wish I could have had a book like this while I stumbled around through this dark night of the soul.
What do you hope people will take away from it?
every human being can benefit from the art of self-confrontation.
My hope is that people who are going through something similar will know that they’re not alone, they’re not going insane, and that there is a light at the end of the dark tunnel. I hope they’ll have a laugh or two in the process! And even if the reader is not going through unusually big life changes and challenges, every human being can benefit from the art of self-confrontation, which is a deeply healing process through which we clean up our inner house/psyche first before we try to point to the dirt in someone else’s inner house/psyche.
What was an early experience where you learned that language had power?
When I was a teenager, my friends and I would write long notes to each other about crushes, music … you know, teenage girl stuff. I was deemed the one who wrote the best notes because I was open, vulnerable, and funny as hell! After graduating college and landing my first career job, my boss randomly found a letter I had written to a customer. She was so impressed that I was promoted to a much better position with more money and prestige. I’ve come to see that language, when constructed and expressed artfully, can affect individuals and the masses in profound ways, both positively and negatively.
Do you have a favorite quote or mantra?
“Step into the fire of self-discovery. This fire will not burn you. It will only burn what you are not.” – Mooji
About Janet Rucker-smith
Janet Rucker-Smith is the second of three daughters and was raised in Los Angeles. Both her mother and father were among the first generation of African Americans to graduate from college.
After graduating from UCLA, Janet created and facilitated a career development workshop that guided employees through the process of self-exploration and self-assessment. Her workshops were an instant success as her creative expression flowed in phenomenal ways through writing and public speaking. She then spent ten years raising her three children and teaching in the nation’s second largest public school system.
Following her soul’s call, Janet resigned and spent a year chronicling an inner pilgrimage through death, dark shadows, redemption, and rebirth. She reemerged with a burning passion: to help others recognize the insanity of their life, confront and resolve their inner conflicts, and reconnect with the peace and freedom of their natural, original self.