Portals Of Old
Self-Reflection: My roots in the craft stretches across three-decades, a little more than that actually, 38 years to be exact. Every Witch starts their path alone, fitting really, you see while we are born into the free world, we are not guaranteed anything, we are not given absolution of self-security, freedom-of-choice, we are not instantaneously guaranteed love by birth.
The natural law of the universe our parent's assisted in opening the gateway for us to enter, and they are spiritually obligated to assist in our upbringing, they are bound by the spiritual laws of the universe, having played a role in our arrival they have created a karmic link that will last a lifetime, unless dissolved and in the modern world we live in many people focus more on self-importance, than they focus on their hearth, home and family, many choose to ignore their spiritual obligations and walk away and while they may have chosen a different path, they didn't break the ties that bind you to them, the spiritual ties, the karmic ties.
“The Law of Man and the Universal Law Of Spirit are different!”
While we may choose, choosing is not always free, hence, the no guarantee policy of the universe, our choices, while they are a mental thing, a thought, a decision, they are energy that we give birth to by having them and then by putting those thoughts into action we bind those thoughts to ourselves and they become a part of our karmic path, keep in mind, “Thoughts are living things” they are our spiritual creation, the thoughts of today, become the reality of tomorrow!
Some people believe that they are born into being a Witch, that is not true, while you may have been born into a family of Witches, it doesn't automatically make you a Witch, this path is a choice, it started off with the idea of becoming at one with the universe, setting out to find yourself and to discover the hidden meaning of your existence.
The reasons that you are here and there are many reasons, many life-lessons that each of us are here to learn, for me my journey into the land of mysticism, into the realm of magic and the concept that all things in life are lessons and that all desires are attainable through the process of White Witchcraft started with picking up a book in 1977, the book was old and smelly, almost mildewed, discarded in the bottom of a box in the basement of my Mother's home.
The book was written by the late great Sybil Leek, “A Diary Of A Witch” and that was just the start of my journey, suddenly after having felt out of place for years and living in a house that was filled with hardcore Southern Baptist and with a mother that occasionally dabbled into the arts of Witchcraft when she was mad or upset with my stepfather, life lets say was often confusing and while I struggled through the years that followed to accept that I was destined to be a Gay Man, there was never any doubt about the pull that I had to follow the teachings of the Universe and to embrace the Goddess as my true mother.
Without a second thought a young Witchling was born and in later reflection I would discover that on that day in 1977 in the basement of my Mother's house, not only was that the key to the Witch I am today, but it would be the vessel in which I would survive a war-torn childhood, my mother had her demons and while she will always have my respect for her spiritual worth and the teachings she lent me in life, she was a difficult woman that struggled with her own addictions, but in my family if you drank more than twice a week, or even had a beer in the morning it was because you liked the flavor and not because you were a stone-cold alcoholic and my mother was for years.
My early childhood I recall my stepdad fleecing the house to find my mother's stash and that was one of my first memories of don't judge the book by its cover, I realized at a young age that my mother wasn't who I thought she was, she was many things, as to not go on about her, I will end her role here by saying even though she left me with some scars, she also gave me the strength that I would draw from day to day and year after year, it was through her weakness that she taught me the meaning of strength and self- reliance.
I give her many thanks and much love for all the gifts and the mysteries of life that she helped me uncover as a child and the tools she would come to give me as I grew into adulthood, she left the earth plane far too soon and I have missed her physical presence in my life, she has always been around in the realm of spirit watching and waiting and I have called upon her many times for her help and she has never failed to provide the help when needed, you see the ties that bind are strong and our life-lessons do not end in death, in many ways that is simply the beginning, death is a factor of life, death is a doorway into the soul and the hallway we must pass through to get to the other side, death is a portal of a reflection in time.
Death is an element that is around us all the time, death is a stage that we must learn to accept and for some that's hard, but it is an inescapable fact, whether we cross the bridge into the Summerland because old age succumbs us, or perhaps we were victims of a crime that led us down that path, we will sooner or later transition from this life unto the next and most of us will hang around in the Summerland until we decide it is time to be reborn, to come back into the earth plane to continue our studies as a child of the Goddess and a universal student.
As a Witch, I believe that death is a natural part of life and all life is equally important and should never be taken for granted and should not be discarded like an old book.
Life should never become stale or molded like the book that set me on my path many years ago. I am a firm believer that when it comes to life that forcefully taking it is something that one should never do, over the many years that my website has been up I have written numerous articles on suicide and I agree with the experts, suicide is a permanent answer to a temporary problem, all shall pass in due time and balance shall be restored.
I do not believe in hereditary Witch's, therefore I am not real popular with those who publish that they come from a bloodline of Witch's, we are all born of blood and bone, which unto itself is magical, but none of us are hereditary, having many Witches in your family doesn't mean you will be gifted or granted with some deep magical knowledge, the only way to gain the knowledge, which is where the true power resides is to practice, hence the title practitioner and magic is an art that one never stops learning, the old adage that practice makes perfect is one that I work to instill in my students, for the more ritual that you learn and do the stronger you'll become as a Witch, we must learn to draw from within, for if you cannot find it within, you will never find it without!
I do believe that we are born with esoteric gifts and that we have a responsibility to ourselves to expand our awareness of those gifts, we must learn to harness the power that comes with our esoteric gifts and elevate our consciousness, through this process we will naturally learn to connect with our higher mind, the part of us where divinity resides.
I consider myself a powerful person, and a powerful Witch and I project that image unto the Universe, therefore I am constantly attracting the opportunities to myself that allows me to expand my knowledge and increase my power, knowledge is power and while I teach a select few, I am very careful with the knowledge that I share and with whom I share it with.
Once the words leave my lips I am connected to them and partly responsible for how the knowledge that I shared is used. We are always connected to our thoughts and this is why we must learn to treat others with respect because of all we do and say returns back to us.
There is no harm in using magic to one's own benefit, that is why it exists, it is meant to be used, just like the many other resources that we have at our disposal, for me not to use magic is a concept that I cannot even comprehend, for I use magic daily, both intentionally and unintentionally, once we train ourselves to be ritualistic in our daily practice, magic comes easy, it becomes second nature.
There are all kinds of portals, the pentagram is a portal, the Witch's circle is a portal, in fact one might say that a Witch's circle is a multitude of portals, it is a sacred space between this world and the next and when in circle the sanctity and sacredness of that space should always be treated with respect.
The circle is not only a space to work magic, but is a space to honor the Old Ways and to call upon the many aspects of the Goddess and her consort God.
A Witch has many sacred symbols and tools, but their circle is one of the most sacred, for the circle is the ultimate culmination of spiritualism and magic, I have witnessed some amazing things when in between the worlds and I have seen some things that made my hair stand on end, the circle is a portal and must be treated with dignity and respect, I cannot stress this enough and just like you close the front door of your home, yet another portal of entry and exit, you must properly know how to close a circle.
Always keep in mind and heart that which is done with light and love is always the best, for darkness only brings more clouds and there is not one person reading this article who couldn't use a little more love and light in their lives.
“On New Years Day To Keep Trouble At Bay, Lay Your Broom Across The Threshold Of Your Home And Remove The Welcome Mat”
I never place a welcome mat at my doors, to do is to give any wandering entity the green light to enter my home, and my door is only open to those with an invitation, over the years I have had countless clients come to me because they felt they were being attacked or cursed and one of my standard questions, do you have a welcome mat at your door? If the answer was yes, I would instruct them to remove it immediately, the truth is that we shouldn't just welcome anyone and everyone into our homes, our home should be treated as sacred space just like our circles are.
2016 is becoming a portal of the past, with it, release all of your troubles and woes, allow the negativity that you feel to flow away from you and as the portal of 2017 opens walk through it refreshed, free and focused on a bright future filled with all that you desire, focus on love!
The first 13 days of the New Year sets the tone for what is to come, so it is very important for you to pay close attention to your attitude and to your actions, keep your thoughts light and pure, treat those around you with love and respect and the universe will return your kindness with gratitude and light.
May 2017 be the year that finds you flourishing in love and prosperity and may good health always be at your door.
Merry 2017
Phelan and Staff