The Magic Within
I wrote this article over 22 years ago. You will see I didn't bother to change the dates; it is as relevant today, 5/27/2021, as it was back then.
Many websites on the internet today provide services such as spell casting, psychic readings, cleansings, and of course, most of them sell a wide array of products such as spell kits, charms, amulets, herbs, and the list goes on.
We recently attended an initiation to the first degree at a group based in Tennessee; on the way home, Angel and I stopped at one of Tennessee's largest Flea Markets, as we most often do when we travel. The flea market is just off of I-40 located in Sevierville, Flea Markets are fascinating, and while there is junk, you can find a treasure or two at times, especially if you are scouting around looking for altar tools.
Now, I believe in the powers that be, I believe in the power of the universe, universal love, equality, cosmic balance, reincarnation and I also believe that within everything good you will find a little bit of bad, light and dark must coexist in order for the Universe to truly maintain it's balance.
This was the first time that we stopped at this Flea Market while visiting with our spiritual counterparts up in Tennessee; I managed to pick up a nice little cauldron and a couple of very unique looking bells that will be consecrated and used on the Altar; I also picked up a Psychic Vampire that the local Gypsy gifted me with.
There was a lady and her daughter at a booth, and they were offering Palm Readings for $5.00; the lady approached me and offered to read my palm, and although I was a little hesitant, I reluctantly agreed, and of course, as soon as I sat down she offered me a tarot reading for an additional sum and out of professional courtesy again I agreed.
The lady was somewhat pleasant, older, kind of heavy; her hair was rolled up in a bun on the back of her head and was thinning on top. She wore heavy makeup, and both of her eyelids were covered with what appeared to be warts that looked as though they had been there for a while.
Before she started the reading, she asked me to lay the sum of money she requested on the table; she then asked my name, which I promptly gave to her, she asked my date of birth, and then she asked me to select five tarot cards from her deck, as soon as I touched the cards I knew that I really did not want any information that she had to share with me and the next statement that she made was for me to make certain that I did not discuss the reading with anyone, including the man that was with me, Angel, I said fine.
Now, I too tell my clients to speak not about their spells, I also caution them on getting multiple readings while waiting for their weavings to manifest, but, when it comes to just a general type of reading there is usually no harm in talking about what was shared with you during a Psychic session, unless the reading centers predominately around the work that you have performed or have had performed on your behalf.
Well, she immediately told me that my life had been filled with misery and pain, she told me that someone very close to me had betrayed me, slightly gesturing towards where Angel was standing waiting for the reading to finish, she went on to tell me how misfortunate I was, have been and will be. She told me that a dark cloud was hovering over me and that I needed the Holy Spirit around me. She also told me that I have never been happy in my love life; I asked her why is this? Finally, she told me that I had used Witchcraft against a past lover in a past life and that I have been paying the price ever since.
Now, while it is true that I have had my share of heartache and my life certainly has not been a bed of roses, it has not been any harder than anyone else's life has been and that bit about never being happy in my love life, well I hate to rain on her parade but the last six years I couldn't have been more happy if I tried to be, my relationship with Angel is truly a gift from the Goddess, she sent him to me when I needed him the most!
She continued the reading, focusing primarily on the fact that I had used Witchcraft in a past life and that I have offended God, and that the Holy Spirit could work through her to heal me, and then she asked me for $3000.00. I have to tell you that I have heard versions of this story from my clients, but this was the very first time that I actually experienced it firsthand. So I sat there for a moment, and then I told her, well, you see I have a problem with your reading, theory, or whatever you would like to call it; I have been very happy for the last six years, my partner would never betray me, for one thing, he knows I have a bad temper (lol), and for another, I am a Witch. So I have been for twenty-three years; furthermore, I mean no offense, but I can't slight a God that I do not believe in, meaning that I do not believe in the concept of God in the same manner as the Christian faith.
She became furious and ordered me out of her booth; I greatly complied as it was a very uncomfortable place to be anyway on a Psychic level; I left her booth and went straight to the restroom where I washed my hands thoroughly in an attempt to dispel any negative energy that I may have picked up through the minor chakras in the palm of my hands.
Well, it worked to a degree; upon returning home, I fumigated Angel, the car, and myself with uncrossing and cleansing incense, and then for a little safety sake, I smudged all three with protection incense.
I have to say that I got pretty upset because even if those things were true to the extent that she said they were, it was very unprofessional for her to blurt them out in the manner that she did, a gifted Psychic, Witch, Medium, Healer or Metaphysician will not take the risk of further devastating a client who is already suffering, now, every once in a while I am put in the position where a client may need a verbal kick in the pants to get refocused on their goals. When that happens, I am always happy to oblige.
For a practitioner to be effective in weaving magic for you, you have to be totally comfortable; if you are not 100% comfortable with the person and their magic process, you need to consider continuing your search. Over the year,s my honesty has most certainly cost me many clients, but in the grand scheme of things when you look at the larger picture,e nothing is ever really lost and everything always comes back.
The best way to choose whether or not to work with someone or even to order their products is to clear your mind and ask your higher self for guidance, listen closely to that little voice inside of yourself and go with the very first answer that it gives you, if the answer is no, do not second guess yourself, there is an old saying in the craft, "When in doubt, the best action is inaction."
In addition you will want to keep in mind that there are no guarantees when working with energy and individuals who make outlandish guarantees are not trying to help you, they are simply helping themselves to your hard-earned money, look at it this way tangible items such as a car can be warranted and guaranteed, it is impossible to guarantee an intangible item such as faith; faith, is the primary factor when working with magic.
Magic resides in all of us and I have said this many times before, I do not claim to be an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-seeing guru, I believe that I am the catalyst that brings my clients together with the magic within their own lives, you can look at it like a jumper cable between two cars, one battery is hot and raring to go and the other needs a little convincing, a nudge in order to get it started and going.
The magic within does not live on the physical plane, it can be found deep within our psyches, magic comes from our childlike qualities and this is one reason that children are most often more magical than their adult counterparts because they have yet to lose their faith in their surroundings and in humanity as a whole.
Magic is very real and can impact your life whether or not you believe in it, however, when your faith is strong and you believe with all of your heart magic becomes unstoppable and on the other hand it is not necessary for victims of black magic or psychic attack to believe in it for it to have an impact on their life, I have worked with many of die-hard Christians who have fallen victim to the evil eye, I believe one of the reasons Christians are so easy to curse is their ironclad belief and fear of Lucifer, in today's world Satan's job has gotten easier, I would imagine that he has plenty of time to kick back with the boys and throw down a few tequila shooters comfortable with the fact that his quota will be met, after all they may lie to themselves and one another about their swearing and taking the Lord's name in vain, fornicating, lying to close "that big business deal" and sleeping with the teenage daughter or son of their "best friend", but when all is said and done there is no lying to Satan and Satan has become a permanent resident in the Christians psyche and thus making it impossible to escape eternal damnation.
Witches, on the other hand, believe in the love of all life. We also understand that if we do something that we shouldn't, it will come back to us, we do not fear the Devil as we do not believe in him, Satan is a Christian God, and yes, he is a God because they have given him Dominion over hell, just as they have given God Dominion over heaven.
If you are one of the individuals who are contemplating having a practitioner cast a spell on your behalf make certain that you allow common sense to be your guide. I can honestly say that my methods are not for everyone as I do not coddle my clients or hold their hands, I do not make outlandish promises or guarantees as I cannot control your actions, thoughts, and overall behavior, all of which will influence and impact the outcome of your work.
When a practitioner weaves magic for you, it is done on your behalf; therefore, the only influence the practitioner has over the spell's outcome is when the spell is actually being performed, when the spell has been cast. The weaving is done, the practitioners role is completed. At that point, the responsibility shifts to the client, you, and in order for the spell to succeed, you must provide the faith and develop a belief that your magic will manifest the desired results; there are no time-frames in which magic will produce results. At the same time, some folks may get results in as little as a few days, a few weeks; it may take months or even longer for others to see results from their weavings, part of reason for this is the effect your emotions will have on your magic.
Magic is a wonderful thing when it is used for the right reasons; if you are using magic to better yourself, to learn and grow, and to improve your environment or to aid another positively, you cannot go wrong before you embark upon the journey of spell casting make sure that your motives are pure. Your will is strong; at times, you will need to hang onto a glimmer of hope as it will light your path when it has become dim.
When you feel lost and hopeless, go within yourself, there you will find that the Goddess has provided you with all that you'll ever need to succeed in life; true magic can only be found within if you look. Although you cannot see it at first, look again for you; my friend is a magical creature, and your journey has just begun!
Blessed Be, Phelan