Today’s Lesson is a personal story of my own path into the Magical world.

Lesson 17 of 365: My Magical Obsession: “Do you believe in Magic?”

As we progress, today I will answer the question “Do I really believe in Magic?” and I can answer simply yes. It is then I am asked for a spell to prove it, or some other demeaning statement to show contempt for my belief. It has happened from disbelievers, family, friends, and even other Pagans and Witches. Deep down they want to question my skills, my thoughts and how I conduct my practices. This will to happen to you as well. In our world, even as magic is emerging into a Golden Age of Witchcraft, there is a desire to belittle and disbelieve in your talents, just as they have me.

My magical obsession came to me very young in life, when I discovered my grandfather was a quiet practitioner of the arts. He kept it pretty secret as he was part of a masonic lodge. He explained the world view against my then very confusing Baptist and Catholic upbringing. (Yes I attended both, being both baptized and having my Confirmation). From this, I began learning about magic, until my grandfather died, at age 51, a month before my 14^th birthday. This was a blow that would spiral into a personal hell for my teen age years.

The second was at my Baptist Church, when Pastor Dr. Raymond Bakke, would rally against the occult every Halloween. It was by far my favorite sermon as he spoke against witchcraft infiltrating our society, how occultism was becoming part of America, and the Ouija Board was the introduction of demonic forces into our children. These sermons became the stepping stones into my world of magic and witchcraft. Because of them, I was convinced magic was real, and that I needed to understand it.

In my teens I discovered that witches were real, the Occult Bookstore did exist, and in time I joined a Witches circle called Temple of the Sacred Stones. My Witch Mother was Donna Cole, and nearly 15 years later, I would grow into a fully practicing Witch. So it was that I became a practitioner and Gardnerian. In this time, I saw magic as useful.

I would have many events that were magical and somewhat silent. After all, I did not want to be seen as crazy or a lunatic. So it came to a head in August 8^th, 1988, a year after the Harmonic Convergence, I would with my family, plant 5 crystals at the base of a tree in Lincoln Park, infused with my hopes and dreams, filled with my wish magic, to allow me to connect with others across the world.  It may not seem like a thing, but I continued to grow and expand my Crystal Web, seeing it so clearly in my head as a source of psychic communication and energy amplification. Today, it exists as the Great Crystal Web, with thousands of people sharing in its magic and creation, planting we believe is over a million crystals globally. So this is fact, and manifestation of my magic that continues to grow today.

My obsession was to awaken and train people. So once it began, I casted another spell, to discover a way to reach more people, beyond the magazines and radio shows I did. At the time, I was one of the most media oriented members of our community. I did an insight spell, with an orange candle, and spoke my spell, allowing the candle to burn down. That night I broke down and cried, cried out, for I was so lost. The next morning I walked out of my home, and caught a bus, with a bright orange sign on its side. The sign was selling Phoenix University, the first online college. From this Witch School was born, and continues to this day. It has fundamentally changed the world of Wicca and Paganism, and provides a education to all that seek magic. The spell was successful.

The last story happened, when my faith was severely damaged, and I decided that I was done with the world. It was a moment that suicide and death was on my mind, and even though I was successful in so many ways, I felt a deep burning of failure. My friends shipped my off to a festival, Starwood. It was during that time I had a encounter with a spiritual force, both in a priestess who cued me into what was happening, and then the spiritual encounter with the Fae of Wisteria, During that time, I would emote my pain, and the Fae was intolerant to this. During the event they snatched my eyes from my head, cleaned them and returned them. I was then sent to my tent to sleep it off.

If that was the end of my Fae story, it would have simply been interesting Unverifiable Personal Gnosis. What happened next would be my proof of magic, one that had a scientific evidence of some unknown occurrence. As I woke up and went outside my tent, I looked at the trees which looked so odd, then it dawned on me that is what green leaves are supposed to look like. Then I saw other distinct colors that I knew their names, but never saw before. It was because I was double color blind in my life, recorded while I was in the US Navy, and was a fact of my life. But on that July Morning in 2019, I saw full spectrum color, and was color blind no more. To this day, I live with this fact, or provable change, and yes, I believe in magic was the source, the Fae did this for me. It was by far the most magical moment of my life.

Today, my magical obsession continues, and I share it with the world. In sharing these lessons, I am hoping to spur on even more spellcasters, more Witches, more practitioners than ever. I want this skill embedded into our society as never before, widely seen and deeply respected. While many think this is a pipedream, a silly thought to be ridiculed and mocked, I say so what. After all, I am here, and I am grateful you are here as well.  Are you ready to discover magic for yourself, and learn to love it?  

My path may not be your path, but for now, we can the share the same road, and enjoy each other’s company of this adventure we call life. I am so happy you are here with me.

Blessings
Ed the Pagan