The Portal

It’s been a while since I’ve put one of the bones from my set in the spotlight. May is a time for new beginnings, and, in a strange rendition of life imitating the Universe, I’m going through some changes that have set me on the threshold of a new stage in my life. It’s got me thinking about The Portal.

The Portal bone in my set, like many, is not technically a bone. It’s a glass medallion made for me by a friend I met while teaching at an arts camp a few years ago, as a thank-you for a reading I gave him. He made two lovely glass artifacts for my bone set, both of which were readily accepted by the other bones (yes, they do get a say in what enters and leaves the group). The bone is double-sided, and the two sides are very different in appearance and meaning. The “front” is a clear and crisp passageway, as shown in the photo at the top of the page. On the “back,” as shown here, there is a more amorphous, blob-like obstruction that resembles an attacking octopus.

The Portal is a bone that has become integral to the readings of many people who work with me, and signifies life on the brink.

When I look at the Portal, I imagine observing the void of the Universe. I tell my clients that it’s the future yawning open to welcome them in. It’s a wormhole of sorts that could lead anywhere. Certainly, it always does lead somewhere. Even a choice not to go forward brings us to a different place in our life – just because that decision has been made. And how you see the beckoning of the future – as opportunity or danger zone – is really up to you. As with any exercise in manifestation, you will probably get what you wish for, and your subconscious thoughts count as well as those you affirm out loud.

Any time we make changes to our life we stand at a portal that leads us into the unknown. For some, this is an exciting adventure, eagerly anticipated and welcomed. For others, it is a time of uncertainty and dread, going over worst case scenarios and feeling off-balance and afraid. The fact is, as we stand at the doorways of our lives, we never really know what lies ahead, no matter whether we think we have it all figured out. Although we may see it as the answer to our prayers – a new love, new job, new home – in time it may turn out to be a grave disappointment. Or it can be something worrisome and frightening – a scary diagnosis, the ending of a relationship, being fired, a move – that can eventually lead to growth and happiness. The feelings of the moment, for good or ill, don’t influence the outcome. None of us is privy to the grand plan of our life – the contract that we make with our highest self upon embarking on this lifetime.

So, for example, if you’re about to take a new job that you have been working for all your life and are on the top of the world, you still may end up with a bullying and conniving boss who makes your life miserable. Or you may move to a place in a “bad neighborhood,” fearing the worst, but turn out loving your space and making friends with the others on the road. Didn’t see that coming, did you?

When the Portal shows up in your reading, it can fall either way. If it falls “passageway” side up, you will perceive the inevitable change that’s coming in a positive light – it will be exciting, fun, and the fulfillment of a dream, or the culmination of hard work and perseverance. However, that doesn’t mean that it will necessarily be the end-of-the-rainbow unicorn-search-is-over be-all-end-all that you were hoping for. There are many reasons why we are given what we think we want and need in life… but as we learn, everything is temporary. Growth often comes with disappointment.

When the Portal falls with the “attacking octopus” side showing, it doesn’t need to mean that your future is something that should send shivers down your spine and head you running for the aspirin. Again, it’s more about your perception of what’s to come. It’s the symbol of negative anticipation what’s ahead, simply because you don’t know what it could be. The “light at the end of the tunnel must be an oncoming train” syndrome. The fear of the unknown. At one point in our biological development, the fight or flight response developed as a needed defense mechanism – when there truly was a possibility of us being eaten when we left the cave. But at a point in our evolution when we are able to make reasoned decisions about what dangers lurk ahead of us, we…. still use the same defense mechanism.

The bottom line for the Portal bone, no matter which side is up, is that we have no control over what happens in the future. None. The best laid plans, even if they work for a while – a long while – eventually end up in the trash heap. Nothing and no one lasts forever. Breakups happen. Tornadoes happen. Illness and disability happens. Death happens. Political changes happen. Getting fired happens. Pandemics happen. Even the very best psychics can’t see it coming. It’s unpredictable, in a world where predictability is seen as safe and comforting; and the unexpected isn’t always a surprise party. The key is to face changes with guarded optimism and a healthy dose of acceptance and resilience when things don’t turn out exactly as planned.

Zen philosophy notes that we should “relax… nothing is under control,” and we should “abandon hope, abandon fear” and live in the moment we’re given. It’s the need to know and control the outcome of our plans, and the anticipation of the “what ifs,” and the attachment to a particular outcome, that brings suffering and pain. TRUST is what your Ancestors, Angels and guides are telling you through this symbol. Trust that the Universe is working for your greatest and highest good – always – and everything will always work out for the best. And if a door opens, walk through it. Your future beckons, and it’s gonna be awesome.

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