Magical Dilemna
The Oracle didn't reveal my future—it revealed my past. Specifically, a pattern of self-sabotage I was too blind to see. Far be it from me to regress into the magical thinking of a born-again Wiccan who believes tarot cards will reveal their future. My approach has always been one of curiosity and wonder, mixed with a healthy dose of humor. This is how a spiritual adventurer sees the world.
But sometimes, a strange kind of synchronicity takes hold—an uncanny sense of things falling into place that transcend mere coincidence. When that occult current becomes undeniable, that's when you meet the Dark Teacher. This isn't about fortune-telling. This is the "holy shit" moment where you know you can't go back to normal, and you are forced to confront the one person who has been lighting the match the whole time: yourself.
Soul Dive
As my regular readers know, the Wizzan Oracle has taken on a life of its own. In fact, I only consult it when I get a certain sense for guidance. I don’t frivolously consult it. Every single time it has surprised me. So when I pulled the omen card "The Dark Phoenix" a few weeks ago, I wasn't exactly the happiest monkey in the coffee shop.
But that didn't discourage the soul dive adventurism of the esoteric path. Like it or not, there's a price to pay for the pearls of insight hidden below the surface of awareness. These dark waters aren't charted by mortals; they call from the deep to those who hear . . . mystics, seekers, Wizzans.
Awake in the Dream
Before I go further, let's get the obvious stuff out of the way. It is of utmost importance to grow your Serpent Mind (focused perception) and develop a keen eye for self-deception, confirmation bias, patternicity, and pareidolia. The student of the inner path must question all things, especially their certainties and the benefits they gain by crafting stories to convince themselves of magical experiences. The shadow must be confronted, and the willingness to see their blind sides must be strong. One of the benefits of self-analysis is the ability to see through delusions.
The relationship with your inner realm is mirrored by the Oracle. It is a physical tool (cards, images, or numbers)—that serves as a manifestation of your inner realm communicating with itself. In other words, “you” at a deeper level.
The Dark Phoenix
From destruction's grip, I rise with flame,
A dance of shadows, a phoenix's claim.
Embracing the dark, I renew my name,
What am I, in the seeker's fiery aim?
I went to the Wizzan Oracle for guidance on my project—the writing and music of the Wizzan Temple. My dilemma was a deep uncertainty about how to proceed after a recent and heavy shadow experience on a Port Townsend trip.
I don't like omens, but as fate would have it, I picked the Dark Phoenix. I desperately hoped it was a simple reflection of a phase I was finally done with—that I was moving onto greener pastures. I thought for sure my experience of dealing with "my shadow being taller than my soul" were over. But the abyss was still calling.
The Dark Phoenix is a symbol of transformation and shadow integration. Its wings, forged in fire, call you to embrace the flames of change within. As the Phoenix rises from ashes, so too must the Self undergo cycles of destruction and rebirth to reach its fullest potential. These fires are not to be feared—they are the alchemical force that dissolves the old to make way for a truer, more integrated existence.
—Wizzan Oracle
I typically only pull one card, but the heat from the Dark Phoenix was too intense. I felt guided to pull a second to cool off its fire. The card was the Raven—that beautifully "dark" messenger that leads with wisdom and swift guidance through the esoteric labyrinth.
The Raven, a timeless messenger of wisdom and transformation, calls you to journey into the depths of the unconscious. The Raven’s creative fire compels you to manifest your truth, aligning with the rhythms of transformation and rebirth.
—Wizzan Oracle
There it was, the guide of darkness balancing the Shadow's depths: the Dark Phoenix, a foreboding omen of transformation, and the Raven, a wise guide. I had my challenge, and I had my guide to navigate the terrain.
But there was one more key that would turn this duo into a triad...the Key Card.
Mysteriously added just before the Oracle went to print weeks earlier, the Key Card is the “wild card”of the Wizzan Oracle that represents something you want to do, have, or be. Its message is that the solution to your problem is already in your possession—the key to the next door is in your hands.
So the complete message was that an omen was at hand, a guide was present to assist, and a Key I already possessed was in my hands.
Oops, Wrong Turn
The Oracle's message was clear. I already had the guitar I needed to perform music, promote Wizzan Temple, and even offer readings. All I needed to do was arrive at the busking location uptown Sedona, play Wizzan music, and share the wonders of the Oracle with listeners.
But...and a big BUT it is...my brain exploded. I got so excited about this new direction that I justified buying a bunch of music gear to make the performance more expansive. I went to the music store to buy one simple addition to my rig and ended up spending $1,300.
The moment I left the store, my heart sank. I had a bad, bad feeling about the purchase, and it only got worse when I discovered their return policy was limited to store credit. The very next day, with my tail between my legs, I returned to explain the gear was untouched, but they wouldn’t budge.
Oh Man, Omen
I had just paid off all of my credit cards and was feeling light and because of that my creative energy was fluid and bouncy. But the financial stress completely restricted my winged soul. I was immensely frustrated and angry. The timing for the gear expansion was not now. The Raven was guiding me to lessons on the smooth road. But I took the rocky road.
“Yes there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run, there’s still time to change the road you’re on.” —Led Zeppelin (Stairway to Heaven)
I had hoped the Dark Phoenix wasn't predicting a shadow confrontation, but I'd missed the part where my own choices came into play. I could have followed the simple path of the Raven and Key, but my desire got the best of me. Instead, I plunged into a chaos of financial debt that imprisoned my soul.
The Oracle was right—I was confronting a part of myself I needed to see and hadn't yet come to terms with. My Shadow's face was finally visible. The Dark Phoenix, in its fiery glory, wasn't just predicting a confrontation; it was foretelling that I would be the one to light the match. It revealed my darkest blind side: my own tendency to take the rocky road, even when the smooth one was paved and ready.
The Shadow's Message
self-sabotaging
nounbehavior or thoughts, especially of an involuntary or unconscious nature, that are harmful to one’s own interests or development.
The impulse to complicate things is a shadow trait to sabotage my own creative flow. The Oracle laid out a clear path, with the Raven as my guide: take the Key I already possessed, the guitar in my hands, and start busking. A smooth road, free from the burdens of debt and the restriction of a tethered soul.
But my excitement ignited my imagination. Instead of the smooth path, I took the rocky path. The $1300 purchase wasn't just a mistake; it was a manifestation of that Shadow impulse, the one that gets the best of me. It created a self-imposed financial fire that completely restricted my creative energy. My wings were tied, my soul was hindered, and the frustration was immense.
The Dark Phoenix, symbolizing transformation through fire, was not a warning of an external struggle. It was a mirror reflecting my own role in creating the struggle. I was so convinced I had already dealt with the "shadow being taller than my soul" that I missed the part where my choices came into play. I ignored the Raven's guidance and, fueled by my own desire, I plunged myself back into the very chaos I had hoped to escape.
The Dark Phoenix was a foreboding omen of a confrontation, but the confrontation was with myself. The greatest challenge to my creative freedom isn't some external force—it's the Shadow side that keeps taking the wrong turn.
The Golden Lesson
The Dark Phoenix wasn't a warning of a far-off fire; it was a foretelling of the fire I would light myself. The greatest omen wasn't a lurking danger but my own tendency to choose the difficult, complicated path of self-sabotage. But the Oracle wasn't a warning alone—it was a complete guide.
The Raven showed me the smooth road, and the Key reminded me that the solution was already in my hands. The true challenge wasn't to avoid the abyss, but to walk through it consciously, with my guide and my key, ready to finally integrate the Shadow and rise from the ashes.
The Wizzan Path
The path of the Mystic is not led by forces limited to “love and light,” it avails itself to the full spectrum of experience no different than the musical spectrum of major and minor notes and the intervals between.
The neophite walks the two paths simultaneously developing the One Path through the direct experience of the journey. The One Path is grooved by the traction of direct experience on both paths.
I am truly excited about sharing the Wizzan Oracle on a deeper level in the ‘Initiate’s Path: Wizzan Apprenticeship’ which is a deep immersion into the Oracle before it’s public release.
The 48 Wizzan guides stand at the ready. Stay tuned, literally!
—Zzenn
Follow and Subscribe
🌊 Follow us: Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X and Bluesky.
Support Wizzan Temple
🙏 If you found this article helpful, you can support my work through:
Venmo @zzenn and PayPal.me I appreciate it. Thank you.
© 2025 Zzenn Loren. All rights reserved.
It was fascinating to read your inner experience as it was contrary to what I project on you. I watched an episode of your podcast and it feels like you don’t get in your own way, by over thinking or over complicating things. You roll your sleeves up and make things happen. I can have this tendency of thinking I need something else (yet more learning, a piece of equipment etc) to do the thing. Like a mother buying all these accessories, when it’s really just her body and love that her baby needs.
Anyhow I’m going to subscribe. I’ll be honest, on my first glance at your page I imagined us walking quite different paths. I could see we were both in the spiritual sphere but that’s a big world. I guess I’ve also had hesitations and doubt on how much more content I can do justice to currently. But I sense and trust there is something for me to learn from you.
So thank you for your insightful honest writing, and the encouragement you give other writers.