Navigating Life’s Grand Portal

Word of the Day — Portal

The grandest portal is the path to personal growth, unveiling awareness on the climb to enlightenment. — ShadowsPub

The word ‘portal’ comes from the Latin ‘portalis’, meaning gate or gateway. It appeared in English around the late 14th century about grand or ceremonial doors or entranceways.

Gothic and Romanesque architecture portals would be elaborately decorated as they were seen as a threshold between the earthly and spiritual realms. Some ancient civilizations believed specific locations were portals to the Gods. They would conduct rituals in those spaces to communicate with the divine.

Some pilgrimage sites today continue the ancient belief that specific locations are portals to the divine. Mount Sinai in Egypt is where Moses received the Ten Commandments, and heaven is believed to have touched the earth. In Celtic spirituality, Glastonbury Tor, England, was considered the gateway to the Otherworld. It’s also associated with the legends of King Arthur — just two examples of many.

Unsurprisingly, personal growth can be viewed as a grand portal, a pathway leading through various stages of spiritual awakening and awareness. It’s not a quantifiable journey, but the path…