Michael is a Witch, ordained minister, and Witchcraft V High Priest graduate of the Temple of Witchcraft. He is the lead minister of the Aries ministry and an active member of the Temple of Witchcraft community. Michael is also a third degree black belt in Karazenpo Go Shinjutsu Shaolin and Hawaiian Kempo Method of karate. Besides a professional career in business, Michael maintains an active solitary witchcraft practice and an active public practice with the Temple.
Michael has been with the Temple of Witchcraft since its founding. As a practicing Witch, Michael is always eager to learn and willing to sharpen his skills and so he is often seen at witchcraft workshops. Michael partakes in most of the Temple of Witchcraft Sabbats, whether it is calling quarters or some other part he is assigned. He works magick almost daily and equates the continuous practice to exercising, “If you don’t do it you lose your muscle.”
Michael has practiced martial arts since 1973. He taught martial arts for over 25 years at a karate school in Providence, RI, when he resided there. Michael competed in martial arts tournaments, and participated in and lead martial arts demonstrations. In his style of martial arts, which is both Japanese and Chinese of origin, he participated in the traditional art in and of itself as well as Tai Chi, kick boxing, jujitsu, judo, and Thai boxing. Additionally, Michael works with traditional martial arts weapons such as the samurai and ninja swords, sai swords, kama, nunchaku, and the staff.
Michael came to Witchcraft in about 2003 after reading Christopher Penczak’s Gay Witchcraft and practicing the exercises in that book and seeing the correlation of the energy work in Witchcraft to his work with Tai Chi. It was not until 2006 that Michael would start taking his first class taught by Christopher Penczak and he then became part of the mystery school at that time. “When I came to the Craft I became hungry for magick” Michael puts its, “…and then I just immersed myself in it.”
As the lead minister of Aries, Michael gets to combine his Witchcraft practice and martial arts training for his administration of the ministry. Michael’s rituals usually have a warrior element to them. Michael, along with deputy ministers Wren and Rick, is responsible for the protection of the Temple of Witchcraft. Aries leads protection rituals quarterly in addition to a Veteran’s Day ritual each November. Michael is also responsible for the Temple’s military outreach as well as the creation of a martial arts system designed specifically for the Temple of Witchcraft.
Michael has contributed to the Temple Bell newsletter, lead rituals through social media such as Facebook, and wrote a chapter on elemental martinis in Tastes From The Temple. Michael also contributed to the forthcoming Rites of Passage Temple of Witchcraft anthology. For the Temple, Michael has led workshops on self-defense, protection magick, and the yin and yang in Witchcraft. Additionally, Michael performs crossing over rites for the Temple of Witchcraft’s Scorpio ministry, home and office wardings, participates with the organization of TempleFest, mentors students in the mystery school, and counsels community members when sought.
Please feel free to reach out to Michael at [email protected].