A Basic Principle of Magic/ First Things First

Using the gyre rather than the linear model for your self-directed growth is most helpful. If you see or suspect that you are weak in a trait or skill you want to have, you can spiral back to renew it, without any loss of face. For example,
yesterday, after writing pages of dialogue I decided I was weak on the fine points of punctuation for dialogue. This is a book I will submit for publication so I have to have all those details just right. Today I will make it a point to check out everything possible about dialogue punctuation, get it firmly in my head once more, then tackle my creative project. It's the same in all realms--you must master first things first and if you have not, you must go back when needed and work, or play at mastery once more. I see many people who have not mastered the "I AM" decision and this is one of the most basic and important concepts to master, but one that can take a lifetime. To work on this mastery the student will practice being centered, in the moment, then will use sensory input to report to themselves their experience of the outer world. They are not outside of themselves, trying to report how the outside world sees them. They are not the victim of labels. They can rate their performance factually, as to how it matches the standards they have chosen for themselves. That doesn't take away from self-esteem. But losing the power of the self to labels is dangerous. When you feel your "I Am" decision is weak, spiral back and strengthen it. Not with meglomania, that too, is the misuse of labels. Be the human being you are meant to be. Your value is innate.
Part of what you report to yourself is the actions or reactions of other people. Allow them to do as they will. What they choose to do or say does not take away any bit of your value. How you choose to act or speak is your choice, because you have chosen to be yourself.

Moon Magic

Last night was said to be the best full moon of all of 2010, because it was both a time of being most near to the earth and a full moon. I hope you were able to enjoy it. Ideas about the moon abound in folklore. I was even told that I would go crazy if I looked at it too long, as a child. I believe this is a good time to utilize certain metaphors to gain growth. Reflection: the moon reflects the light of the sun. We can reflect on our actions, dreams, desires, and values and gain immeasurable growth, with growth we gain power. Latency: The moon has stood for the feminine principle, for the shadow, for change that is not obvious. That too can be a positive idea. Often we give a problem over to our right brain, our subconscious, to develop. When the understanding is ready for us, it comes forth. The night I decided to challenge the idea that I would go crazy from staring at the moon was a good night. I often slept outside in the summer. That night I fell asleep staring at the moon. I woke refreshed and sane. I knew that ideas of darkness could be rumors rather than truth. It took the reflecting time of the night to learn that I could make decisions for myself. Action and reflection must go together for true power. Let last night's wonderful moon encourage you to take time to reflect more often, and give yourself a spark of magic in your life.

The Eyes Still Have It

In the January 10th post I mentioned the use of eye movements to help gain improvements in your mood. Now I want to focus on the effect you get from just looking in certain directions. Experiment and see what works for yourself. Not everyone is wired exactly the same. But for most people, if you need to lighten your mood you can do so instantly just by looking up and to the side. If you need to focus on something you will probably look down or to a middle ground. See if rolling your eyes doesn't "erase" or negate things for you. Lean your head back, close you eyes but have them in the looking up position. For many that will bring a smile and perhaps whimsical pictures. If you need to loosen the grip that toxic people have gained on you, try different eye things like the following. Look at your memory of them with a misty gaze, eyes open but squinted. Or look at your memory of them as if they are reflected in a mirror that reflects the reflection and so on, many mirrors away. You can develop your visualization skills by starting out looking at your hand, close your eyes and see what you remember of what you saw. Try smiling clear up to your eyes and see if that doesn't help you feel better. As I said before 'look up and live.' That could become a magical spell for you. A good mood is magical.

The Magical Key To Creativity

Doing things your way, effectively, can be tremdously satisfying and rewarding. That is what creativity is. The key to creativity is first: recognize the box, second: wonder what is outside of it. Chaos is the source for creativity. It is not creativity. It is chaotic to try to come up with something other than the wheel when the wheel is the best solution. But until you really check out what the goal is, then consider options, you may not be able to judge what is the best outcome.
My favorite definition of intelligence is: "The ability to learn from the environment." That is what you do when you bother to ask questions. You become aware of the environment and then decide how you will interect with it.
Developing the art of asking questions is a wonderful life help. Some helpful questions to consider as you go along are: Will this action have good or dire consequences? Am I acting in tune with my values? How can I add some zing to this product? Will this interest or irritate others, and what do I want it to do? Am I accurately assessing the situation? What is the situation? What interests me about this? Do I really like this? What toxic ideas from my past are influencing me right now? Is there a fear that is holding me back? How shall I deal with it?
Ask questions, accept answers (especially from your inner self), live well. Have a spark of magic in your life.

The Best Magical Spells

I've often seen reference to spells, those words that will cause magical change. No matter if they exist or not, there is one way of using words that will have a great deal of effectiveness. Those are the self-accepting, self-encouraging words you say to yourself. Notice I put self-accepting first. That is the first key.
Everyone has a nurturing, self-encouraging part of themselves. We may need to grow it a bit if we have been around toxic people who have always criticized us. But we all can become our own mother. A good mother is accepting first and then expects the child to act in ways that are good for that child. You can do the same for yourself. It has been said that we experience adversity daily, maybe over a dozen times. We deal with it, make a big deal of it, or run away from it. In order to deal with adversity, the best way of the three to achieve success in life, we must first note our reaction. If we encounter a bad driver on the road we first note if that slowed us down, frightened us or what ever other reaction we had. Then we note if we accept that driver as one of the conditions of the road, like rain or potholes, or if we are going to overreact and mess up our own driving. It is the same in other situations. Use your words to form magical spells for yourself.
That soft voice we send to ourselves of, you can do this, you can think clearly, you can figure this out, you can get help if you need to, you can get the skills you need, you can break this problem down into smaller parts, good going, keep on trying, are all words that can become your magical spells. Do this for yourself and achieve magical results.

The Magician's Mirror

The magician does not need a mirror to reassure himself/herself that she/he exists. They are so sure of their existence that it is not questioned. The I AM decision has been made. They are not in the clutches of 'I am a....' They are in their being, looking out and wondering what else exists. They also may wonder, what is existence? I began to learn this as a child, how perception could shift, and how fun it was. My brothers and I would walk around in our house holding a small mirror under our eyes so we saw only the ceiling. After a few minutes we perceived that the ceiling was the floor. We had to be careful to walk around the chandeleir that was sticking up, and to feel carefully with our feet to avoid things we could not see. I have known too many people that are so unsure of their being that they seem to fail to see the person standing before them because they are so busy wondering how that person perceives them. People standing around seeing others seeing others seeing others, hoping to be seen.
Lost in a sea of tattered labels, wondering which label they should try to reglue and hail as reality.
Use your senses to get back into your own being. Notice what you see, smell, hear, sense as movement. Sense how your breath goes, the temperature of the air, any comfort or discomfort you feel. Let the world mirror you, rather than you mirroring the world. Then you will be free to make choices.

Hooray for the Nose

I must still be in the 'face up to things' mode. I'm writing about that important sense organ, the nose. Scent is important in magic. Remembered scents can trigger strong states and even actions. Think of how you react to different smells like the smell of a baby's neck, fresh baked bread, incense, a rose. Aromatherapy is used to bring about healing. Product manufacturers add smell to their product to entice customers to buy.
How can you use that in magic? Magic is yours to use. I knew the manager of an appliance showroom who put paper plates of freshly ground coffee on top of the refrigerators at the beginning of each business day. A conscious decision to use aroma to influence. Find scents which calm you and have them available for use when needed. Follow this idea through and you will have a good tool of influence.
Another thing about the nose I must mention. If you are having cramps in the feet or legs, a firm pinch right between the nostrils will relieve those cramps quickly. This is the principle of multiple connections. We are all one. Wholeness and unity are an underlying principles of the magical life.

When The Spark Is Weak

Sometimes the spark of magic is our lives weakens. Sometimes a picture flashes into my mind that I am alone in space and barely managing to dodge the astroids. Because dark times come, the wise magician will store up good memories, and ways to get back to the magic. It is also helpful to know what brings on the dark times.
For me, one of the things that makes me falter is the troubles of others. I am more of an empath than is helpful to me. Of course that helps my writing. I find it very easy to feel for my characters. My writing is also one of the things that helps me get past the dark times. I'm working on a book now, one of the Thimblewyck sequels, in which having the security of a home is one of the concerns of the main character. At the same time, I have a friend who does not have the living arrangements I could wish for him. So today I am searching for the spark of strength in my friend, and ways to nurture that spark. He's probably much stronger than I know. When we talk I will share my caring for his situation and that might strengthen the spark for him. I can see the dawn starting. That strengthens magic for me. If my friend shows courage that will also strenghten my spark. Friends are miracles. Miracles are the magical surpises we receive. We must cherish all miracles.

What Is Magic?

In one of my first posts I mentioned a definition I had seen as magic being 'the ability to change perception at will.' When I was given this definition I was not told whether that change was in myself or in others. I think it would be good to examine our perceptions of magic for ourselves. Walt Disney refers to 'The Magic Kingdom'. We use the term magical often to refer to delightful events or sights. Some think of illusionists as magicians. Some people want to believe that humans can suspend the laws of nature and cause events to behave for their whims. We don't know all the laws of nature yet, but the ones we do know of don't suspend. What a mystery! What is magic? Magic is based on perception. It is change. It is surprise. When we perceive things a certain way,but then there is a shift, and it is for the better, magic has happened. Events can happen that are so lucky they are almost unbelieveable. But the person who received the luck was open to that luck. They were not pushing it away. I challenge you to examine how you perceive your world. Then dare to question your perceptions. This will lead to greater self knowledge and self power. Decide what is magical in your life, for yourself.

Finding Hidden Truths

I was thinking about the way I have blogged about ears,& eyes, things of the face. I thought I must be sending a message to myself about my own struggles to 'face up to things'. Aha! Magic spells, and much of person to person, and person to self, communication are done through metaphor. Often times a person won't be willing to listen to "the naked truth" but will be receptive to an idea clothed more subtly. Of course some people have used 'naked truth' as a metaphor for harsh, and critical words. To be a magician you must be strong in yourself and not reactive. I read an article by a French writer, Francois-Rene Rideau about the difference between white and black magic. I wish there were other terms. A term that does not connect black with magic. White magic, he says is supportive, whole, never attempts to disrupt natural laws, and encourages humans to be strong and proud. A strong and proud person will make conscious decisions about using their words and will be able to accept calmly the words of others. You can see the hidden messages, the things people may want you to know but they fear to tell you, or don't yet know themselves, by looking beneath their metaphors to the hidden truth. Also look for your own metaphors, learn what your inner self is telling you. Hear the truth that will set you free.

Fairy Taps or Angel Kisses

The post for January 10, 2010 mentioned tapping. I want to go into that in a little more detail now. I am modeling the gyre now. Spiral around something, coming ever closer to detail. There are spots on your body that are more sensitive than others. Some of those will help you relax or go into an alert state in which learning is easier, when they are touched. The face and hands are the spots I will discuss this morning. But first an anecdote as to why I used the term 'angel kisses'. One day, in the afternoon school program a small girl rushed in, highly distraught. Adults can no longer freely hug children, as was once the custom, at school. But she was in a lot of emotional pain and disrupting the group. I gently asked her if I could give her some 'angel kisses'. She nodded and I began to lightly tap certain places on her face with the tips of certain of my fingers. In no time at all she had forgotten about the little boy who had irritated her and was smilling, ready to sit down and begin an activity.
The fingers it is easiest to use are the middle two, held together. All the first three can also work. The pressure is light and delicate and rhythmic. Experiment on your own face. Around the eye sockets, particularly right under the center of the eye, might feel particularly good to you. The area known as the third eye is between the eyes but a couple of finger widths above. That can be relaxing as well. On the hand, tap along the outside of the hand on the little finger side, and on top of the hand from the center of the wrist towards the middle finger. If you combine this with even breathing or visualization of goals, or beautiful images, it can become a very effective tool to use for yourself or to help others.

Twisting Time

In my book "Thimblewyck:The Origins" some of the fairies can twist time. They slow it down and speed it up at their will. Before clocks were well developed we all had a more fluid concept of time. Mid-day was mid-day whether the days were short or long.
Due time is a concept I like. When things are allowed to happen in due time they are fully developed and fit in with the circumstances surrounding them. When I was studying Ericksonian hypnosis we told the person we were putting into a trance they could take all the time they wanted to come to any understanding they needed, it could seem like a very long time, even if it were only a minute or two of clock time.
One time I took some part American Indian children to see pow wow dances. When someone came out and told the audience that if they were operating on 'white man's time' they would be started, and to just be patient. The children decided they wanted to operate on white man's time and talked me into taking them to a movie instead.
To work the magic of getting the best use of your time find ways to be clear headed. A happy person moves faster, is more focused on the task, and does better work (or play). Devices of game playing can help with this. Imagine an awkward elf who will help you but you have to break things down into simple steps. Praise yourself at every step, as you do the task you devised for him, as he has not yet arrived. Sing, dance, be in the moment by using your senses as much as you can.
Let the moments curl around you in magical existence. Do not let time tie you in knots.

The Sacred Dialogue

In order to live a magical life one must carry on a constant dialogue between the inner and outter self. We do that anyway. Self talk goes on constantly. Our emotions come from the things we tell ourselves, from the interpretations we make. Our brains are set up in two hemispheres and the left side, (for right handed people) deals with logic, while the right side is more creative and intuitional. The well balanced person allows or encourages integration between the two sides of the brain. My understanding of magic is based on that integration. Recently I asked someone what they thought about my blog and they said they did not deal with magic, as it was dangerous! The subconscious is feared by people who block it away.
I believe when people let themselves be fearful and insecure there is a danger in giving up your personal power. Then help is craved, needed at any cost. The idea of black magic is a result of that insecurity, as is substance abuse, propitiation,self-sacrifice and other coping mechanisms. Dialogue often involves questions. Questions can start the process of enlightment. Black magic is full of humiliation. White magic is creation, balance, pride. Talk it over with yourself. You may see hope, rather than fear.

Just to Make It Through The Day

Writing about magic is causing me to be more aware of the tools and better able to use them. I woke up this morning in a very low state. In the past I would have gone back to bed, sunk into a hole and pulled everything in behind me. This morning I knew I needed to change my perceptions, but that it couldn't be done by will power alone. I took my vitamins and went back to bed. Feeling better when I woke back up in an hour I then started to create a change. I remembered my story that my writing critique group will discuss tomorrow, "Joshua's Lost Hand". A small boy lets his hand stay caught in his long-sleeved tee shirt as a way to assert his individuality and get through the day. That was my omen that I was meant to get through the day. Another omen of goodness was a phone call with good news I received. Then the spells were to eat, stretch a bit, and to check to see the actual state of something I thought was broken yesterday. It was okay. Then I looked at the couple of little figurines I have chosen to represent my worry pets. They were separate and not me. I sent them a smile. The last spell was to look at my worrisome 'do list' and it didn't seem that bad at all. Magic abounds. Magic empowers.

Sharp Teeth and Long Claws

I thought I was pretty cute when I got the idea of calling my worries my pets. I even blogged about it a few days ago. But I forgot that magic must be well formed and I hadn't worked out the concept well. I got some pain (a powerful "tag you're it!) from my shadow as a result. MAGIC MUST BE WELL FORMED. Creativity involves birth pangs. There must be some thought and work involved before something is well formed. What happened was I made a list of my "Worry Pets" and put it as a bookmark in my journal. Last night when I looked at the list I slipped into an old habit of seeing my worries as my labels. I gave up personal power to those labels and my self esteem bounced off the floor. I realized I needed to see my worries as separate from my self. after all we say; "I am." not "I am a..." to be grounded and whole.
One way to separate from those "creatures" was to give them some features and characteristics. I had seen they had sharp teeth and long claws. I imagine they have soft fur, but not perfect fur. I suppose more will evolve. They are my worries, not my self image, no matter how sharp their teeth or long their claws.

Dragon Appreciation Day Is Here!

I have been waiting for my birthday to get here so I could share something special I learned recently. But first a bit of background. Several years ago I read that the elderly should not let themselves lose self-esteem bacause they were aging, because nature had a way of eradicating that which was no longer useful to the species. Therefore the elderly must be useful in some way for the survival of the species even though they were past the child bearing years. I didn't dwell on it, just assuming that older people must be the bearers of wisdom, and went about hoping to someday meet a wise older person. I don't know what I thought wisdom was, something boring like a dry sermon in a church with hard seats on a hot Sunday.
Then I recently watched a documentary on positive psychology. It seems that the elderly are much more likely to be in the habit of laughing, of looking at the glass as half full instead of half empty,able to look at a problem as something to solve rather than a hopeless burden, than younger generations. Each decade, this study shows, tends to be more positive than the one just younger.
At last I knew! I am old now (sort of) but I have Dragon Energy, magic within, because I have sense enough to laugh, to question, to expect magic, to be willing to work for solutions. So if you are older than anybody else realize you are a role model as well.(Everybody is older than somebody else--so listen up) Pass joy to those around you and behind you. It keeps the race going.

How Magic Sparks

If you are open to it, you can see sparks of magic often. It's in the whir of a humming bird's wing when it rushes across your head, in the patterns of bare branches against the sunrise, in a fussy baby suddenly looking into your eyes and smiling. I found a spark of magic yesterday when I was reeling from an observation of anger. I was wondering why I have kept this certain woman in my life for over twenty-five years. As I was musing on that I was playing computer solitaire. Often I click off before the cards have fully danced out after I win, or feel a sense of irritation as I wait to see if the green will be completely covered, sure that it will not. But this time I was letting the cards splash out and I had a shift, I got in the now and it was fun to see the cards dance, without any sense of judgment. Then I thought back to the senseless display of anger I had seen and wondered again about the cause of her anger. I realized that she feels judged and therefore judges others. But she does try to step up to the judging bar, and often passes muster pretty well. Yesterday I was pretty proud of myself for finding a possible venue for one of my plays. My shadow must be calling to me to put myself out there to be judged. I have been kind of a drop out in that respect. Perhaps I call to her to be mellow and she calls to me to toe the line. I got a laugh of discovery about the thought, at least.

The Usefulness of the Gyre

A gyre is a spiral. But when it is called a gyre it is cloaked in a bit more magic than the ordinary spiral. Carl Jung referred to the gyre as the pathway of personal growth. Educators build a curriculuum on a spiral model, starting out with simple concepts in a subject and spiraling back to them over the years in greater and greater depth.
Alchemists wrote of the gyre. For your use, in your journey towards life mastery, spiral around and around your knowledge of self, gaining ever more understanding on that majestic journey. The well formedness of the spiral pattern lets you avoid snags yet keeps you on the path you need to follow.
Often nowdays people meditate by walking a labyrinth. If you look at the patterns
that are shown you will often see a spiral leading towards the center. Rather than going around in static circles, spiral around your growth and development. Come close and focus then spiral away and you absorb the lesson gained, then spiral in once more. There you can appreciate what you find or deepen your perception.

Play Tag With Your Shadow

Your shadow self is all that is repressed, the subconscious, the right brain. To quote Carl Jung, "Everyone carries a shadow, and the less it is embodied in the individual's conscious life, the blacker and denser it is. At all counts, it forms an unconscious snag, thwarting our most well-meant intentions."
The alchemists of old also understood the need for balance. Their axiom was "As above, so below, as within, so without, so that the miracle of the one can be established."
So don't try too hard to be goody, goody. You'll sabatage that part of you. You must accept all that you are. Introspection is a valuable tool for self-knowledge. But too much introspection can be dull and counter productive. So play. Tag, you're it. Notice that which repels you in others. That is the dark part of your shadow showing through. Your shadow has tagged you. Notice that which attracts you in others. Again your shadow had tagged you. Making conscious choices, based on self knowledge is fine. But choices driven by repression may hurt us and others. Journaling can bring self knowledge, getting feedback from friends, reading our dreams. Those are good. But also know the brief flashes that come from jokes we like, the gut twinges we feel. The swift tags of our shadow. We can learn from all that. Learn to know the people we bring into our life. That's also the shadow at work, trying to bring about balance and wholeness. This is a game you can win.

The Realm of Magic

The idea of "well formedness" is very important in magic and the good life. Balance of energy, form, and interests; being at one; being in tune. To help you get through a rough day or patch in your life find touchstones,rituals, talismans, or ideas that can help you and buoy you up. Since I had the experience of my worries being my pets( I blogged about it a few days ago) I call my pets to me to help me with whichever problem they are hooked onto. For instance, I need to get a zoning permit for a shed in my backyard. I called my permit-worry-pet to me and he gave me energy to find out what is involved and what I must do. You are free to create ways to help you deal with what you must. Also remember to call the joy and glory of life to you.
At one point in my life I was struggling with extreme shyness. I found a lovely white rock that made me think of the egg of a dragon. I put it on the dashboard of my car and when I would look at it I would imagine becoming the strong glorious dragon I was meant to be. In a short time my shyness had left me, without me even being aware that I was in the process of that change. It is your life. Live it creatively.Magic abounds.

Make Pets of Your Worries

Last night as I went to bed I knew I was in need of the zing that comes from magic. I needed to imagine something fun and enjoyable. As I was in the half dream state, drifting off to sleep I was musing on the way sleep knits up the raveled sleeve of care, as someone once said. I decided to go to my fantasy castle. The castle was chilly so I snuggled into the pile of warm wonderful furs I had on my bed. Some little creatures approached me and asked if they could also cuddle. I said yes then found out they were a gaggle of my worries. I decided to allow them into my nest and accepted them. I had been blocking them away, looking for someone else to handle them, running from them and so on, before. As I accepted them they told me, in soft squeaky voices, that they were my friends in the way that other negative feeling could be. Signals. In as: anger is the signal that there is something that needs to be dealt with. My worry pets said they had come to me to see to it that I was firmly anchored in the real world. That I was not to sort them away in boxes but to visit with them from time to time. They promised that if I would do that, in a friendly way, they would help make my life in the real world better for me. Peacefully I agreed and drifted off to sleep.

The Eyes Have It

Open your eyes and let wonderful sights and ideas enter your magical realm. Look up and live.
The eyes are powerful organs and more than just an organ of sight. For instance if your neck is stiff when you turn it, you can unlock those muscles by turning your eyes in the direction you are turning your neck and the range of motion will be increased.
To help yourself go into the alpha state roll your eyes up towards the top of your head as you lean back. Alpha state refers to the rhythm of your brain waves. Beta is the normal state. Alpha is a relaxed state, nearing hypnotic trance. A few days ago I was having some stress but I found my small kaleidoscope right there near my computer. A magical gift in the way and time it manifested itself. I turned to the light coming in through the window in the door and instantly acheived calm.
Lightly touching your face around your eyes, and on the forehead between the eyes, the area of the third eye, is part of the technique known as tapping. This can be very calming as well.
Your eyes can be part of your set of magical tools.

The Magic Clock

Mankind invented clocks and ideas about time. We have to be careful that we don't fall into the idea that we can control others in time. That is: we want others to react a certain way in a certain amount of time. Grass grows at its own speed. Our friends grow towards us at their own speed. A sense of flow, of allowing life to work is needed to live the magical life. They say the watched pot never boils. I say that while you are waiting for one pot to boil you can stir another. I had a friend who said that the way to live life was to have a sense of a moderate waltz going on all the time. 1,2,3. 1,2,3. Graceful and ready for the turns. If we see the special spark in others we are less likely to want to control them, but rather will appreciate them. To look for this spark turn on your senses, listen to their voice, appreciate the way they move, enjoy the color of their hair or their eyes,if they are old look for interesting patterns in their wrinkles. Magic is sensory. Colorful, wonderful sounds, silky textures. Magic abounds but it is more profound than the shallow part of the ego. The ego can be profound but the reactionary part of it can be shallow. Appreciation for and reception of magic comes from our fuller self. May you preceive many good things today.

Whose Plan For My Day?

As I got out of bed this morning I was formulating a plan about reaching out to friends to help me become more adept at computer usage. Being able to attach to e-mails, paste, copy, save etc are all skills a writer needs. I planned to e-mail a certain friend about helping me assess my skills and making a plan to upgrade them. The universe planned that I must learn as well and it threw me in front of the school bus with a vengeance. I discovered I was locked out of my e-mail for security reasons then I learned that "I" had sent a scam e-mail from England asking for help because I'd been robbed. All while I was staying out of the cold here in the Rocky Mountains! I learned a lot of things I didn't know about using computers and had several good conversations with friends. I even felt friendly toward the lady in computer security I talked with in the Phillipines. It was a long hard day picking up all the pieces of the bus wreck. But I have some better skills and enjoyed the visits. I kept my eye on the prize, and whenever anything flashed by that I needed to know I snatched it. I also ended up getting promises of help in learning from several friends. Now I've recovered I'd say it was a fine day.

Back to Basics

Magic is the ability to change perception at will. I must remember that. I've been paying bills and feel a bit dour at the size of some of them. So I will call on several of my inner resources to get me through the evening. a. Had a nutritious supper. b. Called on my Dragon Energy. c. Challenged myself to use my love of solving puzzles to deal with the decisions about where to allocate resources...Then I did the best thing...I called up a friend and griped on their shoulder until we could find things to laugh about. There is nothing better than a friend that will help you gripe until it eases. In Yiddish I believe it's known as a kvetch...woe and alas until stability and faith kick in. Be good to your friends. They will save your sanity.

The Ears Have It

Yesterday's miracle occurred as I was helping a young friend figure out how she could deal with something she was afraid of and I realized I could use my own advice. She had just told me she wanted to learn to drive a stick shift but was afraid. I went thru the steps of desensitization, imagining, visualizing, exposure, relaxation at every step when the nervousness attacks,small steps, getting help when needed and so on.I also promised I would teach her. Suddenly I realized I have/had a lot of anxiety packed in a hard clump around my desire to reach out and get myself published as a writer for children. I keep putting off trying to find an agent or publisher and I have a body of work built up. A lot of stomach knots but I have since made progress and a plan. My tip for you is: tell others what you feel called to, but remember to listen to yourself. You might be telling yourself something you need to know. Talk till you can hear yourself.:) :)

Hallejuah, A Brand New Day

It's there, finally there. It's just after sunrise and I found my blog from my Facebook page. A little thing, but after I had surrendered, it was like a miracle. Years ago a friend taught me how to stop and feel the warmth around my heart when something good happened. I give that to you, stop and appreciate the physical sensations of the good things that happen. This is Dragon Energy. People used to pack roses in salt so they would have them in full color,in the winter. A bit dry, but hey! I feel like I am throwing roses all over my office/studio. Today the celebration of life is easy. May you find celebration today as well.

Have a little Faith

This is the 3rd post and I don't know if I can be found yet. I can't access the url. So I will muse on faith. I don't think faith should be passive. It is said that "faith without works is dead." So I'm going to apply some down to earth faith and try a bunch of different things with Blogger. Then I will go out into the other world, and see what other things I can do to create things in my life the way I want them. A bigger attempt to find an agent for my books.A little help from the luck that hangs around me will be welcome. I will call on my faith and dragon energy to get some results. I will have faith that I deserve the good things I get for myself and that I can get them. Maybe it will have to be with a little help from my friends. But I have the sense to value and nurture my friends, not just for the fun they are but because friends make me larger. So here's to a future where friends can access and read my posts, and know I appreciate them

January 16th is Dragon Appreciation Day. It's also my birthday! Dragons are wonderful, standing for insight as well as strength. The magic within you can give your inner dragon a lot of fire and energy. Stand up to manipulators, forgive whiners, love your friends and accept good fortune. Isn't it great the way those ponderous beasts can soar above the mundane problems of the world? Make a lot of pictures about that sort of thing and see what your inner dragon can do for you.

A Spark of Magic

One definition I found years ago for magic was 'the ability to change perception at will'. The are, of course, others. When one feels down and dour we need a spark of magic. If we can hook into the assurance that we each have something special about ourselves we have magic there in our hands. Being special gives us the gift of the strength to look at 'things' and decided how to react, or not, to them. I believe I believe this. I have been feeling at the mercy of the cold and all anti me things. I have the resources to deal with me and my problems. Spring will come. I will make suggestions for hooking into the ways to draw good things to us on further posts.