My magic castle

My magic castle

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Magic Against Predators And Dangers

The magic mind-set is one of alertness, not one of hiding your head in the sand. If you are the magician, holding the wand that creates a better life, it means you are the one in charge. Being in charge means being aware of the environment and circumstances. You have all the power in the world to accept the fact of predators and dangers. However, since many predators seek out the weak you probably won't draw them to you. Program yourself that predators and dangers may be there and that in order to keep to your purpose you will deal with them if necessary. Keeping to your purpose is the important thing. There are many ways to avoid foolish risk. Don't drive drunk. Notice if your environment is unsafe. Read contracts before signing. Clarify requests. Notice when you are in an emotional state that might cloud your judgment. Be aware when your resources and energy are low. Plan ways to renew your energy or resources. In stories about magicians I notice they are taught to calm their mind before chanting a spell. A calm mind is a magical tool in itself, even if danger is not around. Fear is meant to alert you. Be alert but do not let fear control you. Pull that spark of magic to you to help you deal with an adverse situation and put yourself on the road to a better life.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Momma Magic

One of the best definitions of intelligence I ever came across was "Intelligence is the ability to learn from the environment." Now that doesn't just mean interacting with your physical environment and remembering what happened when you touched a hot stove for another time. It means learning from others who have also interacted with the environment. Your parents pass on tips that are useful. So do friends and many other 'media'. This morning when I got out of bed I suddenly had a terrible cramp in my left leg, so bad that I wasn't sure I could put my foot on the floor and not fall. I pinched my nose where it goes into the lip and the cramp stopped. I got that tip from the tips newsletter I used to get 'The Bottom Line'. Yesterday I drove my car and noticed that the extra wide rear view mirror I have is a good safety feature, as recommended in a safe driving course my work insisted I take a few years ago. This morning I sent an e-mail to a friend about a good reputable business I have used that she may now benefit from using. My point is that there are tips, that are good, in abundance, that you can use. Learn how to know when the source is good, check the tip out, then file it for future use. This tendency of our culture to share and watch over others is what I call "Momma magic". It abounds and will help you with that spark to make your life better. Reach out for that spark by keeping your eyes and ears open and asking your friends to share their tips. That will bring the spark of momma magic into your life.

Monday, March 29, 2010

The Magic Of Connection

To what and to whom are you connected? Have you thought about the benefits of your connections? I value my connections a great deal and am thankful for them. Friends set you on the right pathway. They give you a safe port in a storm. I just came across an excerpt from my grandfather's diaries that I had put together in the late
l960's. He died in 1959. (born 1868) I felt a sense of connection to him and my whole family. I plan on retyping these mimeographed pages and sending them off to my siblings. I think that will enrich our connection. Sometimes a connection is not that long but will live on beyond the time spent together. I stopped to talk to a street musician in England in 1969 and was delighted to find out about his life and to hear his music. I'm still glad I bothered to stop and make that brief but interesting connection. There are places I feel a connection to, some very simple. I sat under a wild rose bush on the Kiabab mountain in Northern Arizona and played "To A Wild Rose" by MacDowell when I was a young teen. I still feel magical and peaceful when I think of it. You may have connections to ideas, people, places that you have not realized. Take a moment to let the spark of magic reinforce your connections. It will enrich your life.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Principle of Magic: Act As If

I just finished the draft of 'Marus In Chaga' another sequel to Thimblewyck. I realized I have been acting on the magical principle of "act as if". If you act as if something is going to happen, it is more likely that it will happen. The way the agency that is now reading Thimblewyck described themselves to me really appealed to me. I want that agency to work with me. If they like that book and are interested in sequels I will be ready. I threw myself into writing these two sequels with full passion, craftsmanship and imagination. I am proud of my work. If this agency doesn't feel I meet their needs I will keep looking for one that does. I am acting as if I will be published, and I believe I will be.
Sometimes people talk about the self-fulfilling prophecy in a negative way, telling us that if we think we are unlucky we will be. That might be true. So in order to nurture your spark of magic and keep it well lit, act as if your life is going as you want it to, keep on meeting your obligations and taking care of business. Magic abounds. It is up to you to reach out for it.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Breathe Magic Into Your Life

The way you use your breath when you speak has a lot to do with how others perceive you, or even hear you, as well as how you perceive yourself. A well spoken person has plenty of breath in their lungs when they speak. The diaphragm is used to push that breath out. The diaphragm is not a familiar muscle to everybody. It is what is used for 'belly breathing'. It is a large band of muscle above your stomach. If it is unfamiliar to you it would be a good idea to locate it and learn to use it well. Shoulders stay stable, but ribs expand to the side when you take a deep breath. If you feel confident about your use of the diaphragm go on to take care in how you use your tongue, teeth and lips. Clear diction is also a sign of self-confidence. Develop good diction and your confidence will develop by itself. Resonance makes a voice more pleasing to listeners. This comes from using all of your speech apparatus for speech, or in song. Do not close off your nose. Let your sound resonate in your head and chest. My voice teacher used to say that it was a good idea to even imagine your voice resonating in your thigh bones. Before he joined the faculty at our university he had a career as a singer and recording artist, so I felt he knew what he was talking about. I enjoyed listening to his voice as well. Speak well and speak good things. That will draw to you the spark of magic that will bring good things to your life.

Friday, March 26, 2010

The Magical Tool Of Dialogue

Dialogue is a conversation, or interaction, that leads to deeper understanding and relationship. Dialogue leads to growth. Theologians may refer to the dialogue between man and the divine. To really develop a relationship there must be discovery about values, hopes, wishes, fears, plans and all those things that go to make up the whole person. This does not have to take place before the relationship is formed, or course. It is part of developing the relationship. Nor is it ever complete, rather an ongoing process. Dialogue is not just between two people. It can be between groups, nations or between a person and that which they are discovering. In some ways 'life' the ongoing process of living, enters into a dialogue with us. We act, life responds, we learn and then act again. There is a more subtle type of dialogue I want to mention--that between you and yourself. When you are musing or thinking things over you may notice certain signals, such as a hot flush to your cheeks or a tightness in your stomach. That is your inner self taking part in the conversation and you need to listen. I was lucky enough to have a professor of Ed. Psych. who counseled me when I was in college and trying to decide if I should divorce, and later how to adjust to that action. I remember telling him of the sensation of a steel door slamming down in my head when we would approach topics with which I was uncomfortable. That sensation was a signal that these were important topics and they needed to be dealt with well. Artists, poets, playwrights, writers are in dialogue with themselves through their work. When I first started writing about the community of magical creatures that developed because of a marriage between a small human and a fairy, I was making statements about tolerance and discrimnation. The back and forth of dialogue is a tool that will help you use the spark of magic to make life better for yourself. Learn to use it well.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Calling Forth The Spark

You may not realize how easy it is to switch channels, to change moods, to call forth the spark of magic of which I so often speak. Try some of the following experiments and you may be happily surprised. Put your chin down towards your chest and turn down the corners of your mouth. Do you notice a dour mood suddenly lurking right behind your eyes? Now give a slight shake to your head and open up your eyes? Do you want to look upwards a bit and does a more hopeful mood sit there, right behind your eyes? These positions and movements are triggers for certain moods. Triggers that you can control. You can set it up for it to be a habit to call forth the spark of vitality that gives you energy to make a positive movement or decision.
Other things may act as triggers for you. You can find them and set them up. They will be simple and quick. Simply deciding to take on a more pro-active way of acting and thinking can become a trigger in itself. I've often heard it said that the way to get started on a challenging task is to blow on your hands and just get started. The idea that you can remind yourself about getting on the right path is a very old idea. The Old Testament of The Bible talks about wearing blue tassels to remind yourself to do good. But no matter how old an idea is, when you first discover it, it is brand new to you. I ask you to find new, creative ways for you to call forth that spark of magic, the zing that will help you make your life better.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Using Magic in Dealing With Addictions

"Being hooked" is not necessarily a bad thing. There are toxic addictions, soft addictions and positive addictions. Anything that is an ongoing thing that interferes with a fulfilling life might be considered a toxic addiction, not just substance abuse. There are also process addictions. A toxic addiction wraps its tentacles around you and yanks you away from living fully and puts you in a dungeon or cocoon. A soft addiction does the same on a temporary basis but you can usually break through when it is really needed. Sometimes it is hard to determine if a soft addiction is really an addiction or just some down time while you gather your resources. Soft addictions can be many different things such as computer games, television, co-dependent relationships( which can also veer into toxic addictions)or even going to church. Positive addictions are things you do that allow new synapses to develop in your brain. Developing a talent, ability or skill, or any routine that gives a sense of well-being can be a positive addiction. The way you use your magic spark will help you steer yourself in the direction of the better addictions and away from the toxic ones. That spark is short but powerful. Like a thump on the head it can help you wake up and decide whether you want to improve your brain, thus improve your life, or if you want to succumb to the tentacles that pull you down. That zing that you have within you can give you the spark to go in the right direction. Use it as often as you need, or when you need. The spark of magic is always there.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Magical Wisdom

Magic is often referred to as the occult, or that which is hidden. At times we hide things from our self, or at least do not let the whole impact of them come to us. Procrastination is a signal that something needs to be faced. Sometimes gimmicks and habits can be helpful with procrastination. If it is just a little bit of putting off you can apply the gimmick of 'getting a small start' of unraveling the knot a bit. Once something is started it is much easier to get it finished. But there are times when it is good to go a little deeper and find what anxiety needs to come to the surface and be faced. That's when the idea of magic is useful. Tips, gimmicks, good habits are all useful and should be part of our repertoire. But magic, with the idea of uncovering that which is deeper, is the right tool for the job at times. When we know what we fear we can face it. Then the behaviors we were putting off, to alert us that we were procrastinating, are much easier to deal with as well. So, I suggest that if you find yourself nagging at yourself about your procrastination do not just try to call up will-power to help you. Meditate until you understand the whole picture. That bit of understanding will be the spark of magic that will give you the energy to deal with the deeper cause of your procrastination, thus improving you life.

Monday, March 22, 2010

The Magic Of The Shadow

Trying too hard to be rosy can be dangerous. The shadow is a valuable resource. People are taught to fear anger in themselves and then lose the ability to tell when there is something wrong that needs to be dealt with. Or they fail to mourn the passing of something enough. The so-called negative emotions come from the shadow side. It is not good to ignore this part of ourselves. It is the shadow that is the source of some pretty good humor. (Some bad as well) Often laughter is the relief that that pratfall is not happening to you. When you take time for your valuable solitude it is well to spend time with the 'creatures of the night' the fears and things that nag at you. We must manage our moods so the baseless thoughts don't overwhelm us. But we also have to explore our thoughts and see what is behind them. If there is a problem that needs handling, get happy and handle it. The ways the shadow speaks to you might be varied. Many people think that the main way of knowing these emotions are there is from physical feelings, hot cheeks, guts twisted. But I am highly visual and I sometimes visualize little Harry Potter type house elves or such shadow pictures that are a signal to stop and explore what I need to solve, accept, cry about, or deal with in some other way. I suggest you too can benefit by shining your spark of magic into the shadows and see what riches are there for you.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

The Magic of Thankfulness

It's popular now to refer to the 'gratitude attitude'. I like that. But somehow I like the term 'thankfulness' better. I was going over my day and I realized I was full of joy and full of thanks for many good things that happened today. A dear friend shared some of his creative ideas with me. The sun has been melting off ice and snow. The skies were blue. The huge fir tree in the back yard had the squirrels dancing around in the branches the way they like to do. I made progress on my current most important creative project. I had some blank spots about what I planned to write but when I put pen to paper the problems went away and the story flowed out. I experienced thankfulness, perhaps it was a spiritual experience, in thinking about my day. Letting that wash over me gave me energy that I will use to face some of the less joyful tasks or chores I need to do. I took an experience, or cluster of experiences, and used them as a spark of magic that will help me improve my life. I invite you to do the same. If today wasn't outstandingly wonderful, think of one that was, or create the idea of one. Then use that experience for life energy. Be thankful.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

The Magic of Goodness

Research from The State University of New York at Stony Brook suggests that having fun benefits your immune system for three days, the day of the fun and two days after that. Disease is based on the idea of stress causing illness or dis-ease. I often would sit in the sun as part of healing a cold. Friends are part of the wellness life style. If you will you can think of a myriad of reasons for bringing as much good into your life as possible. Not only is a life filled with goodness more enjoyable, it will be longer because of all the health benefits.
I once attended a lecture by a psychologist about ways to help your troubled life. He acknowledged that life could seem especially troubled at times. But he told his listeners that they could start on the way to healing that life by letting their mind imagine having five good minutes of freedom from stress. He said the person could then go on to finding ways to bringing those five good minutes into reality. He said that absence of the negative thoughts that were creating the stress was the start. If five minutes could be achieved then five more minutes could be achieved, later in the day. So find that spark of magic that will bring healthy goodness into your life. You deserve a life of goodness.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Laughter Is Magic

I meant to blog about conquering procrastination today. I figured out how to do it. But I didn't do it so it would be false to pass on that wisdom if I couldn't use it myself. But the guilt was alleviated a bit by seeing the humor in the situation. looking for the patterns that give us a laugh, at the irony in situations or at ourselves is a great cushion against stress and pain. For instance, I was feeling some angst when I realized I had let yesterday pass without getting busy on a particular piece or pieces of paperwork I had planned to handle. Then I looked out my 'happy door' the one with the window and a bit of a view. I saw snow drifting calmly down. I said, "I am one with the Universe. I am calm." I felt calm for a bit. Then my inner self thumped me on the head and said, "You may be one with the Universe, but you are thankful you don't have to do it outside where the action is. It's cold out there." So then I laughed. I once studied Shakespeare as an 'out student.'(you know like out-patient in the asylum college can be) I was on campus taking other courses but this one I took by correspondence and it was pretty intense, a lot of work and thought. But it was worth it. Especially when one unit, dealing with Shakespeare's great humor, pointed out how often we laugh as a way of being thankful we have escaped pain, 'there but for the grace of God, go I.' Laughter became a more valued part of my life from that time on. Let it be a spark of magic for you, to make your life better.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Anchoring Your Magic

A friend suggested, and I agreed, that I am trying to give people a set of tools for living a better life. She called it a skill set. In order to have this skill set easily available to you, it needs to be a habit. Simply having the habit of being open to a spark of magic, or looking for the zing in things can enliven your life quite a bit. When you find things to add to that mind-set you can add them to your set of skills, but start with just being open to the spark or zing. There are different ways of anchoring a behavior, and this openness would be a mental behavior. You can do this by linking your senses together. Many times people have an emotional reaction linked, or anchored to a certain piece of music, such as their school song or the National Anthem. For me, I anchor the openness to an extra enjoyment with opening my eyes a bit wider and expecting a flash of a good picture such as the picture of my magic castle that I have at the head of my blog. Others will connect a smell, perhaps of cookies or fresh bread with a memory. A touch on your knee might be an anchor you could set up while you are feeling intensely about something. Many good spellers anchor the spelling of words to a certain rhythm.
I used to anchor my bravery in walking past a scary building, as a child, to me by rubbing my thumb and first finger together until I was past that dark place.
I suggest you anchor in the acceptance that life can be good. Let a spark of magic start, or help you continue, along a pathway to a lot of happiness.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Magical Touch

Touch can be magic in many ways. Medical research says that red blood cells increase from giving and receiving hugs. Another example is one I have written about before is tapping. That is using your fingertips to lightly tap on the outside of your hands, along the top and down the middle finger, around your eyes and in the middle of your forehead. This tapping is soothing, relaxing and can enhance learning. Acupressure is also an effective discipline, although not as well known as acupuncture. An example of this is to press the inside of your arm, usually the right one, about three fingers above the wrist. This will enhance sleep and relaxation. Sometimes you may be able to relieve a headache by rubbing the fatty part of your hand between the thumb and first finger. The benefits of touch are not just from humans touching humans or self touch. Touching or petting animals also has health and relaxation benefits. It can also be soothing to rub pleasant material as you are trying to go to sleep. Many traditions among different people use the concept of 'laying on of hands' for healing. Reflexology is a massage therapy that has certain points on the feet or hands that are touched to heal other parts of the body. Touch communicates, soothes, relaxes, heals. It can be that spark of magic that enriches your life.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

The Magic Of Brain Power

The brain likes to learn and does so whether you direct it to or not. Beware of 'garbage in, garbage out,' because if you expose you mind only to trashy or sensational stimulation that's about all you will be able to talk or think about. We all have heard about the small child who swears or uses a potty mouth in embarrassing, to the parents, situations. They say "little pitchers have big ears." It's the same with the brain. What you pour into it is what will be poured out. So it is good to take a self-directing role in brain development. Learning is life long. There are many ways to increase the power of your brain. You need to work on your overall health as well, because a brain that doesn't get the proper blood flow and such will not function properly. So exercise and nutrition have a place in brain health. Then you can do other exercises to develop brain power. If you practice memorizing you will become more adept at memorizing. I remember realizing I needed to be able to keep my mind about me when there were distractions such as someone talking too loudly, or shouting at me. It took some time and practice but it was worth the effort. Crossword puzzles are just the tip of the iceberg for things you can do with you eyes to strength your brain. You can practice sound things like singing one song while listening to another, speaking something out loud, then continuing it silently, on some signal, then going back to speaking it out loud again, without losing the thread of it. Developing muscles. Visualizing muscle use, as in inner tennis, actually helps. When I was learning to play the piano I sometimes would practice certain finger patterns in my mind or on a desktop and that would help. Your brain is a miracle. Let this reminder of that be the spark of magic that moves you to use it and increase its power.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Magic and Zen

There is a lot of power available to you when you access the alpha state, or right brain. This is the state athletes refer to as 'the zone.' The zen disciplines of doing a task over and over until you reach a spiritual level with it is meant to invoke this state. Finding ways to be super relaxed, such as listening to music from the 1600's and 1700's can also help. When you become centered, relaxed, in the zone your breathing, brain waves and other movements will not interfere with each other, but will all work together to help you focus and succeed at what you are doing. When people say "haste makes waste' they are referring to the way a person who lacks this Zen sensibility will move too fast for the task and will spill or break things. In the alpha state you have all the time in the world that you need, even if it is only a minute or two of clock time. Due time is different from clock time. Due time is when things are ripe to happen, when everything has fallen into place. If you are gaining a skill that skill will be yours in due time. The kingdom will be established in due time. Taking the time needed is not a bit like procrastination. Procrastination is refusing to get involved. However, at times what seems like procrastination is allowing time for the mind to accept the task at hand and develop strategies for getting involved in it. When you are 'in the zone' with any learning or task, there is a deep involvement that will bring about a positive result, in due time. Let your willingness to become deeply and totally involved in a task or learning be the spark of magic that takes you to a higher ability.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

What Thoughts Can Do

I talked to some people studying metaphysics a couple of decades ago. They believed they could make water boil by thinking about it boiling. None had seen it happen. I decided to suspend belief in that aspect of thought. Then when I Saw the movie 'What the bleep do we know?' a couple of years ago one scientist showed the difference between photos of water drops. He claimed the ones that were rounder or nicer looking had been dropped near people who were thinking positive thoughts, the jagged ones had been dropped near people thinking negative thoughts. Perhaps thoughts can impact the physical world. I still don't worry about it much. But thoughts affect health, success, actions, relationships. So it is a good idea to be aware of our thoughts. We don't want to deny the signals that negative thoughts are giving us. There may be a change that needs to be made. However, if we focus on helplessness, despair, negativity, resentment, we can be crippled emotionally and physically. Also, this can get worse, as we are what we practice. So, give yourself a cheerful pat on the back for looking at a negative thought then deciding what is to be done. Maybe just the analysis shows that it is not well founded, that you have made an error in interpretation. Don't deny, don't shut down, just look wisely. That is the spark of magic, the belief that you can decide the truth of a thought, that will lead to wellness and good self-esteem.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Miracles Abound

Look around you at all of the things that are more than necessary. Color perception is to help us judge depth. But look at the way colors blend or contrast with each other to add fun to our wardrobe. Or the ways we respond to different colors emotionally. Sounds can be warnings, communication, a help us find direction. Yet music is much, much more than that. Food needs to taste good enough that we will gain the nutrition we need for life. But think about favorite pies, delicious blending of flavors in a home cooked meal, the aroma of cookies just out of the oven. All of these extras call us to joy and appreciation of life. Now think beyond your sensory appreciation of a situation and appreciate different processes that present themselves to you. I am blessed in being able to watch several adults who have decided to change themselves and their lives for the better. They are not in therapy, they have just decided they can become fuller individuals. Watching the change has been fascinating, truly miraculous. To appreciate the process of a creation adds new dimensions. The tulips are starting to show above ground now. I am reminded that all of the plant world gives us gifts of being able to watch the changes they present. Miracles happen. Magic happens. It is more than fun, or even delight to perceive and appreciate what we can. If you open up to all these wonders and realize you are part of all that is, you will lose a lot of your fears and insecurities. Seeing the miracle in another will help you connect to them in a natural yet magical way. Let a spark of magic into your life to open you up to the daily miracles that abound.

Friday, March 12, 2010

It's All In The Presentation

That's what they used to tell us when I worked in food service, it's all in the presentation. I have heard the same thing, sometimes phrased differently, in other walks of life. The presentation is the spark of magic that you can use to get your point across. Doesn't your inner self present things to you with a laugh, a jolt, or some other 'aha' way? Mine does. One period in my life I was in a very smothering situation but wasn't conscious of it until I heard myself singing the tune for 'Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater' over and over for days. I stopped and let the words finally come to mind. "Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater, Had a wife and couldn't keep her. Put her in a pumpkin shell and there he kept her very well." The message was recognized immediately. I was in a shell and needed to recognize it and get out.
Lights, color, music, humor can all help you present your caring, your ideas, your resistant, or whatever. Done lightly and smoothly what you present will get a much better response than a stumble mumble or a sledge hammer approach.
Watch for, listen for, the way your inner self will do the same for you. I have noticed that if I dream of drinking hot tea with someone they are very good friends, or will be when I get to know them better.
That spark of magic is there. Use it, notice it, appreciate it.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

The Magical Inner Self

If you are working on any project and it doesn't seem to be running smoothly, stop and ask your inner self for the message. Perhaps you can't walk well and there is a thorn in your foot you need to pull out. I was feeling blocked about the book I am currently working on and I finally realized that I didn't have the antagonist and protagonist (villain and hero) in actual opposition. It will involve a little work to change some of the action and events but the zing I got from the discovery will make it go smoothly. I've seen signs on gym walls like 'when the going gets tough the tough get going'. Well maybe so. But I suspect that it might be better to say
"when the going gets tough the tough get going, the smart look for a better way to go and the wise fix the road." I lettered in basketball in high school. It was the hours of practice at shooting baskets that made for the confidence and high scores in the games, not some last minute toughness. Your inner self is there for you, always, to give you the messages you might otherwise overlook. Take time to reflect, to survey your life and see which roads need to be fixed, regraded or replotted. A spark of magic is meant to help you travel smooth happy roads.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Constant Learning

Learning is lifelong. We are constantly receiving stimuli for our senses and constantly deciding which stimuli to accept and which to filter out. This takes place on several levels, so we aren't always conscious of what we have learned. There is a built-in inner wisdom that we have which helps us know which to accept and which to filter. Sometimes this sense is manifested in muscle strength or weakness. One exercise that is used to demonstrate the connection between mind and muscle is to have someone stand with their arms outstretched. They are then told to resist downward pressure put on the hands. Next they are instructed to think about certain things just as the pressure is applied. If the thought is negative the arms will have more trouble resisting. Sometimes this muscle strength indicator is used to tell if a substance is good or bad for a person. Because we are always learning, whether we mean to our not, it is good to monitor the stimuli around us, the settings in which we place ourselves. Repetition of stimuli is a form of practice. If you see a frown frequently it makes it probable that you will learn to wear a frown. Let this reminder of how constant and easy learning is be a spark for you to reach out for wonder, success, love and all good and magical things in your life.

Monday, March 8, 2010

The Magic Of Clarity

Some people are comfortable in a foggy world of assumptions, denial, customs and bad habits. If you can dare to question this haze you will come into a much better world. It might be frightful when you first dare to shine a light in the darkness but if done with a small candle, a spark of magic, the way will open up for truth, clarity and a bright new day. Visualization can be helpful. See yourself holding the light source that shines into the dark cave where you are held captive. Perhaps the change you need to make is in your life-style for health reasons. That can be extremely hard because the need for change is there all the time. There is no vacation from the need to change. There is however, a vacation from stress. You have the power to find joy rather than stress in the changes you make. You have to take the power away from the excuses you have used and give it to yourself. You will have to nurture yourself, thank yourself for deciding to change, set up rewards for continuing the change process, accept the changes that come and be creative about this whole thing. But the beauty of all this is that you are the magician, you are the one with the power to cause the change, the one who can gain the information you need and benefit from the changes you make. Let clarity help you start this process. All it takes is a little spark of magic to make big changes.

Where Is The Power Of Magic?

There is a difference between getting help and wanting someone else to do it for you. At times we may feel despair and want to give up our power, but that is very unwise. Here is a visualization that can help you develop your power to do what you need to do: Picture yourself being the magician and waving the magic wand for yourself. After all it is your magic. If you have the power of being yourself and are in charge of your own life, it will be difficult for others to tear down your self esteem or to influence you in ways that will be bad for you. Today is National Women's Day. Women are a group of individuals that have suffered from powerlessness throughout history. Yet there have always been powerful women. Power comes from being responsible for yourself, then deciding where else you will spend that power.
Power is not a 'someday' thing, it is now. The decision for change is made now. Then magic is used to keep the change going. Don't abdicate your power, claim it for yourself. Let a little spark of magic build a fire under you and go for your personal power today.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Let Magic Be Unbound

In the Sufi tradition the story is told of a teacher suddenly throwing his shoe into the heavens where it disappeared. In another time and place it fell on the head of a robber, thus saving the people who needed this miracle. In the study of quantum physics it is said that the laws of regular physics do not apply. In daily life we can be so focused on goals or problems that we almost forget to live. At those times we need to find ways to let the mind drift, to let magic be unbound, to allow the magic that is life to approach us. In that realm we do not worry about direct cause and affect nor sequence. If there must be purpose to this exercise it is to quiet the mind until we are rested, to let choice become merely choice, and actions are now ours to choose. When you are ready to allow magic once more you may find, that with a rested mind, the ideas are more fluid, the opportunities that you didn't see before are now there, and that you are better able to appreciate the miracles of a colorful sunrise or the color of a flower's petals, and know that your ideas for your creative work are also a miracle. You may say you are not engaged in creative work. Creative play then. But all express themselves by their choices. Do not deny your creativity. Let a spark of magic into your life to help you celebrate your self expression.

Friday, March 5, 2010

The Magic Mind Set

The magic mind set can help with anything, weight loss, fighting addictions, taking on new learning projects, making friends. It is a matter of being open to change and then finding out what it takes to accomplish that change, all the while nurturing your moods and faith in yourself. Sometimes you may have to think outside of the box, stack the boxes, smash the boxes or build new boxes. Magic is not a panacea, or sudden, but it does get results. That is at the core of magic: it is that which works. Often you will have overpowering waves of self-doubt assault you. At those times you must take one of those magic boxes and pack away the self-doubt. During the process of creating your magical project you can not be bothered by worrying about the end, and that distraction of self-doubt is misplaced. Just get into the process and go for what you want. Get into the Zen of doing what you do. Fear will have no place in this process. You will improve, you will enjoy, you will succeed.

The Realm Of Magic

When you live in the kingdom of magic wonderful things come into your life. Part of living in that kingdom is choosing friends that help your creativity. One of the critique groups I belong to is Colorado Dramtists. The synergy that exists when we are workshopping a script is powerful and wonderful. I have also been very lucky in that my family of blood is also my family of choice. I can ask a sibling or daughter for a comment or idea to help me in my writing and I get a creative, support response. Nurture your circles. Participate warmly and wisely. If you have to interact with people who are toxic pour magic elixir on their poison and turn it to your advantage. Ogres and evil villains do try to assault the castle walls in the magical kingdom. That's part of the adventure of living there, deciding how you will vanquish the enemy. You are the sovereign of your realm, but you don't live in it alone. There are other magicians there who will help you with your magic. Be thankful for the time they will take to spark your creativity.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Reminders About Magic

Remember that magic is well formed, that your inner wisdom leads you to it. If you are reading or hearing something that sets off your inner alarms then that is not for you. Sometimes things will happen that are totally unexpected but very beneficial, and logical. Like the time I got on a Greyhound bus totally soaking wet. Hours later I really needed to walk in the sunshine for awhile but we were only scheduled for a fifteen minute stop. It seemed magical to me that the bus driver who was meant to take over was more than an hour late. Then, when we reached another city I was persuaded to change buses (so I wouldn't be at a dangerous stop at night with no shelter because of that lateness) and discovered I had bought a ticket to the wrong city, but was now on the correct bus. Had the rain not come when it did I might have been put to a lot of trouble and confusion by my original mistake. I had gotten on the bus that night with the faith that I would see my daughter the next evening and I did. These things happen. But if I had tried to cause it my beliefs in logic and such would have prevented them, because I couldn't have had a big enough picture. So, be comfortable with your beliefs but relax about them. We don't know all there is to know. Accept the goodness that comes your way rather than pushing it away. Expect goodness to come your way and your are more likely to recognize it when it comes. Let a spark of magic into your life.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Mother Magic

A few posts ago I wrote about the Greek word, temenos, which has come to mean sanctuary of a psychological nature as well as physical. Mother love is the same but more. Not only does The Mother accept and listen. The Mother also expects. You can become your own mother and that will work magic in your life. The Mother spells out the rules, over and over if needed, then shows you how to follow the necessary ones. The Mother shows you how to know when certain rules supersede the others. When you are in pain, The Mother says, 'I know. It's okay to cry. There, there' before she helps you dry your eyes. Then, when you are back on the playing field, she cheers for you again. The Mother joins in and participates and encourages you to do the same. Some people have poor mothers. Some people have good mothers but forget what they learned, so have a poor inner mother. No matter what the state of your inner mother, you can craft a more magic one. Visualize, write down, draw pictures, talk to yourself, or create some other way; but find time to visit with you inner mother. Let that nurturing part of yourself give you a spark of magic that will enrich your life.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

It's Never Too Little Or Too Late

Since magic is a skill set, a way of thinking that you can access to your benefit, it is a good idea to hold the thought 'it's never too little or too late.' We know that in the mundane world plants can die if we water them too little or too late, and all that dreary stuff. But I have seen plants come back, and other things become resurrected. So don't rush to the judgment about little or late. Plant the seeds, sow your joy, goodness and ideas widely. You don't know whether the ground they fall on is fallow or not. I spent some years living in the Mohave desert, on the California/Arizona border. The desert will be barren for years. Then a really wet spring comes along and the seeds that huddled underground waiting for enough moisture will burst into the most miraculous carpet of color and bloom. You can't find a place to step without stepping on a flower.
Reach out in all the good ways you feel the urge for. Then gather in all that comes. Others are also, sometimes unknowingly, planting seeds. Receive them and enjoy your magical garden. Let that spark of magic bring Spring to your heart. Then look outside and see the signs that nature is also sending Spring to you.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Magic Is For Hanging In There

Yesterday was bill paying day. Sometimes I really have trouble sending my money out with love...the whole thing can really tarnish the gold of my magic. I was blocked in my writing, thought reactive thoughts and couldn't even make puns. That for me is the ultimate sign of a need for magic. So I did all the invoking, spells, chants and such that I could to hang in there. Today I approached the decisions about changes in paying and spending in a new way, and it all worked. Everything fell into place with bonuses. Things like special photos were suddenly manifested. It was as if I could recognize the right time and had arrived there. It was as if the jig saw puzzle now had pieces that had been waiting to fit into place but hadn't felt that it was the right time yet.
One of the spells or mantras I used was 'remember that those close to you are people of good will, they have the same goals as you do, realization and decisions need time to fall into place'.
Another mantra I used was 'you can get on top of this, all this ugly fog is just something to get through.' In the end several of the ideas that I had been waiting for in "Marus in Chaga" came to me, solving problems and opening the way for the next several chapters in ways that are fun and creative as well as making sense. I'm glad I knew to turn my angst over to a spark of magic.