The Magic That Is Around You

I often refer to the magic that is around you. Thinking of yourself as being surrounded by a nurturing field of great possibilities is part of the mind set of being a wise magician. This mind set does a great deal to keep you open to luck, great ideas and making good connections. Anti-magic is closed, helpless, hopeless, negative, unhealthy and dangerous. This idea of thinking you have a field of magic around you encourages you to make reality checks, to avoid closed loop thinking, to keep good goals in mind and to accept the good when it comes to you. Knowing that not every one can hook into the magic that is around you helps you recognize their baloney (or worse) when they throw it at you. There are concepts that people have developed over the centuries that show many cultures also accept that there is more than 'just us'. Some of these concepts are, karma, dharma, feng shui, synergy, synchronicity, synchrodestinity,the soul,love, luck, guardian angels, and providence. For centuries humans have recognized that life can be very difficult. Yet more often than not it seems to work out. I used to have a very dour 'baloney-tosser' in my life. He hated psychology because he said it wasn't a science. That was his surface excuse to avoid maturing. I didn't discuss it with him but I do know in my graduate courses in the history of science and intellectual thought that researchers often accepted a concept as 'useful' even if they weren't sure that it was a final concept. Magic is meant to be useful. It is well formed and practical. The purpose is to help you, the wise magician, shape a good life for yourself and others. So reach out to the energy of the magic that surrounds you and find a way to have some joy, some luck, some goodness in your life. May the spark be with you.

The Magic Of Staging

Last evening I was watching the old movie, "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" with Angela Lansbury. In the movie she comments on a spell as being a bit theatrical then goes on to say that all the best spells are. That is true. Magic is appealing. It is also very useful and important but if it doesn't appeal it is less likely to work. The universe knows about appeal. Flowers have smell and color. Women strive to be glamorous. People tell jokes to make people laugh and thus feel good. HGTV has programs about preparing or 'staging' a room to make a house appeal to buyers. The Food Network shows a chef arranging a plate in an attractive way. When you state your plans or desires it is well to do so in a way that sounds good as well as being to the point. Important events in a person's life are often staged in wonderful ways. Think of weddings, confirmations, graduations and so on. The extra bit of time and trouble that it takes to stage a spell, appearance or event makes it stay in memory better and helps to underscore its importance. A wise magician will take this into account. Dressing well for work sends out the message that work is important to you. Having an attractive home sends the message that the residents and guest of that home are important. When you add the little extra bit of flair or polish to anything you are taking a bit of energy from the magic that surrounds you to make that thing better. Look around you. What can you stage in a better way in your life? You may be surprised and delighted at the benefits staging can bring to you. Don't be afraid to try it. Do only what is right for you. Remember "magic is well formed." But do try staging your life in better ways. May the spark be with you.

The Magic Of Staging

Last evening I was watching the old movie, "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" with Angela Lansbury. In the movie she comments on a spell as being a bit theatrical then goes on to say that all the best spells are. That is true. Magic is appealing. It is also very useful and important but if it doesn't appeal it is less likely to work. The universe knows about appeal. Flowers have smell and color. Women strive to be glamorous. People tell jokes to make people laugh and thus feel good. HGTV has programs about preparing or 'staging' a room to make a house appeal to buyers. The Food Network shows a chef arranging a plate in an attractive way. When you state your plans or desires it is well to do so in a way that sounds good as well as being to the point. Important events in a person's life are often staged in wonderful ways. Think of weddings, confirmations, graduations and so on. The extra bit of time and trouble that it takes to stage a spell, appearance or event makes it stay in memory better and helps to underscore its importance. A wise magician will take this into account. Dressing well for work sends out the message that work is important to you. Having an attractive home sends the message that the residents and guest of that home are important. When you add the little extra bit of flair or polish to anything you are taking a bit of energy from the magic that surrounds you to make that thing better. Look around you. What can you stage in a better way in your life? You may be surprised and delighted at the benefits staging can bring to you. Don't be afraid to try it. Do only what is right for you. Remember "magic is well formed." But do try staging your life in better ways. May the spark be with you.

The Magic Of Dis-engagement

There is a lot of freedom and magic in quitting, breaking things off or taking a time out. Sometimes it is really necessary to get off that wrong pathway. The goal may be important but the pathway wrong. As people all over the world strive to live 'greener' lives it is important to recognize that nature is not to be conquered so much as to be fit in with. Only when we step back a bit and look at what isn't working can we see new things to try. When you step back from something it is important to dis-engage from the burden of it. Don't let the 'should mind' tie you in knots. If the inner self feels free then it can let ideas occur if they are ready. But if you obsess and worry about a task, a project or idea you have not truly dis-engaged. You have probably paralyzed your creative self. The wise magician casts the spell then lets it go. I am not advocating a life of aloofness. Being involved in life is important. But the wrong kind of involvement is counter-productive. Nature is wise in that cycles exist. Cycles can be a good thing. Bio-mimicry is a new field of study in which nature is studied to gain ideas for use in human endeavors. The off and on, effort and rest, aspect of nature is a good model to emulate. Put out the needed effort. Then rest, think it over, learn, and come full circle to try again. A friend of mine was working many long hours to earn money she needed. But she was so tired from all this she had a car accident. This cost money so she lost ground in her savings program. Less effort, in shorter bursts would have been better for her. Magic works best when the time and the circumstances are right. So if you are in a state of emergency, when you most need solutions and help, take a breather then work you magic. After all even Superman would find the peacefulness of a telephone booth to change into his costume. Let the energy of the magic that is around you help you find the peace you need. Then, when you are ready, make the changes you need. May the spark be with you.

The Magic Of Play

Play is an experimental activity in a low stress situation that is pleasurable. It often leads to development of important skills. Think about all the implications of that. You could pretend to be free of an addiction in order to get the mind and body ready for the eventual new state. Many children play at the careers they eventually choose and study for. Courtship is a form of play getting ready for a deeper relationship and a long term commitment. You may have heard the saying 'change is loss'. That is because change is often new and abrupt. But if you want to make a change you can find ways to play about it before hand to make it less new and less abrupt. Parents have found that role playing about school or a family move before these take place help children cope with the actual event quite well. All of this may seem like old news to you. My idea, however, is that you set up regular times to play about becoming conscious of your dreams and achieving them. Young girls in love often spend time writing their name as it would be were they married to the beloved. That daydreaming is a form of play getting ready for the possible change in their life. Magic is meant to bring the hidden to the light. I believe I can use play to become a more successful writer. I have laughed at so many jokes about aging that I am beginning to accept that people do age. I believe I can learn to accept that people do become successful writers. If I can't find any humorous expressions of having a book contract, being at book signings or getting an acceptance letter from an agent or a publisher I shall have to create some games, jokes or other play of my own. I claim to be a creative writer. I can create some playful activities about this. I do want these things to happen in my life. As an afterthought, I suppose I need to find a way to make a game of working a certain number of hours on a consistent basis as well. I resolve to play about these changes until I have brought them about. Be a wise magician for yourself. Look around your life to see what changes you need or want to make in your life. Then find ways to move toward these changes through play. May the spark be with you.

The Magic Of Making A Difference

Make A Difference Day is coming up. Please do something to make a difference for another person and yourself. It is important to come out of any shells or ivory towers you may be in and see what a powerful statement you can make. You may not be ignoring the world as much as being too busy with whatever you are coping with. STOP. Right now. Look around you. Reassess you life, your environment, your world. Speak out against bullies. Stand up for woman's rights. Poke fun at the absurd political messages that currently bombard us. Clean up some clutter. Help a lonely person feel valued. Be patient with someone. Adopt some healthy habits. Inform yourself about issues. Write your congressman or a letter to the editor. Make a difference somehow, somewhere. Then enjoy how good that feels. The wise magician knows that it is the realm of magic to bring about change for the better. Sometimes a little act can have a big impact. Don't be afraid to have an impact. You may fear that you will be criticized. It it much more likely that you will be admired. If your good act is worth doing it is worth validating yourself by ignoring the misguided people who criticize you. But even if your act goes unnoticed you will know what you did. Don't confine your act of making a difference to this one day. Become a wise magician. Daily look for ways to create magic. Do good because you can. Make a difference because it is a fun and wonderful way to express yourself. Let the energy of the magic that surrounds you give you ideas of how you can make a difference for yourself and others. Do this often throughout the year. May the spark be with you.

The Magic Of Germination

I would like to suggest to all wise magicians that they plant a seed within themselves of glory. Find your most beloved talents and nurture them. You may be more talented at some things than others and your most polished talent may not be the one to nurture. Find the beloved one and follow the bliss of expressing that. It is also good to nurture secondary talents. I have some skills at sculpture and making small models for casting. Every once in a while it makes me happy to indulge in that. Some talents are for glory some are for happy. It's like your wardrobe. Wear what is right for you at the time. It may take a while after the idea of nurturing your talent takes hold, or the seed is planted, for germination to take place. Nurture it but don't rush it. But do expect it. If you stress out about it and expect it to bring you fame and fortune you will lose the glory. Fame and fortune may come. But the expressing of the talent is where the glory lies. Many times people find themselves feeling stressed and think that they are suffering from the pressures of life. In my experience, however, when those people find ways to be creative their stress lessens dramatically. If you mention to some people that you are going to develop a certain talent they may be one of the sad variety of people who don't understand about talent. Everyone has the ability to express themselves. Most people have more ability to learn to write poetry, paint pictures, or write stories than they realize. But there are also other ways to be creative. The way you dress, walk, talk, arrange your furniture are all creative acts. Being creative is fun and makes you much healthier. So it is practical as well. One clue to finding your talent is to notice what calls to you. If you don't like stories you probably wont want to take the time and effort to develop an ability to tell stories. Becoming skilled at anything takes effort, patience with yourself, and faith. But the reward can be magical. Know you are able to express yourself and find a way to do it with joy. May the spark be with you.

The Magic Of The Awakening

The way I have been choosing topics for posting is by researching, reading or thinking about stories about magic, then looking for ways to use this in daily life. What some people call miracles other people call magic. Whatever the term, when a magical event happens it is a wondrous beautiful change. I recently saw a dear friend awaken to sobriety. It does seem like a miracle. That made me wonder about my own life. What do I need to awaken to? Better health practices, i.e. more exercise, more of a focus on my writing, and more attention to my dear relationships. Of course there may be more but those are the ones that need an awakening to. When an awakening happens there is a lot of spiritual energy involved. In many stories the magician will awaken an object to powers beyond its current state to do some deed of goodness. When the princes in the stories Snow White and Sleeping Beauty kissed the heroines they brought the princesses back from a death like sleep. In each of those examples, about the magician or the prince, the awakening seems sudden. But in reality the time had to be right. So how does the wise magician awaken herself? First comes a readiness. Light comes into the room, plenty of sleep has been enjoyed, or something like that starts the awakening process. Help may be needed, some sort of alarm, medical help, encouragement from friends. When consciousness comes you may not be fully awake. Sit up and stretch and make sure your muscles are ready for use. Read this as a realistic instruction and a figurative one. More may be needed in order to bring about the needed focus, a figurative cup of coffee. Before the sleep began there was some acceptance of the need for the eventual awakening. Then, when the awakening takes place, the benefit of this new state must be realized. Many things have been making my friend appreciate his new sobriety. I must look for ways to appreciate the awakening I am trying to bring about for myself. I actually have been trying to exercise more and I am seeing some benefits. This will keep me going. Duty is a very dry or boring taskmaster. Magic is a better one. I think I must make sure and get some zing into each of my awakening projects. More sharing of my writing, especially the humorous pieces. Perhaps some new clothes to exercise in. Getting in touch with friends and family has a wonderful zing to it all by itself. I suggest you look at your life, the dry part especially, and see what new day you can awaken yourself to. May the spark be with you.

The Magic Of The Other

Participation. Love. Connection. Interaction. Being invested. Communion. All of these words refer to a particular experience that cannot be well expressed in words. It is a magical time when the person, craft or project is influencing you as you are influencing it. It is a truly two way experience. In this state you have lost distrust and ego. The welfare of the other is bound up with your welfare and a feeling of faith and trust tells you that the ultimate goal will be right and well formed. This can happen to an artist, a therapist, a writer, a mother, a lover or even an athlete as they practice their craft. I doubt that it can happen to a rabble rouser or a demagogue. The wise magician strives for that state because it brings the power of the magic that surrounds us into play. I believe that is why the term 'as above so below' is used as a mantra in working spells; to refer to the sacred aspect of magical and/or spiritual endeavor. This state is not achieved by simply willing it. It is rather a release of will. It is a meditative state. The exercises that some use when meditating or trying to go into the alpha state can help. Some simple ones are to tip your head back a bit and roll your eyes up. Or to block off breathing through the right nostril for a second or two. Deep breathing also helps. But the feeling of love or connection is a long term feeling or state. Some even refer to it as eternal. When writers feel that their characters have come alive and are helping to tell the story it is a manifestation of this connection. The willingness to prune, to rework, to be patient or experiment to find what brings about the desired beautiful result is what brings about this connection and is also a result of it. Magic, good relationships, good health, well crafted works are all a well formed expression of love, connection, or whatever word you find for this state or experience. Let magic help you to reach out to experience love and connection in many aspects of your life. May the spark be with you.

Magic Of Distillation

Distillation is the process of boiling away all of the unneeded material until the pure essence is all that is left. From the time of the ancient alchemists distillation has been part of the hunt for the greatest treasure. Many times the wise magician will need to distill the product until the final nugget of gold is found. If you are a writer you will have to go over and over your statement of the desire arc of the protagonist until you can concisely state what the hero wants in a way that will set up the story for interesting conflict. No matter what your creative endeavor is you need to distill it down in the planning stages until you can state your goal cleanly and simply. Until you know what the goal is you can't pursue it very well. At times you have to state your goal as 'finding out what you want to pursue or where you want to go.' When that goal is reached you can go on to greater endeavors. At times you may feel that you are caught in an endless loop as you go over and over something. Perhaps you are. But you also may be working on refining your plan or project. Clarity is necessary in order to pursue any goal. Distillation is is part of the process of obtaining clarity. As you search for your refined product don't be afraid to add new liquid, metal, or ideas to the mix. Perhaps what you are trying to distill is incomplete. When you have achieved the needed distillation you will know it because it will be like all magic, it will be right or well formed. Reach out to the magic that surrounds you for the energy to distill your plans and actions into the best possible ones. May the spark be with you.

The Stages Of Magic

Some spells are quick and easy. Sometimes all we need to do is lift our heart and we can do that by thinking of our favorite child. Other times we need to work our magic in stages. When we need bigger magic it is a mistake to try for the quick fix. You may need to first work for clarity. You really must be clear about what you want. Most of you have seen Disney's 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice'. Remember how Mickey caused himself trouble by spelling the broom to carry water without fully understanding what he was doing? Rushing into your magic could do the same for you. It could create a situation in which you are out of your depth. After you have clarity you need to find the energy to approach the problem. Then comes the efforts to change the situation. Sometimes you will need to experiment. But always remember to find ways to anchor what magic you have done. Think of going after your goal like climbing stairs. These upward stairs have landings on which you can rest and regroup. While resting you can consolidate your gains or plan for a different strategy. Magic will help you to keep on keeping on. It will help you get new ideas for solutions. If you are working on a relationship you will realize that 'happy ever after' is an illusion. But constant negotiations must be part of the picture. Whatever goal you approach be willing to go through different stages to get to the final good product. With the mindset that you are the magician, able to find and use good tools, you are most likely to reach a good end. Reach out for energy to the magic that surrounds you to help you achieve what you need. May the spark be with you.

The Magician's Cloak

At times the wise magician will realize that she needs another tool besides her wand. The wand is a powerful tool and can sometimes be used as a weapon. But at times the opposite of a weapon is needed. At times the magician needs to transcend conflict, especially the noise inside own's mind that causes us to lash out. There are times that is is good to take your comforting cloak and wrap it around you. Comfort and protection can insulate you against the things that are best ignored. When you have run a red light and the traffic policeman has fire in his eye the cloak is the best tool. You don't have to fight for self control. You have to listen and transcend. When your child is screaming you need extreme calmness in order to deal with the tantrum. The cloak helps you transcend. If you are dealing with people in the grip of substance abuse or their own misguided reactions you may need the wand and the cloak. But to over-react yourself at such a time would be far from 'doing magic'. Magic needs serenity. The wise magician needs serenity. Create your cloak in your mind. Mine has a lining that is bright, soft and soothing. The outer side is crisp and dark. The cloak has a nice flourish to it. When need be I can shelter in it. I am also delighted with the style and flair it has.
There is so much that is less than magical, to put it mildly, in this world. These events need to be approached with strength, serenity, and a sense of purpose. If you have been knocked off balance by any off these things it will be hard to do magic to deal with them. Develop your cloak for joy and all the other advantages it can give you for dealing with life's events. Reach out to the magic that surrounds you. Let your magician's cloak help you. May the spark be with you.

Unexpected Magic

I just had an interesting experience. As you may have guessed from my last post, I was feeling out of touch with my magic. I was going along doing my duty by someone else but hoping to get back into feeling magic energy. Today I got a couple of phone calls that let me know that the simple things I had done for this person had opened up realms of connections and opportunities in his life. He called it a miracle. I had been a catalyst for things to fall into place for him in many ways. People sometimes refer to magic as an occult, or hidden, art. I suspect that more often than we realize the little good hearted things we do are not that apparent to us as magic. But they can have magical effects that we don't even know about. I remember a time about thirty years ago when such a thing happened for my friend. She and I were concerned about feeding her children. It was several days before either of us were to get a paycheck. We had some cash and some coupons and went to the grocery store. In front of the store a stranger gave her a lottery ticket. When we scratched it we found it to be worth fifty dollars. That bought enough groceries to last until payday. A little thing to that stranger, who had paid one dollar for it and probably expected it to be worth nothing. A big thing for a mother and her children. I can think of other times of unexpected magic as well. When I was in college and going through a divorce I wondered if I could stay in school. It would be better for my children in the long run if I could finish my education, as well as for me. One of my professors found out about my situation and told me to apply for a teaching assistantship in the graduate school. I had never heard of such a thing but I did apply. I was granted the assistantship and it helped me finish the last semester of my senior year and go on to get my master's degree. I suggest that you continue to work magic for your own life. Magic abounds. But even when you don't see a manifestation for yourself you might be manifesting big things in someone else's life. A kind word, a word of encouragement, a good tip might be the magic that is needed. So try to connect to the energy of the magic that surrounds you to make a better life for yourself or someone else. May the spark be with you.

When The Magic Is Weak

Sometimes it will be difficult to feel that you are connected to your magic. You will recognize this by loss of interest in doing your fun projects and not feeling much pressure to do the less fun but "should" projects either. You may find yourself up against malfunctions of technology that is not your fault. Then you can only try to find ways to alert the people that can fix things to do as they should. You can do no more. All sorts of things might happen. When you feel that your magic has weakened it is important to open the channels so that when it is strong again you will know it. The best ways to open up to magic is through your senses and through your connections to people. Do a variety of things that eventually will make the corners of your mouth feel happy and your eyes start to open. If there is a pet or child or other beloved in your life, even if not in your home, do what you can to get some physical contact. Also turn to your senses for your connection to magic. Smell something good. Look at trees and plants. At this time of year even the withering that is starting to happen is interesting as well as the change in colors. Explore variations of lighting. Candles, sunlight, shade, clouds are all of interest in strengthening your connection to the magic that surrounds you. I have mentioned before techniques you can use to energize yourself. These can be used to connect you to the feeling that magic abounds. Some of these are: a strong exhalation, a quick look upwards, rhythmic movement, stretching, saying mantras such as "well being" or "magic abounds" can also help. Another point about connecting to your magic is to clear away the events or things that are blocking you. Perhaps you need to grieve over something you did not think was that important to you. Perhaps you are in a low grade toxic situation and didn't know it was that bad so you were not moving away from it. Perhaps you are hungry, thirsty or need a nap. Perhaps you have been caught up in 'busyness'. Do what you can to become aware of those blocks and clear them away. The purpose of being connected to your magic is to feel at home in the world. Magic wants your well being. So when you first feel that it might be weak, act to strengthen it.
The magic that surrounds you will reach back to help that connection. May the spark be with you.