The Magic of Boy Scouts/Weight Watchers/Sunday School etc

You may not want to solve your particular need for magic (life problem) by going to any of the groups I mention in my title.  But they embody some of the principles of magic.  You may remember: As above, so below- As within so without.- As without so within.  Sunday school, Weight Watchers, Boy Scouts and many other groups send out the message that you can choose beneficial actions.  They may seem to be telling you what these actions are, but still the choice is left in your hands.  You can choose habits of movement, habits of speech, and habits of mind.  This last one is truly where magic resides.  You can choose how you think.  If you find you are thinking habitually negative thoughts you can learn how to derail these thoughts.  You can take a break from these thoughts.  Today someone told me about her husband feeling really depressed but when he got up and took a walk around the block he found he had regained his balance.  He could once again deal with the teenagers in the home.  I myself, have been struggling with anxiety and mental fatigue at certain times of day for years.  I had been offered medication for it a year of so ago but a side effect was hair loss.  It didn't seem to help that much anyway.  I had discovered that there are articles and videos about brain plasticity at the time.  I had to try to re-wire my brain.  I'm not as far along as I hope to be some day.  But for a few weeks I have noticed a definite increase in my moods.  The big basket of hopelessness just doesn't get dumped over my head like it did.  Even if I do get a whammy again from time to time, I believe I have learned strategies that will enable me to cope.  My two favorite "get away from the anxiety hag" tips are: to think about things for which I am thankful and to connect with people in some way.  So, I suggest to all wise magicians that you set up your own self-improvement meetings.  It can be just you, yourself and you.  But on a regular basis it will help you to visit the idea that you have the power to do things to make your life better.  You can reach out.  You can learn. You can learn from your experiments.  You can get help from friends.  The magic is yours.  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.

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.