Let Magic Find You

Recently I was feeling that edginess that makes me want to feel a spark or magic, to be aware of the sacred that mixes in with the mundane in our world.  I was at work so I couldn't go make a phone call or listen to music or do anything to draw magic to me except in my thoughts.  I let my mind wander in search of joyous thoughts.  I thought how nice it would be to visit with my favorite three year old little boy.  Suddenly I no longer had to search for magic.  It had found me.  Not only did I experience the joy of love for that child, I was also open to an understanding of the resources that humanity has.  Each person has the ability to love and feel that life is sacred and divine.  So I say to all wise magicians that you do not always need to seek to work magic.  Magic is and it will seek and find you if you will be still and allow it to come to you.  Part of the need I was feeling for magic came from several days of observing a co-worker who causes discomfort to others because of her problems with her ego.  I was musing on how shallow humanity might be and how I wondered about inner resources people may have.  After I had felt the joy of magic I became reassured that an appreciation of the spark of magic, an awareness of the sacred, is possible.  Magic to life is like salt to food, it is a wonderful flavor enhancer.  Later I spoke to the man who is the brunt of this woman's jibes and I again felt the spark when his eyes lit up at my gift of understanding to him.  I saw I had added to his sense of self-hood.  That also gave me a lift.  So, if you need a bit of magic today, be still and allow it to find you.  May the spark be with you.

The Magic of Review

There is a tradition of the creative one looking at that which was created and finding it good. It is always good to take joy in one's creations.  But what about the times of dissatisfaction, when one needs to draw down magic?  That is a time when review can also bring forth magic.  Review is sometimes going back to square one, back to the drawing board.  Sometimes it is just looking for the places you need to tweak.  But if you take the willingness to start over to every review you will have a sense of freshness.  Be willing to move back down to a lower step to find what worked.  When you are safely at the platform of what worked you have gained a bit of comfort.  You know that things can work.  Then you can go forward from there.  Going forward might mean taking advice, re-evaluating your efforts, even accepting that you have to make some big changes.  Acceptance can be hard but if you are in a safe place when you have to do it, it isn't so hard after all.  You want to work magic.  Magic is well formed.  If you are pushing beyond what can be supported or work smoothly, review will help you recognize that. You have freed yourself from anxiety by finding the platform of what works.  Now you can look for what has to be newly created in order to move forward.  A side bit of magic, or energy that will fuel further efforts is the joy of discovery of self that comes from review.  You will find yourself saying, "That was pretty good, wasn't it?".  So I say to all wise magicians out there, when you feel the need for a bit of magic, for the spark that will ignite a greater flame, try review as a magic wand.  Review where you are.  Explore what is.  You may find delights and ideas beyond what you expected.  May the spark be with you.

Slow Magic: Silver Linings

Over the winter I had a slightly negative situation in my living conditions.  I'm too busy to bother with a lot of bitching and nit picking, so mostly I just tried to do some teaching and go with the flow. A few weeks after this less than perfect roommate snuck out in the middle of the night I slowly began to see silver linings in the dark clouds he had left behind. I saw business opportunities I hadn't seen before.  Two other family members also found new doors opening up to them.  I began to wonder if there isn't a phenomenon that could be called slow magic.  So often the quick flash of a magic wand is what we think of when we think of magic.  We want to cause better things is life right away.  But sometimes things need to sit and simmer on the back burner.  So I suggest to all wise magicians out there, you may already have a cauldron of magic cooking away.  Discover it and stir it so it doesn't burn. Ideas and opportunities abound.  Find the magic in storm clouds and use it.  May the spark be with you.

I Think, Therefore I Am Magical

Cogito ergo sum. I think therefore I am.  This is attributed to Emmanuel Kant, an important German philosopher.  I believe that in a life that is more than existence the wise magician does something all the time to make life better. They are aware.  They think about what they are doing.  This is where meta cognition becomes one of the magic wands a wise magician can use. Meta cognition is the act of thinking about thinking.  The most recent place I saw it mentioned was in a national journal for music teachers.  The author said that students must be taught to think about the way they think in order to get the most out of their practice.  They must be aware of the attitudes that they hold as they are practicing as that will influence the quality of their practice.  Simple repetition may strengthen mistakes in their playing but if they are monitoring their practice they will spot the mistakes, correct them and also find ways to add qualities such as better interpretation to their work. So I suggest to all wise magicians: Think and be--think and act and create a magical life. When you are aware of your thinking you can modify it and enhance it in ways that can lead to fruitful actions.  Be magical.  May the spark be with you.

Ideas About Ritual

Ritual can be a magical tool or it can be a deadening activity which insulates us from truly being alive.  When magic comes into our life by invitation we participate in the world more fully.  Simple things can become richer and give us comfort and freedom from stress.  Think about the difference between "dining" and "grabbing a bite".  It could be the same food, but the experience will be vastly different.  I believe that rituals can also be developed  that comfort us and get us ready to face difficult tasks.  One of my friends recently told me how she makes sure she has beautiful stamps with hearts or flowers on them when she is paying bills.  Then she sends the payments out with gratitude for having enough money to pay the bills and for the products and services she enjoyed that caused the bills.  She claims this ritual has drawn abundance to her.
Since I see a lot of abundance in her life I believe she may be right.
Ritual can be an aspect of planning and being in charge of our life.  By being self-directed, by looking to the future and creatively making decisions that bring a better life to us we are working magic.  The way we celebrate this, the rituals we develop to affirm that this is our mind set, support us in doing this magic.  Choose colors, choose symbols, choose times for your activities that support you in celebrating and living a fuller life.  These rituals can be simple.  When I feel anxiety I thank my inner self  by being open to the need for a better life.  This helps me claim my power and affirms that I am not helpless before the feeling of anxiety.  I suggest to all wise magicians that you add a ritual or two of celebration to your life.  May the spark be with you. 

The Magic of Why

If you were told to quit asking so many questions when you were a child I hope you didn't listen.  Why is a wonderfully magic word.  On one level it can lead to a lot of fun.  Asking why without expecting a scientific answer leads to a larger world of fantasy.  Why is the moon yellow?  Because it is made of cheese.  Why do I have a nose?  So I can pull it off your face and show it to you between my fingers. Why do cats purr?  They have to maintain their flying motor for the one night a year when they ride on the back of a witch's broom across the sky.
Another benefit of asking why is you do find out a lot.  Sometimes you notice something but need to focus on it a bit more.  You will be called to ask why and you will answer yourself.  But that will have gained you a fuller understanding.
When you are trying to communicate with another person you have to be very careful of how you use the word why. If you were to say, " Why are you being such a meanie?" when the person is not actually trying to be mean you may trigger them into meanness.   Labels are dangerous.  But if you were to say that you noticed they had lines on their forehead, and that they were speaking differently, you might be perceived as caring about their mood and they would welcome a chance to share. Ask why of yourself first.  Why and what.  Then find gentle ways to check it out with the other person.  I popped my husband on the arm years ago because I was brokenhearted he had to leave town.  He wrapped his arms around me in a hug before he asked me why I popped him. That made me love him more and want him to stay even more.  But the why open up magic for us. I say to all wise magicians: do ask questions.  They lead to shifts in focus and to answers.  Often the best way to question is to ask the questions of yourself.  Why and why not?  May the spark be with you.

The Magic of Tiny Things

There's snow on the ground and I'm wondering how to bring a feeling of well being into my life.  I definitely need the magic of that zing and feeling content.  This is a season of big things.  Big storms, big problems in politics, big problems with health, big financial problems, big needs for improvement in ways we treat the earth and each other, big needs for maintenance and repair of our infra structure and things we have created.  The size of all these problems is almost too big to deal with.  But a wise magician does not turn away from the need for change, although it can be hard knowing where to start. But start we must or we will suffer from the guilt of holding back  There is help from the Nike slogan, 'Just do it'. Start tiny.  Very very tiny.  Meditate on a tiny thing.  Perhaps there is just one bit of visual beauty.  Make sure you focus on it.  Today I only saw two birds at the bird feeder.  But that was enough of a small good thing that my heart was peaceful and warm watching them.  Meditate by centering and focusing on tiny things.  Then go on to take one tiny step towards a better world.  I personally would be happy to see freight trains loaded with guns on the way to "be beaten into plowshares". That's too big for me but I might be able to help someone think a little more clearly about the lies they are hearing about the issues.  There might be a lot of little things I can do.  I will continue to recycle.  I will do the little things.  I will continue to energize myself by the little bits of magic I can create.  I will smile, I will enjoy the sunrise. I will plant seeds where I can.  I will bring magic to my life and to others. I hope each wise magician that reads my words finds a way to do the same.  May the spark be with you.